Issue 62 - September 2017

MAGDALEN

HOW TO SURVIVE IN DUNDEE WITHOUT PUNCHING A HOLE IN YOUR WALLET FRESHERS SKINCARE

SEPTEMBER 2017

ISSUE 62

2017 GUIDE TO DUNDEE SOCIETIES

Dundee University’s Free Student Magazine

FEELING ANXIOUS? NEED A RECHARGE? COME TO OUR SAFE SPACE FOR A QUIET PLACE TO RECOVER LOCATED ON LEVEL 4 TUESDAY NIGHTS - VOLUNTEER DEPENDENT

MAGDALEN ISSUE 62 SEPTEMBER 2017

10th Anniversary Issue

Editors Mila Georgieva Rebecca Baird Andrew Stewart Dominic Younger Danielle Ames Melina Nicolaides Finlay Craig Beth Shackley Natalie Coupar Lauren Bennie DUSA Exec

2017/18 2016/17 2015/16 2014/15 2013/14 2012/13 2011/12 2010/11 2009/10 2008/9 2007/08

10th Anniversary Issue

he ten-year anniversary of the Magdalen is a sore reminder of my age, but also brings back many warm (and cringe-worthy) memories of working at one of Scotland’s best student mags.

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tories and trade unionists we picked up along the way (it was egregiously nepotistic and this was later remedied). This was where the magazine began to become a vehicle for the political views of the day.

I first started writing for the Magdalen under Lauren Bennie’s editorship. I wrote music reviews, interviewed bands which came to play at the union and reaping the benefits of all the free CDs sent to us by various A&R companies.

It’s at this point I cringe, not only at the amateur design the magazine suffered under my limited skills (also later remedied – see Beth Shackley) but the very ill-researched personal viewpoints I shamelessly peddled across the pages.

It was a dream gig for a student, but for a student who loved writing it was a stepping stone to a future career too. Lauren had grafted hard to get the magazine off the ground and find its voice. We were a small but mighty band of writers at the time, plugging away trying to recruit more student journos and increase distribution of the magazine. In 2008 I became Lauren’s assistant editor, and we battled on with InDesign trying to make the magazine look a bit more Vogue and a bit less punk zine. When I took over as editor in 2009 I made life decidedly difficult for myself when the first page lead of my first edition was a direct challenge to the University’s Strategic Review. At the time we were based in our own office in the Microcentre Rm 2.01 (if I remember correctly), an airy 1970’s-type office looking on to the Campus Green. The physical divide between magazine and the student union only fed into the us against them mentality, and it was little surprise that an office was soon found for us within the union some short time after.

But that’s what a student magazine should be about. A chance to find out who you are, to discover what you want to do, with the opportunity to do it all with limited censorship or rebuke.

I personally and professionally learnt a huge deal from editing the Magdalen. I learnt how to manage a small business, through budgeting for the year, managing and recruiting an editorial team, and devising processes to keep the magazine going. I discovered that I loved writing, something I am very lucky to now be pursuing in my career as a comms professional. And I discovered that boys in bands were never as dreamily intelligent in person as they seemed in their lyrics.

Ten years on, this is my small way of offering a belated thanks to the University and the student union for giving so many students a chance to explore who they were outside the confines of a classroom. Especially when we were often nothing but little shits in return.

The editorial team was recruited from my politics class, friends from around the student union and a ragtag bunch of socialists,

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worked with the Magdalen from 2009-2011. This was back in the days when we didn’t have Netflix so I needed something to do. I started working with the great and powerful Natalie as her Assistant Editor, then later became Editor, because Natalie was too old to carry the title anymore.

During the reign of Natalie, we started collaborating with the other media outlets, which meant that people could experience building new institutions, as well as working on more established ones. As cheesy as it sounds, working with DUSA Media offered a totally unique experience that would allow them to grow into any future role easily. On a personal level, it gave me a very early understanding of what I wanted in a job, and it gave me skills I never would have got otherwise.

One of the things I love most about the magazine is how much it evolves year by year – it has grown more aware and mature with every Editor. In the beginning of my time as Editor, people mainly only came to stuff if they were given biscuit bribes. After news of the great party ring feast spread, a new, diverse, larger team formed. We started playing around with themes and a new design, which is a tradition every Editor has taken on; you can see how effectively and positively it has evolved issue by issue.

Back in my day the magazine was only just beginning, with everyone putting in their best effort to help it grow. It’s lovely

Natalie Coupar Editor in Chief 2009/10

to see the Magdalen is even more relevant, aware, and mature with every person that contributes to it. It has grown into an impressive and professional looking publication that would happily fit on a hipster’s coffee table, but I bet the experience of creating this will always be as exciting as it was in the time before Netflix.

My best bit? The team cake fight.

Beth Shackley Editor in Chief 2010/11

10th Anniversary Issue

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tudying Digital Interaction Design, The Magdalen wasn’t a logical option for my interests, but it turned out to be the thing I have the fondest memories of.

When I joined The Magdalen there was a strong legacy with a committed editorial team, but also, a keen interest across The Union to bring greater structure, professionalism, and Dundeerelevant content to The Magdalen. These were my guiding lights during my time as Editor.

Through hard work and mistakes, the team evolved and grew, producing issue after issue which continued to raise awareness for the pressing matters on campus, and giving aspiring journalists a platform to learn the ropes.

What The Magdalen gave me was the experience of having to work with people from a range of backgrounds, often with

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t’s been three years since I handed over my key to the media hub and managed to cross the Caird Hall stage sans face plant at graduation.

I’ve still yet to use my degree, but I do use my Magdalen skills (a very particular set of skills...) on an almost daily basis.

And by Magdalen skills, I don’t just mean the ability to elbow drunk freshers out of the way to beg the barmaid for a double espresso. It also includes my competence at starting and finishing stories three minutes before deadline, recruiting anything with a pulse, and spotting a misused semicolon from a mile away.

I get all sappy and nostalgic when I reminisce about my Magdalen era, although in reality it was comprised mainly of the bags under my eyes and the severed heads of editors who missed deadlines lining the office floor.

I remember fondly the time The Magdalen managed to piss off the entire art school with the satirical article, “How To Be A Stereotypical Art Student.” Or that time I won Come Dine With Media (yes, I’m still talking about it), even though I still can’t bring myself to watch the episodes. And that messy DUSA dinner that was supposed to be a classy awards ceremony until they put all the media folk at one table with free wine, further cementing the decision that our sole job perk was to remain a strictly non-alcoholic drinks tab.

wildly different opinions, to produce something together that we could be proud of. All whilst producing it in a way that we were all proud of. There are few opportunities at University which offer you the chance to lead and learn, and The Magdalen certainly offers that.

Since The Magdalen, I have pursued a career in Digital Product Design. The opportunities The Magdalen offered me to grow and develop, have powered the working skills that have been essential to my career to date. It turns out, design is a lot more about working with and understanding people, and a lot less about design. I’m deeply grateful for what all the team at The Magdalen taught me.

Finlay Craig Editor in Chief 2011/12

My favorite memories all involve my fellow media managers— breathing each other’s air ten hours a day in a coat check turned media hub breeds a special sort of forced bonding.

Post uni (yes, there’s such a thing, it’s where you drink less but get hungover more), I worked at a local newspaper writing business stories and occasionally covering breaking news until I decided to trade in my pressed trousers for denim cutoffs to pursue the dream.

I now write freelance and blog. And make organic smoothies at a hippie cafe in my hometown California, because everyone knows dreams don’t make any money, and my cat ain’t gonna feed herself.

As for The Magdalen, Happy Birthday my dearest. Congrats on surviving ten years of sleepless nights, tight deadlines, and caffeine-fueled inspiration. Here’s to a long and grammatically correct future.

Danielle Ames Editor in Chief 2013/14

10th Anniversary Issue

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was a happy accident, let me clarify. I’m a twin so at least one of us wasn’t planned and I wasn’t equally intending on becoming Editor of the Magdalen but looking back it was the best accident that ever happened to me.

Writing is a joy, journalism a necessary lifestyle for some and the Magdalen allowed so many of my friends, colleagues and peers opportunities they would never have had if the small magazine never existed.

During my time at the Magdalen we started bringing in local advertising - an integral part of publishing these days and we also had our fair share of scandals.

But what sticks most prominently in my mind is how, when my predecessor jumped ship, all the writers, newly appointed editors and friends got together and made it happen.

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y time at the Magdalen was all about trying to draw clean lines. At the start of my year as Editor in Chief, I wanted everyone on the team to have strict, set roles; I was obsessed with deadlines and spreadsheets, and the sleek, minimalist redesign by then-Creative Director Monica Dunne was the perfect yin to my organisational yang.

Then the fun started.

In a kaleidoscopic whirlwind of incredible articles, swanky events and even swankier awards, the Magdalen took me into the colourful, amazing minds of young student creatives. It was messy. It was unpredictable. I loved the challenge, and every resulting publication during my time at the magazine.

Before joining the Magdalen, I was constantly gnawed at by this feeling that I wasn’t doing anything at uni. Sure, grades were important, and I had a few friends, but what was I doing?

Being Editor in Chief of this magazine for a year helped me to channel that ambition into something fun, something I could be proud of and learn from; most importantly, something I could connect with people about.

And connect I did. I met people during this experience who I never would have met otherwise, and who I now can’t imagine my life without. Additionally, I got to know myself better – my confidence in my own ideas and abilities has flourished as

I remember the sweet relief of feeling the Freshers issue in my hands and that the dream wasn’t dead yet.

I remembered feeling part of something bigger, something you are now a part of, whether you are a reader or contributor, this wee rag has a hell a lot of history and equally, a hell of a lot of spirit.

Good luck for the future but I already knew that when I return to visit Dundee 20 or 40 years on there will always be a corner where a Magdalen thrives.

Dominic Younger Editor in Chief 2014/15

a result of helping to create something so tangibly awesome.

As an English and Creative Writing student and aspiring writer/editor, it can be hard to feel that any of my work is ever ‘finished’ or ‘ready’ or ‘good enough’, making every academic ‘success’ feel a little bittersweet. I’ve noticed that over the course of my time at the Magdalen, I began to take more pride in the things I was producing as an artist in my own right – something I never thought I would feel.

Since handing over the Magdalen to Mila this summer, I’ve moved onto some exciting opportunities such as interning for DC Thomson, editing for an independent publisher and taking the position of Fiction Review Editor at Dundee University’s Review of the Arts. I even started a public Instagram account to share my own unedited writing! I credit all of these personal and professional successes to my time spent at this wonderful publication, and the brilliant team that I worked with there. I may have started out trying to draw lines at the Magdalen, but the magazine ended up making me cross my own. I couldn’t be more grateful – or more exited for the next issue!

Rebecca Baird Editor in Chief 2015/16

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t’s my pleasure to welcome you all to the Magdalen Freshers’ Issue: 10th Anniversary Edition! Our beloved magazine has changed a lot over the last decade, having seen 10 Editors In Chief, countless writers, designers, and editorial teams, as well as taking many aspiring journalists on their first steps into the world.

whose impressive portfolio had her travelling to Barcelona over the summer!

As you’ve seen from the letters of past Editors, this magazine’s journey has lasted through the years thanks to the passion and commitment of everyone involved. It started off as a DUSA Exec magazine with contributors rather than its own team, and was later taken over by Lauren Bennie, the first Editor in Chief, who is currently dashing all over the UK, going to fancy conferences while still finding time to reply to my emails!

Here’s to many more successful years of the Magdalen, and I will be eagerly awaiting an email from a future Editor in Chief asking me to write about my fondest memories of the magazine as they celebrate the next big anniversary!

Reaching out to everyone this summer filled me with excitement for the year ahead, and after receiving all the letters it hit me I’d not only Rebecca’s large shoes to fill, but also the watching eyes of 8 other Editors to impress!

That being said, I’m looking forward to working with the editorial teams as well as the design team, which this year is lead by Fabio Maragno. His vision for the Magdalen seems to fit incredibly well with my own personal style and that of the senior team, as well as building on the minimalist designs Monica Dunne brought in last year. Alongside design, we now also have a photography team under the leadership of our newly appointed Photography Manager, Nicole Cumming,

And as every Editor has brought something different to this ever-maturing magazine I hope to bring a little cockiness and sass to this award-winning publication.

Happy birthday, Magdalen!

Mila Georgieva Editor in Chief

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Mila Georgieva SENIOR DEPUTY EDITOR IN CHIEF

David White OPERATIONS MANAGER

Ellie Biggs DEPUTY EDITORS

Murray Glen, James Russell ART & ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS

Liam Biddle, Rebecca Reid COMMUNITY EDITORS

Alastair Letch, Taylor Petrie CREATIVE WRITING EDITOR

Becca Wilson CURRENT AFFAIRS EDITOR

Calumn Wilson FASHION EDITORS

Rachel Cairns, Emily Fletcher INTERNATIONAL EDITOR

Shanley McConnell LIFESTYLE EDITOR

Malcolm Kyeyune OPINION EDITOR

Ellie Biggs SCIENCE EDITOR

Alex McCraw TECHNOLOGY EDITOR

James Russell

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Fabio Maragno ASSISTANT CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Sarah Duffy DESIGNERS

Aaron Donald, Bryony Ogilvie, Claire Pollock, Conor McBay, Detta Carfrae, Ellen McLean, Fabio Maragno, Grace Mostyn, Iona Sorbie, Jamie Stein, Jenny Hampton, Molly Porteous, Olivia Sharkey, Patrick Hughes, Piyanut Daodueng, Rebecca Scouller, Ryan McKnight, Sarah Duffy, Veronica Hamilton PHOTOGRAPHY MANAGER

Nicole Cumming PHOTOGRAPHERS

Nicole Cumming, Mo Connelly, Lauren Durward COVER PICTURES

extrapolate, Annie Spratt CONTRIBUTORS

Alastair Letch, Alex McCraw, Becca Wilson, Beth Shackley, Calumn Wilson, Danielle Ames, Dominic Younger, Eleanor Booty, Ellie Biggs, Emily Fletcher, Finlay Craig, Hamzah Hussain, James Russell, Kellie Ioannou, Liam Biddle, Malcolm Kyeyune, Mila Georgieva, Murray Glen, Natalie Coupar, Rachel Cairns, Rebecca Baird, Rebecca Reid, Rhiannon LindsayAndrews, Rose Kendall, Simran Chopra, Stephanie Smith, Taylor Petrie

COPY EDITORS

Catriona Leslie, Paula Lyttle, Dervla McCormick, Stephanie Smith PUBLISHED BY

Ana Ranceva VPCC DUSA Airlie Place Dundee, DD1 4PH vpcc@dusa.co.uk

PRINTED BY

The Magazine Printing Co. www.magprint.co.uk mpc@magprint.co.uk

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

10 12

A Freshers Guide to Dundee UoD and Things for Free - The 5 Stop Guide COMMUNITY

Prosciutto and Pansies - Dundee Flower and Food Festival How to survive in Dundee without punching a hole in your wallet CREATIVE WRITING

18 21 22

Packing A Mature Student’s Guide to Being an Awkward Fresher A New Building CURRENT AFFAIRS

24 26

The Time to Empty the Toy Box Nationalism in the era of global warming FASHION

28 30

Freshers Skincare 5 Bizarre Trends…

INTERNATIONAL

33 36

No, where are you really from?

Embracing The TCK Life LIFESTYLE

38 40

It’s going to be alright French Toast Eggy Bread OPINIONS

42 44

From Cornwall to Dundee, No Regrets Youth in Revolt SCIENCE

46 47 48

The Mechanics of Mosh Acne: Symbiosis, Skin & Scars Avocado What TECHNOLOGY

50 52

WannaCry Ellie’s Apps SOCIETIES

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2017 Guide to Dundee Societies

CONTENTS

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A FRESHER’S GUIDE TO DUNDEE

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s Freshers’ Week approaches again for another year, those of us returning students will likely find ourselves in the throes of reliving our alcohol-induced, fun-filled first week of university, while those of us who are lucky in the one-off position of being a brand-new fresher will be living those experiences for the first time.

Whether you are a first-time fresher or a continuing student, we have highlighted some unmissable social and entertainment events to guide you through the month of September and beyond to start Freshers’ with a bang!

QFX DANCE ANTHEMS LIVE SHOW Club Tropicana and Vogue Dundee presents a night of club classics, featuring some of the biggest old school dance anthems from the 90’s and the 00’s.

The last QFX event was a sell-out, and over 200 tickets have already been sold for this month’s event - at time of writing!

Remaining tickets can be purchased online via Skiddle.

DUNDEE FLOWER AND FOOD FESTIVAL

Dundee’s 7th Oktoberfest will be taking place from Thursday 21st of September to Saturday 23rd of September, starting from 6pm onwards each night. With Thursday night primarily reserved as a Corporate evening for local businesses, Friday and Saturday night are anticipated to have a much livelier, studentfilled atmosphere.

All revenue is in aid of local charities and voluntary organisations, supported by The Rotary Club of Dundee. This year they aim to raise £20,000, so why not come along and help them raise even more, as every drink bought will go towards funding the local community!

The Dundee and Angus region’s top lifestyle event boasts the best in food, horticulture, and live entertainment. Running from 1st to 3rd of September at Camperdown Country Park, highlights include live music, a crafts fair, free gardening and cookery demonstrations for those of us that are only successful in both killing succulents and whipping up a mess in the kitchen! (P.S. - celebrity sightings guaranteed.)

Tickets can be purchased on The Rotary Club’s Oktoberfest website, subject to availability.

The festival will take place from 10am to 5pm each day, with tickets available from the festival’s website or via the Dundee City Box Office.

The very first Gin Fayre took place on 25th February 2017, in St Andrews, hosted by three and a half St Andrew’s University alumni, and this September, the Gin Fayre is coming to Dundee.

DUSA PRESENTS HOT DUB TIME MACHINE

Since its Sydney debut in 2011, Hot Dub has headlined at some of the biggest festivals and sell-out venues across the globe, selling over 30,000 tickets at festivals in Edinburgh, Adelaide, and Sydney. With hits spanning from 60’s rock, through to 70’s disco, all the way to modern day dance music, there’s bound to be something for everyone.

FRESHERS’ FAYRE If free Domino’s Pizza isn’t enough of an incentive to come along, then I don’t know what is! Expect tons of freebies, volunteering opportunities to help pad out your CV, and the chance to join any of the University’s impressive list of societies.

Freshers’ Fayre will take place on the 9th of September from 12-4pm on DUSA Campus Green.

OKTOBERFEST The iconic beer festival will feature live music, authentic German cuisine, and a variety of Real Ales, ciders and continental beers, to be hosted at the Discovery Quay on Dundee’s Waterfront.

Live bands include The Rankines, Still Standing Still, Jive Candy, Demi Mcmahon, The Mnemonics, Interceptors, Kirsty

THE GIN FAYRE Booze, glorious booze!

There will be an amazing variety of gins on offer with the opportunity to meet the makers, stumble upon different distillers and find your very favourites. With over fifty gins to sample from distilleries across Scotland, the UK and the rest of the world, you won’t be disappointed by the vast selection.

Guests will be presented with a gin handbook on arrival with the opportunity to sample and buy different gins from a number of exhibitors.

The event will take place at Bonar Hall on the University campus on Saturday 23rd September, with Gin O’clock starting from 12pm to 7pm. Tickets are £10 and can be purchased via Dundee City Box Office.

For a full list of Freshers’ events and ticket information, head on over to DUSA The Union’s website and the University’s webpage.

Rebecca Reid Photography by Mo Connelly

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The first act is booked at DUSA The Union. Get ready for over 60 years worth of pop music history and live visuals on the 4th of September as you virtually travel in a musical journey throughout the decades!

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Taking place on the 1st of September from 10pm to 3am, true to form for a Friday night, all drinks are £1.50.

McFarlane, Tarpaulin, Pretty Shameless and JR Slims – to name a few!

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UoD and Things for Free The 5-Stop Guide

Sure, it’s not a zoo, but it is that perfect balance between caring professionals and a safari that frankly is fun for all ages. If you’re walking around looking at animals and a lemur is roaming around the centre because, ‘She’s fine doing her own thing,’ it’s hard not to be having a good time. The wildlife centre has a pretty hilarious range of animals from guinea pigs to wolves, bears, and the cutest otters (one held my finger once but I was surely breaking some sort of rules, so I’m sorry, but no regrets.)

If that hasn’t sold you, the centre is easily reached via splitting an £8 taxi or by bus, and is adjacent to Camperdown Retail Park.

Dundee Contemporary Arts The McManus Art Gallery and Museum is well worth going to at least once, however the Dundee Contemporary Arts centre is also a place to catch the latest and greatest movie releases and sometimes even a classic on the big screen. The DCA is a two screen independently owned cinema, art gallery and shop that has a variation of regular indie and blockbuster film screenings, and a welcoming cosiness compared to your regular chain cinema.

There are many special events across the calendar year from film festivals like Dundead – yep, that one is for you horror flick addicts – or more individual events. For example, a special screening of Watchmen was recently held there with a Q&A afterwards with the original comic artist. At £5 with your student card, it’s a nobrainer. To top it off, there is of course the art exhibitions that are regularly held in the upstairs galleries which consistently give you something vibrant and new to discover. If you’ve never been to an art gallery before and you’re not sure if you would enjoy it, there really is no better time or place to try it out.

The University of Dundee is proud of its research and accomplishments and makes sure you are too, as students get free entry with their UoD student cards to the University’s own Botanic Garden. When the ‘Sundee’ is in full-effect and Magdalen or Campus Green aren’t quite as chill as you’d like, I highly recommend venturing the 20 minute walk from campus to the Botanic Garden. There are loads of pretty plants with lots of information on them, and an entire Instagram-perfect vibe for you to be surrounded in, so enjoy it. There’s also a massive greenhouse with lots of cacti and a lily pad pond, just in case you get those summer blues and miss being in a holiday haven and seeing all the funky plants that grow there.

Dundee Ice Arena This is kind of a two-parter as by using your student card you can either get discounted tickets (only £5) to go and watch the Dundee Stars Ice Hockey Club play a UK elite division match, or a discounted price on renting a pair of ice-gliding moon boots to experience the thrill yourself. It doesn’t matter if you can’t skate at all or you’re a pretty crafty penguin-stepper, it’ll be a fun adventure and laugh with a group of friends. And dare I say it, an ice-breaker for meeting new ones. The university offers scholarships to ice hockey players, sponsoring the club, to bring over great students and great hockey players for the city’s team.

The Law You don’t even need a student card for this adventure. It’s almost a sin not to have walked up the Law hill at some point during your first year; you absolutely should next time it’s sunny, that is, if you haven’t succumbed to the peer pressure of people making you not be a lazy student already and asking you to go, how dare they! It’s an obvious city-staple and it’s an important piece of remembrance that will most likely help you explore Dundee that little extra bit and make you feel good about yourself once you get there. Plus, you’re rewarded with a triumphant view from the top – if you can see past the seagulls.

Liam Biddle Photography by Mo Connelly

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Camperdown Wildlife Centre

Botanic Garden

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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ith hordes of Freshers welcoming Dundee as their new stomping ground, there’s perhaps no better time for a few answers to the ‘what’s there to do?’ question; I may even have a couple of suggestions for the existing students looking for something new. In answer to the question, there are plenty of things to do, but here are a few that the University of Dundee is kindly helping you pay for and what makes your UoD student card different from the rest.

This isn’t about University elitism if you’re after that - it is how your university is saving you dolla and helping you get up to something entertaining for cheaper or free. #StudentLife right?

Embrace it.

Prosciutto and Pansies Dundee Flower and Food Festival

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Since 1988 - then known as the Dundee Horticultural Exhibition - Camperdown Park on the city’s outskirts has played host to Dundee Flower and Food Festival, a weekend long showcase of gardening and cookery from across Scotland.

You’re probably wondering what about looking at potted plants and perfectly stuffed haggises (haggi?) could possibly appeal to students? While it’s true that much of the festival’s program is directly aimed at a much older and much younger crowd, that’s not to say there’s nothing that anyone over 12 and under 40 will enjoy. One of the highlights of the event are the demonstrations by renowned celebrity chefs, and past years have included TV favourites such as Gordon Ramsay, Mary Berry, and The Hairy Bikers.

The Festival is also a great opportunity to pick up some cooking tips just before starting university and living on your own for the first time- and while it’s not likely once semester starts that you’ll have the time, patience, or budget to cook gourmet meals from scratch, you never know what little tips and hints you might pick up.

The Festival also provides two of every student’s favourite F-words - free food. With independent food retailers across the country showcasing their produce at the event, there’s free samples galore - everything from artisan cheeses to various meats, and even a sip of wine. We all know that one of the biggest perks of Fresher’s Week is obtaining as much free stuff as you can get your hands on, and the Flower and Food Festival - taking place every year in the first weekend of September - provides an opportunity for just that.

Of course, being Scotland, the weather in early September is ever-unpredictable, even in Scotland’s ‘sunniest city’.

That being said, it’s much the same as any other festival in that it can be enjoyed come rain or shine - as long as you remember to take your wellies, given the park can get pretty muddy! But with live music and other entertainment, an abundance of food, as well as other various crafty stalls selling everything from handmade Christmas cards to jewellery you can design yourself, there’s a reason the Festival has come to be regarded as one of Dundee’s favourite ways to say goodbye to the summer.

While the regeneration of Dundee as a cultural centre is a fairly new development for the city - with the construction of the V&A Museum of Design, the bid for UK City of Culture 2017, and more recently, the bid for European City of Culture 2023 - the Flower and Food Festival remains one of the longest-running, and arguably biggest of Dundee’s cultural showcases, with its big name guest stars and enthusiastic crowds returning year after year. It’s definitely worth a visit, then, for anyone who’s interested in Dundee’s cultural endeavours and wants a greater insight into how the city presents itself to visitors.

So, if you find yourself back in Dundee (or here for the first time) at the start of the semester and in want of something to do, why not check out the Flower and Food Festival? The park is served by the Number 57 bus route (or it’s about an hour’s walk from the University, if you’re feeling up to it at all.) You might come away with a fridge-full of fancy produce for the first week of semester, or you might just come away with a potted plant for your new flat and new-found appreciation for artisan cheese- but at least you’ll have had fun, as well as experiencing one of the city’s most established and beloved cultural events.

The Dundee Flower and Food Festival runs from September 1-3 at Camperdown Country Park.

Taylor Petrie

BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE ON CAMPUS. VOTE NOW FOR SRC. 22nd – 28th September

How to Survive in Dundee Without Punching a Hole in your Wallet £1

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£1

£1

‘Really, to get by in life, you don’t need a surprising amount of stuff. Sure you can buy what you want, but if you need to save money intensely, then look to live a minimal life.’

Hence why we here at the Magdalen have put together ten tips on how to save money; whether for keeping little bit of beer change in your pocket or to develop a strategy that might keep you from hitting the breadline.

1. Write up your budget. As a starting point, when you buy anything, write it down on paper. Just spend a week or so doing this, and you can sort of see how much you need as a basic upkeep; so with this, you can get an idea of where you can cut corners.

2. Reduced is life. Anything with a yellow sticker- that

3. Get your needs, know your wants. You do not want to

starve, break down or turn living into a misery; hence why you should never neglect your basic needs. Write down the essentials that you need to get by and make a list of treats that you might want every now and then.

4. But treat yo’self. While self-discipline is nice, it’s

incomparable to a slice of Victoria sponge. Regardless of what year you are in, life can be a pain, especially as it is easy to deny yourself so much happiness. Hence why it is nice to uphold the concept of a weekly treat; which can most certainly apply to alcohol.

5. Liquid Money. The magical gift of turning your payday

7. No such thing as a free lunch. Technically though, there

are places that can provide food every now and then for free.

If you volunteer in the right place - that respects you and you can commit to - then not only would you have the opportunity to experience a TON, but you may find your fridge to be a tad fuller (with all dem leftovers.)

8. Come dine with me. A great way to be both social and save

money, is to band together with friends and organise a cooking night, so that each group may have a couple of evenings without having to cook anything, until it is their turn. While this can be a recipe for disaster if one overspends, it can be a great way to find out how to cook big meals with pennies.

9. Read the Magdalen. Cheeky, however as a free and

accessible media outlet, sources of free entertainment can be a great past time. Looking for an interview or two? DUSA TV. Need to pass the time for an hour? Radio Jam has some awesome content. Even if there isn’t anything that you particularly like, you can always create content… which is free to do.

10. Minimal-schism. Really, to get by in life, you don’t need

a surprising amount of stuff. Sure you can buy what you want, but if you need to save money intensely, then look to live a minimal life. New clothing from stores or fancy restaurants on a weekly basis can really burn through your notes.

At the end of the day, while Dundee is a very reasonable city to get by in - with costs being comparatively lower than in cities nearby - there is still a cost to living. This guide hopefully helps with that. If there is anything we’ve missed though, then we’d love to hear your suggestions! (Either tweet us or give us a message on Facebook at the Magdalen!)

money into bevy; while to some it is incredibly fun, to many it is a curse. The thought of losing control - both financially and literally - on a night out can be a reality for many; hence why on a night out it is an idea to just bring a small amount of cash.

Keep the cards at home.

Alastair Letch Photography by Lauren Durward

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6. A lifestyle that costs nothing. Many activities have a cost,

whether it is exercise or recreation, it can be expensive.

Emphasis on the word “can” however, as there are alternatives.

Picking up a sport, say… boxing? Look for gloves from car boot sales, relatives or charity shops. Looking to spend the

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£1

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you need to survive- is going to become your best friend.

Usually late in the evening (around 10-11ish) is when most supermarkets put the perishables down a ton; so late night shopping is lucrative, as you can end up saving loads.

day without spending anything? Go on a walk with a bottle of water, or listen to music on the internet. There are many alternatives to having to splash out.

COMMUNITY

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o you’ve made it - you’ve fought through exams, invested most of your life in formal education and have now found yourself at Dundee University. Congratulations, most will say. Good luck all around. May your wallet never die…

An unspoken phrase amongst student communities (probably not in that exact way, the general statement of “it’s going to be expensive” rings true.)

PACKING 18

“to those of you who are like me, and find packing more difficult than eating crisps in the silent section of the library, this is for you.”

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the worst part about starting uni in a new city isn’t ssaying goodbye to family and friends, which frequently iinvolves tears, copious amounts of ice cream/alcohol (depending on your vice of choice), and getting overly excited any time you meet someone with your accent. Nor is it trying to make friends with your flatmates, none of whom might be studying your course. It isn’t even trying to find a room in the Dalhousie building, which is rumoured to have once taken three days and several maps. No, the absolute worst part about moving is packing. And unpacking. Having just moved into my fourth and final flat, I can speak from personal experience that it doesn’t always get easier!

There are, of course, people out there who excel at all things packing and can do it in a few days with little stress. My flatmate is one of these people. Envious of her ability to unpack all of her belongings on the day that she moves in, I gave it a try this year. Halfway through the tenth box, I was bored. The rest of my belongings were flung unceremoniously into my wardrobe to be dealt with on another day (never). Who knew one little person could accumulate so much stuff? (Her Mother.)

So, if you are one of those mythical, organised people, this is not for you – except if you see me on campus, feel free to share your tips. Please. But to those of you who are like me, and find packing more difficult than eating crisps in the silent section of the library, this is for you.

I have no advice. No tips on keeping the level of stuff to a minimum, no help on what to do when you are looking at all of your stuff with no clue where to put it except on the floor. I have nothing to offer you, except the knowledge that you’re not the only one. I have been there. People will be there years after you’ve graduated. You are not lazy for keeping your clothes in your suitcase all semester. You are not awful if your desk is littered with stuff. You might get better at it, and you might not, but when you are feeling hopeless just know that there are much more important things to think about.

Like how many free pens you can get from the societies fair.

Rhiannon Lindsay-Andrews Photography by Nicole Cumming

CREATIVE WRITING 19

NOMINATE YOURSELF NOW. 28th August – 13th September •

Employability Representative

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International Representative

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Disabilities Representative

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Postgraduate Taught Representative

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Research Postgraduate Representative

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Facilities Representative

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General Representative (x3)

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Housing Representative

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Equality and Diversity Representative

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1st Year Representative

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Learning and Teaching Representative

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LGBT Representative

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Black and Minority Representative

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Mature Student Representative

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Environment and Sustainability Representative

Becca Wilson

I mentioned my one, single friend. She simply descended upon me one day as we waited outside for a lecture. She followed me to my safe haven in the back, and never left. She was loud, obnoxious and exactly the kind of person I thought I wouldn’t get along with. Wrong again. She’s kind, intelligent and unapologetically her. She’s still my best uni bud almost three years later. Yes, she bugs me. She simply has TOO MUCH ENERGY for a nine am lecture. And I bug her too. I am the kind of morning person who will hiss when spoken to.

My mother can attest to this- she says for such a nice person, she has never understood how I turn into the devil within my first hour of waking.

I think I’m coming across here as a grumpy old woman. Let me be clear, I am a very nice person (and humble), I’m just socially awkward to the point of actual terror. However, as time went on and I began to feel more at home in these new, academic surroundings, I loosened up a bit.

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In the first six months of uni I made exactly one friend. I found I got on better with the lecturers than the students. I hate small talk and found I couldn’t connect with any of the ‘kids’ and their drink fuelled dramas. I constantly felt out of place. I didn’t know anyone from school. I didn’t have any flat mates to cling to. I wondered if people could tell.

‘Oh, there goes the ‘mature student’. Dear lord, she’s twenty-four! What has she been doing with her life?! I bet she’s married with kids! I bet she knits!!’

These were the things I imagined as I slid my way up to the back row of the lecture theatre, trying to be invisible, which, if you’ve seen me, you’ll know isn’t really possible (Large, tattoo’s, brightly coloured hair, obnoxious dresser). So, I had a bit of an odd start to university.

I also wasn’t really interested in making friends, if I have to be honest. At this point in life, I had my friends, I didn’t need to make more. It sounds condescending, but I know from personal experience that a person matures A LOT between the ages of eighteen to twenty -four. And I was one of those kids who hated kids when I was a kid. Therefore, all these little eighteen year olds couldn’t POSSIBLY hold a decent conversation. Couldn’t possibly be intelligent, well read, interesting, thoughtful, kind human beings.

How wrong I was.

And I’m sad to say, academically, it didn’t go to plan either.

In school, I got the highest mark in my entire year in English.

It had always been easy for me. I didn’t even have to try. So I walked into uni with the assumption that half-assery would reap the same results. I got a C in my first essay and cried in the middle of Costa. And then I started trying harder. And my marks got a little better. I’ve now finished third year with two A’s and two B’s, which you can’t complain about, and let me tell you, it came at no small price. I’ve worked my old, judgemental ass off. I hope to continue to climb in my fourth year, and have my fingers and toes crossed for at least three’s A’s and a B. And as for friends? I have many. I’ve branched out, I’ve opened up. I even applied for a job at the Magdalen, and the interviewers liked me so much that they opened up a new section just for me. And here we are.

So, my point, dear children, is this; Give it time, you’ll learn, you’ll grow. You’ll get over yourself.

Enter freshers any way that feel’s comfortable for you. If you’re social, be social. If you’re not, don’t worry. Be the fresher you want to be, damn it. And everything will come together - I swear. Take it from me - I’m twenty- seven years old, I’ve been through a lot.

Here ended the lesson.

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o, what do you do when you’re a fresher unlike all others? What do you do when, at the grand old age of twenty- four, you are considered a ‘mature student’ and to top that off, you’re extremely socially awkward, not living in halls, and have passed the point in life of being able to drink all night and still make a nine am lecture? Well let me tell you what I did. I hid. I know every nook, cranny, hidden corner and obscure bathroom in the place.

The thing is, I had dreamed of going to uni for a very long time. At the age of sixteen, I left school, with the intention of going to college and onto university, and well, that didn’t work out. And then it didn’t work out a couple of more times after that. And when I finally got my chance, I was passed all the teenage stuff. I was passed the getting drunk every night.

I knew what I wanted and now that I was SO OLD, it really meant something. I was finally here. I felt like Rory from Gilmore Girls when she started going to Yale. (These damn old people references).

CREATIVE WRITING

The Mature Student’s Guide to Being an Awkward Fresher.

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eptember sun, warm and bright. In a near cloudless sky, it was glowing. Feeling its heat radiate, I shuffled through the streets, mind too occupied to react to anything around me.

Tunnel vision - the world was hazy as I kept focus on one thing only.

Today was the big day. The start of a new chapter.

There was something inexplicably soothing about those words - the way they were laced with optimism. The suggestion, no, the promise of a fresh start. The previous chapter - although having brought me to this day – had been weighted with dramatic highs and miserable lows. Long and laborious, it had me flipping through page after page, always counting down until the next.

The prospect of turning a fresh page, on a day like today, sent my ambitious heart fluttering. From routine to release. Classroom to Caird Hall.

Caird Hall.

Peculiarly, my first day at University was hallmarked by buildings. Buildings that were old, yet bizarrely new. I was never a stranger to the Caird Hall- I passed it nearly every day - and yet, there I stood, awestruck. A light breeze floated by; my jacket flapped behind me as I simply stared at the long stone pillars spiralling up, up, until my eyes caught a large banner that read:

‘The University of Dundee Welcomes You’ I felt a million butterflies all at once as I absorbed the reality of the situation. Taking a deep breath, I lifted my phone and snapped a photo, I wanted to remember this for as long as I could. After quickly glancing at the time, several strands of hair dancing wildly in the wind, I hurried along with the throng of new students - I didn’t want to be late.

Peculiarly, my first day at University was hallmarked by buildings. Buildings that were old, yet bizarrely new. I was never a stranger to the Caird Hall- I passed it nearly every day - and yet, there I stood, awestruck.

Further on that day, I would also be transfixed by the Tower Building, noting that, majestically, it really did tower above me. Once just another part of Dundee’s skyline, now a reality before me.

This was it - the home of Humanities. I reached for my phone once again. I wanted to capture it, wanted to save this moment and treasure it.

Years on, I’d eventually realise that, phone or no phone, I didn’t need to take the photos. A day like that is something you will never forget. It is still as vivid in my mind as ever, buildings and all.

Stephanie Smith

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DUSA BELIEVES THE FOLLOWING BEHAVIOURS ARE UNACCEPTABLE...

UNWANTED SEXUAL COMMENTS, INCLUDING COMMENTS ON AN INDIVIDUAL’S BODY OR PRIVATE LIFE COMMENTS DEEMED AS RACIST, RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION, SEXIST, HOMOPHOBIC, XENOPHOBIC, TRANSPHOBIC AND DISABLIST UNWELCOME SEXUAL INVITATIONS, INNUENDOS (SEXUAL SUGGESTIONS), AND OFFENSIVE GESTURES WOLF WHISTLING, CATCALLING, OR OFFENSIVE SEXUAL NOISES GROPING, PINCHING OR SMACKING SOMEONE’S BODY MOVING OR GRABBING SOMEONE’S CLOTHES WITHOUT CONSENT EXPOSURE OF SEXUAL ORGANS ANY CONDUCT WHICH INTIMIDATES, DEGRADES, HUMILIATES OR VIOLATES AN INDIVIDUAL’S DIGNITY OBJECTIFICATION, FETISHISATION AND STEREOTYPING OF INDIVIDUALS BASED ON THEIR GENDER OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION LEADS TO A CULTURE OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT, SEXUAL DISCRIMINATION AND ITS NORMALISATION.

Dundee University Students Association (DUSA) Registered Scottish Charity No. SCO16047

Time to Empty the Toy Box? H

ope Carolan, a second year at DJCAD, initiated a protest in front of Caird Hall with regards to the UN conference on the banning of nuclear weapons. A total of thirteen protestors took to the streets with banners, placards and bikinis in the hopes of gaining signatures on postcards to be sent to Boris Johnson before the conference. I was lucky enough to speak to Hope and find out why.

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What was the aim of the protest?

The purpose of the upcoming UN conference is to ‘negotiate the ban on nuclear weapons’ as by making such weapons illegal it would put a negative stigma against them which, as we have seen previously in different types of weapons, leads to them no longer being produced. The intention of the protest was to raise awareness on this issue and to gain enough signatures to send to Boris Johnson, the foreign secretary, to have an impact as currently the UK government is not intending to attend the conference despite previously supporting multilateral nuclear disarmament. On the other hand the UK government has previously voted against conducting such a conference in the first place.

Given the recent political climate some people may believe that now is ‘not the right time’ for nuclear disarmament and the possession of nuclear weapons won’t be changed overnight, but the UK should at least talk about it.

Why is the issue especially important to you?

By possessing nuclear weapons there is the chance of their detonation, which undoubtedly would harm civilians who the government should rather make sure are protected at all costs. The Bikini Atoll Islands are no longer habitable due to nearby nuclear testing, and that we can still see the effects of Hiroshima. Nuclear detonation leaves lasting effects which seem counterintuitive to the protection of innocent lives.

What is the significance of the bikini imagery?

During the protest a number of participants adorned themselves in brightly coloured prints, created by Hope Carolan, of exploded bikinis to highlight the controversy surrounding the Bikini Atoll Islands as a nuclear testing sight. At the same time as these tests were being conducted; the bikini swimsuit had been introduced which had more of an explosive reaction in the media than the tests themselves. The splitting of the one

piece swimsuit into the two piece bikini was compared to the splitting of the atom and the revealing nature of the bathing suit garnered more attention in the media than the abhorrent tests that affect the Bikini Atoll Islands to this day.

Do you believe that the protest was successful?

The protest outside the Caird Hall gained 85 signatures from passers-by and, even if they didn’t sign a postcard, we at least rose awareness of the subject matter. Indeed, a news station was trying to record a piece outside the Overgate centre while “nukes make me puke” and “You can’t hug a person with nuclear arms” was chanted through a megaphone in the background.

224 signatures for the cause were gained in total which surpassed the goal of 215, incidentally the total stockpile of nuclear warheads in the UK, 120 of which are strategically deployed and 95 of which are in reserve. The UK alone has more nuclear warheads than there are countries in the world.

Each trident submarine carries 40 nuclear warheads which are eight times more powerful than the one dropped on Hiroshima.

How can people get involved with this cause and raise more awareness?

There is a CND (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament) website where you can sign a petition for the same cause, if you wish to you can become a member, or even write to Boris Johnson yourself at http://www.cnduk.org/ Scotland itself will be sending a representative to the UN conference, however it will help to write to your local MP to encourage more action to be taken and to show your support for multilateral nuclear disarmament as a member of the public.

Eleanor Booty Illustrations by Detta Carfrae

CURRENT AFFAIRS 25

Nationalism in the Era of Global Warming O

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n the 1st of June 2017 the newly elected President of the United States, Donald Trump, withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement, to worldwide condemnation. Having been met with a swift backlash, this refusal to organise a unified front constitutes a massive failure on the fight against global warming. Likely having ramifications for decades to come on a subject that is almost unanimously agreed to be happening right now and to be posing an imminent threat. This has come about as Trump seeks to negotiate ‘a better deal’, primarily for those in the fossil fuels industry, as part of his America First attitude.

Trump has previously discussed his opposition to antiglobal warming initiatives by essentially referring to them as black holes of previous industrial prosperity and jobs.

This position garnered him significant support from many in industries such as coal, whose communities have felt the decline of once huge investments. In a controversial post during his presidential campaign Trump claimed, ‘the concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive’.

This statement has often been the subject of mockery and although he threatened to withdraw from the treaty, it has none the less ben received with shock and concern. Only two other countries have taken a similar stance, Nicaragua and Syria, with the latter involved in a civil war.

THIS REFUSAL TO ORGANISE A UNIFIED FRONT CONSTITUTES A MASSIVE FAILURE ON THE FIGHT AGAINST GLOBAL WARMING. There is also fears that this withdrawal will cause a domino effect, as is the case with Turkey, who recently said that they were less likely to ratify the agreement because of the absence of the superpower. A situation that will likely expedite the global temperature and see other nations who similarly see the accords as economic restraints revaluate their membership, through the belief that if the US is not bound by climate changed measures then why should they.

Following his departure from the accord, the atmosphere at the G20 Summit was notably ‘fractious’. Leaders publicly criticised the move with newly elected French President Emmanuel Macron expressing his wish that the US would ‘return to reason’ and German Chancellor Angela Merkel even labelling the decision as ‘deplorable’. All of which has seriously damaged the world standing of the United States whose regressive

decision has left it isolated and indirectly caused the world to unify further on a single common issue. As leadership against the world’s greatest threat can no long be found in the world’s greatest nation. A move that has already seen other nations step into fill the void with China and the EU, the 1st and 3rd biggest emitters of CO2 respectively, announcing the implementation of a new alliance which seeks to ‘lead the energy transition’ and in doing so reducing the soft power of the US. The aim of the Paris Climate Agreement, as laid down in article 2, are as follows: a. Holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above preindustrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, recognizing that this would significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change; b. Increasing the ability to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change and foster climate resilience and low greenhouse gas emissions development, in a manner that does not threaten food production; c. Making finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development.

These aims are ambitious but necessary. So, to not have the support of the 2nd biggest polluter in the world and largest financial power, it is unlikely that these goals will be adequately met. A scenario that will result in mass migration to more habitable nations, rising sea levels due to the melting of the ice caps, larger storms caused by the prevalence of heat, and other affects that will alter the face of the planet and force us to adapt.

But it has also shown the ability of the world to come together in times of need, with few other agreements receiving this type of support. With even North Korea taking a break from its world-destroying rhetoric to support the initiative and call the US selfish for not doing so. So, for now it is questionable if the goals of the accord will be met but what it does represent is an acknowledgment of its importance and a commitment to change, something that will see closer alliances being formed to tackle the threat and attempt to minimise the already impending damage.

Calumn Wilson Photography by Tim Gouw

CURRENT AFFAIRS 27

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FRESHERS SKINCARE A.K.A HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR SKIN WHEN YOU’RE HUNGOVER

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CLEAN IT

The first, and most crucial, step is to have a clean face. Maybe you slept in your makeup the night before, in which case all the sweat you created while dancing at the Union is trapped between your makeup and your face – nice. So, take all that leftover mascara and highlighter off with something nice and easy like the Garnier Micellar Water (£4.99), and then give your face a proper wash with a cleanser. It’s important to double cleanse any old day, but your tired skin will thank you even more once you have washed away all the grime.

A good second cleanse option is the Glow Mud Cleanser from Pixi (£18), it has clay in it which pulls out all the nasty stuff in your face while also cleaning and soothing with aloe vera.

DE-PUFF IT

MASK IT

Face masks are a great way to treat your skin, and give you an excuse to chill out for 15 minutes. If you have woken up to some breakouts – if only alcohol could give us great skin — then a clay mask is a great choice for you. Another Pixi product is the Glow Mud Mask (£18), which is both a clay mask and an exfoliating mask. The clay will draw out impurities, while the glycolic acid in the mask will get rid of all the dead skin and leave you nice and glowing. For hydration, the Garnier Moisture Bomb Tissue Mask (£2.99) is a sheet mask which will supply your skin with much-needed

moisture. The great thing about sheet masks is that there is no mess afterwards, you simply throw the sheet away after wearing it, and massage the left-over serum into your skin. There is no rule that says you cannot use two masks in a row – so if your skin is particularly lacklustre then a clay mask followed by a hydrating mask is the perfect pair. Finish off with a moisturiser and your face will look much better!

HYDRATE IT

Morning-after care is great damage control but, perhaps the best way to care your skin is to keep it hydrated. Water is so crucial, and is something you should be drinking the night before anyway – a glass of water for every alcoholic drink will save you from a dreadful hangover in the first place! Breakouts or dull skin that often occur after drinking can typically be attributed to dehydration, so while treating the problem superficially with skincare is great and all, rehydrating the skin is also important. We all know that is not likely you’ll have an aqua chaser every time you have a drink, so the next day, make up for lost time, and chug that H2O. Or sip, rather.

As stated before, Freshers Week is just not a grand time for your face. But these steps are easy and take only a matter of minutes, sometimes even seconds, to work wonders! So, somewhere between trying to recall the night before and ordering in your breakfast at 4PM, treat yourself. Additionally, these tips will help you treat your skin properly any day of the week, and will be particularly useful when exam time rolls around. These small steps, even one or two, can help you take one step closer to having clear skin. Try them out this Freshers Week and see if you manage to rescue your complexion!

Emily Fletcher Photography by Manu Camargo

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If your face is feeling a little puffy in the morning then here’s how to reverse that. Salty food can cause puffiness, so if you indulged in a small snack (huge meal) at 3AM then perhaps a product like undereye pads will help. They soothe the area under the eye while also hydrating, and if you let them sit in the fridge beforehand, then they will have an added cooling effect. You can buy fancy jade or quartz rollers to roll over the contours of your face and eyes to de-puff them, but if you don’t want to be that ‘extra’ then an ordinary spoon that has been in the fridge for ten minutes will do. Smooth it around your eyes and face to cool it down – the drop in temperature will help de-puff.

‘A GLASS OF WATER FOR EVERY ALCOHOLIC DRINK WILL SAVE YOU FROM A DREADFUL HANGOVER IN THE FIRST PLACE!’

FASHION

reshers Week is not a good time for your skin, it’s just a fact. Between the late nights, junk food, general stress of moving into halls, and figuring out the buildings on campus (Dalhousie, I’m looking at you and your ridiculous system), your skin may take a bit of a battering. For some, Freshers Week is the first time you get to experience a proper student night out, so you won’t be used to caring for your poor skin while hungover, because sadly, excessive drinking and healthy skin just don’t mix.

Familiar with hangover-skin or not, this skin-care guide is where you should look first.

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Fashion Trends —

You’ll Definitely Encounter in your First Week at University (I’m using the phrase ‘fashion trends’ very loosely here)

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1. SPORTSWEAR

But not the sportswear you’re thinking of. Let’s start with one of the more oddly specific ‘trends’ you’ll encounter this week - or rather this Wednesday. Belonging to certain sports teams at university doesn’t just require time management skills and whey protein, you also need an evening uniform.

After all, going out in your kit would be impractical, and how else is everyone going to know who you are? Thus, every Wednesday, throngs of perfectly coordinated boys strut into Liquid like the girls in a Qatar Airways advert, as we, the adoring and chubbier public look on in disgust admiration.

The most iconic of these uniforms are certainly those of the Football and Rugby teams. The former seems to have to have taken the slight flight attendant vibe that naturally occurs when a bunch of people try to coordinate their outfits and improved upon it, ending up somewhere in the region of a group of slightly retro waiters, in all black with a red striped tie. The Rugby team on the other hand wear tweed jackets and blue shirts and ties as if they think they’re in St Andrews,where, ironically, they would look ridiculous since it’s black tie after 8pm anyway, don’t you know.

2. SPORTSWEAR

Ok, yes, this is the sportswear you were thinking of originally, and I’ll admit, it’s not an exclusively uni trend, but if this is your first year, it’s likely you’ll encounter more active wear, worn more frequently, and with more social acceptance than ever before. University is a strange place where things that used to seem weird become normal and the idea of getting dressed into real clothes in the morning seems like an insurmountable challenge. Plus, when those lovely comfy leggings you slept in the other night are right there and technically weren’t bought in the pyjama section, why bother with jeans? For long days at the library make sure to accessorise with a full face of make-up, you will inevitably get bored and begin fantasizing about some medic two desks down, you’ll want to look your best.

3. FANCY DRESS

Fancy dress is pretty much ubiquitous after 9pm in first semester and then seems to gradually peeter out after Christmas, as most societies in the University have some kind of fancy dress initiation in the first few months of the year. Pirate and toga seem to be the most popular, but the fact that a lot of fancy dress nights are organised by society or academic ‘families’ (and therefore entirely down to the whims of a pair of power-crazed ‘parents’) gives a pleasingly random element to the kind of costumes you may encounter/be made to wear in your time at uni - I once bumped into a man wear nothing but a pair of Y-fronts and dozens of taped-on carrots.

Everywhere. Especially in the first few weeks. The leaver’s hoodie is just a big ol’ comfort blanket for students and everyone knows it. And just like the blankie you wouldn’t go to nursery without when you were three, it’s cute at first but quickly begins to become slightly weird and signify emotional development issues. Nonetheless, there is a cohort of people who insist on wearing their leaver’s hoodie way beyond the point where they really should have at least relegated it to the pyjama drawer. I know it’s warm and soft and smells of home but THOSE DAYS ARE GONE AND THEY’RE NEVER COMING BACK.

FASHION

4. LEAVER’S HOODIES

5. DJCAD (SPORTSWEAR)

Rachel Cairns Photography by Nicole Cumming

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Vintage sportswear this time obviously - a couple of items per outfit only, you wouldn’t want to look like you actually do sports. Docs are also a favourite, as are neon bomber jackets and gazelles, high-waisted jeans and culottes - anything cooler than what you’re wearing basically. To be fair to them, the DJCAD aesthetic is difficult to sum up in a paragraph (although vintage athleisure seems to account for a decent majority) there’s no single look, but the DJCAD student is nevertheless instantly identifiable by their outfit. Maybe it’s just their natural creativity and confidence coming through in their fashion choices or maybe it’s that weird effect where people try too hard to look different and all end up looking exactly the same; trust me, by the end of your first week here you’ll be able to spot an art student a mile away. Still, at least they did it first, if you see someone trying to look like an art student and not quite pulling it off, they almost definitely study English.

FEELING ANXIOUS? NEED A RECHARGE? COME TO OUR SAFE SPACE FOR A QUIET PLACE TO RECOVER LOCATED ON LEVEL 4 TUESDAY NIGHTS - VOLUNTEER DEPENDENT

WHERE ARE YOU FROM? NO, WHERE ARE YOU ACTUALLY FROM?

INTERNATIONAL

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WHERE WERE YOU BORN, THOUGH?

YES BUT WHERE IS YOUR FAMILY FROM?

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‘ We tip-toe around verbal minefields in fear of tripping up on the wrong word, a word that could trigger someone to blow.’

If you were born in Dundee but your parents or grandparents weren’t, then these questions might sound familiar. As a Scottish-Pakistani, born and raised in Dundee, it is always amusing to see people puzzle over why I sound Dundonian but don’t look it. And I don’t blame them.

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ur university is so diverse, and we’re proud to welcome students from all over the world, so it’s easy to forgive people when they misconstrue my nationality. I talk like a local but don’t fit the traditional image of a Scottish person.

I’ve lived in this city all my life, yet still get people asking where I come from. I can recount several instances when people have been confused by my nationality. For example, during my first few weeks of studying here at Dundee University, I made friends with a Costa Rican guy. A few months later, he said to me; “You know, when I first heard you speak I was disappointed”.

“Why?” I’d asked, with a sneaking suspicion of what was coming next.

“I thought you’d have an Indian accent.” I found this response hilarious! Though I never take any offense to questions: people are just curious.

It wasn’t the only time someone made an assumption based upon my appearance. Someone once asked me where I was from because I looked ‘tanned’ and not from around here. I have had people use other euphemisms to describe me and the colour of my skin. The most interesting of these was the adjective ‘exotic’.

I have never thought of myself as such.

For some reason, looking like you aren’t from Scotland is perceived as quite ‘exotic’. I’m afraid that I am bitterly

disappointing on that front. Despite what the melanin in my skin may suggest, I’m about as exotic as a bag of chips. I do, however, have a sort of hybrid cultural experience; one which is a combination of both Scottish and Pakistani traditions. This can be summarised in the example of a single meal - Biryani with a can of Irn-Bru. I have even had people ask me if I eat ‘normal’ food - ‘normal’ being food from Britain, I assume. Of course I do. Fish ’n’ chips are my favourite!

While curiosity or blissful ignorance is amusing, it can also be concerning. The apologetic way people ask questions is sad at times. People are easily offended these days. We tip-toe around verbal minefields in fear of tripping up on the wrong word, a word that could trigger someone to blow. I don’t like the thought of someone being afraid to approach me because they think I’ll react in anger or annoyance. Knowledge is vital to better understand and accept one another. The importance of asking questions and learning from them can’t be understated.

Don’t let my appearance fool you. I am probably more Scottish than I am Pakistani. Indeed, I’veonly ever been to the latter a handful of times. That said, I welcome any questions that come my way. Just don’t be surprised by my answers. I really am from Dundee.

Hamzah Hussain

BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE ON CAMPUS. VOTE NOW FOR SRC. 22nd – 28th September

Embracing The TCK Life

Like most TCKs, I went to an international school and consequently, was always surrounded by other Third Culture Kids. Because of this, I thought that being a TCK was normal.

However, coming to university made me realise that TCKs are in the minority. Not only have I been confused for being an American citizen because of my accent, but at the same time, I have also been told that the way I pronounce certain words changes depending on the person I am with. On top of this, people are shocked when I converse in languages other than English. After a while, I realised that the common factor between most of my university friends is that they have grown up in a place native to their parents. In other words, they view their passport country as their homeland and struggle to understand that that isn’t the case for me.

Often Third Culture Kids are associated with a lack of belonging and feeling lost, or having difficulty coping with leaving friends behind. Although all of these things may be true, people generally focus on the cons of a TCK’s situation, they forget the bigger picture. Over the years, learning to accept my situation has been a crucial part in getting over feelings of rootlessness. I started embracing all the aspects of being “different”, such as being surrounded by people from different religious, political, and cultural backgrounds. This has helped me become more open-minded as well as develop stronger communication skills; strengthening my confidence when conversing with anyone and everyone.

Yes, constantly leaving friends behind is difficult. But that in no way means the relationships formed over the years are shallow and distant - quite the opposite! I am lucky to have close friends all over the globe, which gives me a reason to explore new places while reconnecting with old friends. It is true that I find myself shuttling back and forth between continents when needing to visit family and friends, and therefore, spending an unhealthy amount of time in airports. On the plus side though, that means I can adjust to jetlag quicker. Additionally, moving around quite a bit has enabled me to settle down faster when I am in a new location. I am not ignoring that I still struggle when someone asks me where my home is, but I have learned that, for me, a sense of belonging is rooted in the relationships I form rather than in any particular country. I am not ignoring that I am still ignorant about certain aspects of my home cultures, but I am striving to know more and more about a whole variety of different, sometimes unfamiliar, cultures. I am also not ignoring that I can’t see my childhood friends whenever I‘d like, even though I long to, but, I have learned to make and cherish new friends wherever I go. Over the years I have come to accept that there is no way I can change my situation, and so, I embrace the dynamic, well-travelled, culture-loving life I call my own.

Simran Chopra Photography by Liam Desic

37

Now before I continue, let me tell you non-TCKs a little about what it means to be a Third Culture Kid. TCK is a term coined for those who have spent a significant amount of their adolescent life outside of their parents’ native culture. For example, I was born, and grew up in, the barren lands of the nomads in Oman, a country in the Middle East. Eventually, I moved to Scotland. However, by ethnicity I am a hybridIndian. Now, why do I use the term ‘hybrid’? It’s because I have parents who originated from both the North and South of India where the cultures are completely different. As you can probably see, growing up, I was surrounded by a variety of cultures and internationally diversified experiences.

INTERNATIONAL

H

ave you ever been told that your accent changes depending on whom you are talking to? Do you dread that unavoidable, inevitable question - “Where is home for you?”. Are your closest friends from all over world?

Do you often find yourself singing to songs in languages you don’t necessarily understand, and certainly don’t speak? Are you considered ‘The Exotic’ in your group of friends? When you go shopping, do you convert prices into a different currency before making purchases? If you have answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, then hello to you, my fellow Third Culture Kid (TCK).

38

IT’S GOING TO BE ALRIGHT Most people ask themselves at least once during Freshers Week: What on earth am I doing?!

The same stands for second years who are remembering how to live independently again after a long summer of revelling in the delights of home cooked meals, parent-washed and parent-paired socks.

LIFESTYLE

It stands for third years who can’t quite believe they’re still here and worry that they’re getting old when they realise three nights out in a row is quite enough.

And for fourth years, who are clinging to their last year before they are officially jobless. But it mainly relates to first years, even if they’re not going to remember most of the questionable instances in the morning. Let’s face it, you’re probably going to need that occasional, gentle reminder that it’s all going to be alright. No matter what university life throws at you or what sticky (literally and figuratively) situations you get into, it’s going to be okay.

39

Y

ou’ve been dropped in your new flat by increasingly blasé parents, who definitely didn’t seem all that bothered by the fact that they won’t be seeing you until Christmas. You realise that you don’t have a toothbrush or any forks but you do have three litres of vodka. It’s okay, it’s going to be alright.

them not to worry, you weren’t coming home last night. You’re already wondering if you’re going to have to work out where the sexual health clinic is sooner than you’d hoped. Mainly, you’re just happy you didn’t have a close encounter with the Belmont shrubbery again, not that you would remember. Just keep going, it’s going to be okay.

Over the summer, you had blissfully forgotten how messy your flatmate was but now there is the all-too-stark reminder in the form of teabags weeping into the sink and a brown banana skin making a bid for freedom along the kitchen windowsill. Take a deep breath: it’s going to be okay.

You spent your food budget on taxis, you slept through that introductory lecture, you lost all your snap streaks and didn’t turn up to that first Feminist Society meeting like you promised yourself you would. You were going to be a politically active and aware member of society this semester.

You have an all-powerful urge to hug a cushion and watch reality TV. You were going to have standards and morals and be responsible. Don’t worry, it will come with time.

You’ve spent a whole evening chatting to that girl, you didn’t get her number, you didn’t get any compliments and you didn’t get any free drinks. But hey, you did get that tiny bit of information: ‘yeah, it was cold today but it’s supposed to brighten up tomorrow.’ Your mate seems to be doing much better, they’ve been talking to their graft for the last hour and are now cuddled up on a sofa. You are acutely aware that your friend probably won’t remember much of this in the morning, although that might actually be a saving grace if they do vomit or fall unconscious into the cleavage of the girl sitting next to them. That’s looking increasingly likely. Best to get them home, hope they’re okay.

You woke up in a bed with green sheets yesterday. You woke up in a bed with pink sheets this morning. You have not changed your sheets yet. Google maps location tells you where you are once you sneak out into the street and don’t recognise anything. You didn’t remember to text your flatmate to tell

You’ll be okay.

You might spend a lot of time asking yourself: what on earth is going on?! And that’s okay. Fresher’s week should be about enjoying yourself. Stay safe, but at the same time, Freshers gives a lot of us permission and confidence to do all those things we were too nervous or ‘straight-laced’ to say yes to the rest of the year. Use it as an opportunity to be spontaneous, put yourself out there and meet as many people as you can. I would add ‘make memories’ but most of us know we’ll be blacking out. Seize every opportunity that interests you, makes you happy or slightly scares you. It’ll probably pay off and you’ll probably be okay.

Rose Kendall

40

FRENCH TOAST / or / EGGY BREAD RECIPE 1. Break 3 eggs into a wide bowl.

2. Add ½ a cup of milk and a pinch of salt into the wide bowl and beat the eggs with your fork until the mixture WHAT YOU WILL NEED / Bread Oil or Butter Eggs

is nice and smooth. You may add cinnamon at this point if you desire.

3. This step will depend on your preferences, you may choose to cut the crust off your bread as it will get harder when cooked or you can leave it on. It’s up to you.

4. Turn the heat to medium and add a teaspoon of oil or

Milk

butter into a non-stick pan. If you don’t have a non-stick

Salt

pan, a mixture of butter and a tiny bit of oil will stop the

Cinnamon (optional)

LIFESTYLE

Malcolm Kyeyune

toast from sticking.

5. Whilst the oil cooks, dip a piece of bread into your

A wide bowl Fork

both sides. It is important that you don’t soak the bread for too long as it will tear easily.

6. Using your spatula, gently place the bread into the pan and let it sit undisturbed for 1 min. Once finished, turn it over and let it cook for another 50 seconds. Make sure the middle part is cooked to avoid nasty surprises.

7. Repeat step 6 until your mixture is finished.

8. Enjoy!

ADD THAT EXTRA OOMPH TO YOUR TOAST

- You could use brioche bread instead of normal bread - Spread syrup onto your toast

-

Serve with strawberries and kiwis Serve with bacon

41

Spatula

mixture and let it soak for a few seconds, repeat this on

42 “Why would you want to move to Scotland though?”

The question asked by all my very South-West, English friends when I told them I’d be moving 600 miles to the other end of the country. The follow up statement, “everyone will be ginger and they’ll play the bagpipes. Loudly. Kellie, don’t do this,” was usually what was muttered by my fellow flip-flop wearing, costal walking, beach-town friends. Despite arguing with them - none of us had ever even been to Scotland and, let’s face it, Debate Club was a highlight of my primary school years - I was worried they were right. I mean, I’ve seen Still Game - can you blame me for being slightly wary? The thought of moving anywhere away from Cornwall for uni was horrifying and yet, two years later, I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.

Dundee is a very student orientated city, and, at the risk of sounding very biased, it’s 100% the students that make it. When you move here, you become part of this amazing community that’s almost impossible not to want to get involved in. There’s a reason why our Student’s Union has been voted the best in Scotland many times, and I always return home with a certain level of smugness whenever someone shockingly says, “I don’t have one.” Dundee’s goes above and beyond - Freshers’ weeks, St. Patrick’s, and Halloween are all events that you’ll quickly learn to count down the days for!

The weirdest thing is, Dundee turned out not to be that different from Cornwall - once I got used to the accents, the fact that flip-flops are never seen, and going in the sea here is comparable to the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge! My Cornish friends were right about the bagpipes though - I still haven’t

gotten used to them (sorry Scots.) The flurry of accents here never ceases to fascinate me, and the foods that the Scots live for both confuse and entertain me - macaroni pies? But Dundee wasn’t a scary place inhabited only by ginger, bagpipe playing Scottish folk that exclusively wear kilts and act like Groundskeeper Willie. It turned out to be an incredibly scenic place, with a nearby beach (thank god) and incredible people.

These similarities are what made it easier to move. All the almost alarmingly nice locals will say that Dundee, “isn’t a city, it’s a large town,” and they’re right. In the beginning, I didn’t understand that at all because the size of Dundee was so different to the “city” that I’m from. This was all until I went to Glasgow and Edinburgh, and suddenly I wholeheartedly agreed with what the locals were saying. We have all the things that constitute a city, without that stereotypical city vibe that leaves you desperate to get home after a day out. It’s nice to be able to walk 5 minutes into town after class, and later on only have a 2 minute stumble back from the nearest bar. Speaking of, there’s a lot of bars in Dundee - I learnt very quickly that Scottish folk like to drink a lot more than anyone else in the UK and it really is a sight to behold. The English do it well, but the Scottish do it better.

Two years in, I’m a little sad that I’ll be graduating a year later than my English friends however I wouldn’t want anything at all to change. Although, maybe being born here. You’re all lucky as hell with no tuition fees!

Kellie Ioannou Photography by Iona Sorbie

OPINIONS 43

“We have seen the sewing of seeds which will grow into a new generation of radical left wing politicians and thinkers�

OPINIONS

T

ypical. Just as university breaks for summer, the political landscape of the UK self-destructs, all without Magdalen coverage – how did you cope? Worry not. As a new year starts, so too does a new era in British politics - and you are more important to it than you may think.

One of the biggest political gambles in living memory backfired in the Prime Minister’s face, when she lost her majority. The ins and outs have been analysed to death in the weeks following the election, however it is the seismic change on the left we should be paying attention to. Jeremy Corbyn’s gain of 29 seats gives the party its highest level of grassrootssupport since the days of New Labour and the bold ‘third way’ it represented. While Corbyn’s achievement cannot is not on par with the winning of an election, it is most certainly a success in the eyes of the public. In particular, in the eyes of the some two-thirds of young people who backed Labour in this election. According to a Lord Ashcroft poll, in this election the youth turnout to vote was a whopping 66%, compared to just 43% two years ago. I think there is clearly something in his message which appeals to the young if 66% of those young people who turned out, cast their ballots in favour of Corbyn.

Of course, policies like free university tuition may seem like a gift to entice the youth vote, but it appears to be the youthful socialist persona and ideology of Corbyn instead, which sent his support surging.

In case you missed it, Theresa May’s campaign relied, albeit fruitlessly, on her government being ‘strong and stable’.

However, to many, stability means standing still and standing your ground. It appears that the youth of the nation have

But what now? After all, at time of writing it looks as though the government of Theresa May could be propped up by a party with it’s roots in radically conservative Protestantism, anti-Catholic, pro-unionist terrorism and xenophobia. Some now worry it could disenfranchise the youth more, as now they have a real example of their votes coming to nothing. What is clear is that young people in this country now have an idea of the kind of world they want to live in. The main thing young people have to do is keep that idea alive. There will be forces in the labour party which say that they are not ready to go so radically left, show them otherwise. Keep fighting for what you want - if you want a left-wing government, don’t just vote for it: fashion it yourselves, make a policy base in Dundee or Glasgow - wherever there are like-minded people to come together and support an ideology you believe in. Do not mourn Labour, for they, like socialism are not dead!

Youth, it’s time to revolt!

Murray Glen

45

“the unstoppable force of youth’s hope and optimism has met the immovable object of establishment ideas of staying stationary in a place which was previously fruitful”

spoken out in favour of not holding their current ground, and indeed rushing forward in the rise of new left wing, socialist doctrine which had previously and unfortunately been denied to them by all but fringe parties, and this is only a good thing.

June the 8th showed us the clearest example of an ongoing battle: the unstoppable force of youth’s hope and optimism has met the immovable object of establishment ideas of staying stationary in a place which was previously fruitful. The bubble burst in 2010, and now young people have made their vision for the future known through the power of the ballot box. We have sown the seeds which will grow into a new generation of radical left-wing politicians and thinkers. Make no mistake, if the labour manifesto in the next few elections is indeed as socialist as the one we just had, we can directly thank the generation of 18-24 year olds which resurrected the ideology in British politics.

THE MECHANICS OF MOSH HOW A CLASSIC CONCERT PHENOMENON MAY HOLD THE KEY TO UNLOCKING CELLULAR SECRETS.

BY ALEX MCCRAW

46

W

e’ve all heard of mosh pits, but who has ever considered their cells participating in one? Well, that prospect is exactly what researchers here in Dundee are using as the basis for a new computational model. Developed in collaboration with Aberdeen University, the Active Vertex Model uses the concept of a ‘cellular mosh pit’ to explore cellular movements during a variety of biological processes at a size far greater than previously possible. The hope is that the AMV will further current understanding of collective cell organisation, and the regulation of those cells’ behaviour in relation to one another at a tissue scale.

So, why a mosh pit? Dr Sknepnek, a physics lecturer at Dundee and lead author of the project, explains it – “Each person in a mosh pit has their own choice on where to move but is also affected by those around them … each person is like a cell, and we have built a model that can look at the activity and movement of the people in the mosh pit.” In fact, mosh pits are a surprisingly common analogy in the scientific community, described as an ‘active system’. The AVM combines the physics of an active system, with the Vertex model which is used to study the mechanical properties of epithelial tissues.

The AVM therefore, should help shed light on processes such as embryological development, cancer metastasis, and wound healing; the exact mechanics of which are poorly understood. In particular, it may explain the mechanics behind cell intercalations – series of carefully regulated exchanges between neighbouring cells which play key roles in many of the processes AVM looks to explore.

The next step in development is applying it to the research of Professor Weijer, another of AVM’s developers, which examines cell and tissue dynamics during embryonic development. Along with Dr Henkes of Aberdeen University, they plan to refine AVM through further collaboration with other researchers to bring the model to other systems, such as the gut. The model itself is currently available for public access so if you’re interested in just exactly how cells organise a mosh, why not check it out!

ACNE:

By James Russell

SCIENCE

SYMBIOSIS, SKIN & SCARS

“If you know your enemy, then you know yourself” - Sun Tzu’s The Art of War You’ll know when you’re infected. Think - redness, inflammation, pus; you know, all the glamorous parts of your teenage years. When this condition becomes chronic it is referred to as acne, and in extreme cases, causes the formation of keloid tissue – the source of those large crater-like scars.

Three types of symbiosis exist within micro-organisms commensal, mutualistic, and parasitic (not to be confused with pathogenicity!). Most micro-organisms have a commensal relationship - your body offers shelter and protection to these micro-organisms and in return they offer nothing. Freeloaders, essentially. Other microbes are hugely beneficial, such as certain types of E.coli which stop the immune system from destroying healthy tissue.

And some of the micro-organisms within us are a little more sinister – parasites which leech off us to a detrimental effect, such as yersinia pestis - the cause of the Black Death pandemic. Through a web of chemical messengers and drifting genetic information, our body lives harmoniously with trillions of creatures millions of times smaller than itself. All of these interactions are complex and beautiful.

Well, except when they aren’t.

But fear not – there are ways of winning the war!

Propionibacterium acnes is the bacterium responsible for the woe of many teenagers. These bacteria love oily things; your skin produces oils in bountiful supply – it’s a match made in heaven. Normally, these oils, produced in the form of sebum by the sebaceous gland, protect skin from harmful aspects of the environment by stopping moisture from being leached out of the skin and lubricating emerging hair follicles. However, p. acnes harnesses these secretions as a food source - sebum contains additional metabolites needed for bacterial survival, making the glands the perfect home for our prokaryotic nemeses.

Know your skin type – oily? Dry? Choose a facial product that suits you. Familiarise yourself with the battlefield so that you can better arm yourself - where are you oily?

Focus on cleansing problem areas – don’t rush. Enzymatic products are best for acne-prone skin – look for citrus fruit based products as they are rich in oil digesting compounds.

Moisturise after cleansing - your skin needs those oils, and leaving it dried out may worsen the situation; creating balance is key. There is always a war waging on your skin – but you can call a truce.

47

There are approximately one hundred trillion cells in your body, but roughly a quarter of them are not your own.

Meet the trillions of little friends keeping your body ticking over; the microbiota - made up of bacteria, virus, fungi, and protists. They share a poorly understood relationship with your body known as symbiosis.

48

“If you are to

take one piece of advice from this article I would suggest it be this: the golden rule of food everything in moderation.

�

AVOCADO WHAT? SCIENCE

A

vocados, the vogue food of the day! Love them or loathe them, I’m sure you’re all aware of the avocado craze that swept through our world a few years ago that shows no signs of stopping. Personally, I’m not a fan. I love all the Instagram posts with their #whitegirl comments, and the way some people turn such a simple food into something artful, but I’d rather it stayed off my plate. What really does intrigue me though, is the truth of the science behind the “they’re so good for us” statements. So, I decided to find out the facts for any of you, who, like me, want to know.

One of the main things I’ve uncovered in relation to the ‘avocado goodness’, is that they’re rich in monounsaturated fat - a type of fat with only one unsaturated chemical bond in its formula which allows it to be liquid at room temperature but become solid at colder temperatures.

Monounsaturated fats are much better for you than saturated fats, and so this is one reason people sometimes refer to avocados as a source of ‘good fat’. Foods that are likely to be high in monounsaturated fats are natural foods such as whole milk and red meat, as well as plant based oils, such as olive oil or sesame oil. A benefit of eating these types of fats, is that they have been linked with the reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. They are also known to help keeping our good levels of cholesterol (HDL) up, and keeping the bad cholesterol (LDL) levels down.

However, given that it is a type of fat, it should still always be eaten in moderation, and since exercise should always be included with a balanced diet, we sadly, can’t give up our gym memberships for crates of avocados.

Another health benefit from avocados that makes them more than just another fad food: avocados have a low sugar content and consequently produce a low glycemic index (GI). GI is defined by the University of Sydney Glycemic Index website as: “a ranking of carbohydrates on a scale

I did come across an interesting article which goes against the hype. In February this year, haaretz.com published an interview with one of Israel’s leading nutritional therapists, Dr Mira Niazov, where she says, “as well as cancer patients, avocado is off limits for people with acne, sinusitis or any other suppurating symptoms.” However, after looking into why this is the case, I found that it actually wasn’t the avocado itself that was off-limits but, actually, it’s quite common advice to avoid raw food altogether when recovering from a disease or treatment (such as cancer or chemotherapy), that reduces you your immune system and white blood-cell count. Although avocados possess a high level of beneficial vitamins and minerals, it’s still suggested that they be cooked to reduce the chance of suffering from food-borne illnesses. This seems sensible enough to me; all foods have the potential to do harm if not prepared correctly, and avocados are no different.

All in all, it does seem that, despite my personal dislike of avocados, they have undeniably good features – it’s typical I don’t like them (insert eye roll here). However, I do believe it is best to know all the facts where possible, and there is plenty more that could be said for the avocado fruit, so much, someone could write a book! If you are to take one piece of advice from this article I would suggest it be this: the golden rule of food - everything in moderation.

Too much of a good thing can still do harm!

Ellie Biggs Photography by Nur Afni Setiyaningrum

49

Despite people usually using them in savoury dishes, avocados are a fruit – joining tomatoes as one of those “are they, aren’t they?” fruits. Defined as a large berry with a single seed, they’re loved by most people for their creamy texture and mild taste. But what precisely are the health benefits we hear raved about so often?

from 0 to 100 according to the extent to which they raise blood sugar (glucose) levels after eating.” Because they fill you up without drastically raising your blood sugar, avocados are thought to be a very good snack food, unlike many popular snack foods which can spike your glucose levels. One major advantage to keeping our blood sugar levels from getting too high is that it helps reduce the chances of developing type II diabetes, a condition defined by the NHS as: “when the body doesn’t produce enough insulin to function properly, or the body’s cells don’t react to insulin.” Keeping these levels low can also help to prevent atherosclerosis – when blood vessels harden – which can be very damaging to the body. Definitely a winning argument for the ‘avocado goodness’ I’d say.

WannaCry is an example of ransomware, a type of malware that encrypts the data of the target, making it impossible to gain access to things like client lists, family photos, etc. unless you pay. The starting price the hackers asked for was $300 dollars in the cryptocurrency, Bitcoin. After a period of time the price would double, and this would continue for potentially six months after which the hackers would decrypt the files for those who could not afford to pay – a real robin hood type of story.

These attacks have been particularly effective on institutions that rely heavily on computers, but have a poor IT infrastructure. Hospitals are the perfect example – needing computers to run important machinery, like MRIs, but also communication of data, like test results, between wards and clinics. The NHS was hit particularly hard, having their systems shut down almost immediately by the attack.

Thankfully with a well-kept data backup in place, things were running normally by the next day. But unlike the NHS most people don’t keep up to date backups of sensitive information, meaning the potential permanent loss of this data.

Most affected institutions were not so well prepped: railways, banks, and mobile operators were shut down in Russia and many of China’s public institutes, like universities, were left in chaos.

Almost immediately after the attack Microsoft released a patch for their operating systems that are still supported, which would have prevented the problem indefinitely, however many places still using the Windows XP operating system – which has not been supported for years – were in trouble. Some estimates say that 90% of NHS computers are using an operating system not supported by the manufacturer.

Though it may be easy to blame the victims for the lack of preparedness, updating thousands of terminals is a costly and time-consuming process, which could cause disruption with regular hospital function.

Enter our hero. An anonymous English cyber-security expert, going by the mantle “MalwareTech”, discovered how to end the plight of WannaCry almost by accident.

While searching through the WannaCry code they noticed a feature designed to check if a randomly designed URL led to a live web-page, on a hunch MalwareTech registered the domain. As it turns out, this acts like a “kill switch” sending a signal to stop the malware spreading. Through this one action the major plight of the attack was over.

Since the triggering of the kill switch, new variants on the code have been surfacing, but all contain this kill switch.

There is something very strange about the inclusion of a kill switch in the code. According to cyber security experts, the part of code taken from EternalBlue is extremely complex but the inclusion of a kill switch is a rookie error for a hacker to make – leaving analysts stumped. Similarly, the ransom payment system has been coded in such a way as not to track who has or has not payed. Furthermore, if any files were to be decrypted it would have to be done manually explaining why there aren’t any files that have been decrypted.

These are all amateur mistakes, or perhaps evidence of something more ominous.

Microsoft have since released a one-time patch for all operating systems still in use and experts have come forward with decryption tools to help victims of the attack.

But a terrifying thought still lingers: if this attack had been coordinated differently there was potential for immeasurable, irreversible damage to be carried out. We are in the middle of a war of epic proportions, happening in the cyber world.

WannaCry was just a civilian causality.

James Russell

51

It is believed that WannaCry finds its origins in the American National Security Agency, in the form of a tool called EternalBlue. It exploits a weakness in the Windows operating system, by interfering with the server message block protocol (SMB). Usually a perfectly safe part of the operating system, the exploit tricks the SMB protocol into readily accepting packets of information from remote sources – these packets contains the ransomware. It is believed that WannaCry is connected to the Shadow Brokers, a shady group of hackers, who were originally responsible for leaking the EternalBlue online.

“THE STARTING PRICE THE HACKERS ASKED FOR WAS $300 DOLLARS IN THE CRYPTOCURRENCY, BITCOIN.”

TECHNOLOGY

I

t was the morning of May 12th, British hospitals found that they were locked out of their computer systems, unable to access vital information needed for basic operation of facilities. Within the next two days, over 200,000 computers in over 150 countries had fallen prey to one of the largest cyber attacks in history – WannaCry. The strange things is, in total there were only around $100,000 dollars made from the attack, making the profit pitiful by modern standards.

Ellie’s Apps Freshers Edition Personally, one thing that I feel makes university less stressful is making sure that I’m organized. As I am currently going into my third year, I have come across many useful applications on my phone* that I think everyone should know about. If you are anything like myself, surgically attached to your phone, then these may be a life saver.

Yoyo Wallet

52

Have you ever experienced the utter terror of waking up from a night on the sesh and not being able to find your debit card?

4-5 minutes), you can check your phone and have any chat needed. Whether the mentality works for you or not may determine this app’s successfulness, but give it a try - 25 minutes isn’t that long when you can see each second tick by!

Well, there’s an app for that.

Trello

Luckily at the Union, they have the perfect system in place – have you heard of Yoyo Wallet? Yoyo Wallet is available on the majority of app stores and eliminates the need to take money or cards out on a night out. It works by securely connecting to your bank card via the app and then generating a QR code which a vendor can scan and deduct the money from your account electronically - Voila, three drinks successfully purchased!

Only recently I’ve been using Trello and I really wish someone had introduced it to me before.

On the app, you set up a ‘board’ and within that board, you have lots of tabs – think Pinterest but fewer pretty pictures and more tasks. Each tab can be made for a specific need, for example, a module – and everything you need for that specific module goes into the tab.

This is perfect for me as I’m really paranoid about valuables falling out my pocket. It works on every floor of the Union and can be linked to your DUSA Black Card and any event tickets you have purchased. Alongside this, the app offers a great points system, and if you collect enough, you can receive lots of free goodies, including bottles of Vodka and free entry for you and your friends – result!

Yoyo Wallet is very safe as it requires a two-factor identification system to access the QR code. Furthermore, you can unlink your card at any time. Whilst this technically won’t keep your studies organized everyone deserves a good, stress relieving night at the Union every once and a while – ‘the sesh calls’.

Power Focus This is one that I am really grateful for being introduced to, despite the simple logic behind it.

All it does is set a timer on your phone – you can choose the length, though the recommended is 25 minutes.

Once each study session is over you get a break, again the length of which you set yourself. And that’s it, simple.

Yet somehow having the app open, watching that timer ticking down your seconds, makes people actually work!

For most groups I’ve used it in, we set a no talking or mobile usage rule for that 25 minutes; with all phones placed on the table face down. Then, for the break (we usually do

My favourite thing about Trello is that a group can all belong to one board, e.g. for a group presentation, or if you’re involved in a society committee. Multiple people can have access to a board, making it a perfect medium for group projects. It also sends you notifications when anything new pops up on a board so you’re always on top of tasks.

I hope some of these suggestions can help you like they’ve helped me and if not just go on Tumblr and look at cute puppies – sure way to destress! * Currently operating an iPhone, using the App Store, but I believe many of these apps or versions of them can be found on the Google or Android app store.

Ellie Biggs Photography by Kate Serbin

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2017 GUIDE TO DUNDEE SOCIETIES L

et us tell you about the Anatomy and Human Identification (AHID) Society, formerly the CAHID Society. We love all things anatomy related but also great socials, from pub crawls to pot-lucks, pizza nights to movie nights - we have something for everyone!

All of our social and academic events are open to everyone; from PhD students studying anatomy, to a fresher studying accountancy. We have more socials planned than ever before as well as our 2nd annual society ball - a night of great food, company and entertainment.

We will be hosting bi-weekly help

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he Capoeira Senzala Society makes up part of the Senzala Scotland Capoeira group.

Capoeira is a martial art which started in Brazil and was created by Angolan slaves in the 16th century. It was cleverly disguised as as a game and a dance, and in current times is seen primarily in films.

Our society trains regularly, showing members how to play the game, how to play the music of Capoeira, and to teach about its history and ongoing evolution.

Capoeira is a great way to keep fit and can help to develop rhythm, balance, and flexibility. The culture of Capoeira is growing around the world so by learning with us now you can open opportunities to meet new people and make friends

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sessions with all year groups represented; an opportunity to come get help with your course, or impart some of your own wisdom, all whilst meeting other members.

AHID Society CAHID Society ahidsociety@outlook.com

In joining our society, you can make new friends, get help when needed, and have a great experience regardless of what year you’re studying in.

For just £5 membership fee for the year, you get exclusive discounts off food and drink at our sponsor pub, where we will go after our events, as well discounted entry to many events.

Come visit us at the Fresher’s Fayre!

worldwide.

If you have trained before or are just curious to see what it’s about come and join in with one of our classes. Our up to date training times and locations can be found by joining our Facebook group ‘Capoeira Senzala Dundee’. Any events from Senzala or other Capoeira groups that we are taking part in are also shared here. If you don’t have Facebook you can also email us with any questions or to get our current training times.

undee University Christian Union (DUCU) exists, primarily, to give every student an opportunity to hear and respond to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a Mission Team existing as a united Bible believing Christian community that strives to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, wanting and allowing His Holy Spirit to transform every aspect of their lives.

Christ known to them with boldness and passion. Equip is at 6:30pm every Tuesday night in the Chaplaincy. All are welcome. Throughout the year DUCU also put on a wide variety of interesting events.

DUCU have regular weekly meetings during the term year, called Equip, that allow them to study the Bible, pray and worship together. They encourage one another in learning how to love other students in everyday life, by making

DUCU look forward to welcoming all new students along.

For full details visit their Facebook Page or website. For more information, please don’t hesitate in contacting the President, Christopher Marshall.

Capoeira Senzala Society Capoeira Senzala Dundee capoeiradundee@gmail.com

Dundee University Christian Union Dundee University Christian Union ducupresident@gmail.com http://dundeecu.com/

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Our ‘Quackathon’ gives you the opportunity to show off your skills and compete in a number of challenges for prizes; our annual ball to celebrate the year with others includes awards, dinner, and more!

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Joining this society provides many unique opportunities for those interested in current affairs; our strong links with Conservative Associations, both locally and across Scotland, mean we’re able

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hy should I join the debating society? A question you’ve probably never asked yourself before― luckily, at the precise moment you did, you also stumbled across an article providing the answers.

We are a truly cross-sectional academic society, i.e. we are not focused on any one particular subject, or on recruiting one particular type of student. While the idea of debating naturally conjures up associations with politics and law, competitive debating is much more to do with logic, quick-thinking and generally ‘winging it’, than it is with dry theory and political put-downs. We provide weekly training for all levels of ability

Dundee University Computing Society Dundee University Computing Society - DUCS

One of the biggest draws of this society is the ducks and ducklings system we have in place, where first years (ducklings) are paired with people in years above (ducks) in order to provide them with an extra source of help for assignments and someone to look out for them.

ducs@dundee.ac.uk

to connect our members with many of Holyrood’s most prominent and promising, as well as other like-minded students from across the country.

Alongside our extensive political activity, which includes hosting guest speakers and campaigning on local issues, we hold regular social events, during which we have a drink (or two) and chat about anything and everything. Previous and current members have gone on from our society to work in various political capacities, including as MPs and MSPs. Get in touch, you won’t be disappointed!

Dundee University’s Conservative and Unionist Association

and confidence to help you improve.

Beyond technical skills however, the society is also dedicated to promoting the principles of academic debate. Anyone who experienced the general election through social media will know that the ‘echo chamber’ has never been more evident in our lives; the debating society offers an antidote to this. We host public debates every week where we discuss the motions you choose, on issues that matter to you. We are an arena for opinions to clash and ideas to be explored, and we would love to gain some new voices!

Dundee University Debating Society

Dundee University Conservative & Unionist Association ducua@dundee.ac.uk

Dundee University Debating Society dundeedebatesoc@gmail.com

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undee University’s Conservative and Unionist Association (DUCUA) is one of the most active political groups on campus.

This society provides an outlet for conservatives, unionists and all-round politicos from across the city to network and build quality friendships. We welcome all matriculated students of the university and are constantly on the lookout for new members to join our inclusive, yet still tight-knit, group.

We maintain excellent links and relations with many companies, whom you can meet and learn more about through our networking events. Here you can learn more about the diverse opportunities within the industry.

SOCIETIES

he Dundee University Computing Society is a must for all students with even the slightest interest in computers and programming.

Throughout the year we host a number of events including workshops where experts provide knowledge on interesting and cutting edge technologies, and social events where you can meet and form friendships with members from across year groups.

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id you know that tea comes from a plant called camellia sinensis?

Or that in addition to your good old breakfast brew you can also get green tea, white tea, yellow tea, oolong and pu-erh? Some teas help you sleep, some keep you awake, some are better without milk and while some are brewed at 80°C rather than 100°C, many teas are actually not tea at all!? If this information makes you an intrigued roll rather than a distressed roll, then boy do we have the society for you!

uni-life behind. We source teas from around the world, from Greek mountain tea to a blend of coconut & cream flavoured earl grey which is only sold on the full moon and brew it specially for you to drink up in your own mug every second Wednesday evening. We try to theme our events from Halloween to Fireworks to Valentines to Holi and we’ve got loads planned to keep you entertained. Why not give DUSA Best New Society 2016/17 a chai?

DunTea Society Duntea Society hello@duntea.xyz www.duntea.xyz

DunTea is a deranged tea-worshipping cult and a friendly, chilled-out place for drinking tea with friends, discovering new flavours and leaving the stresses of

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stablished almost 20 years ago, Educate the Kids is an incredible charity that aims to educate the poorest children in the vicinity of Utange in Kenya. They believe that every child is entitled to an education which could free them from poverty. Through the charity’s work, three schools, a kindergarten, primary and secondary, in addition to an orphanage have been built with over 900 children attending.

There is still a lot to be done, as at the beginning of the year 300 mothers queued to register their children at the schools, but there were only 80 places resulting in the majority being turned away.

Dundee University Educate the Kids Society Dundee University Educate the Kids Society

Like us on Facebook to keep up to date with the society and get involved!

Last year, the Dundee University Educate the Kids society was founded to raise funds for the charity and what a successful year was had. Through bucketing, bake sales, a Disney Pub Quiz and a sponsored Ben Nevis Trek, the society raised over £2500!

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ove puppies? Want to add some volunteering and fundraising charm to your CV? Then Dundee University Guide Dogs Society is pawfect for you!

Over the past few years, this small but successful society has raised over £3000 for the charity, which has enabled us to name and sponsor our own guide dog!

We aim to raise awareness for the fantastic work carried out by Guide Dogs and to educate students about the emotional and physical challenges that a person faced with blindness may encounter. With Guide Dogs receiving no government funding and each dog

costing £52,000, every single penny that we raise really does have a huge impact.

We hold lots of fun and exciting fundraising events such as pub quizzes and ceilidhs throughout the year, as well as organizing some puppy therapy sessions during those stressful exam times.

More importantly, we are now able to offer trips to the Forfar Guide Dog training centre so you can see where the action takes place and take part in some very important training allowing you to help in the community!

So, what are you waiting for? Join the barkside today and help make a pawsitive impact on campus!

Dundee University Guide Dogs Society Dundee University Guide Dogs Society guidedogsociety@dundee.ac.uk @_dugds

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alsa, tequila, corazón, ¡muy bueno!…

It might summarise the Hispanic Society, but we are much more than that. We are a young society whose purpose is to promote the Hispanic culture and Spanish language in a friendly environment.

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This society is open to everyone interested in Indian culture and festivals.

We have members from different parts of India, as well as across the world, making

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re you passionate about dancing?

No idea what to do with your limbs on the dancefloor? Or maybe you just want to try something new and meet cool people from all backgrounds and parts of the world?

Well, then we’re just the society for you!

Have you ever danced before? It doesn’t matter! The Latin Dancing Society aims to bring together people with a passion for dancing regardless their previous experience.

We dance a cool chacha, samba, rumba, jive, tango and waltz routines and always add some new fancy moves, too. No need to bring a partner – there are plenty

But you might ask, ‘Do I need to be hispanic or know Spanish to join the Hispanic Society?’ Not at all! So do not hesitate and have fun with us.

Hispanic Society UoD The Hispanic Sesh Latin Heat Hispanic@dundee.ac.uk

us truly an international society. Leaving Indian Society home for a new country is difficult and so our aim is to make this transition a University of Dundee little easier for you. We organize many Indian Society (UDIS) events, which allows everyone to meet new people, such as: Fresher’s Dinner, dundee.indian.society@gmail.com Bollywood Nights, Diwali, Movie Nights, Screening of Cricket matches, @uodindians Holi, etc.

Make sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat to keep up to date with our upcoming events and catch the behind the scenes action. We hope to see you at our events and all the very best in your journey at the University of Dundee!

of people to dance with. In addition to weekly lessons, we also organize social events, such as nights out and a big competition at the end of each semester.

We have classes twice weekly – Monday is the beginners class from 8 to 10 and on Wednesdays it is the advanced class from 8 to 10 - both in the Mono. You can find us in our Facebook group “Dundee Latin Dancing and Social“.

uodindians

Latin Dancing Dundee Latin Dancing & Social latin.dancing@dundee.ac.uk

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amaste Dundee! The University of Dundee Indian Society aims to bring the Indian students and the broader South Asian community together. We aspire to create a home away from home, spread and showcase different aspects of our culture throughout the university and make everyone’s university years one of the best times of their lives. We collaborate with other societies and off campus organisations to build a vibrant, crosscultural relationship with India.

We also have our own radio show, The Hispanic Sesh, hosted on JAM Dundee, in which we combine latin music, good banter and great guests. Do not forget to tune in!

Hispanic Society

SOCIETIES

Salsa might be the flagship of our society, it is our most popular activity in which people come to learn how to become latin love dancers! However, we do not stop here, we have other activities like Charlas (Talks), where you can meet people while learning and improve your Spanish (as well as all its variants from native speakers) and we also collaborate with Latin Heat, a monthly event where

you can show off your sick moves.

Moreover, this year, we plan on having food tastings and a trip to Spain!

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ife Science doesn’t have to be all about lectures and labs – join the Dundee University Life Sciences Society and get involved in a mix of academic and social events! We focus on working closely with the School of Life Sciences, getting everyone involved in a vast array of events outside the classroom.

We’ve expanded hugely: becoming one of the largest societies at Dundee, making this a very exciting time to join us!

We’ve got lots of events to look forward to: our Annual Ball, Christmas Pub Quiz/ Crawl, Gaudie Night, and Burns Ceilidh.

point of our society is ensuring all years interact and engage with one another through our academic family system – newcomers can choose to be assigned ‘parents’ who are students in the years above. Your parents can help with any coursework you may have and with the social aspects of uni life. If this sounds like something for you, look out for us on campus during the Fresher’s Fayre.

We look forward to meeting you!

Life Sciences Society Dundee Life Science lifesciencesociety@dundee.ac.uk

But uni life isn’t all about partying – we balance this with a host of academic events throughout the year. A focal

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or those who want to start off their weekdays with a bang, LIP Theatre Company is the perfect society for those with both a long love of drama and performance, as well as those who have a budding interest in the world of theatre.

LIP, which this year celebrates its 25th anniversary, is Dundee university’s only completely student led drama society.

We give members the opportunity to act, direct, produce, write material and work on numerous backstage projects in order to create all of our performances throughout the year.

We produce a wide number of theatrical styles and genres: from Shakespeare’s

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arrow Dundee is part of a nationwide volunteer student group with over 50 groups and hundreds of volunteers in Universities across the country, who are all working towards one thing: saving the lives of people with blood cancer.

Marrow Dundee works to raise awareness of Anthony Nolan and blood cancer within the university by spreading the word and holding events to let students know about our lifesaving work. We also give every student the opportunity to join the stem cell register. Marrow also run recruitment drives across campus, we make sure students are within spitting distance of becoming a lifesaver. As well

“The Tempest” and Tennessee Williams’ “A Streetcar Named Desire”, to Stephen Fry’s “Latin!”. The plays are selected to benefit the society, and offer new opportunities to those wishing to take part. Last year saw the reappearance of our Dundee based ghost walk, and the new arrival of a massive pantomime, which is hopefully going to be a fun annual tradition.

LIP Theatre info@liptheatrecompany.co.uk

LIP Theatre Company meets in Mono (the lower floor of the student union) at 7pm on Mondays during term. We hope to see you there for the beginning of an exciting new semester of LIP: life in performance.

as all of this, we raise funds to help support Anthony Nolan’s vital work. Fantastic fundraising events, including bake sales, bucket shakes, balls and more.

Marrow Dundee

What’s been achieved: • Since 1974, Anthony Nolan has given over 14,000 people the chance of life.

• Marrow gives the chance of life to three people every day.

• 1 in 100 people who we sign up to the Anthony Nolan register go on to donate • 28% of all AN stem cell donations are the result of Marrow’s work.

dundee@ukmarrow.org

Registered Charity No. 803716/SC038827

Marrow Dundee

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ne Water Dundee is a student-led branch of the One Foundation - a charity that sells bottled water and other beverages with 100% of profits funding clean water and sanitation projects in Africa.

In March, we successfully held an event to celebrate World Water Day, which involved numerous activities outside DUSA to highlight the fact that 663 million people still don’t have access to

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We rehearse weekly throughout the year as we strive towards our main show in March, with ‘9 to 5’ being OpSoc’s 2018 production. As well as our main show, every year at the end of Freshers’ Week we perform our weekend show, which this year is ‘High School Musical 2’, so watch out for updates on how to participate. In addition to our shows we

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hotography is the art of capturing and preserving moments, but no longer do you need the latest DSLR to take a breath-taking picture; nowadays all mobile phones have built-in cameras. Photography can finally be enjoyed by everyone so, whatever your equipment, be sure to give it a go!

Our society meets every Thursday at Dalhousie. Members can learn about all aspects of photography (including drone and filming) from our experienced comrades and professional guests. It’s also a great time to discuss portfolios and to whip out your camera to put what you’ve learnt into practice! When the session is over, we all head to our weekly

One Water Dundee onewaterdundee@gmail.com

For the 2017/18 year we are keen to raise even more money, as well as increase the number of retailers stocking the One Foundation’s beverages across Dundee.

You can support us simply by making us your bottle of choice at Premier, becoming a general member for £1 or by joining the committee! We have various positions available, and these would particularly suit students looking to gain valuable experience in the charity or business management sectors.

host a variety of concerts including our Acoustic Concert, Christmas Concert, Mono Concert and our Associate’s Concert at the end of the year, so there are plenty of opportunities to perform!

These concerts come with great social events, as well as our ‘Annual Presidential Ball’ in January, so you can be sure of a fantastically fun and social time with OpSoc!

OPSOC OPSOC@hotmail.com

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ove acting, singing and dancing?

OpSoc is a musical theatre society with an open cast chorus, with anyone and everyone welcome to join! As the longest running society on campus, OpSoc are regular performers in Dundee, with our latest being the successful ‘Witches of Eastwick’.

One Water Dundee

SOCIETIES

We distribute the One Foundation’s products to retailers in Dundee (including Premier shop and Ninewells), and hold regular events to raise both money and awareness for the cause.

safe drinking water. The event raised over £250, and additionally involved committee members being sponsored to survive on only 5L of water for a 24hour period!

For more information about OpSoc, find us at the Freshers’ Fayre or visit our Facebook page ‘Dundee OpSoc’ and we look forward to seeing you in September!

social at the society’s sponsor pub to get free food and discounted drinks.

The society organises regular trips, including (among many more!) visiting Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh and a journey to Europe at the end of the year! These are great opportunities to take breathtaking photographs, explore more of the world and to relax with your new photographer friends.

Interested in photography? Check. Ready to learn more, with an awesome group of people? Check. Want to take part in amazing trips and events? Check. It’s time to visit the photography society, we can’t wait to meet you!

Photography Society Dundee University Photography Society

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undee University Physics Society – despite our name – is not just for physics students! As DUSA’s Society of the Year 2016-17, and having won Best Event for 2016-17, we are committed to being the best we can be as a society! We run a variety of events throughout the year, from pub quizzes to pub crawls, barbecues to movie nights, as well as study groups and many others!

through fundraising so as many people can come as possible.

Think this sounds great? Then join us!

You can get in touch with us via email or any of our social media accounts.

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Dundee University Physics Society dundeephysics@outlook.com @DUPhysicsSoc

Our most exciting event of the year is our annual trip abroad. For a long weekend in February, we visit a city in Europe to experience the culture there, as well as visiting a physics attraction – we are the Physics Society after all! We keep trip costs down as much as possible

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Dundee University Physics Society

@DUPhysicsSoc

ave you ever wondered what the famous pierogi taste like?

Why we keep empty jars? Polish vodka anyone? Come to us and find out!

popular events include The Welcome Back BBQ, Independence Day Fireworks, Mikołajki, Fat Thursday, and Truant’s Day Trip.

Polish Society is an open and welcoming community for all students to get together and find out more about Poland and general Polish-ness. We want to familiarise students from all over the world with our distinctive culture and cuisine, including celebrating Polish traditions and national holidays, even when away from home.

Everybody is more than welcome to join our society and spend quality time by meeting new people, eating delicious Polish food and just having fun!

Dundee University Polish Society Polish Society at University of Dundee polishsocietydundee@gmail.com @UoD_PolSoc

We host regular socials throughout the year, and some more associated with Polish traditions. A few of our most

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e are the Dundee University Roleplaying Society (DURPS). Roleplaying involves interacting with other players as though you are characters in a story, guided by a GM who knows the details of the world in which that story unfolds. At DURPS we offer two types of roleplaying: tabletop, in which rolling dice determines your success; and LARP, which involves physically portraying the role, complete with costumes and in-character sword fighting - though not with actual metal swords as our insurance won’t cover that!

If you are new to roleplaying we run one-off games at the beginning of each semester. If you are a returning face, we’d still like to see you along!

We run tabletop games on Monday and Thursday nights; alongside two LARPs, Korowyn and Thedas, for which taster sessions take place at the beginning of each semester. As one of Dundee’s oldest societies, we have a few traditional events which occur in addition to our twice-weekly meetings. These include the Halloween LARP, held in the atmospheric setting of the Cairngorms; fundraising 24-hour games; Mega Zombiecide, and of course the DAFTAs, our award ceremony which honours roleplayed bravery and stupidity in equal measure. Join us, we’re mad, but in a wonderful way!

Dundee University Roleplaying Society D.U.R.P.S. Community durpsmail@gmail.com

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e are a network of students, professionals, academics, and researchers who support diversity in STEM. Motivated by our own experiences in the fields, we are passionate and enthusiastic to promote more diversity and equality in the STEM disciplines.

Women in STEM society s.n.anani@dundee.ac.uk

We look forward to seeing you at the freshers’ fayre and at our many events throughout the year, where we hope to find more individuals ready to help us bridge the gap in STEM.

SOCIETIES

Our members aim to provide a strong network for underrepresented groups in STEM; inspire women to pursue careers in STEM fields; and support education progression throughout undergrad and further to stop the ‘leaking pipeline’.

large network of likeminded people by offering exciting social events and casual environment to socialise.

Joining the Women in STEM society will provide a unique opportunity to network and form relationships with a

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each meeting, everyone has the chance to socialise and enjoy some food provided by our local sponsor bar and grill.

If you are interested in building your CV and getting practical experience in your field whilst you study then DUYRA is the perfect society for you. All students welcome to join!

Dundee University Young Researchers Association Dundee University Young Researchers’ Association - DUYRA

Come find us at Fresher’s Fair or facebook for more information, and if you have any questions: DUYRA@dundee.ac.uk

DUYRA@dundee.ac.uk

We are planning lots of exciting and new things for the coming year from workshops to a retreat.

Dundee University Yoga Society

Throughout the year we have weekly events relating to research happening in every department of the university. After

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ant to try yoga or already a dedicated yogi? Regardless, feel free to join us for some yoga classes. We are a small society, welcoming of all levels of ability to join us on the mat to workout and relax. We have a variety of classes each week.

• Tuesday - 6pm till 7pm DUSA Floor 5 • Wednesday - 7pm till 8pm DUSA Floor 5 • Thursday - 6:30pm till 8pm Dalhousie Drama Studio Membership is £4.50 per semester or £9 double semester. Each class is £3. Mats are provided.

Email us or join our Facebook page for updates or ask us a question!

Looking forward to seeing you on the mat, Namaste.

Dundee University Yoga Society dundeeyogasociety@gmail.com

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undee University Young Researchers Association is a society set up to help bridge the gap between undergraduate learning and postgraduate research. DUYRA members create, plan and carry out their own independent research projects throughout the academic year. All ideas are presented at a panel for the chance to receive funding. The completed projects are presented at our annual symposium and wine reception, where participants are awarded with accredited certificated from the university.

10th Anniversary Issue