Issue 85 - November 2020

themagdalen for students, by students issue 85

november 2020

With limited in person teaching, making friends has become more difficult this year.

Joining a society makes it easy to meet people with similar interests. https://www.dusa.co.uk/get-involved/societies/

ADJUST (verb) /ə�dӡ�st/: to become more familiar with a new situation.

Adjust, Connect, Change.

STEPPING ON THE BROKEN GLASS / Compelling article that marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Pg 06

TRIBUTE TO EDDIE SMALL / Students reflect on the passing of beloved Creative Lecturer, Eddie Small.

Pg 18

GOING THROUGH CHANGES / Deeply personal account of growing up with Turner Syndrome since age 14. Pg 60

Find us online The Magdalen Magazine @themagdalenmag @themagdalenmag

Get in touch editor.in.chief@dusamedia.com

A MESSAGE FROM YOUR EDITOR IN CHIEF

A MESSAGE FROM YOUR CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Welcome back to our Magdalen!

Welcome back to The Magdalen!

I hope the transition back/to starting university has not been as taxing for you as I fear it may have been.

The start of this academic year has been like no other, yet I hope starting back has been as good to you all as it has been for myself.

In this issue, we try to explore three interlinked themes: adjust, connect, change. These themes I think best capture where most of us as students are at mentally, socially, and spatially.

On these themes, I wish to note my personal appreciation, and thanks for, the efforts of societies and sports clubs who have adapted to this virtual environment by – in many instances – completely changing how they function as hubs of human social interaction. In adapting in the ways that you have, you have maintained that social interaction that many I am sure would seriously struggle without.

It is this resilience, connection, level of adaption, and this change in behaviour, that is a true sign of our spirit as one student community; determined to pick each other up and make life as enjoyable as we can for everyone.

Why is this important?

As students, now more than ever, we must support each other; see each other as friends and colleagues and respect that the safety of all includes far more than safety from hurt, injury, even COVID-19; we must look out for the physical and mental health of our entire community.

Please support and lookout for each other.

My best wishes, Josh Harper.

This issues themes are as follows: adjust, connect, change. Just as the seasons change around us, so do we make changes to our way of life, working and socialising. Connecting through zoom calls and socially distanced coffee catch ups with friends.

Reflecting on this change, many societies have themselves adapted to the new situation and found a new way of working. Societies are such an important part of university life!

They give the opportunity to make new friends, talk to new people and some, for example the sports societies, give the chance for real face to face interaction (something I think we can all agree we are missing out on).

This semester make sure to reach out to friends, especially those who may be finding things a little more difficult than usual and be kind to each other. Mental health is more important now than ever, take time out of your busy uni schedule to chat to friends, go to societies and relax.

Be safe and remember there is support all around you.

Best wishes, Louise James

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS SENIOR TEAM CREATIVE DIRECTOR EDITOR IN CHIEF SENIOR DEPUTY EDITOR DEPUTY EDITORS

Louise James Joshua Harper James Kirkpatrick Finlay James Beatson, Erin Mckeown

CREATIVE TEAM PHOTOGRAPHY MANAGERS ILLUSTRATION MANAGER SENIOR ILLUSTRATOR SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGERS SOCIAL MEDIA FREELANCER EVENTS & PR MANAGER

Carlota Sainz, María Paula Huertas C. Cait Maxwell CL Gamble Emma Biggins, Katrina High Aylish Kelly Bethany Cameron, Orla Barr

EDITORIAL TEAM ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ON/OFF CAMPUS CREATIVE WRITING CURRENT AFFAIRS FASHION INTERNATIONAL LIFESTYLE OPINIONS SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY SOCIETIES COPY EDITORS

Mareth Burns, Jaime Aries, Fyfe Howard Barbara Mertlová, Marleen Käsebier Jennifer Gillespie, Katie Stewart, Andrew Young Fiachna Mac Carráin, Luiza Stoenescu Ellie J. Jamieson, Sophie Murray Amelia Carrothers, Luke Burr David Smith, Joanne Lam Andrew Elton Alex St. John, Flora Caldwell, Catherine Baxter James Kirkpatrick Niamh Alexander, Kyl Tan, Kathryn Boyle, Samantha King, Kirsty Bruce, Anna Campbell

SENIOR STAFF WRITERS

Lauren McDonald, Marcin Kielczewski, Sofia Rönkä

PUBLISHED BY

Dundee University Students’ Association

CONTENTS 06

FEATURE

10

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

18

CREATIVE WRITING

26

ON/OFF CAMPUS

36

FASHION

39

CURRENT AFFAIRS

48

OPINIONS

52

INTERNATIONAL

58

LIFESTYLE

61

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

68

SOCIETIES

FEATURE Design by Louise James

WHY ARE THE SOUNDS OF THE GLASS CEILING CRACKING STILL ACCOMPANIED BY THE QUIET SOBS FROM BEHIND THE WALL?

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FEATURE Words by Marcin Kielczewski

As a ten-year-old boy, I visited my relatives in another town.

The other evening, coming back to the flat, I noticed one of my family's neighbours standing in the corridor. She was crying. With all my childlike sympathy, I asked her why she was so upset. "He hits me." she replied. I felt sorry for that woman. I understood that the "he" was her husband, but I did not take any action. As a child, you're an expert at cheering up your colleagues at school, but this was different, and this was new.

I didn't know how to react. After learning what happened next, I wish now that I did something. Put yourself in her shoes for a second.

Imagine you are so deprived of your dignity, so disappointed with the system, that you seek help from a random child you had never seen before in your life.

It was only a couple years ago, when I was already in the UK, that I learnt her husband bit her to death. I got over blaming my 10-year-old self for not standing up for her that day, but I still blame the society and the system for contributing to her death. Some might say the problem I describe is regional and circumstantial as it happened ten years ago in Poland.

Yet, the reports from around the world make it clear: the problem is as universal as it is timeless. It is just one of the deaths that could have been prevented.

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 12 women are killed each day by their intimate partners or other family members, in Europe alone.

This month is unique, and it would be foolish not to use this opportunity to speak up. The 25th of November marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. It is especially important to know it now since, as a result of lockdown, a worldwide surge of domestic abuse cases has been noted. The helplines keep on ringing.

The question we should ask ourselves is: did we actually ever manage to build a framework in which women can feel safe from violence? Perhaps, it is just their own doing in getting a broader access to the job market,

“AS A CHILD, YOU’RE AN EXPERT AT CHEERING UP YOUR COLLEAGUES AT SCHOOL, BUT THIS WAS DIFFERENT, AND THIS WAS NEW. I DIDN’T KNOW HOW TO REACT” which limited the time they spent at home, and reduced the odds of them falling victim to abuse. The recent data proves the latter to be more accurate.

The data used in this article is mostly based on the cases of domestic abuse in England and Wales as that contains more details. Looking at Scotland alone, however, it is clear that Dundee is infamous for having the highest ratio of domestic abuse cases per 100 000 citizens (157 to be exact; the Shetland Islands – with the lowest ratio – 52, for comparison). Whereas,

I do not aim to neglect the cases of violence against the male population, the statistics make it clear: "around four out of every five incidents of domestic abuse in 2018-19 had a female victim and a male accused.

This proportion has remained very stable since 2011-12." - claims the Scottish government. The violence against men does not level to the one against women, and thus, it should be addressed separately.

The Crime Survey for England and Wales' data for 2019 shows that over 7% of women have experienced domestic abuse. Nearly 1 in 3 women aged 16-59 will experience domestic abuse at some point in their life. That's just the prepandemic data. The reports for 2020 are yet to be released and, as stated above, there already are sound reasons to assume the number of cases will be higher, compared to the previous years.

The same reports show that unemployed people are twice as likely to fall victims to domestic abuse. That is even more worrying today as with an increased unemployment, women find it substantially more difficult to afford their own housing and move out.

Moreover, the pandemic measures reduce the chances of women finding a safe house. For many women, the ability to work is not only financially empowering them, but it is also a source of asylum from their daily nightmares. Imagine being told that you are not a key worker, and subsequently, you were delegated to stay at home. You were then told not to worry; you will be furloughed; it’s all

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FEATURE

“THE PROBLEM IS AS UNIVERSAL AS IT IS TIMELESS”

for your safety. Yet it is not the money, the absence of friends or the closed pubs that you fear the most. It is the idea of being locked at home with a person who pledged to love and protect you, but they are the one you need protected from.

The most ignorant question one might ask is "why doesn't she simply leave?"

It is a very neglectful approach, as a victim's mentality is complex. When we find ourselves in a situation of danger, we feel the adrenaline rising, and undertake whatever action it takes that would bring us back to safety. It is, however, not that simple for the victims of continuous abuse.

Some women run away or fight back at the first occurrence of violence.

And they are heroines. We cannot expect everyone to act brave. Quite to the contrary, we should support those who are most vulnerable.

The Women's Aid lists a variety of reasons explaining the victim's behaviour. Nearly half of the women killed by their partners or expartners in the UK were murdered within a year after moving out.

Thus, the danger and fear which results in not undertaking any action is understandable. Further, the perpetrators isolate the victim from their friends and family making it difficult for them to get the help and support they need. Among many of the other factors affecting the victim's

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behaviour is a shame. The abusers do not necessarily look suspicious.

They might be well established within their local communities so the women seeking help might be met with denial from their surroundings. "He/she/ they are too good for it to be true," is the response they often face. When children are involved women must take them into consideration: in many cases, they are financially dependable on their oppressors.

“WE MUST ALL AGREE THAT THE ABUSE IS UNACCEPTABLE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES” The violence does not only limit to the inside of the victims' apartments.

Nearly every week, we hear about yet another case of a woman being assaulted on the streets. It is incredibly annoying to hear all the excuses ranging from the comments on the victim's appearance to the time of the day they decided to go out jogging or walking. We must all agree that the abuse is unacceptable under any circumstances. I wish we lived in a world where a proper answer to the safety concerns was not: carrying the rape whistle, the instructions on how to hold the keys in case of a fight or any discounts for the Krav Maga

FEATURE

courses. But that's the world we live in, and despite being idealists, the precautions must be taken.

I asked some of my female friends how do they ensure their safety on the nights out. 'The night bus offered by our university is a good solution for those who live off-campus. If you book a taxi, always make sure you enter the right car.' says one of them. 'By night, walk in groups.' she adds. 'Always make sure someone's watching your drink.' says another. 'It is also good to have at least one sober person with you, potentially a driver. Whereas carrying a pepper gas is illegal, consider having a hair spray with you - it is as handy as the former. Try to sober up before going home and have a friend waiting for your message when you get home safely. If you think you're being followed, call a friend or at least pretend you're having a loud phone call in which you enclose your location details.' she concludes.

With the prospects of the second wave of coronavirus, and another lockdown being suggested around the wintertime, it is vitally important to know where to seek help, should you fall victim to abuse, or where to report any suspicious behaviour, and how to help a potential victim. Keep your eyes open. Whenever you think your friend or a person you know is being abused, offer them help personally only when you're certain that it will

not put them at risk. Do not confront the perpetrator on your own as you never know what their reaction might be. Do not put yourself in danger. Try to create a friendly environment for your friends and the close ones to talk to you about any problems. Finally, report it and encourage them to do the same. Keep your doors open for those in need.

WHERE TO SEEK HELP: When in an emergency/immediate danger: 999 Further support: Scotland's Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline: 0800 027 1234, 24/7 Refuge: 0808 2000 247, 24/7 Dundee Women’s Aid: 01382 207099, Mon - Fri, 9:30am-12:30pm & 1:30pm-4:30pm IF PICKING UP A PHONE MIGHT PUT YOU IN DANGER, CONSIDER USING THESE CHATS: https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/Online-chat open Monday to Friday, from 3pm to 6pm For legal support, visit: https://www.scottishwomensrightscentre.org.uk/.

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ARTS + ENTS Design by Cait Maxwell

Album Review:

Zeros - Declan McKenna After being delayed twice during 2020 thanks to youknow-what, Declan McKenna’s second studio album Zeros was finally released on 4 September. By 11 September, only 800 sales stood between him and rock giants The Rolling Stones in the UK charts for No. 1.

Whilst McKenna might have just missed out on the top spot, the success of Zeros can’t be underestimated.

The cover of the album hazily displays the indie-rock musician wearing a glimmering retro-futuristic style bodysuit, imagery which ties directly into the music. In an interview with NME, McKenna names some of his inspirations as Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Mystery Jets, T. Rex, as well as ‘70s glam-rock in general, and these inspirations run clearly through the album. McKenna is also no stranger to political and social commentary, with his anti-war anthem ‘British Bombs’ released in 2019 and much of his previous work tackling social issues. Zeros is no exception and McKenna takes time with each track to delve into various relevant themes. Musically, there is a continuation of his upbeat synthesized sound and development of his vocal style. The album particularly makes use of the expansive soundscape of ‘70s rock music, combining it with McKenna’s astute lyrical work.

The songs explore the personal and the political together in the same space. They tackle existing in the strange and seemingly dystopian present world. McKenna’s lyricism shines particularly in ‘Beautiful Faces’ which dives into social media and the post-internet world: “Beautiful faces smiling over us… I bet you can’t get enough”. These lines repeated in the chorus satirize the status that we give

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social media influencers and celebrities (the ‘beautiful faces’). Key to McKenna’s critique is the phrase “smiling over us,” making the power dynamic inherent in these parasocial relationships extremely clear. Alongside discussing a variety of social issues, McKenna is also not afraid to become overtly political. ‘Daniel, You’re Still a Child’ expresses frustration with the current political climate and apathy surrounding political issues: “There’s unrest in the House of Lords / Written on sandwich boards / Outside the shop where they sell your favourite drink”. Political unrest is presented only in terms of how it encroaches on day-to-day life - critiquing both a general attitude but also inviting the listener to evaluate their own relationship with politics. The penultimate track ‘Sagittarius A*’ almost solely tackles the issues of climate change. In 2019, McKenna worked with climate activist group Extinction Rebellion and you can see the influence of this activism throughout the lyrics of both ‘Sagittarius A*’ and Zeros as a whole.

The album is not wholly political, however, and there is a nice intertwinement of lyrics pertaining to personal topics, emphasising a major theme within Zeros: the complicated experience of living out our personal lives in such a politically and socially tumultuous age.

Musically, Zeros has a very cohesive style with a natural ebb and flow between the ten tracks. There is a subtle shift in tone between the two halves of the album. From ‘You Better Believe!!!’ up until ‘Daniel, You’re Still a Child’ the sound is a little cleaner, with powerful guitars mixing with bright piano, and sporting lively melodies and vocals. The halfway point approaches with the track ‘Emily,’ the gentle melody providing the listener with musical respite. As it

ARTS + ENTS Words by Kathryn Haddow then builds up to ‘Rapture,’ the album takes on a slightly darker and heavier tone. The electric guitar roars and the vocals scream - quite literally at points - as McKenna enthusiastically earns the ‘rock’ portion of his pop-rock genre. ‘Sagittarius A*’ is the release, as it quickly reels the sound back to the clean retro-rock style of earlier tracks in preparation for the final song, ‘Eventually, Darling’.

‘Eventually, Darling’ incorporates some of everything from Zeros. It feels like a rock ballad that could blast out over expansive stadium crowds all swaying in unison. Both the vocals and the instrumentals carry the necessary weight for a finale. It takes the clear guitar from the beginning, the striking chords, the ringing synth sounds, the warped electronic vocals and utilizes them all in a strong finale. It ties the album together in a way that feels distinctly, and

comfortingly, final. The lyrics fittingly carry a mixture of cynicism along with a sense of reassurance: “Everyone leaves eventually, darling. Don’t be afraid.”

The standout tracks for me personally are ‘The Key to Life on Earth’ and ‘Rapture,’ but each song has something unique to offer both musically and with its lyrical commentary. Declan McKenna has always been a politically and socially aware artist. Zeros takes this and runs with it: expressing the mixture of disillusionment, fear, absurdity, anger, and cautious hope that growing up in the 21st century brings. Don’t let the nostalgic sounds of Zeros fool you; this album is cuttingly relevant to our modern world.

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ARTS + ENTS Design by Cait Maxwell, Illustration by Kirstin Moore, Words by Sarah Georges

Stevie Nicks: A Reflection

With the upcoming release of Stevie Nicks’ concert movie 24 Karat Gold, here’s a look at the music that inspired the Fleetwood Mac singer, and her own influence on music.

From the influence of country music in her childhood to her five-decade spanning rock career, Nicks’ movement between genres – rather than following a linear progression – can be seen as an effortless, unrestricted oscillation led by what sparks her curiosity. ‘After the Glitter Fades’ (1981), for example, with its pedal steel guitar and softer country-tinted vocals, was the result of her freedom to experiment in her solo work. But the storytelling quality of her writing (very much a feature of the country) existed even in songs such as ‘Dreams’, ‘Storms’, and ‘Landslide’, all released with Fleetwood Mac. With the heavy influence of The Mamas and the Papas, Janis Joplin, and Joni Mitchell (specifically her 1974 album Court and Spark), a wide range of musical influences and genres inform her writing-style and sound.

Indeed, this was no clearer than when she attributed the motivation behind completing her last two albums to Twilight (2008). Amidst the societal trend to automatically dismiss the things teenage girls enjoy, Nicks’ appreciation of this – as a ‘respectable’ artist – was a nice surprise.

For her to find inspiration in a film about a teenage girl’s

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romance with a vampire demonstrates her openness, and an admirable ability to find beauty in even the most frivolous-seeming art. In her enthusiastic support of Harry Styles, she again chose to see the substance in those often overlooked because of their teen-girl fanbase. Following the release of Fine Line – Styles’ brilliant 2019 album – she compared it to Mitchell’s 1974 album, even generously insisting that it was his Rumours.

The array of singers that Nicks has influenced include Beyonce, Haim, Sheryl Crow, Taylor Swift, and Lorde. The latter cited ‘Silver Springs’ as an influence for her 2017 song ‘Green Light’. With its unconventional structure, ‘Silver Springs’ is divided into two distinct sounding parts, beginning with a gentle build-up, then shifting to an impassioned conclusion. Lorde’s single, with its similar progression, was initially critiqued by her producer for its ‘incorrect song writing’ but later proved to be a chart success.

With the lasting legacy of Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Nicks’ encouragement of younger artists, and her ability to move fluidly between rock, pop and country, her relevance and influence over future generations is sure to endure.

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT Design by Raechelle Gilpin, Words by Emma Sturrock

Have the End Credits Rolled on Entertainment?

No industry has found itself safe from the Corona pandemic: and this far reaching grip on our society has been placed on the door step of the entertainment industry.

Upon the beginning of this pandemic we found that production of highly anticipated films and shows had been delayed, and in some extreme cases cancelled. This is a situation that obviously cannot continue forever; so, just how will the entertainment industry respond?

The cinema industry needed a shot in the arm well before any pandemic.

It had become a rather bloated and overpriced archaic industry. The pandemic forced film studios to finally adapt. We see new films being released straight into the box office of people’s homes; but is this all too little too late? Only time will tell. The film industry is in itself worth £9.9 Billion every year. Which makes it all too big to fail. This notion has not slipped past the Conservative frontbench, who have announced measures to allow Hollywood stars to be exempt from quarantine restrictions. So, let us take Tom Cruise for example, who is in the UK filming the seventh instalment of the gargantuan Mission Impossible series.

I do not believe I am in any position to decide whether this exemption is right or wrong, but I think in a situation like this you need to think how

many ordinary people, be it in the crew or the hospitality of the film, rely on Tom Cruise. It may not seem entirely fair, but people within the industry need an industry to exist in.

To turn this passage towards television we should perhaps examine a show that has already made its return and see how the measures they are now taking, with The Great British Bake Off. Now, I should get this off my chest I am a massive fan of Bake Off, so when I heard it was making a return for its fourth season on Channel 4 I was just a little bit excited. This excitement soon turned to worry, was a human life truly worth a baking competition?

“ the cinema industry needed a shot in the arm well before any pandemic ” So, I decided to research the measures Channel 4 had put in place; all contestants, crew and talent are in their own bubble away from the outside world, and go through constant testing, and if a contestant finds it all too be much they can drop out. Perhaps this needs to be our future, an entertainment which holds a sense of compassion.

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ARTS + ENTS Design by Cait Maxwell

Review: Celeste (2018) I could never climb a mountain. Not even if four unbelievably strong hikers hoisted me onto a platform and carried me to the summit. The closest I have come is Law Hill, and only then with the support of friends and the promise of a rewarding view. Incidentally I’m not very good at video games, either – I will never finish a soulsborn game and if something requires anything beyond choosing the right dialogue option, I play on easy mode.

That is until Celeste.

At the base of the legendary Mt. Celeste, a young woman called Madeline is reminding herself to breathe. A snowy wind brushing past her, gentle but insistent. She is taking the first few steps. The streetlights ahead of her are mossy and burnt-out, the road signs long since abandoned and in a state of disuse. Overhead the powerlines sway, indifferent to her.

From here, she may step forward and make her first jump towards her goal – but only if you’re willing to join her and make sure that she can make it through alright.

You won’t make it to the top on the first try, nor your second – you may not even make it out of the first stage on your hundredth, and you probably won’t scale the mountain on your thousandth. But herein lies the strange beauty of Celeste – this platformer does not give you a set amount of ‘lives’, or a game over screen to remind you of your failure.

Celeste keeps track of your deaths

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the way most games track collectibles.

It reminds you to be proud of your death count – the game forces you to learn its many tricks and techniques through failure, presenting your failed attempts in a way that seems to say “look at how much you’ve had to go through, and look at how much better you are because of it”.

At its core, Celeste is a game about progress. Released at the beginning of 2018 by Matt Makes Games, now working under Extremely OK Games, and helmed by Maddy Thorson and Noel Berry, Celeste is an absolute masterclass of how to make a victory feel earned.

The game came out during a year in which the gold standard for gaming was how many hours of endless content you could discover during a playthrough. Open-world games like Spider-Man and Red Dead Redemption 2 topped many a Game of the Year list, whereas indie games like Celeste forged their fame in a wholly divergent manner. Celeste’s main goal is lofty, of course, but laserfocused – you will climb this mountain and you will experience Madeline’s story and growth alongside her...but that doesn’t mean everyone has to do that at the same pace.

The game is unique in its methods of assistance for those who need it.

You can alter the difficulty to anything you see fit, learning myriad tricks and exploits in the deceptively simple controls in order to make the game more of a challenge for those who

seek it, but also in making things easier for those who don’t. For those with slower reaction times things can be slowed down, and there are ways to skip entire rooms if you fancy – but you still get to see them and go through them, and nothing is gated away. It’s not patronised as an ‘easy mode’ or accusing you of ‘cheating’ – it’s simply called ‘assist mode’.

Offering varying degrees of assistance for anyone who may want to make use of it. The developers specifically wanted their game to be “difficult, but accessible”, as the Assist Mode screen points out. There is something in it for players of every level.

Personally, though I usually seek assistance with these kinds of games, I actually kept it to a minimum even though the option was there and entirely non-judgmental. The game itself is difficult but rewarding, and the extra content once you’ve achieved your objective (notably the Farewell DLC, a beautiful if gruelling exploration on love, loss, and moving on) only ramps this up higher, forcing you to use every single trick you’ve learned on your journey to the point where playing the game well feels more like mastering an instrument than getting good at a video game.

This is a game that perfectly ties in its achievements to the player’s own emotions – reaching the top of the mountain is a triumph because Madeline is triumphant. Thorson and their crew (with special mention to the woman behind the magnificent and emotive score, Lena Raine) did such

ARTS + ENTS Words by Simon Jordan

an incredible job tying Madeleine’s journey to the player’s.

As Madeline confronts the part of herself she wanted so desperately to leave behind, she realises alongside the player that it is impossible to complete her goal without working to accept herself and grow on the journey into someone she can be proud of, helping her friends along the way because she knows they would do the same for her.

Celeste is a game about triumph in nebulous times – about having an earned confidence in your own skills and about (sometimes literally) uplifting your friends, because sometimes you simply can’t make progress without having them by your side to support your efforts. It’s about making it through, despite everything.

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ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT Design by Louise James, Words by Sofia Rönkä

REVIEW:

THE C UNCIL

Important decisions are made in a remote island full of some of the most influential people of the late 18th century. But amidst politics, occultism, religion, and science, how can one know what is the right choice?

The Council, developed by Big Bad Wolf, is an episodic mystery adventure game with the gameplay relying on exploration and puzzle-solving, but most importantly on the player’s choices. You play as Louis de Richet, a young and charming French aristocrat who, together with his mother, Sarah de Richet, is part of a secret society called the Golden Order, specialising in the acquisition of mysterious occult artefacts. The game takes place on a private island in the middle of a raging sea as Louis is invited by the island’s mysterious owner Lord Mortimer, after Sarah goes missing as Mortimer’s guest.

The player starts off exploring the island and Mortimer’s awe-striking mansion. Exploration and looting are very important elements as the player can find items as well as information that can be critical for later success. Exploration is made easier through different skills that are in an RGBlike manner levelled up with gained experience. The player can choose to get a head start for some skills as a Diplomat (Etiquette, Conviction, Politics…), an Occultist (Occultism, Manipulation, Science…) or a Detective (Questioning, Psychology, Agility…). Admittedly, sometimes the game has some character explain a vast amount of information to Louis, which takes away from the need to explore.

Notwithstanding, thoroughly inspecting every area multiple times, as skills are levelled up, certainly helps the player with the other aspects of the gameplay.

“The Council, developed by Big Bad Wolf, is an episodic mystery adventure game” Throughout the game the player will also need to gather enough information for puzzle-solving. The different skills permit Louis to read texts, inspect items and make conclusions that will ultimately help the player figure out the answer. However, unlike in other puzzle and exploration games, here the player cannot simply use the first solution they find. The game offers many possible options and items to help with the puzzle or problem at hand, and choosing the wrong one can have even bloody consequences.

The Council requires actual use of logic instead of blindly moving around and clicking on things. Unfortunately, some puzzles, however interesting on their own, do not seem to fit the story and feel forced into the narrative simply for the sake of having more of them. This becomes very evident,

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for example, when a puzzle is included through memories.

It is still enjoyable to have to use your brain throughout the game, though.

Choices and conversations are the biggest contributors to moving the story forward. Different options in dialogue reveal different information and affect Louis' relationships with the other characters on the island. There are lowstake conversations for gathering information and getting to know characters, but in confrontations, failure is often punishable. Failing a confrontation can leave the player in the dark about something important or even lead to the death of a character. However, it is possible to use your acquired skills to unlock more effective dialogue options, as well as using items to aid the player in these sometimes timed “action” parts of the game. Additionally, it is important to use casual conversations or items to find out the vulnerabilities and immunities of the other characters, making the probability of success in a confrontation much higher.

Successes, failures, and different choices take the story towards a variety of different events. Characters can die or be saved along the way; smaller events and alterations can be discovered or skipped entirely; Louis can even get physically hurt. But most importantly, the player’s choices and actions attribute to the ending of the game and the final confrontation. After finishing the game with one of the alternative endings, it is almost impossible not to replay it to save lives and get another version of the story. However, in hindsight of knowing all the possible outcomes, they could have been more distinct. Ultimately, everything leads to the same final boss fight, with the success or failure of some choices not having the slightest difference to the outcome. The Council could have gone with more drastic differences in endings triggered from earlier choices, much like in Detroit: Become Human, where choices from the very beginning can take the ending to different settings, actions, and characters.

All in all, The Council plays to its strengths with the setting, the characters and the story. The huge mansion full of secret pathways deepens the mysteries that are only hinted at during the two first chapters. The characters are at times over-exaggerated and caricature-like, matching with their personality types and helping the player to confront them. The blend of realism and historical events with fictional mystery and the supernatural occultism keeps the player on their toes, and presents the question that follows Louis throughout the game: Who do you choose to trust?

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT Design by Louise James, Photography by Lauren Young, Words by Alex Murray

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT:

LAUREN YOUNG An artist with a knack for introspection, Lauren is a 3rd year DJCAD illustrator who imparts a piece of herself in each and every piece. Working exclusively in pen and ink, she produces emotive free-style works in spite of how strict the brief may be. Lauren captures the ephemeral moments, giving them a second life on paper.

Pulling these moments of life from mundane items and settings, they are instantly recognisable to the viewer.

This translates not only in her work depicting inanimate objects, but people as well, as she strives to capture their personalities in her illustrations and not just their physical features.

It took Lauren time to find her metier and this progression was not always linear. Lauren talks about how she had previously “struggled her way through paints” as she had worked on “messy” portraits of movie characters. Inspired by the work of other artists; such as David Aja, perhaps best known for his 2012-2015 run on the Hawkeye comics; She broke the rut. Lauren decided to move on to ink and pen illustrations, as well as teach herself Photoshop.

As she has grown and learned, one project has been especially influential, in which students simply had to create and bind their own artist’s book. Lauren used this rather broad brief as an opportunity to illustrate her own struggles relating to her final year at high school, working through feelings of regret and stagnation. This feeling of being trapped and resentful permeates the work, the illustrations deteriorating with every passing page. The art goes from crisp and detailed drawings, to distorted, damaged work.

Including water damage and scorch marks, Lauren’s first experiments with texture. These choices were an attempt to inspire insight into her mind set, as the rot of apathy creeped in and she stopped caring about her grades and peers. She was ready to leave and as the house in her book collapsed in on itself, a sense of catharsis resonates throughout the piece.

With that, Lauren was happy to discover how closely people could relate to the work. It left an imprint, a mark, which she was more than happy to have made. She hopes to go on to teach, as a way of helping others to make their own impressions on the world through art. Giving and taking, Lauren leaves her own mark on things, an impression of herself into everything that she makes.

@laurenjyart 17

CREATIVE WRITING Design by Louise James

Tribute to Eddie Small

Eddie Small was a local playwright, historian and creative writing tutor at our university. He was well loved by students and made a huge impact throughout his teaching career. Here are a few words from some of Eddie’s students.

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CREATIVE WRITING Words by Various

Eddie Small was an incredibly uplifting and generous individual. He listened to what you had to say with great patience, compassion and sincerity. When Eddie was in a room there wasn't a single person who didn't feel heard, valued and special.

Thank you to a warm and inspiring human being who always believed in me and pushed me towards the greatest opportunities out there.

I'm proud to say I was a student and friend of the great Eddie Small.

Eddie taught me so many wonderful ways to express my feelings and yet upon writing a tribute to him, I am near to speechless. He had such a profound effect on my university experience and supported my dreams in every way he could. He was a very dear friend, an active feminist, an excellent lecturer and someone I could rely on for just about anything. I regret not replying to his last email in time, so I wish to do so here: Eddie, I miss you too. I hope I will make you proud and carry on the incredible work that you started.

- Jennifer Gillespie

- Hamzah Hussain

Eddie Small had an endless passion for writing and the students he taught. He went out of his way on multiple occasions to meet with me about my own writing, which is just one example of his willingness to go above and beyond for every student.

Nothing shows his passion more than the time we waltzed in front of my Creative Writing class to demonstrate to a student how his piece of writing made Eddie feel.

Will always be remembered warmly.

- Katie Stewart

Eddie had a warm and fun personality that inspired creativity, which made tutorials all the more entertaining and exciting. He always had a bright smile that never failed to cheer people up and he was by far the kindest and most warm-hearted person you could have met. He will be sorely missed by many, including those he has inspired through both his work and his character.

- Hana Claire Kennedy

Eddie, you will always be written through my pages, and deep within my laughter lines. I am privileged to have met you, and changed for the better. The pleasure was all mine.

- Victoria Lothian

Earlier today I heard the phrase “the kindness of strangers” and my immediate thought was of Eddie. Eddie was the most exuberant, friendly lecturer I had ever met. When I first reached out to him, I was offered coffee and cake. The cake and coffee continued even when he was not teaching me and was always accompanied with a balance of serious discussion and belly aching laughs. It was in those golden nuggets of conversation that his depth of knowledge shone through, of his chosen subject, history, and of his home, Dundee, and of pretty much anything else under the sun.

Humble to his core, the man never could admit how incredibly important he was to the people around him.

He achieved so much, and a prouder person would have made sure to let people know. The success of The Four Marys, his involvement at the woman’s hospice, his historical walks of Dundee, and how he never failed to crack a joke are to name but a few of his notable achievements. I credit him almost entirely for rallying my confidence in my writing and reading. His radiance will be missed in the classroom and beyond.

- Thomasin NicCailein

Eddie was one of the first people at university to invest any sort of time in me: he had me help write a pantomime that we were both in. Eddie always made me feel like I was an actual writer, not just an eighteen-year-old in my first year of an undergrad in a room with faculty and masters students. It was a talent of Eddie’s to make the people he encountered feel like they were worth his time, who was a decorated and brilliant man in every respect - especially his kindness.

- Cat Mac

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CREATIVE WRITING Design by Gosia Kepka

Unlikely Friend Nanna was a real nice lady. She made sure no one was left hungry. She never let you be without a coat on your back. “That how you get a cold,” she’d say. Whenever she’d come over there was nothin’ you could do to stop her from cleaning. She’d always found which spot I had missed, told me how to make up the bed and how to fold my clothes. If Nanna put her mind to somethin’, there was no convincin’ her otherwise. That could really drive a person wild, but we couldn’ help lovin’ her.

Now I don’t remember this well as I was very young but I reckon I can say a few words. Sometime after I learn’d to walk and yap about this and that, my grandpappy got ill.

This one time we was watchin’ cartoons and grandpappy started coughin’ something awful. Nanna rushed to check on him and give him his medicine. Grandpappy passed away a couple of months after he was diagnosed. I could hear Nanna cryin’ from the bedroom. I was watchin’ the snow outside. It looked so peaceful.

Nanna was never alone after that. I’d take her out, we’d watch pictures together. She taught me how to sew up a hole in my sock. We had a good time, but I still wanted her to have someone special at her side.  Now, I already said I love Nanna. I really do, despite her thick head. Only time me and her had an argument was when I offered she get a pet. She wouldn’ hear of it. Waving her hand about, saying no, no, no. Well, I was havin’ none of her attitude either. I knew she could use a friend. I hoped she’d come round to it.

Nanna went to spend some time away with her brother.

He lived in the countryside, in the same house where he and Nanna grew up. Nanna loved to roll up her sleeves, put on a pair of dirty old shoes and head in the garden.

Once she got her hands in the dirt, nothin’ else mattered.

One day, while she was pluckin’ some weeds, sweaty, her back aching, she heard the garden door creak. Next thing she knows, two paws were on her back. Nanna got such a fright, she nearly fell. A dog had snuck in and was diggin’ with her. Nanna didn’t find a collar. It wasn’t a big one but seemed a little skinny to her. The tail was all tangled with

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dried leaves and mud, and that black and white coat coulda used a wash.

Poor Nanna didn’ know what to do. She’d start and it’d follow. She’d tell it to go and it’d jump round her. Well, Nanna went back inside, hoping tomorra, it’d be gone.

Nanna had just finished dinner when she looked out the window. The dog had curled up in a corner and was sleeping away. She felt awful guilty, she did, looking at him.

So, she got some water and brought out the leftovers from dinner. Poor little fella coulda swallowed it whole. Nanna went to bed feelin’ a little better.

Never was I expectin’ Nanna would come back with a dog. But she did. Told me how it had stayed, helped ‘er out with her gardening. How she was waterin’ the plants and the dog had started runnin’ after the water, tryna catch it like a ball. Little fella was in for a shower. She washed him real good and told me how she ran outta towels tryna dry him. She called him Charlie. I couldna believe it was Nanna tellin’ me all this. I reckoned the difficult bit was yet to come. Thing was, she hadn’t really thought about keepin’ him in her house. She wouldn’ let him on the sofa nor the bed. No matter how much she tried, she couldn’ clean all the fur he left – that, she never got over. Charlie’d leave his toys all over and Nanna’d bring the flashlight wi’ her at night, careful not to slip over one.

She might’a yelled at Charlie a good deal, but she never meant it. She gave up and let him on the sofa. He’d come up and place his head on her lap. He’d always bark when there was someone at the door. Nanna didn’t have to struggle hearin’ no more. She got outta the house more often, takin him everywhere with her.

Real smart dog he was. They took good care of each other. Spent 12 long years together. Nanna took him back to the countryside, buried him in a beautiful field close to grandpappy.

We buried her there too, next to them, beneath the sun.

CREATIVE WRITING Words by Valerya Krumova

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CREATIVE WRITING Design by Louise James, Words by Luke Perry

A feeling consuming us faster and faster both isolated and universal a burden at times so colossal it becomes our life’s master wielding the key to the dam within releasing our reserves of despair to choke and cover the mind without care flushing away the means to recover But through the desolate dark aftermath we find a unity within the strife as we find our feet once more Working together for a better life Through shared struggle comes strength Our bonds thaw the black gunk Rebuilding the land chunk by chunk Until what was lost was together again And now, with the mind rebuilt We set off together as one To reach out and connect Offering every world a new tone

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CREATIVE WRITING Design by Shauna McKay, Words by Sofia Rönkä

Alive Until It is dark. I cannot see anything. It is quiet. I cannot hear anything. I open my eyes; I have eyes now. Sparks flush my mind as my irises absorb the square luminescence coming from a window ahead of me. I was wrong. I can very much both see and hear!

The beams of white sunlight filter through the dusty glass, blinding me enough to keep the outside a mystery. The window is barely ajar, but accompanying the natural gleam a plethora of sounds force their way inside. Birds chirp and sing in competition with each other, and leaves rustle to the whispered words of the wind.

A shy gasp of air seeks asylum inside. The overpowering greenness of the grass tickles my nose. The delicate moisture of the early morning lands on my skin, making my hair jump in delight. The colourful nectar of the flowers on the tip of my tongue tastes like the essence of a happy memory.

There is nothing behind the window. In fact, there is no window. There is nothing anymore. It is so written.

For me, everything that ever was came from the mind of another. For me, everything that ever was came from written words. Unlimited possibilities with no impossibilities define the world around me when the author gets to work.

And I… I am but a puppet – my strings attached to the tip of a pencil, awaiting for my next order.

And when the words end, my world ends.

All I want is to climb through the window to the world that is trying to seduce me so. But I cannot move. Not until I am allowed to.

Legs. Legs and a body.

The words are written, and I take a step towards the window. The light, the sounds, the smells grow stronger and I run. If I do not hurry it will slip through my newfound fingers: the beauty of the unknown on the other side.

Out of breath, I thrust the window open. The glass shatters into thousands of tiny crystals. I expect glittering diamonds tinkling onto the ground like raindrops made of bells, but instead they turn black, reflecting the nothingness around them.

And they keep falling forever to the dark abyss that swallows them; that swallows me.

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CREATIVE WRITING

Design by Noemi Gottmann, Words by Aaron Tweed

A mother, like the river.

Rocks, crags, eddies, and whirls To disturb sound sleep.

But the river is winding, whorls Full of love beneath its surface Harbouring nurture, its depth so deep.

So, when a smooth rock is thrown, As from a high bridge A thundering disturbance!

That torpedo will reach bottom And settle under a blanket of dirt, Entombed by Memory’s hand.

The river, however, is constant.

The stalwart warrior in Nature’s army: Pristine, eternal, and relentless in flowing Towards dreams of calmer waters.

As the river nourishes life within, around and Above the sky will replenish, The rocks will too.

Now the river is ready.

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CREATIVE WRITING Design by Noemi Gottmann, Words by Luke Perry

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ON/OFF CAMPUS Design by Louise James

LIVING

FROM HOME Living spaces continue to take on new meaning amidst the pandemic.

Here is how some students adapted and faced the challenges of where, how and when to go home.

Where we sleep, eat, find ourselves to be at home, plays a large part in our days and routines. Many of us found our routines and plans upheaved as we abruptly moved out of Dundee homes and often into more familiar family homes. Of course, every situation was unique. While some have recently returned to a seemingly untouched world in Dundee to live with friends again rather than family, others watched life drizzle out and back into Dundee from within the same flat. In any case, living spaces continue to take on new meaning alongside corona measures and increasingly virtual lives.

I was personally expecting to feel transported to six months prior upon entering the flat I share with my three flatmates, all of whom also moved out in March. Rather than coming home to the same room I left six months ago, I returned instead to bin bags, in which the essence of that room was stuffed. The world of being a grown-up gave us a big, warm welcome back by gifting us with company while we were gone: carpet beetles. Being the third to come back, my two flatmates handled pest control coming, which included shifting all of our belongings into bags.

There are many situations that aren't by choice and 2020 doesn't seem to run out of them. While I'm hoping that pest control doesn't have to come back a third time to the flat in which we will be spending more time than thought, after six months of paying rent for our uninvited guests, other students spent those six months alone in a flat or doing their best to find one.

As an international student from Malaysia who stayed in her one-person Dundee flat over summer, Izuin Hanis reflects that, while "it was tough for everyone, living alone

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ON/OFF CAMPUS Words by Marleen Käsebier

was especially difficult." With family in a different time zone, she’d “send a picture of what I made for dinner when my parents were already asleep, and they'd text me back when I was asleep". As communication moved online, corona measures also meant celebrating her birthday alone -albeit with a distanced drop-off of a birthday cake - and not being home for Ramadan. Choosing not to fly home because of travel risks, Izuin says; "You don't want your family or others to be infected. You have to make personal sacrifices.".

All the considerations, not least for one's own emotional needs, whether to travel and when, provided many students with anxiety. A third year student, whose family currently lives in France where she has never lived herself, reflects: "I was choosing between staying in Dundee, which I call home, and potentially not seeing my family for a long time, or going to see them and being stuck in a city for a long time that I know is horrible for my mental health."

With no right or wrong decision and no conclusions on how things would develop, "every decision felt kind of suffocating and permanent."

"every decision felt kind of suffocating and permanent."

Living spaces and their meanings shifted for both international students and Scottish students alike. Rhiannon Burnett, a Scottish student in her fourth year at University, stayed in her Dundee flat with her partner over lockdown.

She reflects on the sudden shift from socialising a lot to none: "Having just finished performing Legally Blonde with

a large company the weekend before lockdown hit, finding myself suddenly going from spending all my time with large groups of people to only physically seeing my partner was, to begin with, nice." As lockdown stretched from weeks to months however, "I found myself missing the company of others – a loneliness that did not just affect me but affected a variety of others throughout the country."

Her solution to the missed socialising? As many others did, she brought socials to her isolated home, virtually: "Myself and a group of friends found ourselves on Discord weekly, playing games, having drinks, and enjoying catch-ups that we hadn’t truly experienced in a while, and it was wonderful to move our ‘games nights’ to an online platform whilst still retaining the fun that was there in person. I saw myself growing closer with friends from home and from Dundee, with these video calls becoming the highlight of my week." While lockdown has been hard sometimes mentally, "knowing that I would get to see these people significantly helped, and without them, I think the whole experience of lockdown would be hugely different, and a lot less manageable."

Most first-year students have been left with student accomodation as a resort to meeting University peers and making friends. However, Halls have been particularly hit by the movement of people, and therefore coronavirus.

Alex Shaw, a second-year student who lives in student accommodation, was able to view and sign for her flat before the outbreak, but upon University start, had to isolate along with the rest of her building. She reflected at the time, having moved from University Halls into private halls, that they are "both quite similar environments but very different from living at home. I’m currently in social

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ON/OFF CAMPUS

isolation in my halls, which is hard being away from my family and friends, and not being allowed outside to go shopping, exercise or to work." Ironically, Alex, a training captain for Athletics, created training plans that she herself was not allowed outside for to complete. In the meantime, she was at least able to enjoy meeting her new flatmates.

After the organisation of his belongings, came the organisation of his return and quarantine: "When I got back, I couldn’t move in right away because I had to self-isolate at my uncle's house while it was empty, and I didn’t want to risk getting my roommates sick. Now that I’ve moved in, it feels strange being so separated from everyone else."

Although he did not have to isolate as part of the building, but rather alone, Charlie LaMassa, a second-year History student, had to coordinate moving from Halls to a flat while residing overseas. "Because everything was changing so quickly in March, I only had a few hours to pack before I left for the airport. Needing to leave in such a hurry was one of the most stressful parts of this for me." Leaving most of his belongings behind, he remembers "I was still hopeful I would be able to get back for the end of the semester."

Unfortunately, that did not happen. "Thankfully, I have family that lives nearby so I had them collect what I left behind once the lockdown was lifted, but the lease on my apartment hadn’t started yet, so my uncle had to keep it in his garage for six months."

Living spaces, whether back in Dundee or perhaps situationally not, are taking on new meaning as lectures, along with many other events including socials exist wherever we choose them to. Perhaps you're currently soaking in being able to live with your friends again, like Amy Turnbull, who is going into the fourth year of living with her flatmates and the third in the same flat, who says that "there is a certain warmth to this second home".

Whatever your situation has been, hopefully your current space provides you with safety and comfort, as we continue to wave through our computer cameras from home to home for now.

“hopefully your current space provides you with safety and comfort, as we continue to wave through our computer cameras from home to home for now.”

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ON/OFF CAMPUS Design by Louise James, Words by Patrick Mitchell

Reflecting on the return to DJCAD studios for the first time since their abrupt closure in March last year.

On my last Friday at Uni before it closed for lockdown, I sat in a morning lecture next to my friend, and had lunch at a café with the same friend. There were at least thirty people in the lecture, and when it finished, I walked down to ask the lecturer for the registration sheet and after signing, I gave my pen to someone else to use. As the lecturer finished speaking, she told us to stay safe.

All of that week, it had felt likely that Uni would close, and it was hard not to over-hear conversations about it or Covid in the studios. I was just denying that it could happen.

When I got back from lunch, I was stopped at the entrance and told that the building was closing. I was allowed to collect my stuff, but then I had to go home. It felt surreal because, twenty minutes earlier, I was having coffee with my friend in the café. We were trying to be optimistic

about everything; we hugged as we left, either despite everything or because of everything - or both.

Now, I’m back in the studio for the first time since March to collect what I had left behind. I didn’t bother to empty my locker, and left my table more or less as it was. Walking through the corridor, I look at what’s been left on the walls; a text-installation, a banana hanging from a nail, posters for talks that either happened in March or were due to happen in April or May. It’s like a confirmation that second year happened.

I look at the marks on the floor for where I’d position my sitter’s chair. I half-remember thinking, while making those marks, that in the future I would see them and feel nostalgic and warm. And now, I do feel like that, but also slightly queasy at the thought that I did those things just to create this moment. Like running on the spot to leave more footprints.

I box up what I want to take home - paintings, drawings, notebooks.

The only things I bin are some photographs and printed texts I don’t think I’ll need anymore, and I still hesitate even with these. I smile when I feel sweat prickle under my shirt, thinking something pretentious like, ‘This is a beautiful way to be spending my afternoon.’ When I’ve cleared my table, all that’s left is charcoal dust and drawing pins; I sweep these into little piles, my hand lingering in the motion as though cramped.

“IT WAS HARD NOT TO OVER-HEAR CONVERSATIONS ABOUT IT OR COVID IN THE STUDIOS”

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ON/OFF CAMPUS Design by Louise James

DANCE, LEARN AND DEBATE Are the Societies on our Campus ready for the year ahead?

Raise your hand if a pint with a group of like-minded people was your prime objective when joining a Society last year. With the appearance of you-all-know-what, everything has had to be moved online. Does that mean that the ratio of academic versus social activities will swing in favour of the former? I've asked some great team leaders to see what their Societies are up to this year, what events they are planning to hold, and what their opinion is on the VPSA's handling of the situation.

Cameron Irons, the president of the Mooting Society, seems to be optimistic about the upcoming year. It appears that the changes they had to adapt are parallel to the ones real courts had to introduce themselves.

"Mooting involves mock simulations of an appeal court process. It involves students appearing as counsel with a judge presiding over the appeal," he says. "Although only six people usually appear in the mock court at one time, it is looking like our only option will be to embrace online technology. This approach would reflect the way the real courts and tribunals system are hearing cases and conducting trials, so it would be both insightful and productive for our members to experience this new means of conducting court work." In regards to the social events, Cameron points out: "We have decided not to have a ball

We are making no empty promises about a hugely social year, but what we have promised is the same fantastic competitions and fun yet important training albeit in a new form.

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at all, irrespective of the slight chance of relaxed restrictions. Pub crawls and fundraising could possibly happen in the future but the UDMS has taken a very realistic approach to planning the calendar for the year. We are making no empty promises about a hugely social year, but what we have promised is the same fantastic competitions and fun yet important training albeit in a new form." "The VPSA has been fantastic in supporting us with many grey areas regarding Freshers’ and future events. Kellie is quick with response and totally enthusiastic about the year, as should all Societies," he concludes.

If you think that debating will be difficult, think of holding online dance classes. It appears that the Latin Dancing Society has a fascinating plan to overcome the social distancing obstacles. Markéta Novotná, the president of the Society, sees a positive aspect of it all: “Moving our classes online is challenging since all the dances we teach are danced in couples. However, with the possibility of making the routines solo, while keeping the dynamics and vibe of the dances, we are trying to get a space in Dalhousie Drama studio, so we can broadcast the classes online.”

“While using wireless microphones, we will concentrate our teaching on

ON/OFF CAMPUS Words by Marcin Kiełczewski

We know it’s so important for students at this time to stick together . . .

solo routines and technique, which people can do without a partner, from the comfort of their living room. This can trouble the dancers – dancing on the carpet isn't always ideal, the Internet can be cutting out and correcting people a lot more difficult from afar. However, I do think there is some advantage to it as well – maybe this year, more people that would otherwise be a little bit shy, could join, as they won't have to arrive to the class physically and they won't even have to turn on their camera.”

The History Society has found a great way to substitute their well-known weekly socials with a variety of online events, while still keeping an academic aspect of their activity. One of the Society's co-presidents, Ross Laird, explains their plan for this year: “We've decided that instead of placing as much focus on our weekly socials, we're hoping to arrange a wider variety of activities: Online Quizzes, Online Film Screenings, Mini Lectures are all in the pipeline thus far! We know it's so important for students at this time to stick together and we're doing all we can to try to provide a community for our fellow students.”

“I really do sympathise with Kellie at the moment, she is undoubtedly trying her utmost to work out a way for societies to get their message out there: but a lot is still being left up to Societies, with not much advice on how to put ourselves out there otherwise!” “Unfortunately,

in being unable to take-part in a Freshers’ Fair and have a sustained physical presence around Campus and in lectures, things aren't going to be easy for us. All things considered though, we've got loads of great events in the pipeline, and there's lots to look forward to.” “We, as students, shouldn't have to pause our lives - we just need to find different 'safe' ways to socialise for now!"

Despite the new regulations, our students have tried their best to utilise all the available resources to deliver events and provide their peers with an online space where they can still socialise and befriend one other.

Although the Societies appreciate the hard work of the VPSA, some minor communication concerns remain. This year will inevitably show our collective commitment to joining online events and, perhaps, it will establish a precedent which will be useful for the years to come.

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ON/OFF CAMPUS Design by Phoebe Wilman, Photography by Maria Paula and Lottie Belrose

Student Life, Safe Life A guide to Dundee Bars, Cafés, Restaurants, University Services and your key to leading a fun but safe student life this academic year.

BARS Braes Located on Perth Road, Braes offers a generously sized menu for students at generous prices, from a loaded sub and a drink for £7.45 everyday until 4pm and a Burger and drink deal for £9.95, valid everyday all day. Braes offer a Wednesday promotion where each Wing (Chicken or Cauliflower) comes at just 25p each. Braes also hosts a weekly quiz night on Thursdays from 8pm where great prices are always up for grabs.

Jute Café Bar Situated within Dundee Contemporary Arts, the Jute Café Bar is the place to go for a drink to catch up with peers and friends. A wide drinks menu and a friendly welcome is awaiting you here with large indoor and outdoor spaces available to keep you safe.

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UNIVERSITY FACILITIES Counselling Dundee University Counselling Service is open to all students during the academic year. This upcoming academic year will be new and different, and many students may find themselves feeling a little homesick, anxious, or even nervous. The Counselling Service employs friendly staff who are able to help any and all students through hard and difficult times. If you’d like to contact the staff to make an appointment, you can email counselling@ dundee.ac.uk.

The Liar The Liar is situated within DUSA - The Student Union and is open throughout all hours of the day offering everything from Breakfasts to Lunch to nibbles and snacks. A wide range of coffees and treats can be purchased here to ensure all students are keeping up their strength each day.

The Liar offers bookable booth, sofa, and counter seating to suit all customers.

The Tinsmith The Tinsmith is located directly down from the Dalhousie Building, offering a wide-ranging menu serving up everything from Sandwiches to Melts and Burgers to Salads. You can watch Live Sports everyday at The Tinsmith’s whilst taking a little time out from your studies.

Tonic Tonic Bar can be found within walking distance of Dundee University campus and is another warm, welcoming place where students can go. Tonic Bar has a special connection

ON/OFF CAMPUS Words by Benedict Jackson and was established in 2011. Gracies is an independent café which offers a tasty menu and refreshing beverages all day and is a small bus journey away, worth a visit any day of the week.

Tartan Coffee House Tartan Coffee House can be found just a small walk away from the University, offering cheap bites and coffees. Tartan Coffee House has a reward system where after seven purchases you get your eighth coffee on the house.

Tower Café Located at the Top of the Tower Block, the Tower Café allows students the chance to enjoy a coffee or a sandwich or whatever one fancies in a small working environment.

Stunning views of the city and the Tay Bridge, and friendly staff are just waiting to welcome you here. A great place to find some peace and quiet during a busy working day.

Dundee also has a wide range of chain coffee houses including Café Nero, Costa, Starbucks and even a few independent outlets who operate on a smaller scale.

with the University where many Creative Writing students have listened to published authors read extracts from their books.

All Bars and Cafés will be complying with COVID-19 lockdown restrictions and the number of customers they can serve will be limited. If you wish to visit any bar or café, it is best to phone up and book a table to ensure you are keeping yourself safe as well as others. Further information can be found on the Facebook pages and websites of the establishments.

Wetherspoons The nationwide favourite is always worth a visit. A big menu filled with many pub classics and a large drinks selection to please any and all tastes. Wetherspoons has continuous deals throughout the week which include a Steak and Curry Club, Fish Friday, and Sunday Brunch. Wetherspoons can be found at the bottom of Reform Street directly across from the McManus Galleries and Coffee and Co. CAFÉS Coffee and Co. Situated on Union Street, Coffee and Co. also offer a fair range of coffee and cakes in a friendly working environment. Coffee and Co. sits directly across from Wetherspoons.

Gallery 48 Located directly across from The TInsmith, Gallery 48 is an independent café and bar specialising in Spanish cuisine.

If you prefer a coffee and a sweet treat, then Gallery 48 has the thing for you, too. Enjoy a hot drink and a pastry for only £3 every day. Gallery 48 also displays artwork on a regular basis with a continual change of exhibition from artists across all disciplines and art styles.

Gracies Gracies can be found on the main street in Broughty Ferry

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ON/OFF CAMPUS Design by Louise James, Photography by Lottie Belrose

SUSTAINABILITY FOR STUDENTS How to shop locally and responsibly on a student budget.

If you have ever lived in student halls, you might have seen tins and bottles pile up by the door, waiting for a generous person to take them out, preferably to the recycling. The dreaded argument about who takes out the recycling has followed me through university, from first to fourth year. One person says “I did it last time” and the other says, “I’ll do it on my way out”. We all know recycling isn’t the number one solution to the climate emergency but it’s a good start. It’s free and something everyone can do. But what else can be done to live sustainably and ethically whilst you are a student?

Like most things, starting off small is the best way forward.

You can begin by swapping out single use plastic for reusable bottles and coffee mugs, using soap bars rather than shower gel and making your own lunch rather than buying sandwiches in Prem. Becoming more aware of how small actions like these can affect the larger issue at hand and changing your lifestyle will set you on a path over time to real sustainable living.

Obviously, these things can only offset your carbon footprint so much. It really is big corporations that need to be pressured to change but that is another article altogether.

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A big step is to wean yourself off the big stores like Tesco and Lidl and choose to shop at independent local shops. By doing that, you are not only helping those small businesses and therefore your local community, but food and drink produce is generally fresher, more ethical and just better.

As Jillian from ethical store The Little Green Larder on Perth Road says: “Shopping locally reduces your carbon footprint and means you are not buying from overseas. There are so many local artists, makers and businesses on our doorstep - It just makes sense to support them.”

We all know it is much less convenient than meandering into a big store and grabbing everything you need in one go, and there’s no doubt that, in our age of instant gratification, people just expect things to be at their fingertips quickly and easily. Yet, no longer can people just wait around hoping for someone else to ‘fix’ global

“We all know recycling isn’t the number one solution to the climate emergency but it’s a good start”

ON/OFF CAMPUS Words by Catriona Harrison

warming, rather according to Jillian, “It’s time for us all to take action”. Also, there is something satisfying about going into a local store where you know your custom is welcomed.

Of course it would be naive and arrogant of me to assume that everyone has the luxury of picking and choosing where they do their shopping, or if they can afford to use reusable items rather than the cheaper single use options. I myself know I have fallen guilty choosing the cheaper option when I am running low on cash. It happens.

When managing a student budget, those blips are pretty inevitable but keep positive and try when and where you can to actively try to live sustainably and ethically.

As a student, I would suggest beginning with a compromise. Buy basics in bulk at the big stores, saving cash to shop as much as you can at your local grocers or butchers, for example Fraser’s Fruit and Veg on the Perth Road and Scott Brothers Butchers at the Nethergate.

Your level of compromise really is dependent on your particular budget.

At The Little Green Larder, they sell a “huge variety of dried foods such as rice, pasta, lentils, beans and herbs and spices”. These products can be refilled in jars, thus reducing waste. When it comes to cleaning, they also “have refillable liquids such as washing up liquid and laundry liquid, just bring down a bottle and fill up”.

Living sustainably as a student also means avoiding fast fashion as much as you can. Every year, the industry emits 1.2 billion tons of CO2, and, in order to reduce this number, more and more people need to become conscious of how their actions have an impact on the environment. Just like when shopping for food, budget plays a large part in how ethical one can be. Luckily, Dundee has many charity shops and a few Preloved Vintage Sales at Bonar Hall a year. By buying a few items from charity shops and vintage sales, you are not only wearing something that is unique, you are helping small businesses and, importantly, helping the environment. Titled Duck Vintage located on Whitehall Crescent is a great example of shopping sustainably and fashionably.

Living sustainably takes time, patience, and when you are a student, compromise. It would be great if everyone had the means to always buy sustainable products, but the fact is that not many can. However, we are fortunate that Dundee has many local shops that cater to everyone and can be enjoyed even on a budget. Living sustainably can be done with a little bit of forethought and extra effort, but it is worth it.

“we are fortunate that Dundee has many local shops that cater to everyone and can be enjoyed even on a budget”

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FASHION Design by Patrik Vojtas

Good on You !

Good on You is an encouraging sign in the fashion industry, an attempt to put the power back with the consumer. The app, owned by a non-profit organisation called Ethical Consumer Australia, was developed as a reward system for socially and environmentally conscious brands. It all relies on our ability to choose. We choose where to shop based on marketing and branding, but this app strips away the millions thrown at billboards and keeps it simple. The fashion professionals, scientists and campaigners on their team review fashion brands by examining their pollution, waste, human rights abuses and their attitude towards animal welfare. Using ratings from “we avoid”, “not good enough”, “it’s a start”, “good” and “great” the app narrows brands down to their core values, and you can decide who to support based on your own values. In choosing fair and sustainable labels we are in turn rewarding responsible fashion brands. There is even an option to leave your thoughts with the brand after buying a product from them. h So how do they separate the “good guys” from the “bad guys”? There are three areas of focus: people, the planet and animals. In scrutinising their current record of child labour, workers’ rights and payment of living wage, the brand, advertised (by themselves) as ethical, is put under the microscope. Equally important, however, is the company’s impact on the environment. The brand’s impact on water, land and air through resource use, waste management, emissions and pollution are used as a benchmark of how eco conscious a brand is. Linked to this, is the impact on animals, which is judged by the tracing of a brand’s animal products and their animal welfare policies, with the app also identifying the use of fur and leather among other animal derivatives. However, this is a long list of complicated topics, filled with legislation and law.

Good on You uses UN Sustainable Development Goals to influence their verdict on a brand, as the brands are scattered across the globe, and toe the legal line according to the country they are in.

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It is my first instinct to be distrustful of a company that claims to have this wealth of information on very convoluted issues. Finding such finickity figures and accurate details must come from reliable sources. Good on You relies on three types of source: parent company reporting, third party indices (Fashion Transparency Index, CDP Climate Change and Water Security projects) and independent certifications (Fair Trade, Cradle to Cradle, OEOKO-TEX STeP and Global Organic Textile Standard).

Parent company reporting is almost always going to be biased, which is why third-party indices are vital for a clearer image of the brand’s overall performance. Good on You also highlights any positive and negative steps taken by the brands, especially reporting on ‘negative citizenship’ such as a company lobbying against legislation that would increase transparency. However, it is easy to highlight the positive strides taken, but what lurks behind it is more concerning. H&M is rated “it’s a start” on the app. One of the most notorious fast fashion brands, associated with abysmal workers’ rights and low wages, is boosted by its “attempt” to make a change and its “transparency”.

FASHION Words by Thomasin Collins

The range of brands displayed on the app could do with some improvement, as they have high-street stores and niche businesses, but many names that can be found in Dundee City Centre, like Mountain Warehouse, Bonmarché, Slaters, Edinburgh Woollen Mill and Trespass, are lacking.

This is understandable, though, as the app only launched in Europe in 2018, making most of its target audience and brand outreach Australian and American. This is frustrating sometimes, but also leaves room for interesting new brands to make their mark. Good on You has articles that give a spotlight to socially driven brands that promote movements beyond the status quo the current fast fashion brands promote. These smaller grassroots brands with high ratings are rewarded for their ethics, which in turn amps up the competition for bigger corporations to pick up their act, making the phrase “wear the change you want to see” a reality.

Good on You works best if you decide what you value most in a fashion brand. Do you care that a brand is eco conscious, but cuts corners at labour costs (like Patagonia)?

In this case, the app is great for disclosing pitfalls. However, it should really be used as a start to your own research, as opposed to a one stop shop for all your sources. If you are passionate about ethical shopping, your own background reading is just as vital as an Emma Watson endorsed app. I use it as it is convenient to have in my pocket. If someone mentions a brand I’ve never heard of I can scroll through their ratings to see if it is worth investing my time to investigate further.

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FASHION Design by CL Gamble, Words by Sophie Murray

FASHION POST-COVID ‘Vain trifles as they seem, clothes have, they say, more important offices than to merely keep us warm.

They change our view of the world and the world’s view of us.”

ORLANDO VIRGINIA WOOLF

Fashion, and clothing in general, are important tools we use to communicate and construct our identity. It tells people who we are, or at least, who we want to be. As you all know, these are unprecedented times for not only fashion, but the whole world, so the usual cycles of A/W and S/S collections have been halted - for the most part - and it seems most of us have all regressed to a somewhat ‘slob life’. Work has moved out of office and into our homes. Once a space for living, now a makeshift workstation, it is not surprising we choose to dress in our comfortable clothes. At least for myself I can say I have not really been concerned about my appearance since Covid, rarely putting makeup on, living in anything stretched waist, and spending most of my time in the flat. However, has this change in our appearance just been the result of our circumstances?

Well, dressing down for work could be a recent endeavour due to corona however, for some dressing down has been used as a tool in their job. One person who has always been living in the ‘age of slob’ is our very own spin doctor of downing street, Dominic

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Cummings. Even before the virus he was notorious for dressing down, often showing up to Downing Street in shorts and a t-shirt appearing like he was back from a weekend bender. He is arguably one of the most powerful people in Downing street, so why does he make a choice to wear casual clothes? This could be explained by the behaviour Harvard scholars described as ‘the red sneaker effect’, whereby dressing down or nonconforming to the dress code, you are seen to be a person of ‘heightened status’ (GQ, 2020). Showing everyone that you’re autonomous, and can dress any which way you like due to being outside of the dress code.

I guess not power dressing has become the new power dressing.

Whilst breaking new territory as we continue to wrestle with the virus atthe end of 2020 (and it seems like it isn’t going anywhere soon) we are again asked to adapt ourselves and change our lifestyles to accommodate the restrictions. Going into 4th year myself and speaking to friends, it seems that this ‘slob life’ will continue, due to students only being allowed to access the library in 4-hour time slots per day and studio time for DJCAD students being a few hours a week.

The necessity of having to go in and get dressed for whatever class you may have that day is gone. Now we can roll out of bed 5 minutes before our virtual lecture and chuck on a jumper with the least stains on it. It seems ‘slob life’ isn’t over just yet.

CURRENT AFFAIRS Design by Louise James, Words by Marcin Kielczewski

THE TEA OF MENACE After Alexander Navalny was poisoned in late August, the European coverage directly accused the Kremlin of committing this act. Before we heard about the poisoning, we already knew who did it. Seeing Russia as an ever-villain, we uncritically acknowledged it before the official test results were released. And we were right. Three laboratories in Europe unequivocally concluded that it was Novichok – a Soviet-era nerve agent that caused poisoning. Looking closer at its nature, it becomes clear that only the Russian government had access to it.

In 2018, the same substance was used against the Skripal family in Salisbury.

Whereas they survived, an innocent British woman died. Either Russia hires incompetent mercenaries, or its aim is never to kill the target, but to conduct political terrorism - a gentle message to the West to end the policy of neo-colonialism. How come such international forces are involved in the investigation on Navalny? Obviously,

Navalny’s goal is to take down Putin.

He is a tool in the hands of European leaders. Astonishingly, no Western newspaper mentions the actual reason why Navalny was so urgently transferred to Germany.

The European leaders are strongly committed to the case: “Russian government can answer, and has to answer” says Merkel. “[It] must now explain what happened” adds Mr Johnson. Does it mean that the West is doing the best they can to take Putin down? Europe is virtually powerless. The time when Paris, London and Berlin had influence overseas is over, and Europe shall accept its humble fate as a non-colonist actor. The history of sanctions, which hurt Europe as much as they hurt Russia, proves the Kremlin fears nothing.

‘reprimands over actions’ policy, remains idle. And it will remain idle - just as it does facing the crises of democracy in Hungary and Poland.

Putin, used to receiving empty threats, keeps on pushing borders, laughing in the face of the West.

When Europe takes pride in helping the oppositionist, Kreml is looking for the best way to revive an anti-Nazi propaganda. This is how Eastern governments prey on their people’s fears. Treating Navalny in Germany is like handing him a ticket to join Napoleon and Hitler as yet another Western usurper in the eyes of the Russians.

How far can Putin go without destroying the diplomatic and economic relations with the rest of Europe? The EU, known for its

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CURRENT AFFAIRS Design by Storm Dobson

Pocketful of promises

On November 4, the United States will officially withdraw from the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. The last few months have proved that Europe leads the way and is seeking a new partner to deliver real and effective worldwide actions. One of the countries to watch now is China - the new climate leader or a bluffer?

by the Communist Party is the largest market of renewable energy. China is also the main producer of photovoltaic and solar thermal energy. To show how dynamic the market is, let’s underscore that it added 3.95 GW of new solar generation capacity in the first quarter despite the ravages of the Covid-19 crisis.

Just minutes after Trump’s speech during the United Nations General Assembly, Xi Jinping announced a set of pledges related to the issue of global warming and embraced the importance of rapid global changes in greenhouse emissions. The politician set his country’s objectives to be carbon neutral by 2060, to submit a stronger set of goals under the Paris agreement as well as to peak carbon emissions before 2030. The promises were made a week after the EU-China leaders’ meeting which was a followup of the meeting held in June and the culmination of months of mutual discussions on topics of economy, human rights and trade.

‘As global warming is speeding up, Europe needs to reconsider how to solve the problem geopolitically.’

The plan undertaken by China may be seen as ambiguous. The country led

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However, all that glitters is not gold and this may be true of China. The country invests trillions of dollars in other countries through various initiatives, to mention only the New Silk Road Project. Under the Chinese Pakistan Economic Corridor, China is investing in 21 energy projects including nine coal power plants. Much of the money has gone into coal: 70% of the 13.8 gigawatts worth of power projects in operation and planned are coal fired. When

we add to it the imposition of a new national security law in Hong Kong and abuse of Uyghurs, we see a solid ground for European objection towards strengthening the political bond. Despite this, the rising anger over China is moderated by Ursula von der Leyen who said that ‘Europe was open to dealing with China, despite the political differences that are increasingly overshadowing the economic agenda’.

As global warming is speeding up, Europe needs to reconsider how to solve the problem geopolitically.

Even the sceptics of Jinping’s pledges ought to note that the plan is not groundless political fiction. The Energy Transitions Commission published a report in which they found that “it is economically possible for China to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 at a very small economic cost … and China is well placed to gain technological competitive advantage from the transition to net-zero emissions.”.

Will Europe overlook China’s abuse of human rights to facilitate strengthened climate cooperation or will the US get back on track?

CURRENT AFFAIRS Words by Dawid Czeczelewski

It is hard to deny the coming US presidential election will be unusual.

Starting from the electoral campaign happening in the shadow of the pandemic, ending with the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement.

For the last 4 years Trump has clearly strayed from actions Obama had undertaken to move the US on the good trajectory of greenhouse gas emissions. The substance of this election is underscored by climatologists, among whom is Michael Mann who said the Earth’s future ‘is in the hands of American citizens’. Under the Paris Agreement, the US said it would cut greenhouse gas emissions by 26% by 2025, whereas today is on track to reduce emissions by 17% by 2025.

Undoubtedly, Biden’s promises are seen as the most ambitious progressive policy agenda a presidential candidate has ever run on. A commitment to decarbonise the electricity grid by 2035, to invest $2 trillion in renewable energy and to cut America’s emissions to net zero by 2050 seems to be unprecedented bravery. Is it yet feasible?

We need to draw a line under the fact of filibustering in the US Congress. In

compliance with the rule of Senate being a “cooling saucer” to the legislation coming from the House, the last major law passed was the Obama Care. As usually 60 votes are required to invoke cloture on nominations, the rule has become an overused tool for obstruction. Therefore, even in case of Biden’s election it seems extremely unlikely to pass the progressive program, especially with Republicans dominating Congress.

European leaders certainly know about it and that’s why the US position as the leader of global climate agenda may be insecure.

Hardly anyone doubts the 2020 US Presidential Election is formative for the whole world. I find it pointless to summarise the chances of China and the US building a climate alliance with Europe. Instead, I wish you to remember that according to NASA, the sea level rises with a rate of 3,5 mm per year. Carbon dioxide emission from human activity is increasing more than 250 times faster than it did after the last Ice Age. Politics and our lives interconnect and it is our choice what kind of world we will leave behind.

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CURRENT AFFAIRS Design by Emma Biggins, Words by Annika Hudson-Laursen

CAN THE CALIFORNIA DREAM BE SAVED? Fire season has begun in the Western United States. It usually peaks between September and December, but in recent years, including this one, more severe fires are starting earlier and lasting longer. This is making life increasingly difficult for communities in fire zones, especially because the new intensity of fire season means some areas that were not dangerous previously suddenly become uninhabitable. Some people evacuate and rebuild year after year, some become climate refugees as they flee to other states, but others strive to transform into “fire resistant” communities that can adjust to live side by side with wildfires.

It is tempting to believe that if people stopped having gender reveal parties with firecrackers and didn’t make as many s’mores in the forest, there would be fewer wildfires.

In fact, most of the fires start burning naturally and then become out of control due to accidents with damaged power lines and lightning strikes. There is an excess of dry fuel available to catch because of the ever drier and hotter California climate.

There are a number of practical steps for adaptation in fire zones that are being suggested by fire commissions across Western states. These include increased resources for firefighters to allow for easier working hours and fewer injuries, better land management plans like controlled burns and removal of dead vegetation, and rethinking infrastructure such as using different building materials

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and moving power lines underground (Slothewer, WP). In addition to practical measures the role of climate change cannot be ignored. Reducing the wildfires’ impact on humans requires a huge reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, which can only come from governments’ acknowledgment and prioritization of this problem.

Reducing the wildfires’ impact on humans requires a huge reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, which can only come from governments’ acknowledgment and prioritization of this problem.

As America’s most populous state burns at record speed in an election year, the issue of how to save it quickly becomes politicized. All solutions, from increased funding for firefighters to restructuring California’s housing infrastructure, require both state and federal leaders to implement comprehensive plans rather than repeating the same rhetoric year after year. Crucially, however, failing to address the ever-present threat of climate change can risk undermining potential progress made by land management, new development and local efforts. With Democrats and Republicans consistently unable to agree on climate change legislation, and Trump’s withdrawal of the US from the Paris Agreement in 2017, the prospects of meaningful change may seem grim. However, for residents of fire-hit communities with few options, even tentative plans and local efforts towards adjustment can offer hope.

CURRENT AFFAIRS Design by Liam Palermo, Words by Fiachna Mac Carráin

POWERFUL NATIONALISM. DISDAIN FOR HUMAN RIGHTS. USE OF ENEMIES AS A UNIFYING CAUSE. SUPREMACY OF THE MILITARY. RAMPANT SEXISM. CONTROLLED MASS MEDIA. OBSESSION WITH NATIONAL SECURITY. RELIGION & GOVERNMENT INTERTWINED. CORPORATE POWER PROTECTED. LABOR POWER SURPRESSED. DISDAIN FOR INTELLECTUALS & THE ARTS. OBSESSION WITH CRIME & PUNISHMENT. RAMPANT CRONYISM & CORRUPTION. FRAUDULENT ELECTIONS.

F****** W

ords are imbued with power.

Cultural, historic, poetic. They are the bricks we use to construct our reality. And like that reality they are complex, delicate, and contested.

An idea may well be bulletproof, but it certainly isn’t stable.

Some words carry greater weight than others, what Raymond Williams termed ‘keywords’. These words, steeped in history, have snowballed through minds and along generations gaining tremendous evocative momentum. They cascade through memory, crashing into densely layered metaphor. Freedom. Dictatorship.

Democracy. Fascism is one such word. And it has exploded back into the political lexicon, if indeed it ever truly left.

With authoritarians once again on the march the world over, the past promises fertile grounds for introspection. ‘Fascist’ carries a unique weight. An imagery woven deep into the heart of western political discourse.

Its use demands comparison between its target and the hellfire of an old world. The ugliness of the US election comes as the crescendo of a term mired in racist vitriol, state endorsement of self-identified ‘neofascist’ paramilitary groups, and sustained attacks on democratic processes and press legitimacy.

As with all terrifying thoughts, fascism’s return seems absurd on the surface. Any concept of Americanfascism has been so thoroughly captured by Hollywood that comically German accents in the halls of power are all that Hunters and The Man in The High Castle can allow our minds to conjure.

As with all things however, truth is often scarier than fiction. Steve Ross’s exemplar research unearthed the wartime diaries of Jewish lawyer-turnedspymaster Leon Lewis, who’s bravery and humanity were instrumental in foiling the USA’s homegrown Naziaffiliated Silver Legion of America.

The atrocities of the Reich were not

the result of an outside challenge for control of Europe’s soul.

Historian Mark Mazower argues that with their commitment to military superiority and eugenics – sanitised

by Christianity, capitalism, and the Enlightenment - the Nazi war-machine represented the true inheritor of the European imperial experiment and “came closer to its realisation than anyone else”.

George Floyd’s murder brought back into focus a history of racial othering and systematic discrimination which has acted as a malignant tumour at the heart of the state since the genocide of the First Nation peoples.

Can fascism, in whatever cloak it adopts, rear its head in the USA again?

We are days away from an election which the incumbent, having paid lipservice to the far-rights foot soldiers in the first debate, has repeatedly affirmed he will not respect. That time may well be close at hand.

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CURRENT AFFAIRS Design by Louise James, Words by Luiza Stoenescu

What Happens Then?

The threat of a no-deal Brexit looms over our shoulders.

Doom’s day is approaching fast and hard, and it seems like the government is doing nothing to stop this as they have reached another deadlock. Due to the UK no longer being a member of the European Union, the danger of food shortages, fuel and medicine are heightened as imports from the EU will stop, resulting in the goods not being able to move around the country as freely and abundant as they have before.

The Independent reported that only 2,088 UK hauliers out of +8,000 will be granted a travelling permit in January 2021 as they have been prioritised as the most common routes. However, these permits will clearly not be enough as Trading economics reported that in July 2020 the UK has imported £1564.42 million in Pharmaceutical products, this is already a decrease from £1719.82 million in June 2020, and Gov.uk reported that in 2019 the EU supplied the UK 26% of the annual food consumption.

As these facts are laid before you, a feeling of worry might take over. However, the biggest uncertainty should be that the government has taken no precaution against this! The research conducted for this piece was minimal. This is due to the lack of information and reporting, all the data given are months old and only a hand-full of newspapers were able to announce such dangers. As the Brexit-deadline is nearing, all information seems to be swept under the rug; forgot about or simply not reported.

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It seems almost ludicrous that the voters, the people of this nation, are unaware of what is happening behind the scenes. They should be made aware of the threat that overshadows the country! The fear of not having any food, medicine or fuel is real and normal; however, mass hysteria should and could be avoided if the government allows the information to flow freely and create a concrete plan.

The nation needs to hold the government accountable over this matter. The nation must recognise the threat that hangs over their daily bread, their essentials of life. If not, then what? What is going to happen when the panic finally sets in?

CURRENT AFFAIRS Design by Zhaneta Zhekova, Words by Catriona Pritchard

FACE MASKS:

INHIBITORS OR LIBERATORS? Face coverings have become a mandatory requirement for almost all of us when going about our daily lives. Whenever we go into public buildings or travel on public transport, we are reminded that we must wear them. This has been met with varied reactions across the UK. In the media, there has been wall-to-wall coverage of antimask rallies, with factions labelling them as “muzzles” and seeing them as an attempt from the Government to inhibit our freedoms. Others say that there isn’t enough evidence to suggest they actually work to stop the virus. While some of the most extreme anti-mask views have involved the belief that the virus is a hoax made up to control populations.

These opinions have been seen by many as callous and insensitive, especially towards those who have lost loved ones to Covid-19.

Anti-mask arguments can often seem unreasonable too, when many scientists would argue that wearing a face covering is better protection than not wearing one at all. The Lancet carried out a study which found that wearing face masks is up to 95% effective in reducing the risk of virus transmission.

However, face masks have inhibited us in many ways.

They cover the mouth, our main communication tool. They also cover our faces, easily creating the feeling of devices capable of removing our physical identities and individuality. Most notably, they have made speech incredibly difficult for deaf people who lip-read and can cause extreme discomfort for people who suffer from claustrophobia and anxiety disorder or similar mental disorders.

Nevertheless, there are also plenty of liberating things about face masks too, which can help to resolve some of those problems.

Designers have come up with designs capable of revealing our personalities. There are masks with loud, funky patterns and they can depict kind or funny messages which greet the strangers we pass by. Some are transparent which can help to ease people’s anxieties. Perhaps, the obvious ability of preventing the spread of the virus and allowing a new fashion style to emerge makes face coverings an instrument of liberation?

In the end, whether you find them inhibiting or liberating, we will be living with face coverings for the foreseeable future. If you can wear a mask, wear one which will keep you comfortable and remember you will be protecting others.

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DON’T SETTLE NO ONE SHOULD SETTLE IN AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP. RECOGNISE THE SIGNS AND KNOW WHERE TO SEEK SUPPORT WHEN YOU OR SOMEONE ELSE IS IN AN EMOTIONALLY, PHYSICALLY OR SEXUALLY ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP ISOLATING YOU FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS BEHAVIOUR THAT UNDERMINES, INTIMIDATES, HUMILIATES AND DEGRADES YOU PHYSICALLY OR VERBALLY ABUSIVE TOWARDS YOU ACTING OVERLY JEALOUS, AGGRESSIVE, UNPREDICTABLE OR UPSET TOWARDS YOU PRESSURES YOU TO HAVE SEX MONITORING YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA, CALLS AND TEXTS MANAGING AND EXPRESSING DISAPPROVAL OF HOW YOU SPEND YOUR TIME AND MONEY MANIPULATION OF YOUR FEELINGS MAKING YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE ALWAYS WRONG AND EVERYTHING IS YOUR FAULT Dundee University Students Association (DUSA) Registered Scottish Charity No. SCO16047

OPINIONS Design by Louise James

Will We Be Able to Embrace the ‘New Normal’?

The impact Covid-19 has on the world is undeniable as seen by the disruption it has caused on our lives.

So, will we be able to embrace the ‘New Normal’ of 2020?

Over the past week, new rules were announced which banned visiting other households in Scotland to reduce infection rates. There are exceptions to this rule for those who have formed extended households, informal childcare, and tradespeople.

It was also confirmed by Nicola Sturgeon that Scotland will also introduce a 10pm curfew on pubs, bars and restaurants following the announcement by the UK Government but you can still meet up with another household in hospitality settings and outdoors, including private gardens.

However, there are also new restrictions for students as it was announced that they are not allowed to socialise outside their household and they have to avoid bars, pubs and other hospitality venues completely.

This was due to an outbreak of more than 100 confirmed cases occurred at the University Of Glasgow which

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resulted in around 600 students being told to self-isolate. The new rules also include the adaption of the ‘Yellow Card/Red Card’ discipline system which could result in students losing their university place. We have already seen Coivd-19 hit the student population of Dundee as 500 students in Parker House were told to selfisolate after a confirmed Covid case.

"the adaption of the ‘Yellow Card/Red Card’ discipline system which could result in students losing their university place" With the announcement on Friday 25th September, The University of Dundee asked students to avoid socialising outside of their household, not to host parties or attend gatherings of more than six people and, finally, announcing that they will be taking the ‘Yellow Card/Red Card’ approach. I believe that this will emphasise the importance that we

OPINIONS Words by Emma Sturrock

have learned during the ‘New Normal’; that is acting on behalf of your community. This is shown with the introduction of the Test & Protect app

by NHS Scotland which communicates with other app users’ phones by swapping anonymous random ID’s in with people in proximity (less than two metres) for an extended period of time (more than fifteen minutes).

This will be anonymously recalled if one contact later tests positive for Covid-19 and you will also be notified if you have been in close contact with someone who has Covid. However, for this app to be effective it relies on the population of Scotland to download it and if not the success of the app will be reduced as it will therefore take longer to trace people who have been in contact with someone who is Covid positive. So, by simply downloading this app and leaving Bluetooth on you will be taking a small step to help your community.

The ‘New Normal’ has also had an effect on businesses. With a curfew on pubs, bars and restaurants these businesses were forced to close at 10pm every night to reduce the

amount of time people spend in licensed premises in order to prevent the spread of the virus in hospitality venues, while allowing businesses to trade and provide jobs at the same time. This could force many hospitality businesses to close as customers are put off by these restrictions and turn to staying home instead.

“I believe that this will emphasise the importance that we have learned during the ‘New Normal’; that is acting on behalf of your community.”

Our lifestyles have also changed thanks to the ‘New Normal’. Before Covid-19, if you were on a shopping trip you could very easily find a café and get some food without booking but now, due to Track and Trace and reduced seating in many places for social distancing, you are required to book a table before going to any hospitality venues. This change is a big adjustment as it requires checking social media to see if the place you want to go to is open and then booking a table which will be a big change for everyone as it depends upon you to plan your life.

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OPINIONS Design by Storm Dobson

Our Growing Generational Divide The recent Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the physical and health related divisions between young and old, with older people suffering worse at the hands of the infection.

However, the gap between the young and old in the UK has been growing wider and wider over recent years, not simply because of physical differences, but because of key social and economic disparities.

Now, I think we can all agree that society functions most efficiently and most effectively when all groups, whether that be race, ethnicity or age, are working together in a coherent manner. It is when we put aside our differences that our society benefits the most. However, this generational rift has placed itself centre stage and is evident to all who keep abreast of current affairs.

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Attention was drawn to this generational divide in the 2016 EU Referendum. The way the referendum was framed was always going to cause divisions, however the stark difference in the way varying age groups voted cannot go unnoticed.

Without straying too much into the rough that is the Brexit debate, the results of the vote fell predominantly along the lines of age, with younger voters on the whole voting to Remain, and the opposite being true as well. Following on from the vote, there was a large backlash on social media in which some younger people argued that the older generations who voted to leave the EU would not have to live with the consequences, and therefore suggest that their vote should carry less weight. I think all sensible people can recognise that this argument is rather ignorant and narrowminded, however it reveals that there is a disconnected feeling amongst our different generations. It is also important for one to consider why this rift exists. As with most problems in our current society, they usually revolve around money and economic differences, and I think a starting point to explain why we have this divide can be found in the simple suggestion that old people have more money than young people. While you may think this is a rather lazy suggestion on my part, I would have to disagree, I think that as a result of this it has created an atmosphere of hostility and bitterness.

With jobs currently hard to secure for young adults in today’s society, and the housing ladder not as easy as it once was to get on, it has perhaps left the younger generations a touch

OPINIONS Words by Andrew Elton resentful. Thereby, resulting in not only an economic divide, but more importantly a social divide.

‘This generational rift has placed itself centre stage and is evident to all who keep abreast of current affairs.’

With differences in income comes political differences too.

The 2017 General Election saw a ‘youthquake’ whereby younger voters used social media to campaign and support Jeremy Corbyn and Labour. All in all, it resulted in the loss of a majority for the Conservative party. This suggests an element of generational politics with different age groups having differing stances on issues such as taxation and healthcare, to name just a few. This coupled with the recent ‘cancel culture’ outbreak, where younger audiences decide to ignore the opinions of someone they disagree with, has further exacerbated the divide between the young and the old, and has created a generational rift in our society.

One positive thing Covid-19 has brought to our society is a notable change in the social interactions between the old and the young. Over the summer lockdown it was the younger members of society who went out of their way to care for and to help out older generations, whether this be in the form of shopping, or even in adhering to the lockdown itself. To put it simply, Britain, once again, became united. However, I would suggest this is merely an exception with research from ‘United for All Ages’ finding that Britain is one of the most age segregated countries in the world. They indicate that young adults no longer maintain close contact with older generations outside their close family, they have even gone so far as to call this problem an “age apartheid”.

As stated at the beginning, society works best when all generations are united and form a collective society.

It is clear to see that in the UK we do indeed face a troublesome future, one of generational rifts with different age groups all attempting to pull society in different directions. During these uncertain times, the only way we can move past it, and build a stronger future, is to bring Britain back together.

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INTERNATIONAL Design by Cait Maxwell, Words by Sehar Mehmood

The Loss of the Notorious RBG On September 28th United States (US) Supreme Court Justice and Feminist icon, Ruth Bader Ginsburg (RBG) died of pancreatic cancer. In an already turbulent time for the US, the loss of RBG has made significant legislations such as the DREAM Act vulnerable to the rise of the right-wing. Political figures such as Elizabeth Warren and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have been vocal about the jeopardy which progressive legislations could be in-legislations for which RBG spent her life defending and advocating. Should President Trump’s nominee (Amy Cohen Barrett) succeed in filling RBG’s seat in the Supreme Court, she will threaten all forms of protection for the vulnerable peoples in the United States.

RBG, throughout her legal career, dedicated her life to gender equality, and left behind an incredible legacy.

Even as she reached the end, RBG’s last wish was in the interest of her fellow women – “My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed.”

This wish makes clear that RBG does not trust the current administration to pick a nominee.

Why? The current US office has displayed over and over again its disregard for the people it serves, in all areas RBG advocated for. This display of disregard has been consistent throughout President Trump’s time in office, from his lewd comments about, “grabbing women by the pussy”, his treatment of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) protesters and

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most recently his conduct during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The hypocrisy of the Republican party has reached a new standard as they ram ahead with a Supreme Court nomination with only a month until the election. Conduct which they vehemently criticised in 2016, when Republican senator Mitch McConnell refused to hold hearings for President Obama’s nominee, a nomination which came 237 days before the Presidential elections. McConnell was successful in blocking the nominee, which he and other Republicans made clear promises that should if such a situation should arise again with a Republican President, they would wait until after the elections to make a nomination.

This promise was broken.

The Supreme Court Justices will become a right-winged majority if Trump’s nomination succeeds, there will exist a tangible threat against Acts such as Roe v Wade (Right to have an abortion without interference from the state) and The Affordable Care Act, (provides affordable health insurance). The actions of Amy Cohen Barrett could set a dangerous precedent for the rights of the vulnerable.

Rest in Power #NOTORIOUSRBG RBG 15/3/1933 – 28/9/2020

INTERNATIONAL Words by Sofia Ronka, Design by Emma Biggins

How are you?

I am writing to you today to tell you about letter writing.

Perhaps you have considered letters before but wondered, “why bother?”, when you have other alternatives.

With today’s technology, messages are quicker to produce, easier to modify, and the response could arrive in mere seconds, but letters are more than just a medium for relaying information.

First and foremost, letters make people happy. Imagine how happy you are receiving a text. Now imagine how happy you would feel after finding an unexpected letter in your mailbox – a piece of paper with your name on it that someone has put time and effort into producing and sending your way. A letter doesn’t need to be a 10-page novel; even a couple of words can make someone’s day, like birthday cards for instance.

Secondly, letters are unique – they mirror our personality. You can take as long as you need to find the perfect words without someone on the other end judgingly looking at those three dancing bubbles. You can use your own handwriting, which sets you apart from everyone else in the world. You can fill the paper with words, pictures, stickers, tears – simply pour out your heart and stick it in an envelope.

Finally, letters offer a great way to make new friends from other countries as well as maintaining relationships.

With letters, postcards, or even parcels, people can share their culture from afar. Additionally, the longer response time associated with letter writing minimises the pressure of staying connected with everything and everyone all the time. With some effort and patience, the anticipation of receiving a reply gets rewarded with a thorough catch up of your friend’s life.

“Sounds great, but how do you find pen pals?”, I presume you may ask. There are many ways to find people who would love to write with you. International Pen Friends (IPF) offers a safe and easy way to get started. For a small fee, they can connect you with anyone from their over 300.000 members from 192 different countries whose interests align with yours. However, if you want to pick your own pen pal, you can make a free account at globalpenfriends.com and start looking for people whose profile resonates with you. But one of the best ways to find a pen pal is at university. At university, you meet people from all over the world, and especially during holidays (or global pandemics) letters can offer you a hobby as well as the means to keep in touch with your new friends.

Write to you soon!

Best wishes,

P.S. Why not practise your written language skills while you’re at it?

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INTERNATIONAL Design by Katrina High

COVID-19 and Human Adaptability

Raise their mask who ever thought we would have been able to survive months without getting out of our houses and seeing the people we love. We are all probably still wearing our masks, the same ones we were only used to seeing while watching Grey’s Anatomy and that eventually became a fundamental part of our ordinary lives. Even worse, who would have ever thought we could see French people giving up their two kisses on the cheeks or Italians avoiding hugs and physical contact?

Thankfully, we still have our hand gestures. However, we did survive, we did get used to this new way of living, and even though some of us were allowed to go back to our normal lives at least for a little bit, we will never forget how it felt to live like that.

We did it our own way, by singing on our balconies and turning on our

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phones’ torches to support all the people that kept working hard; and by doing so many other things to make the pandemic life as bearable as possible. We never thought this could happen because human beings constantly underestimate their ability to adjust to new situations. We move to other countries and after some initial struggles to get used to the many cultural differences we experience, we adapt to our new lives and start taking for granted what is actually not easy at all, which is our capacity to make a foreign country our new home or to find some kind of normality during a worldwide lockdown. I especially notice this when I come back home to visit my friends and family and they act all weirded out by the crazy things I start doing while living away from home, like proudly cooking pineapple pizza or breaking spaghetti in two. For those who are not Italian and cannot

understand the gravity of the situation, these are two of the worst crimes that you can commit in our country.

Growing up in a globalised world, I strongly believe in the interdependence between nations as something extremely valuable and worthy. The interconnectedness developed between countries was achieved through the flexibility and adaptability of the human species. Nico Wilterdink, Professor of Sociology at the University of Amsterdam and State University of Utrecht, defined this as the “universal human potential for social change”, stating its biological basis. We as human beings have proved to be adaptable in unprecedented ways and this pandemic is just one of the many challenges we had to face throughout history. We will all get through this, one pineapple pizza at a time.

INTERNATIONAL Words by Elena Gastaldo

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INTERNATIONAL Design by Phoebe Wilman

Tinder Travels:

How it can be used as more than just a dating app We’ve all been there. Swiping till our thumbs hurt. Right, left, left, left… right. Tinder is fun and can help pass the time. Connecting it to a screen and having a Tinder night-in with friends, snacks and wine is even the new in-thing. Few have thought of it as more than a mindless time-passer though...

The reality is that it can be used as a learning tool and may just be what we need during this pandemic.

Moving for study can be one of the most exciting yet loneliest things a student endures, but with the help of Tinder, finding friends (or perhaps more) just got easier.

Using it as a tool to meet new people can be liberating, and is even more useful as further isolations and restrictions loom over us.

Tinder can also help us travel and learn with the passport function. Now, this is a premium feature but I argue it is well worth it for multiple reasons. With Tinder Passport, it is

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easy to go to your chosen language’s country and instantly turn that small talk into flirting and flirting into in-depth conversation. Before you know it, ‘Allons boire un coup!’ becomes second nature, and you can now successfully date, speak and converse in your chosen language.

“Moving for study can be one of the most exciting yet loneliest things a student endures, but with the help of Tinder, finding friends (or perhaps more) just got easier.”

Falling in love with a language is also a sure way to learn it quickly, with Lauren Collins, author of When in French, Love

INTERNATIONAL Words by Luke Burr

“the quickest way to learn a language is to fall in love in it”

in a Second Language (2016), is a testament to that. Her book details her struggles, but persistence, with learning her spouse’s native language. She reminisces her grand successes and her dying determination to be able to learn French, so she could communicate with her spouse. Her message throughout is clear: the quickest way to learn a language is to fall in love in it.

I know that Tinder isn’t a substitute for travel, but it helps with the everlasting pining for Negronis on the beach or getting lost in the metropolitan labyrinths of Berlin.

Making connections around the world could even lead to amazing new opportunities, but remember to always be safe and have fun ‘tinder-ing’!

Travelling on Tinder Passport also helps us feel like we are getting abroad, when we’re stuck, tangled in restrictions and new impending laws from COVID-19. One of my personal favourite parts of travel is being able to meet people from new cultures, with new ideas and ways of life.

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LIFESTYLE Design by Bethany Downs, Words by Elan Baird

Things to do with your Flatmates in Quarantine As Scotland once again creeps back closer to lockdown, one of the biggest questions on student minds is: “How are we going to get through this without driving ourselves insane?” Without the exciting events of Fresher’s week, it can be hard to bond with people, and the idea of being stuck inside again sounds soul-destroying. However, with this super-fun list, we guarantee you’ll be best buds with your flatmates in no time!

CARD/BOARD GAMES The two best inventions in the World: The endless varieties of card games provide an ice-breaker for nervous flatmates. ●

Flying Tyger at the Overgate sell canvases for £1, grab yourself some paint and brushes and get to it! ●

COOKING/BAKING Four words: Come Dine with Me. Create dishes you love for your flatmates. You can team up and make them together, or go solo, whatever floats your boat! Score each other’s cooking and see who the ultimate chef is, or rat out the sore losers (let’s just hope you don’t end up with your own “what a sad little life Jane” situation!). ●

And as for board games, nothing gets the party going like a rowdy, (although infuriating) game of Monopoly. Or try Cards Against Humanity for the audacious. ●

MOVIES Favourite films tell a lot about a person. Find out what makes each other laugh, cry, or throw the remote at the screen! Trouble deciding what to watch first? Stick all the movies in a hat and let fate decide! ●

Or if you’d prefer to bake, unleash your inner Mary Berry and turn your flat into the Great British Bake Off tent! ●

How are we going to get through this without driving ourselves insane?

Another fun idea: Buy/rent some cheap movies to laugh (and cringe) at when you are feeling a tad more comfortable with your housemates, or after a sip of vodka! ●

ARTS AND CRAFTS

REMEMBER

One of life’s simple pleasures; and no, it does not have to be a modern masterpiece. You can unleash your inner artist or bond over being awful (or say it’s abstract!). You can decorate the flat with your new masterpieces and have the memories to look back on.

●

●

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Check up on each other, but make time for yourself! You may feel compelled to be always involved, but sometimes you need to take time to study, read, or have a peaceful moment to yourself.

LIFESTYLE Design by Liam Palermo, Words by Elan Baird

BEAN HALLOUMI STEW INGREDIENTS: * * * * * * * * * *

3 tbsp olive oil 1 onion , thinly sliced 1 red pepper , thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves , crushed 3 tbsp red chilli , sundried tomato pesto or vegan alternative 1 heaped tsp ground coriander 400g can mixed beans, drained and rinsed 400g can chopped tomatoes ½ x 250g block halloumi , sliced ½ small bunch of coriander , finely chopped

TIP: Can make vegan by swapping out the halloumi for fried aubergine slices and use a vegan- friendly sundried tomato pesto. Likewise, halloumi can be swapped with chicken or chorizo to create a meaty dish!

STEP 1: Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a frying pan over a medium heat.

Add the onion and pepper, along with a pinch of salt and fry for 10 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic, pesto and ground coriander, and cook for 1 minute. Add the beans and tomatoes along with ½ a can of water, then bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 10 minutes.

STEP 2: Add the remaining oil (1 tbsp) to a separate frying pan, on a medium heat. Fry the halloumi for 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Chop or tear halloumi into small chunks and add to bean stew. Mix evenly.

STEP 3 Taste the beans for seasoning, then add to a bowl for serving. Scatter over the chopped coriander.

ENJOY! 59

LIFESTYLE Design by Raechelle Gilpin, Words by Heather Stephenson

Going Through Changes (but in our own time) “My Mum and I just hopped on the bus to my appointment, not knowing it would be a life-changing kind of a day.”

I’m a third-year student and I have a lifelong health condition. You probably haven’t heard of it but it’s called Turner Syndrome (TS) and it affects approximately “1 in 2000 live female births” (figures from the UK Turner Syndrome Support Society website). This condition affects many aspects of my life but for me right now it mainly means I am shorter and I find some things particularly hard (anything that requires good spatial awareness) and also social things as I feel self-conscious, different and awkward. There are other factors of TS that will affect my life in the future but for now, these are my main issues.

I was diagnosed in January 2015, when I was nearly fifteen (the time of diagnosis varies from person to person). I was growing and developing very slowly up to my diagnosis, which after I got the medication I needed to grow a few more inches and enter adolescence. For most people, teen years are notoriously challenging and awkward. Getting this kind of news at 14 definitely changed more things than I could have anticipated. Despite this, however, some elements of the day of diagnosis were surprisingly ordinary.

For instance, at the beginning of the day neither myself nor my family had ever heard of the condition (never mind knowing that I had it myself and always had ), and my Mum and I just hopped on the bus to my appointment, not knowing it would be a life-changing kind of a day. Then that evening, perhaps a little in shock, I went to my weekly local musical theatre group, just as I normally would (I’m still hopelessly devoted to musical theatre – never miss an Opsoc meeting or rehearsal if I can help it!). There’s no good time or stage of life to hear news like this but it was certainly a huge change and a generally weird and uncomfortable dayl. For anyone else who has been in a position like this, you’ll have your own experience and feelings about it and that’s valid. I certainly tend to always think that I’m in the wrong or an inconvenience (although, I’m not sure if that’s a Turner Syndrome thing or not), but there isn’t a right or wrong way to feel in this kind of situation.

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Personally, on the day of the diagnosis and since, everything that I’d previously thought and felt about my past and present self, life in general and any kind of hypothetical future, all changed and shifted and became even more uncertain. Not that I’d previously been someone who had the rest of their life planned out, I never thought any future happiness was guaranteed, but since the diagnosis, even when it’s not the main or only thing on my mind, I’ve still always felt different, conspicuous and extremely insecure. In all honesty, years before getting diagnosed, I did still have general feelings of inadequacy, but as a child, I was more carefree and distracted. School had its challenges but there was a lot that I enjoyed about it too. I had some brilliant teachers over the years and I always loved books, TV and films so it’s no surprise I ended up studying English and Film. I am a geek (though, aren’t we all about the things we love?) about humour, romance, happiness and character arcs.

More than five years on, my feelings have changed quite significantly as I’m more used to it and have met other lovely people with TS, but the feelings of insecurity, never measuring up and sensitivity are still around. I’ve always felt generally different from peers or other people in my life, but I sometimes even feel different to other girls and women with Turner Syndrome when I attend TSSS events (we are not all the same, after all). Especially in times like this when our face to face contact with others and groups is limited, I look more than ever to fictional characters to help me through and to find ways to think about personal growth and happiness, challenges, relationships and how people can change. After all, when you meet people in real life, you might know about some of their struggles, but it will take more time to feel you know everything about them or what makes them them, and the same happens in fiction.

This piece is a little bit of my non-fictional story (not the beginning, not the end) and maybe it will help you in some way as you go about your life at uni this year. I hope so.

SCIENCE + TECH Design by Louise James, Photography by Lottie Belrose

The Tangled Web of the Coronavirus Pandemic and Plastic Pollution

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SCIENCE + TECH Words by Niamh Gernot

Although COVID-19 lockdowns have led to a 5% drop in greenhouse gas emissions, according to United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) estimates, our streets, beaches and oceans are becoming increasingly littered by single-use plastics such as plastic face masks, gloves, hand sanitiser bottles and food packaging.

As UNCTAD’S director of international trade, Pamela CokeHamilton, says, the threat of plastic pollution before the pandemic was already a major global issue; however, the surge in daily use of single-use plastics during the pandemic is worsening this issue.

For example, Singapore’s 5.7 million residents shed an extra 1,470 tonnes of plastic waste from take-aways and food delivery alone during their 8-week lockdown, as stated by a survey in The Los Angeles Times. Based on historical data conducted by UNCTAD, about 75% of plastic used during this pandemic will end up as waste clogging our landfills and floating in our seas.

Although the threat of coronavirus is important to tackle, overcoming it doesn’t have to include backtracking in our pre-COVID attempts to limit the detriment of plastic pollution.

Ms Coke-Hamilton highlights that

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plastic production and consumption are a global system with many trade dimensions. Global trade policies have an opportunity to address plastic pollution. Currently, trade policies have not been used to the advantage of tackling plastic pollution as most countries are uncoordinated in their approach to it, limiting their capabilities as they’re operating alone.

“. . . about 75% of plastic used during this pandemic will end up as waste clogging our landfills and floating in our seas.”

Yet the 164 developing and developed economies that comprise the WTO have the capacity to write multilateral trade rules that could address the fundamental issues of the global plastics economy.

Meanwhile, governments and businesses should identify nonfossil fuel plastic substitutes as this would encourage greener trade and investment opportunities for developing countries as they are key suppliers of many plastic substitutes.

A study called “Breaking the Plastic Wave”, published in the peerreviewed journal Science, created the first of its kind modelling analysis of the global plastics system and found that if the world did everything in its power to cut plastic pollution, we would still only manage to remove 78% of it by 2040, compared with a business-as-usual approach. That still leaves 710 million metric tonnes of pollution to eliminate. Based on the meagre commitments of current governments and industry, we’re predicted to reduce the annual volume of plastic pollution by only 7% by 2040.

Despite this pessimistic figure, there are still many reasons to be hopeful. The eight solutions needed to eliminate this plastic issue by 78% in the next 20 years are founded on technology available today. Using these solutions could generate savings of $70 billion for governments by 2040, decrease projected annual plastic-related greenhouse gas emissions by 25% and generate 700,000 jobs. On top of this, the cost of more waste and recycling facilities would be balanced out by reduced plastic production and selling recycled material.

The key message from “Breaking the Plastic Wave” is that there’s no silver

SCIENCE + TECH

“. . .it can be used as a window of opportunity to change the current system and to rebuild things in ways more positive for our environment in the long-term. “

bullet to reduce plastic pollution.

It isn’t enough to focus on mass recycling; we must concentrate on every approach to tackle this issue.

These measures aren’t something any individual or any one government can achieve alone. Nevertheless, there’s still a lot that we as individuals can do to help. This can range from weaning yourself off of disposable plastics, putting pressure on manufacturers to reduce their packaging by writing letters, sending tweets, supporting more sustainable competitors, doing beach clean-ups, or joining sustainable grassroots groups in your area - the opportunities are endless.

If you are concerned about using reusable plastics, on the 22nd of June 2020, almost 120 scientists, academics and doctors published a statement stating that reusable containers are safe to use during the pandemic so long as they’re adequately cleaned. The Food Standards Agency confirmed it’s unlikely that you’ll catch coronavirus from food and its packaging, so there’s no need to purchase your food wrapped in plastic, whether it’s loose or pre-packaged, it must be washed before consumption anyway.

is, unsurprisingly, spread from the producers of this plastic. The global need to reduce the use of fossil fuels is causing some of the largest oil companies (such as Shell, BP, Saudi Aramco, and Exxon) to invest billions into plastic production to secure their future. Research by Greenpeace US found links between the people spreading misleading articles on plastics and plastic manufacturers and oil companies. The global production and burning of plastic are some of the issues fuelling climate change. In any case, public health is of utmost importance, so it’s vital to make decisions based on the recommendations of medical professionals and not on the lobbyists for fossil fuel and plastic industries.

The coronavirus pandemic has certainly disrupted efforts of curbing plastic pollution. However, instead of it being a devastation to our efforts of limiting plastic pollution, it can be used as a window of opportunity to change the current system and to rebuild things in ways more positive for our environment in the long-term.

The misinformation that we must use single-use plastics to protect ourselves from the virus

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SCIENCE + TECH Design by Bethany Downs

The Internet in the age of COVID. Whether you’re binging the entirety of The Office (US) on Netflix, watching your favourite streamer or grinding an MMORPG, the Internet has always been a prime destination for most of our entertainment. So, it is no wonder that Internet usage has skyrocketed since the beginning of lockdown.

Where else can you go for entertainment at a time like this? Or rather much more importantly, how else can we continue upholding our responsibilities and communicate with loved ones when leaving the house is impossible?

The Internet, of course! This gigantic network has already been a huge factor in our lives even before the pandemic, and now it has become an even bigger part of it. But, it’s not only our lives that have been affected by this pandemic. The Internet itself has adapted and evolved as it does to fit this new reality of ours. Some changes were for the better, some for the worse.

The sudden shift to working from home has been a significant event in the past year. Suddenly meeting a friend for coffee had to be replaced by a video chat and a day at school turned into a day at home watching a zoom call. For better or for worse, this has changed everything. This sudden change to a completely

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different method of working has had a large effect on both the digital and physical landscape. To meet this new demand, many have started using web conferencing. One app, in particular, has notoriously risen in popularity, regardless of the numerous security issues it has had. Zoom’s lack of end-to-end encryption and frequent trolling using leaked room codes (labelled “Zoom-bombing”) had plagued it during those early days.

It’s not only our lives that have been affected by this pandemic.

These issues had the fortunate effect of having Zoom focus more on privacy and security, as stated in their official 90-day CEO report, which as of now is complete and has included many security updates. This refocusing is a prime example of a positive trend among consumers and companies implementing and demanding better privacy in communication on the Internet in recent years, something that has undoubtedly peaked during the pandemic when more people depend on this technology.

SCIENCE + TECH Words by Sameer Al Harbi

Supply shortages were another issue that had a sizeable impact on the Internet. Lack of many essential supplies and even office equipment since March has severely hindered their accessibility. Even worse, the practice of scalping skyrocketed the prices of items still available.

Thankfully supplies are, as of the time of writing, back in stock and many companies have started to manufacture more masks and other essential supplies which they otherwise wouldn’t have made.

A bit later in March, YouTube announced that all users would be defaulted to (Standard Definition) 480p video for a month instead of the previous (High Definition) 720p in an attempt to lower the pressure on YouTube servers. If you were on the site around that time, you might have noticed that creators who mentioned COVID-19 were demonetized, so they had to avoid saying its name at any cost. This was all the result of Youtube’s updated automated moderation gone rouge.

This had a pronounced effect of completely stopping any discussion about the virus, both helpful and some less so, in its tracks. Although, recently, YouTube has found a better balance, allowing creators to speak about COVID-19 without getting automatically demonetized.

We cannot forget to mention new technology made directly to combat COVID-19. Apple and Google have come together during this pandemic to create contact tracing software for health authorities to create apps that allow them to inform members of the population if they have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. This is an interesting and hopeful use of the mountain of data that can be collected through our phones, but one that leaves many uneasy about placing location data in the hands of these companies. Thankfully, this is opt-in for both iOS and Android users and requires the user to take multiple actions to get this service working. Still, this has raised much discussion on how such a technology, and whether it should, be implemented and by whom. Is our privacy more important than the safety of others? Should we even have to make that choice?

No matter which way you cut it, this year has been a rollercoaster not only for the Internet but for us all.

Greater scrutiny over misinformation caused by conspiracy theories running wild on social media, new technologies to combat COVID-19, and greater activism have all arisen among this pandemic. What happens next is entirely in our hands.

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SCIENCE + TECH Design by Robyn Black

The Human Body Clock

How it works and how shift workers cope Have you ever wondered why you feel drowsy at the end of a day and most alert in the afternoon? The answer lies in the human circadian rhythm, colloquially called the body clock.

Circadian rhythms have been found in a staggering diversity of organisms, ranging from cyanobacteria to mammals. They are a subcategory of biological rhythms and involve continual changes within the body such as levels of certain hormones, core body temperature, or blood pressure around an approximately 24-hour cycle.

The rhythm is achieved via specific regulatory processes.

Such processes are subject to synchronisation by cues from the external environment, such as daily light-dark cycles. The rhythm of any variable is often made up of several phases.

The raising and lowering of plant leaves respectively during day and night is a well-known example. In the 1700s, French chronobiologist De Mairan found that plants still exhibited this behaviour when kept in continuous darkness – the rhythm kept “running” freely in the absence of environmental change. This provided evidence that the biological timekeeping mechanism for circadian rhythms must be internal. Further evidence is that they form a cycle over a period of time close to but not exactly 24 hours. The

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slight deviation, unique to each species, allows the time period to be adjusted to an exact day by certain stimuli, primarily light timing and intensity, by a phase shift. Overall, this adjustment aids the rhythm in being more precise on a daily basis.

Although individual cells follow circadian rhythms via biomolecular clocks, a whole organism’s circadian rhythm is usually centrally coordinated in specialised cells in certain brain regions. In mammals, this master pacemaker consists of two clusters of nerve cells called the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN), which is located in the anterior hypothalamus.

In humans, signalling from the SCN actively opposes the need for sleep during the biological day, keeping us wakeful. The initiation of the biological night substantially increases the secretion of the hormone melatonin from the pineal gland. Melatonin binds to two different receptors in the SCN. This initiates a signalling pathway in which the photosensitive, self-regulating clock genes are expressed. The proteins expressed from these genes set off nervous and neurochemical signals. These signals affect the relevant tissues which mediate the physiological and behavioural changes associated with the transition to sleep. Such changes include the redistribution of blood to the surface of the skin. The resulting increased heat

SCIENCE + TECH Words by Emre Berk

loss leads to a slightly lower core body temperature, and along with increased cortisol levels, leads to the feeling of drowsiness and increased need for sleep. Events with opposite effects take place in a parallel sequence during the increase in wakefulness. The transition between the biological day and night either way is aligned with the dawn and dusk.

Humans are among the few animals with the ability to consciously override their sleep-wake circadian rhythm.

The obligations of some modern occupations and 24/7 services illustrate the tremendous incidence of compulsory night shift work. Night shifts result in the misalignment of the internal circadian rhythm with the external environment, which may lead to shift work disorder. Management aims to speed up realignment and to alleviate the sleep-related symptoms.

Shift work disorder is characterised by the co-occurrence of its two major symptoms: insomnia and hypersomnia.

Diagnosis is primarily based on sleep-wake hours history.

It is worth noting that the estimated proportion of shift workers in industrialised countries with the disorder is between merely 5% and 10%. Various factors may give rise to poor adaptation to shift work. Age, gender and the nature of the work clearly matter, but there are less considered ones, such as stress, demands on a person’s time between shifts and the person’s chronotype - a

seemingly genetic preference for being awake at a particular time of the day. In the long run, night shift work becomes a risk factor for several adverse health outcomes, including high blood pressure, impaired cognitive function and even cancer. Adhering to regular sleep-wake times (including on off days if possible) and a cool, dark and quiet room for sleep are crucial lifestyle changes. A preferably uninterrupted main sleep period during daytime and scheduled napping to complement this are also essential.

Caffeine may be consumed at work with the amount depending on individual tolerance, but consumption should be avoided in the four hours before daytime sleep. All potentially helpful sleep aid medications are prescriptiononly in the UK. Lastly, intermittent exposure to bright light in the shift’s first half by a light box and the avoidance of bright light in the post-shift morning by wearing sunglasses can help shift workers manage.

Although studies in the last three decades have uncovered a great deal of knowledge about human circadian rhythms, the subject remains an area of active research. Common questions include the nature of the biomolecular clocks and the causality of the relationship between night shift work and the adverse health outcomes.

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SOCIETIES Design by Louise James, Words by Duntea

DUNTEA DunTea is a place to chill out in a relaxed and friendly environment with friends or to make new ones over a nice cup of tea (and the occasional sweet treat too). Oh, and we are not an ordinary tea society, we are a cool tea society! You will not find any boring old builders tea here (unless you ask nicely). We provide a wide range of new and interesting flavours for you to try at our fortnightly events as well as old favourites.

Our events revolve around themes with teas to match! From Coorie to Christmas and everything inbetween, DunTea has an event for everyone. We pride ourselves on our events being a place for students to leave the worries of Uni life behind and de(tea)stress for a couple of hours and we hope that whoever you are, when you come along, that you feel very much a part of our tea-pun-loving DunTea family.

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DunTea has some very exciting plans for the upcoming academic year that we are hoping to get the go-ahead.

We would love for our annual Halloween spook-tea-cular to make a return where we encourage everyone to dress up for our costume contest to win some TEArrific prizes.

It is important now more than ever to keep up morale, and keep stress down, so expect to see our Tea-Stress event also make a much-needed return. You may also see some of our other events make a return including our much-loved breakfast at TEAffany’s event with all the breakfast teas that your tea loving hearts could desire. We would also love to run more workshops (as our Matcha workshop last year went down a storm!). We have plans to bring brand new events to the society so stay tuned for a space related event for world space week! Whatever the format, we are very much looking forward to seeing all of our members, new and old, for the start of the new year!

SOCIETIES Design by Louise James, Words by DUMLC

DUNDEE UNIVERSITY LACROSSE CLUB Dundee University Lacrosse Club holds inclusion and enjoyment close to its heart, both on and off the pitch.

If you’re looking to try something different, our goldaccredited club welcomes many new players every year and has a reputation for its relaxed and friendly atmosphere. We can guarantee you will meet people who will make your university experience more enjoyable!

We train twice a week at Riverside with our coach, Sue, and club captains. Training sessions are catered to all skill levels, whether you are a complete beginner or a more experienced player. Currently, participation in the Lacrosse BUCS league is offered to our more competitive members.

For beginners, we organise friendly games against different Clubs to improve on their skills, so there is something for everyone!

Our club believes it is important to raise money, not only for our own club, but for people who need it the most. Our club regularly fundraises for Maggie’s Dundee which is an amazing centre that provides care and support to those living with a cancer diagnosis. We do this through regular bake sales or even a ‘staff vs students’ lacrosse match.

Most recently, during lockdown, we organised a fundraiser which we called the ‘Tay x10’, where we ran/walked/ cycled the length of the Tay ten times. We exceeded our expectations by travelling nearly twice this distance and managed to raise a huge £1,444 for Maggie’s Dundee, a great achievement for our Club!

Our Club always makes sure to have a packed social calendar to take our player’s minds off stressful university deadlines. These include: themed Wednesday nights out, Bring-A-Dish’s, Ceilidh Fundraisers and even a Tour! This year we travelled to Belfast for the weekend and managed to play a match against Queens University (which we won!), who we cannot thank enough for having us. We now have a great connection over in Northern Ireland and we aim to meet up with them annually to play a game and a go on a night out, which is an incentive to join our club.

Lockdown has meant staying inside for months on end and we cannot wait to get back to training. We have been careful to adhere to the government guidelines by implementing precautions including socially distanced training drills and cleaning shared equipment. Joining our club would be a great opportunity to get outside and meet new people.

If you would like more information about our club and how to get involved, check out our social media pages or send us an e-mail!

Instagram: @DundeeUniLacrosse Facebook: @DUMLC E-mail: @lacrosse@dundee.ac.uk

Additionally, we hosted a Burns Ceilidh with Dundee University Tennis Club in which money was raised towards Maggie’s Dundee as well! It was a great night and allowed our team to get to know other Club members, really bringing the university together.

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DESIGNERS CHOICE LUCY FORD @lucyvictoriart

During these uncertain times, please look to the Scottish Government website for up to date news.

www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/