Issue 96 - Oct/Nov 22

The Magdalen

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Another month has flown by! I'm so grateful for such an amazing response to our first issue of the Mag, and thanks for coming back to check out our second issue of the academic year!

The theme for this issue is power: focus, passion, drive. This was inspired by Black History Month as celebrated in the UK each October, and DUSA's Academic Skills Week also falling near our time of publication. Hopefully you'll notice some of these themes throughout the issue. Hope you enjoy!

Dani ✨

the Senior Team

Autumn is such an amazing time - the colours, the cosy jumpers, the crunchy leaves, the pumpkins! We are proud to bring to you our Autumn Issue. A huge thank you to our staff illustrator Chloe for setting that spooky, autumnal mood with their amazing cover illustration!

We are juggling a lot this year and it can be a challenge, but seeing our team flourish and bringing their works to readers makes it all worthwhile.

We hope you enjoy this issue!

- Phoebe & Livvie ❤

Table of

Feature

Blended Learning: The New Norm

Arts & Entertainment

What Makes a Good Remake?

The House of the Dragon

Gun: Blast from the Past

Creative Writing

Shock - Part 3

Old Witch is Dead

Steps Forward

Entry

Shadows

Current Affairs

On/Off Campus

Opinions

INDICT

Science & Technology

Out of Space:

the Verge

Blended Learning: The New Norm

Despite there being very few COVID-19 restrictions still in place across the country, and students being told “this semester we plan to have all lectures and seminars face-toface”, I, and several other students, have been informed that despite this information, we will still have pre-recorded lectures released online as an alternative to face-to-face lectures. The university’s hard line is the following: “Our priority is to maximise the health and wellbeing of students and staff”. So, considering the majority of the population is protected by COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, what is blended online learning currently doing for students?

Students have mixed opinions about blended learning, and considering each student has their own unique circumstances and experiences of such learning, this isn’t surprising. For example, last semester, maths students enjoyed in-person lectures and seminars, totalling three in-person classes a week, whilst humanities and social sciences students were given pre-recorded online materials, live online lectures, and one inperson tutorial a week, which was often cancelled due to strikes.

Since this online learning system is sticking around for some students this academic year – whether they like it or not – it is, in true university essay fashion, worth looking at some of the benefits and some of the disadvantages of blended learning. The following views, issues, pros and cons are based on input and interviews from Dundee and Abertay students and staff across varying schools.

One of the most popular aspects of online learning is its convenience, both for students and staff. It can be so convenient, in fact, that students and staff don’t even have to be in the same city as their university when learning entirely online. Even those following the blended learning style, in particular first and second year students, may expect to have as few as one or two classes per week. Meaning

students are more easily able to live away from their university town or city and commute as little as once a week. Many students are able to live at home with their parents even if their university belongs in another location, therefore saving money as a consequence.

As well as the convenience of being able to attend online classes from almost anywhere, the inclusion of pre-recorded material – a concept familiar to many current students – means students can also ‘attend’ classes whenever they choose to do so. With online teaching comes much convenience for staff too, with them being able to record content according to their own schedule and personal life, often resulting in two-part lectures which can be recorded one after the other and then be released subsequently across several weeks. Staff have also mentioned the convenience of not having as strict a time limit on prerecorded content, since they avoid the risk of being kicked out of a room when their timeslot is up, which may have left them unable to conclude or include important content.

The convenience of online and blended learning can be considered a huge advantage to universities. Yet, it could also be said that this convenience does not always contribute to student wellbeing, and can even damage it. What can be convenient for some, such as not having to physically be in the classroom to attend class, can be isolating for others. Having so few hours in the week for in-person contact with staff and classmates has left some students feeling lonely, whilst struggling to meet people and make friends and to form relationships with staff, as well as in general leaving many students with a distinct lack of belonging at university. Loneliness is a serious issue among students, and those suffering from it may be at risk of developing other mental health conditions, such as depression. For some students, going to class can be their only motivation to leave the house and interact with other people – especially for those who are already struggling socially. Following the COVID-19 lockdown, many

treatment waiting lists are longer than ever. It could be argued that in order to safeguard student’s wellbeing, blended learning should become a thing of the past, now that there are heavily reduced COVID-19 restrictions in place across the country.

Considering the health and wellbeing of disabled students and staff, and those suffering from short- or long-term illness, should of course be one of the university’s main priorities. An arguably positive side effect which emerged as a result of lockdown is that it has shown companies and schools that working and learning remotely should be a viable option for disabled people even after lockdown has ceased. For students at university it became easier to request an entirely online timetable in circumstances where in-person attendance to classes was not possible for various reasons. However, students have been told that this is only allowed in strict circumstances and shouldn’t be considered a general alternative to current blended learning. That is to say, students are given minimal in-person classes, but attendance is not negotiable unless you have a very good reason.

Similarly, members of staff who are forced to take time off due to a disability or illness are able to prepare, record and release material from home, as a consequence of the COVID-19 lockdowns. Whilst this wider accessibility to

blended and online learning is a much-needed benefit for many, it is debatable whether this is a key priority for the universities – considering this kind of accessibility was not available prior to lockdown, and even when feasible, was denied.

This brings into question whether an online education measures up to an in-person one. The answer can be assumed to vary widely when things like study hours, access to content, access to an in-person library, things like the software used to deliver and organise online content, and even the area of study must be taken into consideration. Previously, consensus would have been that an in-person education was superior – which is why the majority of university students in Scotland choose to go to an in-person university rather than an online one, and could be seen as a reason why universities did not offer any online or blended learning in their full-time undergraduate courses previously.

Although, lockdown has vastly changed the perception of online education, it remains a challenging issue in that students who took, and continue to take part in, fully online or blended learning will still graduate with full undergraduate degrees without facing any academic consequences as a result of classes having to go online. On the one hand, they haven’t received the same education they would have had there been no lockdown,

but on the other, this is due to forces completely outside their control and many students worked just as hard from home as they would have from campus.

For students who do not get their tuition fees paid by SAAS such as myself, it seems rather unfair that we are still paying the full amount of tuition despite the new online and blended style of teaching. For the university, the costs of being online are significant, as staff still need to be paid for working online, and buildings and their upkeep still costs even if they are sitting empty - although much less electricity and heating will be being used. On top of that, the university has to pay licensing to the online programs it uses to run online classes. Unfortunately, many students feel like they are getting an education which is not as comprehensive or equal as what they are paying for. Online classes, however, can allow students to make-up cash in other ways, as they can live at home and having fewer in-person classes means less commuting, therefore allowing students to work alongside their studies, if they choose to do so. Currently, no change has been made to the fees paid by those not covered by SAAS, but there has been talk of students in England taking legal action against universities for financial compensation after paying tuition fees they believed were unfair. Tuition fees are set to rise across the UK, as a result of inflation and the cost of living crisis that is gripping the nation. The University

of Dundee is attempting to increase its income of international students, who pay much more in tuition fees than Scottish or UK students. This perhaps suggests why blended learning is still being seen as a preferred method of teaching, because it totals out as a cheaper (perhaps even a more profitable) operation for universities. However, other people insist that there isn’t actually much of a financial difference in the way a university operates.

There is one major problem with online or blended learning which is perhaps the reason it hasn’t existed in widespread university education until now. The simple fact is that in-person classes are more engaging – humans like to interact with other humans. They like to see familiar faces, they like to read facial expressions, hear the subtle differences in tone of voice and watch body language as someone talks about something they are passionate about. They like to form relationships, grow, establish rapport, and making eye contact. Most people find this much more rewarding than listening to a compressed voice and a small-screen representation of their colleagues talking to a camera. These are all things convenience can never replace.

Thank you to all the students and the staff who answered my questions and provided their schedules for the purpose of this article.

The word ‘remake’ has become somewhat of a dirty word in the film world. The concept of a remake inherently suggests a certain creative bankruptcy, when an already existing story is re-made and re-released. One might reasonably assume that such films exist to capitalise on the cinemagoers’ nostalgia for pre-existing intellectual properties, with studios relying on brand recognition for a predictable box office return to appease shareholders. However, look a little deeper and you’ll find that the different types of remakes are as myriad as the reasons for which they are made. So, in this piece we’re going to take a quick look at a few different cases, comparing the originals with the remakes, and trying to understand what sets them apart.

Solaris (1972) v Solaris (2002)

Andrei Tarkovsky’s cerebral Sci-Fi film Solaris is a highly perplexing film that asks a lot of grand philosophical questions, and tackles themes such as identity, memory and the nature of existence. It does so at a frankly glacial pace with quite minimal dialogue for a large portion of the film’s runtime. By contrast, Steven Soderbergh’s Solaris handles mostly the same issues but does so at a considerably faster pace (though the film is still slow paced in comparison to other films of its type). Furthermore, there is more emphasis on spectacle and the drama comes from more abrasive relationships between characters, rather than the philosophical and ideological debates presented in the original. In this case, the difference between the films is that they deal with the same problems and thus engage the viewer’s attention, but they get their respective viewers thinking about those questions in quite different ways. Tarkovsky’s film was, of course, ground-breaking, but I do appreciate the 2002 version for its confidence in its different interpretation of the story and its audio-visual grandeur.

The Thing From Another World (1951) v The Thing (1982)

The difference between these two films is one defined by the changes in the cinematic landscape between their respective years of release. Christian Nyby’s The Thing From Another World is an incredibly goofy 1950s sci-fi horror flick that you would be forgiven for mistaking for an old episode of Doctor Who. The titular ‘Thing’ is a man in a costume resembling Frankenstein’s monster, sluggishly lumbering around and loudly groaning, pursuing a group of scientists in an isolated Arctic research outpost. While it looks pretty laughable now, it does have a certain antiquated charm, marking a bygone era of horror cinema, when the horror came not from the inherent scariness of the monster, but rather from the fact that there was a monster at all.

John Carpenter’s version of the film elicits horror from the paranoia of the situation in which the characters find themselves in. This is helped by the decision to change the

creature from a conventional alien to an eldritch shapeshifting monster, capable of imitating other organisms, including humans. The viewer is placed in the shoes of the characters and is left constantly guessing whom the Thing could have infected. This is masterful horror, as it at once makes the characters relatable and easy to root for (they are just as in the dark as you are), and elevates the tension of the film, something that horror lives or dies on.

The Lion King (1994) v The Lion King (2019)

Finally, we have an example of, in my opinion, the worst kind of remake. I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you that The Lion King is a classic. Of course, the plot of the film is nothing hugely revolutionary, essentially boiling down to Hamlet with lions, but the animation and art style undeniably contributed a great deal to the film’s sticking power. The charm of those old Disney movies is largely achieved through the character designs – the way in which the animators are able to take something not immediately relatable, i.e., a lion, and make it much more sympathetic through its appearance. This effect is compounded further by the performances of the voice actors.

Conversely, the 2019 version of The Lion King is a beat-for-beat retelling of the exact same story, but instead with a kind of quasi-liveaction/realistic animation art style which utterly torpedoes any visual charm the film may have had and drops it squarely in the uncanny valley. Aside from the utterly bizarre decision to tell the story in this way, the lack of change in any other department indicates that this is a remake that exists not for any true alternative artistic vision. Rather, this is a remake that was made to shamelessly rehash an already popular property in order to capitalise on the collective fond memory of it. Remakes have become a more criticised concept because of such instances, and hopefully in the years to come a more daring and imaginative approach will be taken to remake of classic films.

Review: House of the Dragon

The House of the Dragon brings us back into the land of Westeros after three years away and immediately reminds us of what we have been missing after the original show, Game of Thrones, ended. It shows us that despite being set 200 years before its predecessor, death, betrayal and battles both on and off the literal battlefield are as prominent as ever. After the original show ended on a note which was famous for its controversial reception by fans, the pressure was high to create a prequel that will manage to capture the parts of the show that were adored by many while offering fans something new.

This new story is focused on the Targaryen family and their high-budget fantastical dragons, with only nods to other houses and whispers of players to come in the far future of the ever-happening battle for the iron throne. The House of the Dragon is adapted from parts of George R. R. Martin’s 2018 novel Fire and Blood, depicting a chapter in the long bloody history of Westeros. We see the house Targaryen scheme and plot both with and against each other, creating the perfect storm for a dynasty on the edge of collapse.

The TV series is opened with King Viserys I (Paddy Considine) ruling on the ever-unstable Iron Throne, lacking a suitable heir, having only a teenage daughter. Immediately, we are immersed into the kind of plot which made Game of Thrones such a richly layered fantasy; the endless council meetings, a looming threat of war, alliances simultaneously made and broken, the insatiable quest for power, and this time featuring several fearsome dragons as well.

The thread that ties all the first episodes together is the problem of power and succession. Each character is wrapped in the conflict and in all betrayals of power, but none more so than the Targaryen Princess. Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock/Emma D’Arcy) is faced with the struggles of being a woman in such a violent patriarchal world and this is something seen at the core of her character. She may hold power in name and title, but this means little in a world where women are time and time again defined by the men around them. The lack of active power women hold is clearly underscored through the nickname of Rhaenys Targaryen – ‘The Queen who Never was’ – whose legitimate

accension to the Iron Throne is taken instead by her male cousin. Female power in the House of the Dragon is undeniably present, especially in comparison to its original counterpart where we saw women such as the Targaryen descendant Daenerys reduced to little more than a sexual object in her introduction. Rhaenyra being shown as a courageous and independent dragon rider who is more than ready to find her own path, and welcome the power that may come with it, is a refreshing take for the show and hopefully indicates more to come in future instalments of Westeros history.

One of the other main Targaryen players, who has a magnetic screen presence in the show, is Matt Smith’s Daemon Targaryen. Providing us with a villain we all love to hate, the younger brother of the king steals scenes and incapsulates how power means more than anything else in this world. The villains who refuse to play by the rules, instead using everything to get ahead, are some of the crowning jewels in the Game of Thrones universe, which thankfully House of the Dragon provides us with.

Daemon is desperate for power which when combined with the simple fact of being an inherently bad man results in a character that all viewers can gleefully resent.

The show boasts luxurious costumes and magnificent scenery which was of course expected but the addition of the dragons swooping with an undeniably grand presence is spectacular. This equation results in a feast for all high fantasy fans alike with the series’ rich and addictive storytelling. The first few episodes immediately draw us back into what initially made Game of Thrones so great in its early seasons; the increasing tension, the electric characters, and the captivating world-building. More narratively driven than the original show, the conversations between each character only help add to a pot that will inevitably boil over, every whispered betrayal or fiery exchange only turning up the heat. Whether the show will then lack action in comparison to the original is still yet to be seen but if it does, then it more than makes up for it in its cinematic and grand telling of the Targaryens’ story.

With the recent release of the sequel to Top Gun (1986), Top Gun: Maverick (2022), I decided to revisit the iconic 80s film. The original Top Gun follows Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise), a pilot who has made it into The Top Gun Naval Fighter Weapons School, a program that trains elite pilots in the navy for air-to-air combat. Maverick is the definition of unpredictable. He is a seemingly fearless, talented and impulsive pilot who is also a heartthrob that steals the affection of Charlotte “Charlie” Blackwood (Kelly McGillis), a civilian specialist he meets at the Navy bar.

During my rewatch I noticed issues that I hadn’t picked up on when I was younger. One of them is the presence of what is coined the ‘male gaze’. The term ‘male gaze’ was introduced by the film theorist Laura Mulvey in 1973. In her essay Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema (1975), she stated that “gender power asymmetry is a controlling force in cinema and constructed for the pleasure of the male viewer, which is deeply rooted in patriarchal ideologies”. She also stated that cinema is tailored to a male audience, resulting in imbalance of representation between genders on screen.

Filmmakers, whether knowingly or not, are catering to men’s needs and desires over women’s. This can mean that male characters are more likely to have active roles in the story whereas female characters often receive more passive roles or are demoted to an object ‘to-be-looked-at’. Mulvey links this issue back to old-fashioned views of gender roles. One scene in particular caught my attention and showcases one of the most obvious examples of the ‘male gaze’ in the film. This scene is Charlie’s official introduction to the new recruits. The scene begins with Jester (Michael Ironside), an instructor at the Top Gun school, introducing Charlie who is one of their civilian specialists as “one of the most qualified is our TAGREP, call sign Charlie. She has a PhD in astrophysics, and she is also a civilian contractor”. As he speaks, Charlie begins to walk down an aisle between the cadets. We hear her heels against the ground over a close-up of Jester looking at Charlie offscreen, his eyes flickering from looking down at her legs and back up to her face, implying that he is ‘checking her out’. The cadets all do the same, looking from her legs and finally to her face. The camera also joins in on this gaze; beginning with a shot of her

legs and eventually capturing her face. This results in the immediate objectification of Charlie. The camera’s gaze not only gives the audience permission to sexualise her but also facilitates their objectification of Charlie. The scene may have been shot like this to increase the shock value that the civilian specialist is coincidentally a woman Maverick met at the bar, but it determines how Charlie is viewed for the rest of the film. Her role as a specialist is overshadowed and undermined by Maverick and his desires which reduce her to eye-candy, reminding the audience that she is only the love interest and will be used to highlight how Maverick develops as a person throughout the film.

Interestingly, when their commanding officer, Mike “Viper” Medcaff (Tom Skerritt), is introduced by Jester, describing his achievements and qualifications, there are no shots of Viper’s legs, no shots of the cadets looking him up and down. Instead, we see them straighten their postures as they know he is someone to be respected. Given that Viper is their commanding officer, they may have more respect due to his rank. However, both Charlie and Viper are one of the most

qualified in their respective field yet one scene depicts someone who commands respect and the other portrays an object for Maverick to play with. It’s so obvious that it’s almost ironic. It has been shown that female leaders are far more likely to be objectified by other characters and the camera than male leaders. So, even if the roles were reversed, it is likely her introduction would have remained almost identical to the one she was given regardless of her rank.

Although the male gaze in Top Gun is more obvious to me now, I still enjoyed the pure escapism of the film. The soundtrack, the dramatic fight scenes in aeroplanes, the camaraderie of the cadets in face of crises make you feel like you are a kid again, watching in awe. The objectification of women on screen was the norm in Hollywood and is still seen in films today, so this is by no means a criticism of Top Gun alone but of the representation of women in action films at large. Despite this, the film is still fun and offers a great escape from everyday life.

Goodnesss gracious, great balls of fire!

Part 3

‘Any word on the situation at City Hall?’ asked a short, plump, pale man. He stood in front of a huge window that overlooked the entire city, split between the night sky and the endless specks of lights that glinted – each one another window in a series of endless skyscrapers. A woman had just entered the room, but the short man did not turn around. He kept his eyes on the specks of light, perhaps hoping to see directly into the Mayor’s City Hall office.

‘The cops brought in some expert called the Professor, sir. Cops are easy to fool, but, from what my guys on the inside tell me, this one is different.’ She paused for a moment and added, with a more anxious tone, ‘We can’t risk anyone tracing the Mayor’s death back to us, sir.’

The man did not turn around. She could not see his face, but if she could, she would notice no change in his cool composition. ‘I am well aware of how delicate this operation is.’ He started slowly. ‘We can deal with this professor character. How many droids do we have on hand?’

‘Two, sir.’

‘Can you get your cop friends out quickly and discreetly?’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘Very good. Get them out and then order the droids in. It is about time we gave them a live target anyway.’

‘Right away, sir.’

The Professor slid toward the droid and kicked its hand. As this happened, a white flash flew from it and burned a hole into the side of the tent. Before Dave could move, she had jumped on the droid’s back and it was swerving side to side frantically.

‘Grab the Comms-Device!’

Dave snatched up the Comms-Device and, following the Professor’s lead, ran from the tent at breakneck speed. Before the droid had time to recover and get after them, they were out of the Mayor’s office. The Professor turned to the right, beckoning Dave to come with her.

‘No,’ said Dave, ‘This way! I’ve got a car!’

The Professor’s face lit up with that same excitement he had seen earlier.

‘Fantastic! Let’s go!’

They were both running down the corridors that Dave and the superintendent had walked through on Dave’s arrival. He could hear the pounding footsteps of the droid behind him but did not dare to slow down to turn around and look. After half a minute or so they tore out into the 152nd floor parking bay.

‘Over here!’ he cried as he pointed to his police car. He pressed his hand on the fingerprint lock and they pressed themselves in. He wasted no time in pressing the ignition and swung out of his parking spot and sped towards the exit point.

Just as they were about to reach the exit and escape into the vast city night, they felt a heaving weight coming from the rear of the car. Not one but two droids were lying flat on the rear bonnet and climbing up towards the back window.

End of Part 3.

To be continued in Part 4.

The Old Witch Is Dead

funny, that. you burned her thrice but you forget she had to rise twice for that. yet you still tell them she is dead. you and your make-believe. did you think that you could keep her locked inside a fairy-tale? that you could take her words and hang her by her twisted tongue? think again. you were wrong. who told you, you could burn her kind? she’s built a pyre of her own this time. these blood red leaves are flames licking at her feet. here’s why the wicked witch lives in the woods:

I was never there to hide.

I like to go where things that die come back to life. the old witch is dead you tried. I’ll give you that. but here she stands billowing red hair and smooth skinned hands with magic crackling at her fingertips the sorceress magician witch.

I’ve come to curse you with my thrice burned tongue. you should have been more careful with your wish, since all comes back to life. your curse is that the old witch is dead.

3 STEPS FORWARD

We, cogs of the machine, Grind our jaws, Each tooth a cobblestone

With no silver caps, here

All that glisters is granite

And, granted, it gets us where we need to go

After all they don’t build roads with gold, do they?

It would be too soft for the hard soles of our feet

Instead we tread on our debris, the shed skin of this city Gathered in plastic snowdrifts as Cessation; the mother of change Looks us in the eye

And asks how shall we walk

If not over the mess we made? We, echoes of Eiocha, Built lace collars of stone

To catch the sun before it touched the ground And now wonder why the earth is cold. We, cogs of the machine, Makers of our own demise

Must remember what hands like ours can do And gather, Like ash that compresses to diamond, To break what we have built.

One can climb a mountain, But the many can move it.

11586

It’s dark inside the tunnel. Fitfully, weak sun spears though structural joints. Without those, the shadows are smothering. And the climb is sheer.

Flat ground is a distant memory, the end of this plight surely nears. Few have made it this far; many gave up, died from exhaustion, were murdered. I’ve found corpses still clinging. Felt the rush of air as a body drops down. Those who remain, we have a heightened sense of each other; in sounds and vibrations, the laboured movements of climbing. I try to keep away – there is always a chance someone has become desperate, incited by fear and hunger. Around me echoes the travels of big brutes. I have heard stories of those who made it to the land beyond, even lucky souls raised there, strengthened by their blessed time. Cast down to us, now they climb with a vigour gifted through knowledge. I fear that more than their size.

A wisp of fresh air swirls from above. It is cold and carries a taste of damp. I pray it a sign of this great climb ending, but my dread is proved correct. Trickles of water skate down the tunnel, weakening my hold. A flood of purging is upon us. The rivulets grow, rushing. Spray is flung down the gaping drop. I cannot tell how many of my unknown companions loose themselves, deafened by the roiling water. It intensifies. My limbs numb, forced upon breaking point. I cannot climb against it, only cling. Then, without realisation, I am falling. The churning deluge forces me down, pinning my body to the sides of the tunnel. Blind and drowning, I weep for the efforts I have exerted, undone in a moment.

They say the land beyond is bathed in golden glow. When the night reigns below, there light remains, bringing with it food, no matter the season. There are great plains for hunting. The freezing times never come, nor the terrible days of heat. And the winds do not howl, nor rains fall. It is glorious.

I awake. The water washed me beyond the opening gates of the tunnel, a land desolated by floods. During my unconscious vulnerability, the deluge dispersed, and its remnants dried away. Two miracles – I did not drown, no one preyed upon me. Others were less fortunate. And more are limping away from the tunnel, their trial abandoned. I refuse that fate.

Fatigues work along my body. One leg is useless, the flood broke it. Still, I hold power, it drives me upward. Starved and wretched but single minded. The darkness falls in the light of my determined belief: I will make it to the land above.

Finally, I see golden light play upon white valleys.

Squish.

“Fine.”

“Ahhhhhh!”

“What’s going on? Are you hurt?”

“There’s a spider! In the bath.”

“You are so pathetic.”

“Yeah, yeah – kill it please.”

Diary Entry 96

Dear Diary,

It’s me. Again. Not that it could be anyone else, but I thought I should clarify… You know, just in case.

It’s day 96 of ‘the search’ and I still haven’t found it. I’m not even sure what ‘it’ is supposed to look like. I mean, how is one simply supposed to find solace or whatever so soon after…? Sometimes I can’t even find the will to get out of bed. Not that it matters, because according to my therapist I have to find it in order to get better. Get better from what, you ask? Don’t embarrass yourself. I know you know. I’ve been telling you about it since day 23. I don’t have to spell it out for you again, do I?

I’ve been doing ok mostly. I think I have any way. I’ve been working really hard on it, that’s for sure. Deep breaths, walks, you know - all that ‘mental health 101’ bullshit people keep telling me about. I guess they’re helping me in a weird placebo way. They make me feel a sense of accomplishment, like I’m doing what I’m supposed to, therefore I’m bound to feel better. Fake it ‘til you make it and all that stuff. I just wish they would work a bit faster. I would quite like to stop feeling like crap all the time and be able to breathe without feeling like I’m gonna die. I think it would make existing a whole lot easier. But it’s not all bad! You’ll be happy to

hear that I’ve been doing things I enjoy as well! I’ve been meeting up with a couple of friends and they have been really good at taking my mind off things, it helps a lot. I also read like 8 books this past month alone! They were ok.

That being said, I still feel… weird? That’s the best I can explain it. Journaling was supposed to help, and I do feel more in control of my life, so I guess it has. However, my therapist says I shouldn’t rush or pressure myself. That it’s ok for it to take time and that it’s to be expected. Losing someone is hard. That’s not to say that the pain will just magically disappear one day, but I will learn how to carry it better. With help and time of course. I just have to be patient if I wanna get better, and I really want to. So it might not seem like I’m doing much, but just being ok takes a lot of fucking work sometimes, so that’s good enough for me. Anyway, I’ll stop rambling and let you get back to your diary things. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.

Over and out, … you already know who it is

Candles

Candles sputter fighting to keep the flame alive Carbuncles of courage shimmer pockets of dragon breath, amber defiance against the darkness yet all it conceals is the burned body of string knowing when it’s all over and done it will simply wisp away

Waxen foundations melt their way downwards thoughts and threats pooling in a molten mess I see our world crumbling around us Blue flames blaring a siren song across continents Trees as old as time fading, unbraiding to the stumps, gnarled hands clinging desperately to blackened soil

Or they fade within curled palms of vigils throbbing silently, a thousand orange eyes rippling behind a veil of oxygen tears, trickling towards skin, burning with pain

Vanilla, cinnamon, honey, and fresh laundry sigh and coo their sickly scents through dusty air feathering windows clasped shut against an unbearing sun Or they glower behind pumpkin grins flickering on doorsteps riddled with sweet wrappers and toilet roll before they’re snuffed out and stolen scuffed trainers cracking carved smiles open pounding them to a pulp

Withered wicks peer their crooked heads over edges of glass jars, getting smaller, getting smaller, so small – the final whomph of oxygen bursting their last breath shorter than a heartbeat, a bottled Achilles throwing his heart in the hearth, all in the name of legend. Life is one short blaze, triumphant yet tragic, some would say wasted…

But we are born to be phoenixes in human skin rebirthing light from our hands, weaving new wicks, promising that this time, we won’t burn out

We’ll simply strike the match and start again.

the shadows

they are bodiless hands. dormant bones whisper as they emerge from darkness they puppet the light. golden beams shudder as bodies surrender to shadows they are the invisible who linger at the bottom of your stairs lunging at fleeting feet seeking the next glimpse of stolen light they are the monsters who blow at the back of your neck, talons strumming hairs down your spine persuading an ovation they are the creatures who live beneath you. waking you on the cusp of dreams when fingertips trace knots on floorboards who cringe at their touch

they haunt the corner of your eye, morphing shadows into beings who slip behind your door, where light does not dare venture we are the beings whose playground lies between your ears we dance through your dreams, your nightmares, tease your fear while rationality cowers under our shadow.

Words: Kate Heggie, Photography: Ada Ung, Design: Veronika Stifter

QuietQuitting

Energy Crisis. Price Inflation. COVID-19. War in Ukraine. Against the tide of rolling punches there has slowly started a movement against the current standard of living.

UK unemployment level is at its lowest in 50 years, with a low of 3.8% between April and June this year. Meaning that many workers are in work and are in good positions to ask for pay increases as they cannot be easily replaced. People are now becoming slowly more confident and assured in their rights to ask for better working hours, benefits and pay.

‘Quiet Quitting’ a signal for this shift is a movement away from corporate worship. Despite what the name suggests, Quiet Quitting doesn’t mean turning in a resignation letter. Instead, it’s a stealth retreat from the hustle culture that dominated the prepandemic era of working. Quiet Quitting is the

new moniker for doing the bare minimum of the job description.

Zaid Khan a software developer and TikToker launched this term into the forefront in his viral video where he explained very simply that “I realised no matter how much work I put in I’m not going to see the payoff that I’m expecting,” Quiet quitting is seen as a way to limit and protect ones mental and physical health in a toxic environment.

“Psychologically, it’s classic equity theory. If we put all that in, we want something back. Employers aren’t giving it back, so we’re going to take it,” says Cheryl Travers, Senior Lecturer in Organisational Behaviour and Human Resource at Loughborough University.

Travers points to the pandemic as a key catalyst for this mindset shift. “For years people have been putting so much effort into work and didn’t necessarily feel like they got a lot back. Over the pandemic a lot of people got to experience spending more time with their family or even just spend a bit more time in their garden and are now recalibrating what’s important to them.” It’s why Anthony Klotz, associate professor of management at UCL, coined the term “Great Resignation” in May 2021 to predict the mass exodus of American workers from their jobs. For those who can’t afford to leave their job, “quiet quitting” is the next best step.

In the UK quiet quitting has not been the only resource used by workers. In recent months the cost-of-living-crisis has acted as a trigger for the wide-spread grievances that have been building for years. The strikes that have occurred across the UK have been across many different sectors including teachers, sanitary workers, legal aid lawyers and engineers.

BecauseWorkNever L ovedYouAnyway

It is one of the most significant waves of industrial unrest the United Kingdom has seen since the “Winter of Discontent” in the late 1970s when rampant inflation pushed workers to stage mass walkouts. An approximate 7.9 million working days were lost between November 1978 and February 1979, according to the Office for National Statistics.

In Scotland negotiations waste workers and the Scottish Government came to an end with an amicable package that has increased the pay budget by £ 260 million in what is likely to be only the first waves of action in response to the cost-of-living crisis.

As it stands Scotland is set to bring in emergency laws to freeze rents and help tenants weather the worsening crisis. Nicola Sturgeon, the First Minister, announced the measure as she set out plans to deal with the “humanitarian emergency” caused by soaring energy bills. Rail fares on ScotRail cost freezes and the universal provision of free school meals will also be extended to all pupils in primary six and seven.

Ms Sturgeon has repeatedly called for a freeze on the energy price cap and wants an emergency summit of the four nations to be held on the “cost crisis”. Speaking at Holyrood as she unveiled her package of measures, Ms Sturgeon said: “The Scottish government does not have the power to stop your energy bills soaring, but we can and will take action to make sure that your rent does not rise.”

Ms Sturgeon said the purpose of the emergency law will be two-fold. “Firstly, it will aim to give people security about the roof over their head this winter through a moratorium on evictions,” she said. “Secondly, the legislation will include measures to deliver a rent freeze.”

Corporate panic over “quiet quitting” has prompted advice from consultant and HR specialists. An article in Harvard Business Review urged managers to ask themselves: “Is this a problem with my direct reports, or is this a problem with me and my leadership abilities?” There are warnings against this method citing current standards of living which are only going to worsen and the likelihood of mass lay-offs.

Overall, the cost-of-living crisis is a double edged sword, because, on one hand, it offers the opportunity to demand more from employers, whilst also being the time where employment is even more necessary in order to battle with energy prices that will only go up.

PropagandaandCensorship

TheKremlin’sGriponSpeech

he shared history between Russia and Ukraine plays a central role in the narratives around the recent outbreak of war. For the most part the media outlets across Russia are under state control. The government’s grip on information, which was already tight, has only become more extreme with the banning of social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter. Unlike in many democratic countries where there is little aggressive legislation surrounding free speech, similarly to China,

The widespread standpoint of reports for channels such as Rossiya 1, are rooted deeply in Russia’s past. The historical narratives re-hashed by the Kremlin’s propaganda tend to revolve around the idea that ‘Motherland’ Russia, has gifted areas of Ukraine throughout history, often shown by visual aid maps on Russian state TV, suggesting in some way Russia holds say or control. This occurs despite Ukraine having been a sovereign state since its independence in 1991. Although both countries share strong links throughout history and therefore there is accuracy within the narrative to a degree, the actual perversion and remoulding of this information is what is often weaponised by the state media. Putin described Ukraine in a recent speech as “An integral part of our history, culture and spiritual domain”. The Russian media sources then build upon this grounding narrative for explaining the invasion of Ukraine as a ‘special military operation’ in response to western allies and NATO. This propaganda suggests Russia is saving Ukrainian citizens, by ‘denazifying and demilitarising’ the country. By providing an altruistic depiction of the war, Putin, through media sources has been able to narrate the invasion in a way which Russian citizens can relate to the past and long held narratives about the west, Ukraine, and their heritage, rather than the reality of the actual invasion at hand.

Not only does the mainstream media hold a skewed narrative with propaganda, but it also prevents the presence of other viewpoints through severe censorship. TV rain, now called Dozhd a Russian independent TV channel, was able to re- launch from abroad in July after having to shut down and staff flee the country when censorship reached a new extreme. In March, Russia’s communication regulator ordered all media outlets including independent ones to only use official government sources. This included banning calling the invasion a ‘war’ in any capacity. This essentially signalled an even smaller gap available for free speech and discussion about the war. Many Independent news sources had to shut down as a result of this. Journalists can face up to 15 years imprisonment for going against this new regulation. Just recently, at the beginning of August, anti-war journalist Marina Ovsyannikova was sentenced to 10

years in prison and put under house arrest for storming a live news broadcast. She spoke out in protest against the war. As shown by this there is a real threat for any Russian Journalists opposing the state narrative. Similarly, historically any opposing narrative has been seen as a threat. Most famously the imprisonment of opposition leader Alexander Navaln, faced an alleged assassination attempt and is currently imprisoned for holding and encouraging an alternate viewpoint, as well as criticising the government and Putin himself.

Levels of support for Putin have been falling over the past months causing polarisation and exacerbating existing debates. Despite this there is still a substantial appetite for the state-controlled news channels and narrative from the Russian population. In a recent survey done it was found that 47% of respondents still supported the Russian armed military forces in Ukraine in June. It was also found in this survey that the main feeling evoked by the military action across all age groups was national pride, appearing highest in the 55 and over category. The support for the war from younger generations is much lower than with older generations. This can partially be linked into the historical references and generational impact using nostalgic prompts. However, it is also psychological as discussed by Noah Sneider on the Economist podcast,

“Watching propaganda, remaining in the world of official information, is a kind of a psychological defence mechanism” and so it is clear the overarching dominancy of one point of view could also lead to citizens personal perspectives perhaps buying into the narrative of defensive action taken by Russia.

“This propaganda suggests Russia is saving Ukrainian citizens by ‘de-nazifying and demilitarising’ the country”

Hasta La Vista Boris

Prime Minister Boris Johnson served through a crisis his skillset suggests him uniquely unqualified for. Loved and hated in equal measure, his resignation speech lived up to the reputation he’d spent years cultivating. “And I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world. But them’s the breaks.” Signing out with a quote from Terminator 2: Judgement Day, “Hasta la vista, baby”

This would be unusual for any other Prime Minister, but not Boris. Johnson rode to a huge majority on a wave of discontent with the media and the European Union, attaining the largest majority since 1997. Throughout his career his public statements ranged from crassly silly to hideously offensive.

At the dispatch box in 2019, questioned about the tone in his public statements, Johnson said: “the best way to honour Jo Cox’s [the Labour MP murdered over Brexit] memory is to get Brexit done.” Reportedly, in late-2020 he said “no more f**king lockdowns – let the bodies pile high in their thousands”

The point isn’t that no one in public office should say these things. It’s that someone elected to that office did and was cheered on along the way. In fact, he had a long history, in his personal and public statements, of making incendiary remarks.

Who was it for? Turns out, a large portion of the British public, who thoroughly enjoyed the toff in the ‘Get Brexit Done’ hi-vis vest. For all of the articles calling him an idiot unfit for office, Johnson’s political instincts were correct. He picked the winner in 2016 and was held to account for precisely 0 of his lies about it. Likewise, his failures as mayor of London, the many offensive things in his columns and books, and the generally calamitous way he handled covid.

Johnson’s approval rating was still touching the 40% mark in January 2020, when he suggested the public donate to fix Big Ben -his post-election victory lap- for Brexit day: “bung a bob for a Big Ben Bong” and it would climb to almost 60% by mid-2020. But the candle that burns twice as bright burns half as long.

Ultimately the Johnson premiership ended in scandal and faded with an ironic twist. A mere hours after Liz Truss took over as Prime Minister, the death of Queen Elizabeth II was announced. The new Prime Minister gave a speech that will ensure her place, and not Johnson’s, in history books, closing with ‘God Save the King’.

Though he’s now out of office, there’s no use in pretending, millions of Brits loved this bizarre ‘posho’ and his campy nationalism, and we must ask why… Don’t smile because it’s over, cry because it happened.

A Year Under the Taliban

August 2021 marked the end of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. The Taliban’s last major offensive, which ran from May till August of that year, resulted in the return of the militant Islamist insurgent group to power in the country. With the capture of the capital city of Kabul on the 15th of August 2021, the Taliban became the new de facto leaders of the country, and the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan was restored. By the end of that month, the U.S. Army had completed their withdrawal from the country, signalling the end of a twenty-year war. A war which had begun with the United-States led invasion of Afghanistan as part of the global War on Terror.

The Taliban’s seizure of power in the country took only slightly longer than a week. In a matter of days, two decades of fighting meant nothing. There were numerous factors to explain such a rapid advance, but one of the most prominent was undoubtedly the departure of the U.S. armed forces from the country. Furthermore, the previous Afghan government was rotten through with corruption. Positions in the government were essentially bought rather than applied for, and local governors did business with jihadist extremists. Corrupt senior officers in the military registered fake absentee soldiers and then pocketed their salaries. If the republic lacked the discipline and the organisation to stamp out corruption within itself, it is hardly surprising that they were ultimately just as helpless against an external threat.

Fast-forward to today, and the Taliban have been in power for over a year. Due to the group’s nature as an Islamic fundamentalist militant group, their ascension in Afghanistan has raised many pertinent questions in relation to issues such as political and ideological freedom, women’s rights and the pervasion of terror in the region. Under the republic some small steps were taken towards gender equality, with women occupying positions in the government, and being allowed to travel without a male escort. While the state of affairs was still highly inadequate, what little progress had been made was hard won and did represent gradual progress in the right direction. However, this was of course quickly reversed by the Taliban.

The Afghan Ministry of Women’s Affairs, a government ministry whose mission was to facilitate the progress of women’s rights in the Republic, was disbanded following the takeover. Many female workers were removed from their jobs and forcibly returned to their homes. Female judges went into hiding due to the threat of reprisals by men whom they had ruled against in cases of gender-based violence, now released by the Taliban. This tragic stripping of what little liberty Afghan women were afforded under the republic has been a shameful, yet sadly inevitable, result of the Taliban’s absolute control and cast-iron adherence to their interpretation of Islamic law.

Furthermore, the Taliban’s rule has been marred by evidence of the persecution of religious and ethnic minorities within the country. According to a recent report by Human Rights Watch, members of the Hazara ethnic minority in Afghanistan have been subjected to violent attacks, including suicide bombings, by ISKP: an affiliate group of ISIS within Afghanistan. These attacks have reportedly not been adequately responded to by the authorities, and the Taliban’s crackdown on independent media in the region has led to them being largely unreported. The Hazara community faced violent persecution under the Taliban’s previous government, and the report concludes that the Taliban’s refusal to comply with international humanitarian law is enabling the attacks.

Humanitarian conditions in Afghanistan have worsened drastically in the year since the takeover due to a number of factors. In response to the Taliban’s takeover, various economic sanctions were imposed against the country. Many foreign donors, which accounted for approximately 80% of the country’s budget, abruptly halted their support. Afghan financial assets that were in foreign countries such as the U.S. were frozen. This has left Afghanistan’s economy crippled, and less able to respond to natural disasters such as drought, earthquakes and repeated waves of COVID-19. Due to various governments’ sanctions against the Taliban, most international aid reaching the country has come through NGOs and organisations such as the United Nations. António Guterres, Secretary General of the UN, has called for international aid to resume to Afghanistan, but countries will remain hesitant to provide more direct help until the Taliban shape up in regards to human rights and freedoms. Indeed, as of the writing of this article, the current regime is yet to be recognised as legitimate by any other country.

With various crises mounting up and worsening each other, the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan is becoming increasingly grim. Until the Taliban take real steps to improve conditions in the country, and the international community is willing to provide concrete aid, it is hard to see how the circumstances will improve.

“It is hard to see how the circumstances will improve.”

Remembering the Life of HM Queen Elizabeth II

On Thursday 8th September 2022, HM Queen Elizabeth II passed away at Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire. This ended the reign of the longest serving monarch in British history, and one of the longest in world history. For many people, both in the United Kingdom and around the world, Queen Elizabeth II remained a stable figure as the world changed around us. Two days before her death, Tuesday 6th September 2022, Queen Elizabeth II appointed Liz Truss as the 15th Prime Minister at Balmoral Castle in a break from tradition due to her ongoing mobility issues. Boris Johnston also travelled to Scotland to offer his resignation to the Queen. The mourning of Queen Elizabeth II’s death is profound because only three months ago from 2nd to 5th June, the British people were given a bank holiday to celebrate 70 years of service.

Her journey to the throne was just as tumultuous as the world around her, born during the reign of her grandfather George V, she was not in the immediate line of succession. Her Uncle Edward VIII was to inherit the throne, but because of his desire

to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson, he abdicated less than a year into his reign, allowing her father to take the throne. In the summer of 1951, the health of King George VI entered into a serious decline, so Princess Elizabeth began representing him in official matters. After Christmas of that year, Princess Elizabeth and her husband Phillip set out for a tour of Australia and New Zealand. However, en route to Kenya, news reached the couple about the King’s death on 6th February 1952, so the tour was cancelled and the couple flew back to England. Then, after three months of full mourning, Queen Elizabeth II begun the routine duties of the Sovereign and carried out her first state opening of Parliament on 4th November 1952. Queen Elizabeth’s coronation was held the next year on 2nd June 1953 at Westminster Abbey, at the age of 26.

Queen Elizabeth II’s 70-year reign marked many firsts within the royal family. Beginning in November 1953, Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh made a six month round the world tour of the Commonwealth. This tour involved the first visit to Australia and

New Zealand by a reigning British monarch. Also, in 1961, Queen Elizabeth II made the first royal British tour of the Indian subcontinent in 50 years and Queen Elizabeth II was also the first reigning monarch to visit in South America in 1968 and the Gulf States in 1979. She also allowed the televising of the Royal Family’s domestic life in 1970.

The funeral proceedings took place over the course of one week. On Monday 12th September 2022, King Charles II and the Queen Consort appeared at Westminster Hall where members of the House of Commons and House of Lords met to express their condolences. The Queen’s coffin was also taken from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles Cathedral, in procession. During this procession, the King and Queen Consort, alongside other members of the royal family, followed on foot. Afterwards, the family attended a service of reflection for the life of the Queen. Additionally, in the evening, the King and Queen Consort attended the Scottish Parliament for a motion of condolence. On Wednesday 14th September 2022, the Queen’s coffin travelled from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall for the lying-in state. The King also led this procession to Westminster Hall travelling through London streets. Once the coffin arrived at Westminster Hall, the lying-in state begun for four days, ending on the morning of the funeral, Monday 19th

September. On this day, which was declared a bank holiday, the coffin was taken from the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Abbey while members of the royal family followed on foot.

Now the monarch of the United Kingdom is HM King Charles III and this is a new era for the British monarchy. King Charles III is a more political figure than his mother, having voiced opinions in public and in private on matters such as climate change. The King also faces the challenge of modernising the monarchy further into the 21st Century. This could be done by slimming down the royal family to a smaller institution, so fewer minor royals are supported by the British taxpayer, which is something the King has always desired. King Charles III also becomes head of state during a time when the UK is facing massive challenges including an energy shock that has created relentless hardship for many families and businesses. In addition, the United Kingdom is also struggling with the uncertainty of the nation’s place in the world during a period of global instability due to the UK’s decision to leave the European Union. The internal position of the United Kingdom also remains in question as the campaign for Scottish Independence attempts to gain another referendum. The future remains uncertain for both the British monarchy and British society.

DUSAsk

We're Candy, Lauren & Sylwia from DUSA's Advice Team! We're here to support you with university life (academic issues, housing, wellbeing, complaints, signposting, advocacy and much more. If you'd like to pop in and chat, you can find us at DUSA level 4 in the HIVE or email advice@dusa.co.uk. This month we're giving all of our best academic advice. Look out for our monthly advice page!

I was invited to a misconduct meeting, but I didn’t steal anyone’s work. Can you help me?

I’ve heard about a Mitigating Circumstances form, but I don’t know where to find it or how to fill it out.

Yes! We can help you. Firstly, we can put your mind at ease by letting you know that the fact that you’ve received this letter does not mean anyone thinks you have stolen someone’s work. However, there must be an issue with your assignment and the school would like to ask you some questions to find out what happened. Remember that “plagiarism” is a very broad term and covers a lot of issues from inadequate referencing to relying predominantly on one source. We can meet with you before your official meeting to discuss the process and your concerns. We will tell you about the possible outcomes and we will try to calm you down. If you are anxious, we are happy to join you during the misconduct meeting as well for emotional support. Finally, to avoid this type of a problem in the future, we might refer you to the Academic Skills Centre for more information on plagiarism.

If you contact advice@dusa.co.uk, we will be able to guide you through. We can provide you with a link to the form, help you organise your evidence and support you with your letter writing. If we believe it would be beneficial for you to get in touch with Student Services, we may talk to you about a referral.

How many times can I use your service? Will I have to pay for it?

We are a free and confidential service and you can contact us as many times as you need. We build relationships with the students who contact us regularly and we are always very happy to hear back from students, especially if they contact us to share good news!

What is an appeal letter?

I’ve written a letter asking for an extension, but I don’t know if it’s good.

An academic appeal is a request for a review of the decision of an academic body charged with making decisions on student progression, assessment and awards. Therefore, students who failed their assessment, who are concerned of their grades or whose studies have been discontinued, are allowed to write an appeal letter. The appeal must be based upon one or more of the following grounds: “extenuating circumstances affecting your performance and of which the examiners were unaware when their decision was taken; procedural irregularities (including administrative error) in the conduct of a written or oral examination or prejudice or bias on the part of one or more of the examiners”. If the appeal is not based on one or more of the above grounds, then the appeal cannot be considered. If you are unsure of the grounds of your appeal, contact DUSA advice@dusa.co.uk and we can talk about it more.

We are happy to read your letter and provide you with some feedback. We may give you advice on your grammar, suggest adding evidence to support your claim or develop some areas, that we believe, require improvement. However, we will not write or improve the letter for you.

Don’t panic! Read the letter carefully and follow the instructions. You will be provided with a deadline date to appeal and make sure your letter (and supporting evidence) is ready before the deadline. The letter may also suggest contacting DUSA so if you feel worried about your appeal letter, don’t hesitate and email us at advice@dusa.co.uk and we will support you with your appeal writing. Once you send your appeal, we will contact you to follow up and make sure you are ok.

I need to fill out a Mitigating Circumstances form, but I don’t have any letter from a doctor, will the school even consider my letter?

Don’t worry! While you are required to present evidence in your form, it does not need to be a letter from a doctor as not all issues are health related. If you are not sure about the type of evidence you could email us advice@dusa.co.uk. A member of the team will reply to you, and they may suggest a Teams meeting to discuss the nature of your problem and give you some suggestions on the possible evidence you could provide. The information you share with the team member is confidential, however if we are concerned for you, we may offer referral to Student Services.

HELP! I’ve received a letter from school that they are planning to terminate my studies! What should I do now?

Hi! We’re the Social Digital Society, a society with passion for people, places, technology, and design. Formed in collaboration with Product Design, Interior and Environmental Design and Digital Interaction Design students, we welcome all University of Dundee students to join us!

Throughout the year, we host numerous skill sharing events and exciting socials such as design sprints, pub nights at Kilted Kangaroo, and our famous Christmas ceilidh. We hope that this will help create better ties between DJCAD, UoD and other Dundee Uni Societies.

We welcome all skills, interests, and abilities. It is important to note you do not have to be good at sketching or any technical skill for that matter! (Not many of us are…)

Hit us up on Instagram to find out more!

@sdsoc

“Joining the social digital society in first year really allowed me to live university life to the fullest and make great friends. I have loved going to the pub socials, attending industry talks, and the Fundraver was one to remember! As well as the socials, the society run talks from older students about portfolios and life after uni which has prepared and inspired me for going into my last year.” - 4th year SDSOC member.

scan me!

social digital society

Humanities Society

We’re the Humanities Society, better known as HumSoc, and we bring together students from the humanities subjects: English, film, creative writing, history, philosophy, and modern languages. Don’t study one of those? Don’t be put off –neither do a bunch of the people that come to our events. We’re super welcoming!

Throughout the year, we host a bunch of events, academic ones like our annual conference in March/April, drinky ones like our recent Gaudie, and fancy ones like our annual ball in February! Between these, throughout the year, we have pub quizzes, bingo, brunches, coffee hangouts, pub golfing – if you’re lucky, we sometimes even do an international trip at the end of the year. We get around.

You can find us across various social medias, although we’re most active on Instagram as dundeehumsoc and on Facebook as Dundee University Humanities Society. We don’t have TikTok yet because we can’t dance, but that can be arranged if you want to see us renegade or whatever the cool dance is now (our President Dani is old (23)).

See you soon!

Wild & Free

This summer, my boyfriend and I attempted camping… a brave decision.

Laden with our overpacked rucksacks and bags full of food, we headed off towards nature and contentment. At first, with our tent finally constructed, things seemed promising – the scenery was beautiful, the campsite community seemed friendly, and if we adjusted ourselves enough in the tent, we could get just enough signal to use social media.

Soon, however, things started to change. It began the first night I took a shower. Getting changed whilst preventing my clothes from falling onto the slime-ridden floor was a challenge in itself, let alone entering the freezing cold water. Once I’d finally managed to rinse myself, I then undertook the treacherous journey back through the swarming clouds of midges – fumbling in the darkness for our tent, trying desperately to retreat to our makeshift bed of smelly clothes and hiking boots. Before long, it became clear that my vision of idyllic camping was heavily obscured.

When the week finally ended, I was sure the comforts of home would be a more-thanwelcome sight.

But when we settled into our comfortable flat, I found myself missing the natural lifestyle of the camping experience – our days ending when the sun set and starting with the gentle birdsong of the dawn chorus. My body felt stronger from sitting on the floor, sleeping on a harder surface, and walking across the campsite regularly. When I started looking into the research, it came as no surprise – our bodies naturally want to live the way nature intended. Modern life makes this pretty difficult.

When you consider the standard daily routine, it shows a stark contrast with our natural biology. This is especially true of students who frequently pull all-nighters and tend to be too exhausted by study that our evenings are spent binging Netflix (not throwing shade–I’m addicted). Things are far from doom and gloom, however – there are many people looking for ways we can connect to our natural inclinations whilst still being active members of the 21st century.

Natural Movement

A recent study found that most UK adults spend around 9 hours sitting during a typical day. Unsurprisingly, our bodies aren’t built to cope with this monotonous task. In fact, for most of history, humans didn’t use chairs, instead resting in ground positions such as squats and kneels. Choosing to move in such a way is proven to help our natural physiology –leading to less joint pain, easier childbirth, and overall better health.

We don’t need to dispose of all our furniture, however. A more realistic approach could involve sitting on the floor during your next TV binge, meeting your friends for a walk instead of a coffee date or to do some light movement in between long periods of study.

Natural Sleep

Sleep deprivation seems to come hand in hand with student life. At the end of the day, fresher’s week would be a lot less fun if we all went to bed at 9pm. However, as term time progresses and we flock to the library for late night study sessions, our sleep is a vital tool that we mustn’t overlook.

Not only does sleep improve our ability to perform cognitive tasks, it also improves our mood, our memory, and makes us much less likely to fall victim to car accidents or health crises. Exposing ourselves to natural light in the morning is a great way to improve our sleep and can involve going on a morning walk, or simply choosing to work next to a bright window. Likewise, in the evenings we could wear blue light glasses, which prevent harmful artificial light, whilst watching screens. Consider studying in the library or living room instead of the bedroom, to help maintain the stress-free atmosphere.

Natural Places

83% of UK citizens live in urban environments, with most of us spending a staggering 90% of our time indoors. Our bodies have evolved over thousands of years to function in nature, and yet the last few decades have got us cooped up in offices and classrooms for longer periods of time. We are now in a state of chronic stress – and not without consequence.

According to a survey published by Mind, around 1 in 5 students suffer from a mental health condition. Although this is a more complex issue, one way we can begin to tackle it is through connection with natural spaces. Exposure to nature is proven to significantly reduce stress and anxiety and to give people a more positive attitude to life. Simple tricks like going for a daily walk, getting house plants or joining one of the university’s many outdoor societies could make a major difference in your overall health. Even just having photos of nature in your bedroom can significantly reduce anxiety.

Connecting more to our natural physiology doesn’t have to be a feat for the few, and you certainly don’t have to go through an arduous camping experience to reach it. By trying these small steps, we can move toward a future of better health, lower stress and more connection with our natural surroundings. Although I never thought I’d say it, camping might just become a regular occurrence for me. The midges may have been bleak, but in the end, nature gives us much more than it takes.

Oh, the garden lawn. A picturesque square of cleanly cut grass is one of the most common things seen in front of houses across the western world. An enduring symbol of suburban life, the ubiquitous lawn has firmly cemented itself as a part of the residential psyche alongside privet hedges and perfectly trimmed shrubbery. As more and more of the natural world is lost to the human machine, it seems like garden lawns are a way to maintain a slice of that nature in increasingly urban spaces. Beneath the seemingly harmless nature of garden lawns is a more ecologically damaging truth; the so-called green lawn is little more than a decorated desert, a carefully curated patch of green carpet that serves no purpose besides pure aesthetic.

While cultures all across the world have cropped and cut plant life for aesthetic purposes, the curated garden lawn has its origins in 17th century England and France, when wealthy landowners would hire workers to clear vast tracts of their land as a status symbol, demonstrating to the masses that they did not require something as banal as arable land. This trend continued for the next several centuries, with lawns very much being seen as a symbol of the elite. When European colonists arrived in the Americas, they found that much

of the landscape (despite having been carefully cultivated by indigenous populations for thousands of years) was not suitable for their livestock. The next several centuries saw many of the native grasses and shrubs displaced by introduced European plants, giving rise to a pasture more suited to cattle and sheep, and arguably planting the idea of the grass lawn deep within the modern American psyche. Although early lawns often included plants such as clover, modern lawns are far more botanically monotonous and harbour little in the way of ecological diversity.

Even disregarding the ecological effects of picture-perfect lawns, it remains a bizarre social display at best. Harkening back to its roots as a demonstration of wealth, the appearance of one’s lawn in comparison to your neighbours is often used as a judgement of one’s character. An unkempt lawn is often associated with laziness and disrepair, heavens forbid a single blade of grass be out of place. Conversely, a well-manicured lawn has associations with class and cleanliness, with one only needing to look at the acres of perfectly cropped grass seen in royal estates and other aristocratic holdings. To have a lawn is far more than having a patch of grass; it is an indicator of both one’s socioeconomic status

The Lies of the Garden Lawn GREEN DESERTS

and the lengths that people will go to in order to socially conform. Speaking of social conformity, the effort required to maintain a monoculture grass lawn seems ridiculous when assessing the actual benefit of such a botanical beast; lawns (both residential and commercial i.e. golf courses) are the most irrigated crop in the US, requiring vast amounts of water and chemical fertilisers to sustain them. Many of the fertilisers used in lawn maintenance run off into streams and rivers, poisoning the local wildlife and anyone who makes the misfortune of drinking from them.

Even the homogenous nature of grass lawns stands as a detriment by making them far more susceptible to disease or drought than more diverse alternatives. The propagation of lawns in areas clearly unsuited to them, such as in the American southwest or the middle east, demonstrates the increasing homogeneity in cities across the world, even in cultures without a history of grass lawns. The classic image of suburbia, with every household managing their own little slice of nature, brings to mind a rather dystopian future, stripped of genuine nature and individuality in favour of manicuredconformity and the desire to merely fit in.

Although it may seem that the garden lawn is replacing what little wildlife cities have left, the situation is far from dire. Many people are choosing to replace their scenic lawns with gardens that actually support biodiversity, creating havens of sustainability and allowing their lawns to recover from the ravages of suburban mowing. Wildlife gardens are such an option, requiring far less maintenance than traditional lawns and allowing actual animal life to survive. Biodiverse gardens also prove far more resilient to problems such as drought or heavy rainfall when compared to monoculture lawns, problems that seem to be a more common occurrence both now and in the future. Even encouraging small amounts of growth in a traditional lawn can make a huge difference, with many “weeds” such as dandelions or nettles being not only edible but incredibly beneficial for bees and other pollinators, offering these insects food sources and shelter in an increasingly concrete world. While garden lawns may be the standard for many homeowners, it seems that more and more people are realising not only the folly of lawns, but the incredible alternatives that exist instead.

Autumnal Events

That familiar chill is back in the air again. The season of autumn brings forth a world of opportunities for things to do, see, and eat. With the eve of Halloween fast approaching, many cafés are changing up their menus to give them a more autumnal twist. The infamous Pumpkin Spice returns! The trees are becoming more golden making outdoor walks even more enjoyable. And that’s not even mentioning that the month of October is also important due to Black History Month. Let me give you a taste of each to help you through the autumnal season.

Yvonne’s Fancy Dress & Balloons

Halloween is fast approaching which means so are all the Halloween fancy-dress parties. Originally started as a tradition for the Ancient Celtic festival Samhain, dressing up for Halloween has been around for centuries and while its meaning may have been lost, it’s a tradition that holds up to this day. Yvonne’s Fancy Dress shop is spectacular for supplying you with only the best costumes for the big night. You want to be Freddie Kruger? They’ve got you covered. A classic clown? No problem! Even if you want to do a mix and match of everything weird and wacky you can possibly think of, this is the right shop for you. At affordable prices and also offering a good selection of party decorations, Yvonne’s is a go-to for all your Halloween must-haves. Just remember, a revealing costume is not an invitation.

Starbucks and Syrups

Come one, come all! Come bear witness to the return of the glorious, the legendary, the delicious: Pumpkin Spice Latte. Totally not overselling it, am I? Yes, it’s officially that time of the year when Pumpkin Spice is in everything. And I mean everything. Starbucks was the frontrunner in the Pumpkin Spice revolution that has influenced the way that a lot of us view the autumnal season. Some of you may say that it’s overrated but enough people like it to suggest otherwise. My personal favourite is a few drops of Pumpkin Spice in hot chocolate. It complements the hot chocolate perfectly. If you want to be a bit more adventurous, try one of the newest Starbucks creations: the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew. Unfortunately, Pumpkin Spice syrups are not available in your general supermarkets so it would have to be an online purchase. As a more cost-effective option, there are other autumnalthemed syrups that can be purchased from places such as JA Braithwaite on Castle Street. These coffee syrups are sure to add a bit of sweetness to your day.

Nelson Mandela Exhibit AllTrails App

We cannot forget the most important event during this season: Black History Month. Available from the 12th to the 16th of October, an exhibit by the name of ‘Scotland, Global Solidarity and Mandela’ is open to be viewed in the foyer of the Tower Building. The exhibition documents Dundee’s contribution to the fight against racist laws in South Africa and the campaign to release Mandela from prison. It also tells the story of Nelson Mandela’s relationship to Scotland and the role played by the Scottish people in the global struggle to end segregation in South Africa. The exhibit is free entry with no booking required so go check it out when you have the chance.

If you are like me and miss the greenery of suburban life, there are plenty of places to go for a nice stroll about nature amongst the bustling city. One thing that can help you find these hidden gems is the app AllTrails. This app provides you with hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos. All aforementioned reviews and photos are gathered through first-hand experiences from hikers, campers and casual walkers so you’re guaranteed to find something in the city to suit your tastes. This app is available on all Apple and Android devices through App Store and Google Play as well as being available through the website at www.alltrails.com. Pack a bag, fill your thermos, and go forth to explore!

“The trees are becoming more golden making outdoor walks even more enjoyable.”

FemSoc Dundee Takes on Bingo

The University of Dundee has numerous societies which represent and support students who face discrimination in their lives. I am the President of the Dundee University Feminist Society, also known as FemSoc. The aim of FemSoc is to unite and build an inclusive branch of young and progressive thinkers in order to open up discussions regarding equality and diversity within the university and beyond. We strive to tackle issues such as gender inequality, inclusion, and diversity. We want to ensure that the issues which FemSoc addresses aren’t exclusive to women’s struggles. We strive to include everyone of all genders in our pursuit of equality for all. We’ve begun to use our social media, specifically Instagram, to reach out to students within the university to promote events, but also to raise awareness of societal issues such as the cost of living crisis and abortion rights. We provide local outreach to petitions, progressive networks and offer pathways to resources, allowing those who wish to take part in the change to pursue their ambitions.

We are trying to plan a lot of socials for the upcoming semesters, including coffee days, quiz nights, pub crawls and affordable events for students. In particular, we have planned to host an affordable bingo night, which is planned to be on the 28th of October. This date is subject to change depending on turnout, so follow FemSoc’s Instagram to stay updated:

“The aim of FemSoc is to unite and build an inclusive branch of young and progressive thinkers in order to open up discussions regarding equality and diversity within the university and beyond.”

@dundeefemsoc. If you haven’t had a chance to get out and play bingo recently, it’s a great opportunity to be out amongst peers with interests in common in a friendly environment - not to mention the potential for winning some prizes! We will have lots of them for each round, and we are aiming to offer a variation in the prizes. Alcohol and sweetie-based prizes are not for everyone! Our committee will be putting a lot of effort into planning this event and we hope for a fair turnout of students. Our committee will also be there for anyone feeling a bit nervous or shy to sit and have a chat with! We hope to use FemSoc as a strong basis for students to make friends, especially freshers as the transition to uni can be scary and unnerving. We want to help as best we can and have a bit of fun while we’re at it! If you fancy a night of laughter and prizes that won’t break the bank, please join us and our society, we appreciate every bit of support!

The Andrew Tate Illusion

The last few months have seen the explosion of Andrew Tate as a social media personality on a global scale. The British-American exprofessional kickboxer has made an online revival from his time on Big Brother to enter the space of social media, garnering billions of views on TikTok, without having an account. For many young men, and women, Tate speaking candidly on his views of the world has enraptured them into his merry band of followers, dubbing him ‘Top G’. However many others, including myself, are terrified by this self-proclaimed ‘conqueror of the internet’.

Perhaps what makes Tate so dangerous in the internet sphere is his charisma and magnetism. The flaunting of his affluent lifestyle in Romania is what draws in these young followers, who in this generation aspire for little other than wealth – a similar comparison can be drawn to the effect following the release of the 2013 film The Wolf of Wall Street, and hustle culture. Tate claims wealth to be the primary way to establish credibility, interestingly he also cannot back up any of his views with anything other than his personal experiences. His promise to the patrons of his online ‘Hustlers University’ that he will make them as wealthy and powerful as him, and the fascination with his extravagant lifestyle, including the infamous Bugatti – who cannot be pleased about this association – makes him one of the foremost men on the interest at the moment.

CONTENT WARNING: STRONG THEMES OF SEXISM

This exploitation of what from the outside looks like the perfect, wealthy lifestyle, and his ability to draw intrigue is what certainly gives Tate his ardent following.

Extreme misogyny is what I associate most with Andrew Tate. This self-branded ‘alpha male’ fascination with having control over women is the primary focus of Tate’s rants: women belong to their boyfriends, men have higher IQs than women (despite the Guinness World Record for this being held by a woman), men need to hold the same authority over their female partner as they do babies and dogs, and

it goes on. It is clear this man is obsessed with power, whether that be influence over young men or domestic power over women. While social media sites such as Facebook and TikTok have banned Tate, we won’t see his presence slowing down anytime soon. Ultimately though, it’s not Tate’s controversial opinions which are gaining him this power. Like so many others, it is his wealth which commands him the ability to say these things with limited repercussion, he is at no fear of losing a job/his income. As always, money is power.

In 2020/2021 there were 2.75 million students enrolled in higher education, this was a little under 4% of the UK population at the time. We students represent a tiny fraction of the public and yet, our position is one that presents us with a bounty of opportunity. For the time that we are within higher education, we are largely protected from the barriers that might discourage others from speaking out on social issues. Unfortunately, participation in activism or even speaking out on divisive topics can result in job loss or workplace scrutiny. For many, loss of income is not a risk they can afford to take. This is where our position as students gives a fantastic advantage. There is still risk of negative consequence, but there is a degree of both safety and respect afforded to those in our position. So, what to do with this power?

We need to start talking.

Throughout modern history, activism and protest have been massive instigators of social change and awareness. These are not always what one typically might imagine a protest to be, either. In the 1970’s a string of performative demonstrations called ‘zaps’ brought mass attention to LGBTQ+ issues. These

events were intended to draw shock value. One of the most memorable occurred during a press conference where Anita Bryant, an anti-gay rights campaigner, received a pie to the face thrown by activist Tom Higgins. The pie may have been of a strawberry and rhubarb filling, but the resulting media attention was far more fruitful for the activist’ cause.

Zaps proved effective because they stimulated conversation, the effects may not always have been immediately obvious but the prevalence of it laid the groundwork for a generation that’s mindful to social issues. Whilst the eclectic zapping events died out towards the beginning of the 80’s, the legacy left by them still influences LGBTQ+ protest to this day. Consider the recent ‘piss in’ held by activist group ‘Pissed Off Trannies’ at the Equality and Human Rights Commission building in Westminster. During this event, protesters left hundreds of bottles filled with urine outside the EHRC entrance in response to EHRC released guidance that encourages exclusion of trans persons from single sex spaces, like bathrooms.

This protest is just one of the many occurring or brewing in the current climate. Unfortunately, we live in a time of frequent political turmoil. There is no fair share of disaster but, if there was, our generation would be filled to the brim of it. Still, imagine what weight the student voice could lend to the current conversations. With ongoing strike action and constant threat of infringement upon the rights of minorities, it is more vital than ever to voice our opinions. It may not need to take such an eccentric form as the 70’s zappings but it does need to be said. This position holds a lot of privilege, it would be shame not to use it to say something of value.

PLEASE INDICT THIS MAN PLEASE INDICT THIS MAN PLEASE INDICT THIS MAN PLEASE INDICT THIS MAN

Ihope

the title and banner prevent me from having to over-explain my introduction. You see him? That guy? Go ahead and indict him. I’d really appreciate it.

It’s not lost on me that I am yelling these words into the nearest approximation of a void that I have available to me – a student newspaper opinions column based on the other side of the

Atlantic from the subject of my grievances. It’s also not lost on me that virtually the entire readership will be inclined to agree with my premise.

Yes, there are no shortage of domestic concerns – okay, existential terrors – I could be writing an article on. I could close my eyes and throw a rubber ring without fear

of missing one of them. I can barely stomach another minute observing the myriad different ways this green and pleasant land is degenerating into right-wing reactionary mud. When it gets this bad, I need an outlet, and playing videogames and sitting on Twitch doesn’t always cut it. Feels like I’m just burying my head in sand.

That’s why I’ve wound up investing myself in Trump’s legal troubles. It has distilled my fear for our mutual future into a garish wrestling match. In one corner, the strong arm of the United States justice system (rock, flag and eagle), headed by a man who has never lost a case. On the other, an angry orange blowfish trying to instigate mob violence. A flawed justice system versus pure, stupid chaos.

I pin my hopes on it in spite of the fact the ex-president has escaped punishment for countless infractions throughout his long and dreadful life. Yes, he colluded with Russia, and we had the proof. Yes, he tried to overthrow the government with an army of angry yahoos. Yes, he scams charities while projecting himself as a philanthropist. Yes, he is funnelling money from his re-election campaigns to fund his legal fees. And yes, his lawyers will get stiffed anyway.

But this one – and run with me on this – is different.

It’s different because it needs to be different. There’s no realistic alternative. The man got raided by the FBI because he was hoarding top-secret documents in a spare room at his gaudy poolside mansion. He resisted handing them over for more than a year. The totallynormal mementoes he snuck home with him included nuclear information about another country, and documents detailing human intelligence sources in other countries – many of whom have been mysteriously dropping dead after Trump took office. Conjecture, yes. But hardly baseless.

Foreign agents have been caught mooching around the Mar-a-Lago grounds masquerading as superfans since Trump sulked away from the Whitehouse, and the former president has entertained several international guests in the office documents were seized from. Among the items seized are forty-eight classified folders with the contents missing. Meanwhile, his son-

in-law, Jared Kushner, received a $2 billion investment months after Biden took office – and in August, the FBI raided the New York apartment of Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg looking for… well, something.

Of course, the right-wing propaganda machine is at pains trying to explain it.

The man himself is unspooling a seemingly endless free-associative rant on his knock-off Twitter platform, ‘Truth Social’ – the one he created to cope with his withdrawal from being banned from the real thing. On it, he demands the documents be returned to him, and that they were planted – simultaneously. A judge he himself appointed in the final weeks of his term is overseeing the case and is openly using delay tactics to give him a chance at re-election before he can be formally indicted.

A giant neon sign is blaring out the word ‘crime’ for the world to see, yet he is being protected. If he gets into office again, he can crush the investigation – and seek petty revenge by opening pointless investigations into Hunter Biden’s laptop and Hillary Clinton’s emails to satiate his feckless supporters.

We need to drop pretences and hit the former president with the full weight of the consequences, and fast. The damage he causes just grows and grows, made permissible by the lack of punishment. It’s so damn difficult to get terrible people to pay for their crimes if they can project power. Just give me one instance of this not happening – give me the big one, the enormous pinata of crime hovering awkwardly in the world’s spotlight. If we can get him – and lord, does he leave himself open to it – then we can get the others.

So, while I wait for footage of the newly minted King Charles kicking a peasant child down a flight of stairs to leak, let me have this. The case for holding the corrupt elite accountable will doubtlessly grow in the meantime. Right now, I need something to anchor my belief in the future onto.

Give Me Donald Trump.

A S E I N D I C T T H I S M A N P L E A S E I N D I C T T H I S M A N P L E A S E I N D I C T T H I S M A N P L E A S E I N D I C T T H I S M A N P L E A S E I N D I C T T H I S M

PLESAEINDITCTHISMANPLESAEINDITCTHISMANPLESAEINDITCTHISMANPLESA

The Price of Passion

Back in June I had the sudden wish to pick up an old hobby of mine; sewing. Hidden somewhere in my closet was the dusty sewing machine I got as a kid, so I took it out and started using it again. My mother was overjoyed when I told her, and not much later she advised me, “You should learn how to alter and repair clothing, there’s a high demand for that.”

She continued to explain that while it’s boring work, it would be an easy way to earn money. Instinctively, I wanted to agree, but I paused to actually consider it. This was the first time in years I had started another sewing project, my skills were rusty at best, but more importantly I was actually enjoying myself. Putting all practicalities aside, it felt wrong to immediately go and turn my rekindled hobby into a source of income, like I was doing myself a disservice. Yet I couldn’t blame my mother for bringing it up, not when it’s a line of thought I follow so often. During our student years both time and money tend to be scarce, so it is only natural we seek ways to make ‘easy money’. And what better way to do so than by turning something we want to do anyway into a business? I would be lying if I said I hadn’t been dreaming of making money with my creative writing for years now. Yet it saddens me to think that I have irrevocably tied a passion I’ve had for so long to making money. It makes me wonder whether I am still writing for myself, or only for opportunities which may never arise.

Growing up, I had the habit of jumping from one hobby to another, only invested in one for a short but intense period of time before something else caught my eye. With every hobby, my dreams of the future would alter; back when I took art classes I told everyone I wanted to be an artist, during my shortlived phase of writing songs I thought I should become a songwriter, and so on. I had childishly concluded that a hobby is the first step towards a (fun!) career, a notion frequently encouraged by the adults in my life. This belief in itself may not be harmful, but looking back on it I suspect it was what dampened my love for so many of my hobbies. Not being good enough at it became a common reason to drop a pastime completely. Impatient as I was, I didn’t understand it took years of practice to become great at something, rather than natural talent a lucky few were blessed with. And what was the point of pursuing an activity I was no good at, when that meant I would never get anything out of it?

I’m sure we’ve all heard some variation of ‘do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life’. It’s pretty much an echo of my younger self’s view on hobbies and careers, but it’s also a vast oversimplification. Sure, many would consider it more pleasurable to make money doing what they enjoy rather than a more traditional career, but they fail to recognise the long-term ramifications. Leisure activities play a big role in improving our mental wellbeing and coping with stress,

making them especially important to us students. By monetising them, our hobbies become responsibilities and in turn risk to develop into yet another source of stress. Which begs the question of when, in between studies and a hobby-turned-job, we are supposed to find time to actually relax. Of course, this lifestyle works for some people; for them the pleasure they get out of their hobby outweighs the stress that comes with monetisingit. But more often I have witnessed how over time the pressure taints the activity in question beyond repair, until the mere thought of it leaves a sour taste in your mouth. There’s a certain kind of heartbreak that comes with the realisation that you’ve fallen out of love with something you once imagined yourself doing for the rest of your days.

My aim is not to condemn those who hope to make a career out of their hobbies – I am not that much of a hypocrite – but to point out that no one should feel obliged to do so. There is an overwhelming expectation, specifically with creative hobbies, that you must be creating for the sake of money or validation rather than for yourself, and this is not always the case. Just because you’re good at something does not mean it has to earn you money; having a hobby and the potential to make a profit from it does not make it necessary to do so. But if you do decide it’s what you want, make sure you still find time to relax and do things for the sake of doing them. Because as enticing ‘doing what you love for a living’ sounds, there will always be a price to pay.

Self-Preservation Over All Else

Isn’t it strange that anyone needing to take time to themselves, cut off a friend or remove themselves from a situation can be perceived as selfish? Self-preservation put simply, is a human instinct to protect yourself. A long time ago it protected us from predators, now it can have quite a different meaning. In a social context, it can mean protecting your physical and mental health over anything else. I think this is important, and helps us avoid unnecessary conflict, negativity, and protects us from situations that could hurt us.

A key part of maintaining self-preservation is setting boundaries with those around us; be it a colleague, friend, or family member. This can be a simple ‘no’ to an invitation without providing an apology, or it can be a more serious ‘do not put this on me’ regarding personal issues. It can seem harsh, as it’s often difficult navigating what is or isn’t okay to share and put on other people, a lot of it is trial and error, but shouldn’t it be simple that we do what’s best for us, even if it means removing yourself from a narrative?

Setting boundaries with people can feel troubling. What if you’re perceived as selfish or rude? In practice though the point is to keep yourself safe. I think it’s important to stick firmly to the boundaries you set, as intentional or not, broken boundaries lead to conflict and difficult situations. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to deal with every situation and be there for everyone: it only results in you emptying your own glass to the point there’s nothing more to give.

“A key part of maintaining self-preservation is setting boundaries with those around us; be it a colleague, friend, or family member. “

It’s a weird concept, but you can remove yourself from someone if they are a negative presence in your life. You don’t have to have a big fight, but you can cut contact, or distance yourself, without any reasoning. It isn’t a crime, although it can feel like one, its self-preservation. Certain situations don’t require your energy, and it’s your right not to give it. It’s important to look after yourself. You can’t

look after others at your own expense. If you feel you put your own feelings secondary, reflect on what that means and if boundaries in your relationships may help ease the pressure on yourself. It’s worth checking if adjustments can be made in relationships to accommodate how you feel.

Running Out of Space: The Advent of Private Spaceflight

In 1903, the Wright Brothers’ Kitty Hawk made history as the first powered aircraft capable of sustained flight, marking the 20th century as one of aerial innovation. Less than 60 years later, the Soviet Union launched the cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin into the stratosphere, unofficially starting the space race that would define much of the Cold War and setting the world’s superpowers to outcompete against one another. The history of spaceflight leads one into a rabbit hole of espionage and engineering wizardry, yet the common denominator of almost all extraterrestrial outings is that they occurred under the purview of their nations’ government. People would laugh at the idea of corporations powerful enough to launch their own space missions, yet the smorgasbord of companies seeking to commodify space proves that nothing is free from the clutches of privatization.

Of nearly 600 individuals sent into space, the overwhelming majority have done so for the purpose of research and scientific advancement, a goal that has transcended nations and seen tenuously aligned countries pool resources for the sake of advancing our collective knowledge. Opening space to corporations and other private enterprises runs the serious risk of damaging the scientific nature of space exploration, as any mission made privately would be run ultimately with the aim of making a profit.

As of this article, two of the world’s most prominent billionaires have used their vast fortunes to fund an ego-fueled trip into the great beyond: Richard Branson on Virgin Galactic, and Jeff Bezos on Blue Origin.

For some, this represents a colossal achievement in space exploration, seemingly opening space travel to millions of people across the world. For others, this gross display of wealth is a physical indicator of just how alienated the 1% are, propelling themselves into space with nothing more than the reaped benefits of capitalism. Blue Origin represents how private spaceflight will look in the coming decades; for only 28 million dollars per ticket, one can experience 15 minutes of microgravity and a brief glimpse at the earth from orbit. Despite Bezos’s original crew of only a few citizens, Blue Origin claims to have a considerable clientele awaiting future flights, a reminder that although private citizens have made it to the edge of space, the future of private spaceflight very much remains in the hands of the wealthy.

“The future of private spaceflight very much remains in the hands of the wealthy.”

Xenobots: On the Verge of Biotic and Abiotic?

"The field of Synthetic Biology has evolved with its set of promising milestones like BioBrick, CRISPER and its latest addition, Xenobots. A journey from tapping into life to editing it and now to creating a functional lifeform; its realworld applications are propitious."

With all its complexity and diversity, life is a wellengineered phenomenon which has allured many thinkers. Among them are engineers who enjoy its plasticity and the numerous possible applications of 'life' technology. One example involves merging stem cells and an 'evolutionary algorithm' to produce Xenobots!

Xenobots are synthetic lifeforms. They come to life through pluripotent stem cells harvested from the blastula of Xenopus laevis, consisting of epidermal progenitor cells and cardiac progenitor cells. The two cells are arranged in a specific configuration to enable desired behaviours, such as allowing them to move, carry and manipulate objects and work in collectives.

The process starts with a design generator. An evolutionary algorithm identifies multiple

plans to organize the biological building blocks, before retaining well-performing designs. After this virtual churning, a practicality factor narrows down this set of designs to only include those which are robust enough for real-world applications, and whose production is feasible with current technologies. Finally, the design is materialized using a set of microsurgeries during which minuscule forceps in electrodes are used to assemble the predicted shape meticulously. The three hours shaping process requires approximately 3000 cells, following which in vivo testing occurs.

Among the many promising findings, the ability of these forms to explore an aqueous environment without additional nutrition for days was of great interest. This property –conferred by the cardiac progenitor cells – and the innate predisposition of cells to coordinate enabled the cardiomyocytes to contract in a phase-matched manner and propel the bot in a specific direction without any external factors.

Non-toxic composition and limited life span make these lifeforms a key player in targeted drug delivery and internal surgery. In addition,

they have the potential to play a significant role in various diagnoses by identifying molecules in environments that are currently inaccessible to robots.

The evolution in the fields of machine learning and 3D bioprinting currently limit the designs that we can explore, but future developments, along with deeper molecular understanding, will aid in expanding the scope of this lifeform.

The horizon for Xenobots is vast, but to truly enjoy the view, we need to power our way through to the mountaintop by upgrading our understanding! Until then, a unilateral drive to resolve health issues and a passion for understanding life are all that remain!

Acknowledge ments

Dani McFawns Livvie Baird Phoebe Wilman

Ellie Munro Bronte Chalmers Maria Georgieva

Ung Lucas Ferguson

Touloupa Lewis Elks

Ivan Amigo Rachel Goodman

Dickson D. Pryke Thomas Gracie Whitehouse Jack Stamp

Mendoza

Section Editors & Publishing

Arts & Entertainment

Georgi Zhechev

Current Affairs

Arrowyn Williams

On/Off Campus

Emma Sturrock

Creative Writing

Catriona Pritchard

Roshni Baillie

Opinions

Cameron Doherty

Science & Technology Publishing

James McLeish

The Magdalen is published by Dundee University Student Association (DUSA).

Cover Illustration Credits

Issue #96 Cover is

our very own staff illustrator:

Applications Open

Creative Directors

What is it?

The Magdalen need two new Creative Directors!As a CD you will be in charge of the Creative Team& will do a redesign of The Magdalen! This is anexcellent addition to the CV and bound to impressany employer. This role proves you are proactive,adaptable & able to produce amazing work.

What do I need?

A portfolio which shows strong graphic design skills,proficiency with Adobe Programs, a sense of style &a can-do attitude! If this describes you we would loveto hear from you!

do I

To apply send your portfolio to:ojbaird@dundee.ac.uk & plwilman@dundee.ac.uk.Informal interviews will take place on Teams or inperson around late December.

Upcoming Events

18 October ISE's Brave Runner

Ever fancied Tough Mudder? Battle 10 obstacles around campus to challenge your physical prowess and mental grit!

31 October Nightmare on Balfour Street

Join us this Halloween in the Union to party all night long!

01 November Think Summer: Internships & Placements

Thinking of an internship to develop yourself and your career prospects over summer? Check out this free presentation for more info: https:// www.dundee.ac.uk/events/thinksummer-find-summer-internshipsand-placements

16 November

Humanities Society: Superheroes vs Supervillians

Looking for an excuse to dress up? Check out HumSoc's Superheroes vs Supervillians social!