The Oxford Student - Week 3 Hilary 2022

Friday 4th February 2022

HT22, No. 2

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St John’s College, University of Oxford.

by Dania KAMAL ARYF Correspondent

St John’s College to Consider Fate of

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Controversial Statue

Editor-in-Chief

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t John’s College is considering removing a statue of John the Baptist made by Eric Gill in the wake of a protest at the BBC’s Broadcasting House headquarters over the artist’s paedophilia. Referred to by the Guardian as ‘one of the great British artists of the 20th century’, Gill is also known for his. following the publication of personal diaries in the 1980s.

The Gill sculpture of John the Baptist hangs over the Front Quad of St John’s. Discussions have now begun within the College over the artist’s controversial legacy to “consider what action, if any, is required”.

These discussions come following a protest in London last month, in which a man attacked another Eric Gill sculpture with a hammer.

He also defaced the work with the words “Noose all peados” (sic). The statue, which features Prospero

and a nude version of the sprite Ariel from Shakespeare’s play The Tempest, has been installed over the front entrance of the BBC’s Broadcasting House in Westminster since 1933. Another statue by Gill, ‘The Sower’, sits in the Broadcasting House’s main reception.

When approached for comment by The Oxford Student Zoe Hancock, the principal bursar at St John’s College Oxford, told us that “the recent protest at the BBC has led us to consider the Eric Gill statue of St John the Baptist that

faces onto Front Quad. It is right that we consider such matters as these and consider what action, if any, is required. These discussions have begun but they are likely to-

Read more on page 4

“The recent protest at the BBC has led us to consider the Eric Gill statue of St John the Baptist that faces onto Front Quad” Principal Bursar, St. John’s

Remains of Oxford’s ‘Lost College’

by Jason CHAU Unearthed Online Exclusive: Jonah Poulard follows David Attenborough on his most scintillating expedition yet the Rugby Social

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emains of St. Mary’s College, considered the ‘lost college’ of the University, have been discovered by archaeologists during the construction of 30 new student flats for Brasenose College at Frewin Annexe.

St. Mary’s College, initially founded in 1435 as an education institution for Catholic Augustinian canons, was disbanded

Read more on page 6

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after Henry VIII’s creation of the independent Church of England and his dissolution of Catholic monasteries allied with the Papacy in 1530s to secure his divorce from Catherine of Aragon. Cardinal Wolsey, who was personally involved in the construction of the College,Read more on page 5

Illustration: Jonas Muschalski

Alex FOSTER

n response to ongoing efforts to combat sexual harrassment, It Happens Here Oxford will be hosting a debating event as a charity fundraiser. The event, in collaboration with Oxford University Labour Club, Champagne and Socialism, Oxford University Conservative Association, and Oxford University Liberal Democrats aims to take place on 9th February, in fourth week of Hilary Term.

Advertised as ‘THW Raise Money for OSARCC’ (Oxfordshire Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Centre),the event’s Facebook page stated that it is meant as ‘a platform to raise money for sexual assault survivors, while giving an opportunity for students to debate on current political affairs’. The organisers have emphasised that the debate motions will not be about sexual violence due to its sensitive and heavy nature, and that the event is meant to be a safe space for all-

2 | Editorial

The Oxford Student | Friday 4th February 2022

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OXFORD STUDENT Editorial 3rd Week

HILARY TERM 2022 EDITORIAL TEAM

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Editors-in-Chief Andrew Wang & Alex Foster Deputy Editors Agatha Gutierrez Echenique Dania Kamal Aryf Daniel Harrison Elias Formaggia Elsie Clark Jason Chau Jessica Kaye Sharon Chau News Editors Caleb van Ryneveld Poppy Atkinson Gibson Sara Hashmi Comment Editors Shiraz Vapiwala Peter Denton Deputy - Jonah Poulard Profile Editors Will Neill Features Editors Anna Davidson Deputy - Marietta Kosma Identity Editors Yi-Jen Deng Aarthee Pari Madi Hopper Pink Editors Agatha Gutierrez Echenique Green Editors George MacKay Kellie Tran Gen Z Editors Lydia Fontes (Style) Jen Jackson Deputy - Blane Aitchison Entertainment Editors Sam Wagman Deputy - Janita Hussain Food and Drink Editors Phoebe Anderson Kellie Tran Oxyou Editors Benedict Yorston Deputy - Laetitia Hosie Sports Editors Dániel Kovács Gaming Editors Stuart McCloughlin Columnists Alfred Dry Anvee Bhutani Charlie Buckley Nadia Awad Freddy Foulston Poppy Atkinson Gibson Sharon Chau

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M

y friend Harvey died over Christmas. I got a message that he had gone missing on the same day I wrote about mundane university covid news for next term, and put up the missing poster on my Twitter and Instagram soon after. A few days went by before we got the news that confirmed it as suicide. He didn’t leave a note. A month later and, a couple of days after this issue goes to print, I’m in London for his funeral. It’s been a weird time.

I haven’t quite started to process it at all. I don’t expect I will for a while.

I was hoping that writing something like this would be cathartic, that it would at least start a process of healing. People have been absolutely lovely, and I’m tremendously grateful for everything people have said and done for me. But I guess the absence friends and family are left with isn’t something that can be figured in terms of saying something. Every instance of loss is different – the memories, the connections, the time you spent together – and words can never

We are always looking for enthusiastic students to be members of our creative team.

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From the Editors quite grab hold of the feelings you want it to.

I’d love to end an editorial like this with a pithy statement, a nice lesson you can take away with you as you continue on your day.

Really, I would. But things like this don’t have a sharp ending or closure - even if it would be really nice to have that. I could ask for some idea of perspective; all those tute essays, editorials, hustings and elections don’t matter in the grand scheme of things. If you get purpose from it, that should be good enough. But that’s a thing you have to understand on your own terms, as an individual. I can’t leave you with that moral. I’m not quite sure how to express these feelings myself. Plus, there’s a certain irony in a journalist not finding the right words to say the right things.

Alex Foster,

St John’s College

T

here’s not much to write for this edition. We tried polishing up the formatting, but at the end of the day, as the Chinese proverb goes, we can never outplay fate, and fate would have it that from technical difficulties to personal issues this week was only more difficult than the last.

These obstacles kept me away from our SU building, which I have basically moved into since I have nowhere else to go and nothing else to do besides work. In my brief period of withdrawal from the paper, I have come to realize that what I missed most was not only the safe escapism of work, or the sense of purpose I feel when I’m not trying to sell out for a corporate job. Rather, I missed spending time with my team (however stressful that time may be).

It’s a terrifying, terrifying world, but somehow I feel better when I’m sitting under these harsh

fluorescent lights, in front of these stone-age computers, with a bag of bagels in one hand and my computer mouse in the other. I’ve not felt much greater joy than when my editors walk through the door.

This may be an unhealthy addiction, but for the life of me I can’t convince myself that it’s not worth it. I hope that, come the end of term, this sense of comraderie will not fade, that I will still be able to greet my former teammates with my goofy-lookin grin, that I will look back and find my memory of this time sufficiently bittersweet.

A friend and former Editor-inChief observed to me that OxStu Editors tend to somewhat fade into obscurity after their term, and I have no problem with returning to that. But I hope the work I’ve done and will continue to do for the paper has made at least one of you a little happier. I know this paper has certainly done that for me.

Andrew Wang, St Benet’s Hall

The Oxford Student | Friday 4th February 2022

editor@oxfordstudent.

News | 3

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Raw Sewage Release In River Thames Met With Protests Jason CHAU

Deputy Editor

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round 200 people gathered in Port Meadow to protest against sewage release into the River Thames on Sunday, January 23rd, with Oxford West and Abingdon MP Layla Moran also in attendance.

The river is frequented by swimmers and rowers, including students from the University.

This came after some Oxford swimmers had to swim through raw sewage on Christmas Day when Thames Water did not send out warnings of the sewage release to them promptly, with notifications only arriving on Boxing Day. The firm had apologised for the incident, blamed it on an IT failure, and said it was working to improve conditions. However, according to the Oxford Mail, Thames Water has released sewage at least another 16 times following the incident. There have been subsequent reports of swimmers experiencing stomach upsets and having to ‘keep their heads out of the water and their mouths shut’.

Protestors on Sunday de-

manded an end to Thames Water’s release of raw sewage into the river, with some spotting poo-emoji costumes and placards saying ‘fish not faeces’.

When asked by the BBC, one of them commented that “it’s destroying our wildlife habitat, our well-being and even threatening the quality of our drinking water.”

Addressing the issue at the protest, the MP said, “Like many of you I am absolutely disgusted by what we see in our rivers and it needs to stop.”

She expressed her solidarity with the protestors, adding “it’s absolutely incredible to see so many people [protest], it shows how desperately they want action not just words and we’re intent on trying to deliver that for them.” She commended the crowd for showing up and “[putting] pressure on Thames Water, on the Environment Agency and on our Government to do more.” The MP also placed the blame on the Conservative Government, claiming that “[They] shirked their responsibility. They had the option to introduce amend-

ments to the Environment Bill that would have put an absolute end to polluting in our rivers and they chose not to and boy do they regret it.”

In response, a spokesperson from Thames Water proclaimed that “all discharges of untreated sewage [are] unacceptable and [the firm] will work with the government, Ofwat and the Environment Agency to accelerate work to stop them [from] being necessary.” In general, water companies are allowed to release sewage into rivers after certain weather events such as prolonged periods of heavy rain. The Oxford City Council, however, has applied to the government to have wild swimming spots in Oxford awarded bathing water status, with a decision coming imminently.

Philip Dunne, chair of the House of Commons’ environmental audit committee, had previously said that the controversy surrounding Thames Water is an indication of “creaking” infrastructure across the country and a sign that water companies should be investing more.

University Releases New COVID Guidance

Jessica KAYE Deputy Editor

T

he University of Oxford have issued a statement on new Guidance for students in response to the Government updating coronavirus measures.

In an email sent to students on Monday the 31st of January, the University said that it was aiming to pursue a ‘more normal’ style of teaching as was the policy in Michaelmas. They also said that they were encouraging tutors to make teaching ‘inclusive’ and that if this meant online elements had to remain then this would be the case.

“In line with Government advice, most teaching is expected to take place in person in the coming weeks (unless remote study is part of your course). However, we’re encouraging teaching staff to retain online elements where it makes learning more inclusive. Assessments are

expected to go ahead in the format already communicated to you.

If you’re a postgraduate research student, you should now be able to work as normal in laboratories, libraries, archives and departmental study spaces, and we strongly encourage you to do so.

We expect these arrangements to stay in place for the rest of the academic year unless any new national or local restrictions are introduced.”

In terms of measures to protect students’ health the University said that they are still ‘strongly encouraging’ the use of facemasks in university buildings and continuing to urge students to test regularly and get their booster jabs if they haven’t already.

The University has made it clear that they are not removing all forms of remote learning and that they remain committed to ensuring that extra health and safety measures are being undertaken.

University of Oxford

4 | News

New Cycle Lane Scheme Approved Jason CHAU

Deputy Editor

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xfordshire County Council has approved a new segregated cycle lane that will allow cyclists to reach a continuous speed of 20mph (32km/h) while riding on quicker routes across the city.

According to the Council’s highway manager Tim Bearder, the new lane, also known as the Quickways, will provide ‘faster, direct cycle routes in and out of the city centre with little or no diversion’ and a

The Oxford Student | Friday 4th February 2022

Department of Psychiatry Recruiting Student Volunteers to Study the Effects of Ketamine Dania KAMAL ARYF

‘protected space’ to the cyclists, given Oxford’s medieval road network.

The scheme will be rolled out in ‘Marston Road, Cowley Road, Oxford Road, Iffley Road, Henley Road, Rose Hill and Morrell Avenue, Warneford Lane’, according to the BBC. It was supported by 75% of those who responded to the Council’s consultation. However, it will also lead to the loss of hundreds of car parking spaces.

Via Transport Paradise

Correspondent

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team of researchers from the Oxford University Department of Psychiatry are conducting a study on how ketamine influences the way people learn from rewards and punishments, and are recruiting student volunteers from the University to participate.

The research programme, advertising itself as, ‘Reward, Emotion, Learning and Ketamine’ (RELAKS), is led by Professor Catherine Harmer, from the Psychopharmacology and Emotion Research Lab (PERL), a research group based at the University’s Department of Psychiatry.

Participants will initially undergo a screening process via telephone, followed by several in-person visits to the Warneford Hospital and John Radcliffe Hospital throughout their involvement, and will be compensated with £250 for their participation.

According to their website, participants will require their medical and psychiatric health to be evaluated, including through blood, urine and saliva samples, before being administered the drug, or a placebo.

Participants will also be asked

to complete questionnaires and computer tasks, and will have to undergo an MRI scan.

“About 20 years ago, scientists discovered [Ketamine’s] rapid antidepressant effects at a lower dosage. This means that ketamine has the potential to relieve low mood and depressive symptoms in people with depression within 24 hours.” said a spokesperson from the RELAKS team, when approached for comment

by The Oxford Student.

“Although we know about this new side of ketamine, we still don’t fully understand how this happens...Therefore, we are trying to understand the effects of the drug in these processes in the healthy brain, which we hope will aid the understanding of the ketamine’s rapid antidepressant effect.”

The research initially began in April 2021, and the team are currently still recruiting healthy volunteers, aged between 18 and 45 who are fluent in English and are willing to travel to the study sites in Oxford. They will be recruiting up to 70 participants. Volunteers must not be pregnant, be suffering from any psychiatric conditions, and are not currently taking any psychotropic medication.

An anonymous testimony given by a volunteer, has said that they heard about this study via Lindus Health, a company that helps find participants for clinical trials. “The RELAKS study was an awesome experience; The visits were always fun and kept me guessing, while the team was friendly and helpful! Most of all, it was great to contribute to our understanding of how ketamine affects the brain, given ketamine has so much promise as a treatment for conditions like depression and remains poorly understood,” said the participant.

An undergraduate student at the university, who has also volunteered to participate in the study, commented that, “I signed up in October last year, and found out about it through an Instagram post. I’m currently still in the initial stages, and haven’t been administered the drug or a placebo yet. But I’ve gone through the medical checkups and phone appointments so far, and am looking forward to seeing how it goes.”

From front page

Content Warning: paedophilia, incest, bestiality.

S

t John’s College is considering removing a statue of John the Baptist made by Eric Gill in the wake of a protest at the BBC’s Broadcasting House headquarters over the artist’s paedophilia. Referred to by the Guardian as ‘one of the great British artists of the 20th century’, Gill is also known for his sexual abuse of his teenage daughters, sister, and family dog following the publication of personal diaries in the 1980s.

The Gill sculpture of John the Baptist hangs over the Front Quad of St John’s. Discussions have now begun within the College over the artist’s controversial legacy to “consider what action, if any, is required”.

These discussions come following a protest in London last month, in which a man attacked another

Eric Gill sculpture with a hammer.

community”.

He also defaced the work with the words “Noose all peados” (sic). The statue, which features Prospero and a nude version of the sprite Ariel from Shakespeare’s play The Tempest, has been installed over the front entrance of the BBC’s Broadcasting House in Westminster since 1933. Another statue by Gill, ‘The Sower’, sits in the Broadcasting House’s main reception.

The statue of St John the Baptist sits in the niche of the gate tower in the College’s Front Quad. While sculpted by Gill in 1936, it was donated to the College in 1961 by the architect Sir Edward Maufe, who also designed the next-door Dolphin Quad. Maufe further commissioned religious sculptures by Gill for Guildford Cathedral, who are also reviewing his work after the “pain caused” by his “abhorrent” legacy.

When approached for comment by The Oxford Student Zoe Hancock, the principal bursar at St John’s College Oxford, told us that “the recent protest at the BBC has led us to consider the Eric Gill statue of St John the Baptist that faces onto Front Quad. It is right that we consider such matters as these and consider what action, if any, is required. These discussions have begun but they are likely to continue for some time so that we can fully engage with our college

Appeals to remove Gill’s work from public buildings have been raging since 1998. Margaret Kennedy, a campaigner for Ministers and Clergy Sexual Abuse Survivors, then challenged Gill’s Stations of the Cross in Westminster Cathedral to be removed, stating that “the very hands that carved the Stations were the hands that abused”.

Eric Gill’s Girl in Bath II (1923) – the model for which was his daughter Petra Gill.

Image Credit: Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft

The Oxford Student | Friday 4th February 2022

News | 5

Record-High Nominations for SU Elections

Jason CHAU

Deputy Editor

T

he Student Union (SU) has announced that it has received a record-setting 67 nominations in the 2022 Annual Elections. This figure is a 40% increase from 2021’s previous record of 46 nominations.

The two-week nomination period closed on Friday, 28 January. The campaigning period for candidates will begin on Friday, 4 February and voting will commence on Monday, 7 February at 08:00, closing on Thursday, 10 February at 18:00. The Husting will take place on the evening of Friday, 4 February online. The Oxford Student and The Oxford Blue will be moderating the debates.

The Declaration of results will also be on 10 February, at 21:00 in person at the SU offices.

In these elections, students will have the opportunity to choose their next full-time Sabbatical Trustees, which includes the President and 5 Vice-Presidents, 3 student members of the Oxford

SU Trustee Board, and 7 delegates to the National Union of Students.

In a press release, Wesley Ding, the Returning Officer, said that “It is wonderful to see so many candidates from all backgrounds participating in the Annual Elections. Given our brilliant roster of candidates, I am hopeful we will see strong turnout as well.” He also expressed his gratitude to the current officers, adding “Thanks must go to our sabbatical officers and staff team, who have been working tirelessly the past few weeks to encourage students to stand for election.”

Speaking to the Oxford Student, Devika, Vice-President Graduates, confirmed the record number of postgraduate nominations for this year’s elections, saying that these numbers “[should not] be taken for granted” and that this is proof that “postgraduates will engage with [our community] when [the community] meaningfully engages with them.”

By the numbers...

67 40% Available Roles

Total Candidates nominated for 2022 Jump over previous record set in 2021 Provisionally Valid Candidates (vs.

Available Roles)

Remains of Oxford’s ‘Lost College’ Unearthed St Mary’s College, University of Oxford

Jason Chau

Deputy Editor

-as subsequently accused of treason and executed. It was then left abandoned for almost 500 years.

A team from Oxford Archaeology recently unearthed a massive limestone wall foundation, which is thought to have supported a wall to a stone building that was part of the former College. Archaeolo-

Cont. from front page

gists also found butchered animal bones and charcoal nearby, possibly signaling the presence of kitchens, and excavated “a 17th century stone flagon, a bone comb, silver penny and ornately decorated medieval floor tiles”, according to the BBC. Speaking about the discovery, Senior project manager for Oxford Archaeology Ben

Ford said the remains a “unique and fascinating part of Oxford”. The Frewin Hall complex, the site of the excavation, has been occupied since the 11th century during the Norman period, with a basement that ranks as one of the oldest buildings still in use in Oxford, according to project manager.

Ford added that the objective of the project is “to shed light

not only on the layout of the “lost college” of St Mary’s, but also discover evidence that tells us about the lives of some of medieval Oxford’s most powerful Norman families who probably lived at the site.” It may even serve an important purpose in uncovering the history of Oxford, tracing back to Saxon and Viking times.

Speaking to the Daily Mail,

Llewelyn Morgan, a fellow at Brasenose College, said: ‘We are excited by the remarkable glimpses of St Mary’s College and the longer history of Frewin that the archaeologists are revealing.” He emphasised the use of the site as a place of education, adding that the new student flats will “continue that tradition.”

6 | News

The Oxford Student | Friday 4th February 2022

Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla, Visits University Jason CHAU

Deputy Editor

T

he Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla, visited the University on Wednesday, 26 January, accompanied by author Sir Philip Pullman, who wrote the fantasy trilogy His Dark Materials and is himself an alumnus of Exeter College.

During her visit, the royal viewed the Bodleian library’s new exhibition Melancholy: A New Anatomy’, celebrating the 400th anniversary of the publication of Robert Burton’s The Anatomy of Melancholy. Pullman praised the book as “very funny” and “very wise”, commending its influence on creative writers for centuries and that “the form [Burton] wrote it in is innovative and exciting” despite the book’s subject matter about depression and melancholy.

When lead curator of the exhibition Professor John Geddes told her “What [Burton) said about mental health was get outside, ex-

ercise, and reading”, she replied, “It’s [always] going back to nature – exercise and fresh air.”

The Duchess toured the Weston Library and met with library staff, conservators, students and organisers of the Oxford Literary Festival. Following her meeting with the royal, Vice President Graduate Devika said, “It was nice meeting the Duchess”. adding “My favourite part was being able to introduce her to a diverse group of students and the wonderful research they are doing.”

Camilla also visited the Bodlein library’s Conservation Studio, viewed the Sheldon Tapestry Map of Oxfordshire that was on display for the first time in a century, and was shown the Bodley Bestiary, a 13th century illuminated manuscript of the animal kingdom known at the time. The latter was described by Dr Martin Kauffmann, head of early and rare collections at the Bodleian libraries, as “a mixture of David Attenborough, the wonders of

the natural world and also a book about Christian creation.”

Speaking on the royal’s visit, Pullman added that “It’s a great thing that a member of the royal family should show such an active interest in what has always been [the UK’s] greatest strength, which is its writers, its authors, its poets and playwrights and novelists.”.

He praised her work championing literature, including her Instagram-based book club the Reading Room and her patronages related to literature.

“It’s nice to have the recognition – this is an area of life which is important, it signifies something” said the famed fantasy writer.

Later, the Duchess opened the Marcela Botnar Wing, the University’s newest Botnar Institute for Musculoskeletal Sciences facility. She also planted a Sorbus tree there for the The Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC), an initiative to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee this year.

Students to Debate in Charity Fundraiser Against Sexual Assault Dania KAMAL ARYF Correspondent

A recent article in the Oxford Mail has cited official statistics as being a ‘gross underestimate of the real situation’, with a total of only 26 official reports on sexual misconduct throughout 2017-2021 – a figure seen as ‘incredibly low’ in comparison to reality, where cases remain much more frequent and alarming.

The article revealed the many concerns in the university regarding under-reporting, the many flaws within Oxford’s collegiate and welfare systems, and

Cont. from front page

how its continuous hang-ups with bureaucracy have allowed colleges and departments to become complacent and inefficient in dealing with reports of such cases.

Co-Chairs of It Happens Here, Timea Iliffe and Nicola Sharp, have both been cited in the article, arguing how “it comes down to a power dynamic”, and that “the collegiate system is one of the central barriers that we have continuously come up against.”

The article also found that victims are often concerned with potential backlash and al-

ienation that may occur, especially when it comes to reporting sexual misconduct within staff-student relationships.

When perpetrators happen to be students themselves, victims are also often burdened by concerns from others on how their assaulter’s degree outcome and future prospects will be affected.

“Regarding the Oxford Mail article, It Happens Here affirms our stance that under-reporting sexual misconduct is an endemic problem within the university,” says Kesaia Toganivalu, committee member of It Happens Here, who is involved with running the upcoming debate event.

“Building on from the comments given in the article, another obstacle in reporting is the use of Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs). It Happens Here asks that the Vice Chancellor join other institutions across the nation in pledging to stop their use in silencing survivors of sexual violence,” she continues.

With regards to the upcoming event, Kesaia emphasised that It Happens Here committee has pledged at the beginning of their tenure to focus on ending sexual violence within student clubs and societies, and that this event is meant to be “an extension of that pledge and

a show of commitment by the other societies involved to tackle sexual violence.”

“There should be no room for sexual violence, not in your college, not in your faculty and not in these societies.”

She adds, “It Happens Here will continue to work with [the other societies], and we are so happy they have agreed to raise money for OSARCC with us.”

If victims of sexual assault seek to reach out for support, the Oxfordshire Sexual Abuse & Rape Crisis Centre can be contacted via 018 657 25311

The Oxford Student | Friday 4th February 2022

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The Oxford Student | Friday 4th February 2022

Editors: Shiraz Vapiwala, Peter Denton Deputy Editor: Jonah Poulard comment@oxfordstudent.com

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Comment

Boycotting the Beijing Olympics: Necessary but Inadequate Georgie Cutmore

notable absence from the Beijing Winter Olympics, which begins on February 4th, will be the diplomatic delegations of the U.S., U.K., Canada and Australia, among others.

Or perhaps this won’t be so notable.

The Biden administration announced back in early December that it would not send an official U.S. delegation to the games, although athletes will still go. The reason? White House press secretary, Jen Psaki cited the “ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang”. Indeed, human rights organisations focused on the Uyghur struggle have been calling for diplomatic boycotts since as early as July 2020.

The context of Sino-Western diplomatic relations is also far from rosy. Restrictions to political freedoms in Hong Kong and the crackdown on pro-democracy protestors have heightened tensions.

Most recently, concerns have been raised following top tennis player Peng Shuai’s accusations, and subsequent denials, that she faced sexual assault by a former Chinese vice-premier.

The diplomatic boycotts against Beijing are undoubtedly necessary, but they do not go far enough.

Many commentators have argued that sport should be a politically neutral sphere in which boycotts have no place. This seems fundamentally naïve. Sport and politics

have always gone hand in hand.

From the ping-pong diplomacy of the early ‘70s to today’s controversy, certain political manoeuvres surrounding sport form part of the tacitly accepted code of diplomatic negotiation. Boycotts are an old tactic, fully realised during the Cold War and, even earlier, against the Nazi Berlin of 1936.

Given this precedent, and the wider U.S. policy against China, it would be bizarre for the Biden administration not to carry out a boycott of sorts. Amidst the hard power tactics of banning all imports from Xinjiang, imposing sanctions on government officials, and prohibiting U.S. investment in several Chinese companies, it would be odd if soft power tactics did not also make an appearance.

Even more so since President Xi Jinping has taken an active role

Many commentators have argued that sport should be a politically neutral sphere in which boycotts have no place. This seems fundamentally naïve.

in the preparation for the Games, promising that the Olympics will showcase “the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation”. To attend the event in a diplomatic capacity

could be seen as tacit approval of Mr. Xi himself.

But the U.S. and other countries conduct diplomatic, and not full, boycotts. These are deliberately ambiguous and seem to have little concrete purpose beyond condemning Beijing. It is true that they’ve managed to elicit response from disapproving nations, with the Chinese government itself threatening “resolute countermeasures” should the U.S. not back down, and President Putin calling the moves “unacceptable and wrong”. But even so, we can still ask: what does the boycott concretely achieve?

Pundits have noted the problems with a purely diplomatic boycott.

Some fear the impact on athletes.

They’re sportspeople, not politicians, and it is they who now face questions of how to behave once inside the Chinese capital, and even whether to use the Games as activist opportunities. Human rights advocates have most recently advised athletes to stay silent. Beijing is likely to react should they feel it appropriate, and Yang Shu, an international relations official on Beijing’s organising committee, has already stated that: “Any behaviour or speech that is against the Olympic spirit, especially against the Chinese laws and regulations, are also subject to certain punishment”.

If Biden and other leaders are willing to take such risks and put

their countrymen in uncertain positions, what are they doing it for? What can a diplomatic boycott concretely achieve? I repeat my earlier point: for the sake of consistency in U.S. policy towards China, it was a necessary move

To have made this worth it, it is also necessary to do more.

that they denounced the Games.

To have made this worth it, it is also necessary to do more.

This could take the form of pressure on home corporations to retract sponsorship of the XXIV Olympic Winter Games. Companies such as Coca-Cola and Airbnb are Worldwide Olympic Partners, with no control over the location of the Games that they service. It is more complicated to withdraw service, but these corporations are still in a powerful position to publicly support human rights organisations and take a stance.

Governments could apply pressure on them to do so. Individuals could follow the recent suggestion of Robert Hayward, Tory peer and former manager at Coca-Cola Bottlers, who called for a consumer boycott of all Coca-Cola products.

Just as pressingly, a boycott on Mars-Wrigley products could be

realised – Snickers has chosen to represent at the Beijing Olympics and has been made the official exclusive supplier of the 2022 Games.

It is notoriously difficult to enforce successful pressure on corporations. There are other options available to the U.S. government and its allies to bolster their diplomatic boycotts. This could include pressure on the governments of friendly nations to stop dodging responsibility and take a stance. In moves resembling a “get out of jail free” card, the New Zealand government cited COVID as the reasoning behind their decision not to send ministerial diplomatic representatives. Nations comprising the European Union have dithered on a united stance, with mixed messages from leading powers France and Germany. The symbolic power of the diplomatic boycott could be heightened if nations were to act as one and coordinate their announcements.

Whatever plays out at the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics over the next month, the policies of governments and corporations won’t be forgotten. Rising geopolitical tensions and the first Olympic boycott since the Cold War may call to mind Orwell’s descriptor of international sport: “war minus the shooting”.

The Oxford Student | Friday 4th February 2022

T

he Rad Cam – a Virgo or as many hours, if not more, have Taurus rising? An important been spent fighting a hangover to topic of debate, not (yet) in finalise another weekly tut essay, the Oxford Union, but rather as a crying over exam stress and havform of procrastination from my ing a 3am library breakdown. The imminently due essay, sparked idealised ‘Oxford Life’ that domiby a post on a friend’s Instagram. nates social media is not exactly Leo sun and Aquarius moon have the full picture. As I scroll through already been decided. The win- endless reels of the dreamy Oxning birth-chart ford aesthetic, I features on Ins- Posts on social media wonder whether tagram alongside we are trying to rarely show the an aesthetic sunconvince others rise picture of the intensity of studying at or ourselves.

Oxford and the toll it building in quesThe numerous tion. As I return can take on mental and posts on social to my essay, I feel media rarely physical health. a small twinge of show the intenguilt for being so sity of studying easily distracted, but also a slight at Oxford and the toll it can take sense of existential doubt. Am I on mental and physical health. just posting pretty pictures to vali- The short eight-week terms mean date my decision to leave my city that the already high workload job and retreat to the comforting of a university student becomes corners of libraries and academia even more high-pressure, and the as a grad student? lack of a typical university readIf so, I’m not the only one. A quick ing week leaves no room for rest search of the hashtag #OxfordUni- and recovery. The pressure is not versity on Tiktok pulls up a whole only academic. University is ofhost of videos entitled ‘A week in ten spouted to be ‘one of the best the life of an Oxford student’ or times of your life’, and seeing the similarly named, showcasing a romanticised Oxford life of other montage of pretty buildings, fancy students often reinforces this idea. dinners and students sporting ei- But this social pressure to be havther subfusc or their college puff- ing a good time can often leave us ers. Many of these have received feeling isolated and demoralised, hundreds of thousands of views. a feeling which has only worsened There is no doubt about it – the over the pandemic. If we are strugRad Cam is a beautiful building gling with our mental health, the and Oxford is a beautiful city. resources to seek help are limited.

But, while many of us have spent In December 2020, The Oxford hours enjoying University Park Student published the piece ‘We or dancing at Bridge, surely just Deserve More For Our Mental

Comment | 9

Should TikTok be Romanticizing the Oxford Life?

Health’. The article detailed the lack of support from the University for students struggling with their mental health as well as revealing the Oxford culture of normalising high levels of stress and ‘5th week blues’. In March 2019, the Cherwell newspaper published an article titled ‘Oxford’s term structure is fuelling a mental health crisis’ and, in January 2018, the article ‘Mental Health At Oxford: It’s Time For Change’ appeared in the Oxford Student. It is true that there are counselling services and welfare teams in place at the colleges, pointing to a more general system of support in place. However, the repeated appearance of such articles exposes a common concern among students that there is neither enough support nor concern for student wellbeing at the university.

Considering the precedent of welfare violations at Oxford, this is no surprise. There have been several instances of breached confidentiality by both medical professionals and college welfare teams leading to forced rustications, as reported in August 2020 by the Oxford Blue. In October 2021, Al Jazeera broke the story

Millie Wan Marriot

of Balliol College’s mishandling of cases of sexual assault, notably shows the two sides of Oxford. I by the former Head of Welfare. stumble across several other simiOxford might be all blue skies on lar videos, which have just as many Instagram but the intense academ- views as the aestheticized videos. ic pressure and limited welfare Of course, the mental health provisystem means that often students sions at the university (and in the are faced with strains on their UK more generally) require huge mental health. Sometimes, social improvement. There is some reasmedia can mask these failings of surance in the idea that prospecthe university or the difficulties of tive students might see a fuller student life in Oxford. picture of Oxford life and that curAs I scroll through Tiktok, thanks rent students who are struggling to the tracking will know they algorithm my are not alone.

As I scroll through ‘For You’ page is Amid all the Tiktok, thanks to the stress and hard now filled with tracking algorithm times, someOxford videos, meaning even my ‘For You’ page is times a glimmer in my procras- now filled with Oxford of beauty can tination breaks bring a moment I cannot escape videos, meaning even of happiness that the university. in my procrastination we want to share However, one breaks I cannot escape with friends, and video catches that’s okay. But, the university. my eye. It’s an for those Oxford ‘Expectation vs. influencers and Reality’ for Oxford students and occasional posters alike, consider the montage of dreamy Oxford using a disclaimer next time you pictures gives way to a humorous post. It is important to acknowlmedley of clearly hungover self- edge the realities of what the ‘Oxies, dark eye-bags, and library all- ford Life’ actually entails. nighters. There is comfort in the self-deprecating humour which Piers Nye via Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

10 | Green

The Oxford Student | Friday 4 February 2022

Green Umbrella-Ella-Ella: Rihanna’s Fight Editors: George Mackay, Kellie Tran Deputy Editor: Elias Formaggia green@oxfordstudent.com

For Climate Resilience And Justice George MacKay Deputy Section Editor

L

egendary pop star and declared Barbadian national hero, Robyn ‘Rihanna’ Fenty, is donating $15 million into 18 organisations fighting for climate justice and resilience across the Caribbean and the United States, as she announced last Tuesday.

This includes the Climate Justice Alliance and the Indigenous Environmental Network, both of which focus on supporting communities which are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

Work like this is becoming increasingly important in our rapidly changing world, with climate change driving natural disasters with ever increasing intensity and regularity.

million in emergency grants to partner organisations that were on the ground and ready to help with medical care, food distribution to remote regions, waste management and more. But, it is not only immedi-

ate short-term help that CLF provides – they also do long-term work in regions that have been affected by natural disasters, helping to rebuild schools and replace supplies to get the affected children back into education as quickly as possible.

Such was the case in 2017, when Hurricane Maria destroyed all but 10% of the buildings in Dominica, CLF and their associated partners are still on the ground now working to restore local communities.

As well as a focus on efficient responses to natural disasters, CLF prioritises preparedness to future crises. The foundation’s ‘Climate Resilience Initiative’ aims to ensure that emergency measures are in place to prepare for the climatefuelled natural disasters to come.

This includes Caribbean-based projects involving hardening of essential infrastructure, such as healthcare clinics and schools, in addition to gender-integrated planning of emergency responses. The long-term goal of these projects is to make the Caribbean the world’s first climate resilient zone, in addition to acting as models to help other vulnerable regions around the globe prepare for future disasters.

Rihanna and her foundation have made strong efforts to voice how the effects of climate change are damag-

ing certain communities to greater extents - which is why several of the organisations that the $15 million was donated to are led by and concentrated on providing support for women, indigenous peoples, people of colour and members of the LG-

So next time your ears are graced with ‘Umbrella’, ‘Don’t Stop the Music’ or ‘Pon de Replay’, stop and think about just how much difference this one woman has made.

BTQ+ community. Rihanna issued this press release last week upon announcing the donation: “At the Clara Lionel Foundation, much of the work is rooted in the understanding that climate disasters, which are growing in frequency and intensity, do not impact all communities equally, with communities of colour and island nations facing the brunt of climate change.

This is why CLF prioritises both climate resilience and climate justice work across the U.S. and Caribbean” CLF has helped to raise awareness of the disproportionate effects of Firkin via Openclipart

climate change, not only on island nations and people of colour, but also on women and girls. Healthcare clinics are essential in any disaster response, but the reproductive and sexual health needs of women and girls following natural disasters is often overlooked. In 2019, CLF partnered up with the International Planned Parenthood Federation/Western Hemisphere Region (IPPF/WHR) and Engineers Without Borders USA (EWB-USA) to improve response by sexual and reproductive health (SRH) clinics and strengthen the SRH clinic infrastructure already in place on four Caribbean islands.

It is easy to say that the work of Robyn ‘Rihanna’ Fenty and her Clara Lionel Foundation, as well as the individuals working for partner organisations, is not only important, but inspirational. Rihanna’s donations help to protect vulnerable communities from the climate crisis, and her influence in educating the vast number of people that she reaches about the effects of climate change is invaluable. So next time your ears are graced with ‘Umbrella’, ‘Don’t Stop the Music’ or ‘Pon de Replay’, stop and think about just how much difference this one woman has made (not just to music, but to the world). daily sunny via flickr

The singer is donating this large sum through her Clara Lionel Foundation, in partnership with former CEO of Twitter Jack Dorsey’s #StartSmall initiative. The Clara Lionel Foundation (CLF) was founded

by Rihanna in 2012 and named in honour of Clara and Lionel Braithwaite, her grandparents. CLF works towards justice for children that are kept from their right to an education due to poverty, conflict, gender inequality, racial inequality and poor public policy. The foundation has been successful in creating positive change in disadvantaged communities by working with local organisations; notable exam-

ples being the provision of bikes for Malawian students to increase access to far-away schools and the supplying personal hygiene kits for the people of Zimbabwe following Cyclone Idai in 2019.

Work like this is becoming increasingly important in our rapidly changing world, with climate change driving natural disasters with ever increasing intensity and regularity. In 2020, CLF’s response to Hurricane Dorian – the most severe hurricane in the history of the Bahamas – was rapid. Almost instantly, CLF distributed over $1

The Oxford Student | Friday 4 February 2022

Green Interviewing Pippa Neill:

Green | 11

Helm42 via Openclipart

An Environmental Journalist (Who Happens to be my Sister) Will Neill

M

y sister has been an environmental journalist and editor for the last three years, working for four national publications, with a regional and international audience of over 100,000, developing her own podcast called ‘Earth Rights’ that focuses on the intersection between human rights and environmental practices, and attending amazing events like the COP summit at the end of last year. I am incredibly proud of her, of her passion and drive for what she does - and thought it would be interesting to ask her about her work.

Why did you want to become specifically an environmental journalist?

It began at university, I wrote a dissertation exploring how the language that was used in the media around the climate crisis affects our perceptions of this issue. I had a look at specifically how language influences our thought and how it was being used by certain media outlets to mislead the public to the extent of the challenge.

It was this project that really motivated me to work in the media industry and after finishing uni I set out on my journalism career by conducting various freelance work for different publications like the Wildlife Trust and Manchester Climate Monthly. This passion eventually developed into a full-time job initially as a journalist and now as a group editor managing the content for four different environmental publications, including Air Quality News and Environment Journal. warszawianka via Openclipart

Why is environmental journalism important to you?

It’s about making a difference, and shaping the opinions of policy makers in society. I am currently the editor of two business-tobusiness (B2B) environmental magazines where our audience is largely local authorities.

How did you find your footing in journalism?

After graduating from University I did various freelance jobs while I was looking for a more permanent position. I then received a place at an entry-level reporter job at the company I work for now and completed my NCTJ journalism qualifications.

And, from

there I have just worked my way up.

You have a podcast, Earth Rights, how did you develop this?

I have a real passion for sharing the human side of the climate crisis so, with my friend, who is a trainee human rights lawyer, set up EarthRights.

It began as an idea during lockdown, very cliche I know. We started interviewing friends, talking to each other and editing the content ourselves. Over time the content has developed, we recently interviewed Alphonsine Kapagabo, the Director at Women for Refugee Women, who herself is a refugee. I think our overall aim is to highlight why the climate crisis is a human rights crisis.

Your podcast combines e n v i r o n m e n ta l i s m with a legal perspective - do you think the law will change, particularly after cases like that of nine-year-old Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah?

Yes, because of our respective backgrounds the podcast aims to highlight the connection between human rights and the environment through many facets, one being how human rights law can help to protect the environment.

There are many ways that this can be achieved and environmental law charity ClientEarth are hugely influential in this area, they are currently suing the government for failure over net-zero plans.

In my work for Air Quality News I have also seen the value in Ella Kissi-Debrah’s case for creating change. Ella was a nine year old girl who lived in London and died of an asthma attack. However, research revealed that her asthma

attacks conspired with days where air pollution in London exceeded the legal limit. Early last year, a coroner ruled that air pollution made a ‘material’ contribution to Ella’s death, this means she is the first person in the world to have air pollution on their death certificate.

Ella’s mother Rosamund has been hugely influential in pushing for this recognition and has used this tragedy to push for global change, she is now a World Health Organisation advocate for cleaner air.

We know that air pollution contributes to 7 million premature deaths worldwide every single year, more than malaria and HIV combined, but these statistics are hard to comprehend, and so having a face to the story despite how awful it is, really helps us to move these conversations forward and understand the reality behind these statistics.

How was it attending the COP conference last year?

It was amazing to be part of such a huge global event. During lockdown I have spent a lot of time writing on a laptop from the comfort of my home, going to a global event and meeting people like Rosamund and realising that my work makes a material difference reminded me why I do what I do.

I heard first hand Jeff Bezos say ‘after being in space I now realise how fragile the earth is’, and on the same day, I met mothers from across the world whose children are dying from air pollution. The sense I got was a real disconnect between what was happening in the corporate world and what was happening in cities and towns. It was incredibly confronting and a clear reminder that despite progress we still have so far to go.

Do you feel that the Glasgow COP conference achieved anything substantial,

and where do we go from here?

Although there is still so much work that needs to be done, it would be unfair to say that COP didn’t achieve anything.

Under the Glasgow climate pact, countries agreed to return to the negotiating table this year at COP27 in Egypt to reexamine their national plans, with a view to increasing their ambition on cuts, we will all be watching this closely to see how countries performed on their commitments made at COP26 and what progress they pledge to make to take things further.

What steps can we all make to protect the planet?

We all know the small steps we can make in our personal lives, eat less meat, drive less, recycle more, use less water etc.

I think we should all be trying to be more sustainable wherever possible, but for those of us who can’t do these or are doing these things but want to do more I think it’s important to use your political power, whether that’s through how you vote, how you shop, the conversations you have with your friends, what you read, changing banks, having conversations with your college, university, workplace and so on. It’s easy to feel helpless as an individual when you understand the scale of the problem, but by talking about these issues and campaigning for change in your circle it spreads awareness and encourages other people to follow suit.

When I feel beaten down I always remind myself of this quote by anthropologist Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world: indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

A link to her podcast www.earthrights.co.uk

12 | Identity

The Oxford Student | Friday 4th February 2022

Identity

Editors: Dania Kamal Aryf identity@oxfordstudent.com

Bloody Sunday and Unjust Representations of ‘British’

Olivia McQUAID

O

n the 30th January 1972, British soldiers shot 26 civilians in Derry. 14 died - 13 outright, and one after from his injuries. They were all Catholic. The youngest were just 17. What started as a Civil Rights protest ended in a massacre which would become the worst mass shooting in Northern Irish history. The fallout of the event would fuel decades of violence and unrest, and the deaths of thousands. And still now, as I write this on the 50th anniversary of the murders, there is no justice. Not one British soldier has ever been brought to justice for his actions on that day. Not one.

A 2010 report found the killings to be ‘unjustified’ and ‘unjustifiable’, finding that all of those shot were unarmed, civilians posing no serious threat, and that the soldiers put false accounts of the events forward.

It resulted in David Cameron, Prime Minister at the time formally apologising on behalf of the UK. But that was it.

I grew up in what could only be described as basically an Irish enclave in West London.

My Oxford friends find it shocking that my half-Italian mother designates me as the ‘excit-

ing’ one out of our friendship group, populated by Gallaghers, Kavanaghs, and Carrolls. Irish culture and identity were a huge part of growing up, my Granny’s stew and the GAA club down the road cementing it in my personal ethos. Trips back ‘home’, as she calls them, would include explorations of Giants Causeway, running barefoot along beaches, having bullet holes pointed out to you in important Belfast buildings. I went to predominantly Irish schools, where we would celebrate St Patrick’s Day and the familiar twang of a Cork accent would slip from the lips of teachers, resonating around a classroom of people to whom that sound meant family. None of us grew up in Ireland, we did not grow up in a place still grappling with its history, but it still continued to grow in us.

And yet I never learnt anything about The Troubles at school. I formally knew nothing of Bloody Sunday besides a teacher playing some U2 in a Music lesson once, the voice of Bono acting as more of a teacher of our own history than those employed by the school themselves.

In fact, I

learnt more about the history of McDonalds as a franchise, than about what is fundamentally basic British history, the history of at least 10% of the UK’s population. Instead, my education consisted of conversations around the dinner table with my father and his inimitable Northern Irish Catholic family, the occasional incredibly traumatic story slipped into discussion over Christmas dinner, or brought up over an episode of Derry Girls. We recently watched Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast as a family, my Granny pointing out parts of her own childhood (she’ll have you know she’s a Lurgan girl though) amongst the violence. It’s jarring. She sat in nostalgia while watching precocious children clambering on barricades, the humour interjected amongst scenes of looting - this was her childhood - and I knew so little of it.

The extent of my education into my own history, my own culture, was through media and family. Reading Seamus Heaney’s Storm on the Island at GCSE was the longest discussion of The Troubles I ever experienced in an educational setting. It still is to this day.

As an

English student, anyone who has had the misfortune of sitting in a tutorial with me will know that I take any opportunity possible to explore Irish identity and experience in literature, because for the longest time, this was the only way I could explore that part of my heritage and culture in print.

Cut out of our history books, reframed as ‘irrelevant’, relegated to independent research or the snippets my Dad would tell me about his childhood summers spent running around the fields of County Armagh.

Many British people now, 50 years after the atrocities of Bloody Sunday, could not tell you what happened, how many men died, how much suffering followed. They probably count Derry Girls as their only source of education on The Troubles.

British refusal to accept culpability, to provide justice, for the events of Bloody Sunday stretches far beyond the surface.

Instead it creeps into culture, how we educate our children, how we present ‘Great’ Britain to the unknowing masses as they sit in front of the whiteboards in History classrooms.

History cannot just be the times you win, the times when your king marries 6 wives, or you end yet another war (which you probably started yourself…). We must accept that the curriculum as it currently is blinds us, deceives us all. Growing up in England and being force fed propaganda of British exceptionalism while knowing the experiences of my family members has left me disillusioned with the concept of ‘British History’ - for how could we ig-

nore something so monumental?

How could this be kept from us?

The ignorance of the vast majority of people is not their own fault. They have been steered away from that part of their own history. The events of The Troubles should not be banished just to Irish history lessons, just as the events leading up to the 20th century, from the first Invasion of Ireland by the English in the 1100s, to Cromwell and the Penal Laws, to the Ulster Plantations, and more, should not be compartmentalised into a ‘specialist option’. The history of this country includes far more than what happened on its shores.

It includes far more than what happened on the Island of Ireland. And until history is taught, from the beginning of a child’s education until the end, in an impartial and unbiased way, there will be no British justice.

“

My heart besieged by anger, my mind a gap of danger.

I walked among their old haunts. the home ground where they bled; And in the dirt lay justice like an acorn in the winter Till its oak would sprout in Derry where the thirteen men lay dead.

”

- from The Road to Derry,

by Seamus Heaney

F

rom that moment you open UCAS track on a sunny (read: bucketing down with rain) mid-August morning (i.e., an anxiety-stricken evening when the government decides that your teachers should be able to determine your A-Level grades), all anyone seems to talk to you about is : “How are you feeling about moving to university?”

“Is it all living alone?”

“Cooking and washing for yourself?”

“How will you manage?!”

But for me, the worries of well-meaning aunties, somehow didn’t seem to stick. Going to University felt like a distant utopia I couldn’t wait to escape to. The normal two-month university anxiety and excitement had been bubbling over throughout my unexpected gap year, so that even the more unattractive parts of university life, felt like precious gems I couldn’t wait to own.

I watched all of my closest friends struggle through the hell of a locked-down first year and even then there was a part of me that felt alone and left behind. I simply couldn’t wait to be away. The place I was going looked like a far away, yet evernearing, paradise.

It was like Emily in Paris, but Paris was Oxford, and my name wasn’t Emily.

Whilst the year out and the growing sense of FOMO (fear of missing out) contributed in some part to my sense of longing, having grown up in as an only child in a Sri-Lankan household, there was also a part of me that had been yearning for the independence university would finally give me.

While often meant as a joke, and an off-hand comment, it is still an uncomfortable truth that, “There’s no such thing as personal space in an ethnic household.”

I have Asian friends who had to stop writing diaries because they knew they’d be read. People who’ve hidden items at other friends’ houses to avoid a fam-

Identity

The Oxford Student | Friday 4th February 2022

Identity | 13

There’s no such thing as

Personal Space In An Ethnic Household,

But now my University room feels empty

ily argument. Even in lockdown, there were moments when I’d be calling my friends and felt the need to whisper, suddenly overwhelmingly aware that the walls in my house are wafer-thin.

And it wasn’t because it was a particularly incriminating conversation. It just suddenly felt like something that wasn’t meant to be shared that way. It felt like it should be personal.

Especially as an only child, every swing of your mood becomes apparently noticeable, every action scrutinised in a way it seemed some of my other friends never were. I couldn’t wait to have a space of my own, where I woke myself up, made and ate the food I chose to, and didn’t need to justify any excursions to anyone but myself. I thought I’d considered the things that might be difficult – the things I may have taken for granted growing up. Yes it was sometimes deeply convenient to be awoken by my early-bird father. I also knew that I would eventually miss my mother’s spicy seasoned cooking (RIP hall curry, I know you’re trying your best…). But I’d come to terms with those things, I thought, I’d accept that I’d have to fend for myself in those ways.

Yet, what I didn’t expect was that there was another large part of my life so far I’d taken very much for granted.

Coming to university is a big step out of an often homogenous community, and into a mix of people with the kinds of backgrounds you couldn’t even start to imagine. It feels incredibly naïve to say, but at times, when you don’t leave your hometown too often, if at all, it’s easy to forget that even this fairly small country has such a wide variety of

people from all walks of life.

When you grow up amongst people who’ve had similar life experiences to you, the same childhood, same shows, same culture – often, there’s very little you need to explain. I could start describing an experience and someone else would fill in the ending. For seven years I thought that that was friendship; Immediately knowing, immediately understanding. I didn’t have to explain to those people why I wanted to go to the earlier show, what food I was eating for lunch, or the unbearable weight

It was like Emily in Paris, but Paris was Oxford, and my name wasn’t Emily.

of being a disappointment. They already knew, because they did those things, and they often felt it too.

But at university, you can’t assume these shared experiences.

You have to explain, and you’re forced to share. I realise how there is also something deeply special about that too. After years of simply assuming that the people around me would understand, I was suddenly worried, in a way I never have been before. If I didn’t expand on every detail of ‘why’ and ‘how’, the meaning of whatever I was trying to describe would be lost, and that people would lose interest in what I was telling them, because nothing I said made any sense. After years of never having to justify yourself, it suddenly felt unnatural. Hence, I caught myself over-explaining on multiple occasions, especially

during Fresher’s week, worrying I was starting to sound like a broken record, constantly citing “as an Asian...” or “growing up like I did...”

I didn’t think it was noticeable, and I doubt anyone but me would have made the slightest note of it. But noticing it made me I hate it. I felt isolated, and I felt alone in that fear. I yearned for the days when I didn’t feel like a nuisance for sharing how I felt, because I knew what I said would resonate.

However, I do think that explaining yourself and everything unique about you to someone who has no understanding of any of it is important. The fact that it took me 19 years to start to have to do anything of the sort is something I now find embarrassing, and yet fairly common.

Whilst I’ve detailed my own specific South Asian experience, I believe the sudden realisation that not everyone is like the people you grew up with, is probably the most common university experience in existence, and probably even the most important lesson to take away from it all.

It breeds an ability for empathy and tolerance, and hones communication skills (like when Emily learnt French). They all sound like buzz words and yet I feel like a much changed person for the people I’ve met over the last four months. It was a hard learning experience, especially because I had no idea it was coming. I ran headfirst into the university chapter of my life because I was fed-up of my life so far. I didn’t think it was important to bring with me the things safe, warm comforts that had thus made life what it was. The regular Zoom calls with

friends, the snacks from Sambal Express (an excellent Sri-Lankan take-away chain, highly recommended), and even the sense of love for my degree were things I left to the wind in my rush to build my own space, my own life at university; Away from everything I’d known.

After Michaelmas I know that balance is important, between the old and the new. Now there are days I’ll sacrifice experiencing whatever spontaneous adventure my friends get up to, (read: ‘sitting in someone’s room for three hours procrastinating work and then leaving college to get Solomon’s and come back and continue) to catch up with friends with home. My stock of food in my room includes jars of snacks from home, which I’ve now also practised explaining in English so that I don’t have another experience where when faced with explaining what murukku is I said “like a wheat biscuit?” (it’s much more appetising than that sounds I promise).

Even my nerd-ish tendencies seem to be intensifying, so much so that I had a much too long conversation about Mill’s higher and lower pleasures outside the SSL, and 99% sure we scared off the postgrads on the benches around us. *** I realise now, I had been so ready to find my own space, that when I finally did, it felt empty.

And I think, that was the hardest thing about moving to university. Not the cooking, or the cleaning, or the waking up in the morning. It’s learning to grow and love, in a place and with people that look nothing at all like what you were familiar with.

Maybe it can initially come off as patronising when they send you off to university only to talk to you about such trivial things, and make no mention at all of the deep sense of identity searching you’re bound to do when you get here.

Or maybe, they just assumed you already knew. People back home tend to do so.

14 | Features

Features Holocaust Memorial Day:

The Oxford Student | Friday 4th February 2022

Editors: Anna Davidson, Marietta Kosma (Deputy) Deputy Editors: Jason Chau, Will Neill features@oxfordstudent.com

A Time To Remember discusses the

Matthew Holland significance of the Holocaust Memorial Day. and why we should never forget the horrors of the past.

Matthew Holland

O

wing to their federal system of Government, Germany only has two national holidays which apply to every federal state: German Unity Day on 3rd October which celebrates the day when Germany finally united after forty-five years of division, and Holocaust Memorial Day on 27th January. Since 1996, Germany has observed the International Holocaust Memorial Day with the Bundestag, the German Parliament, hosting a yearly service on the day in order for German politicians to share stories and commemorate the victims of the Nazi Regime. The day itself is of much importance as well, being the date on which the infamous Auschwitz concentration camp was liberated by Soviet soldiers in 1945. Historically this observance by the Bundestag has included outside speakers who tend to discuss the fact that as human beings we have failed to learn properly from the mistakes committed by Germans in the past; warning viewers of the danger of forgetting and the ways in which genocide continues to occur globally despite the repeated reminders of the horrors of the Nazi Regime.

These prophetic warnings and difficult conversations ensure that Germans are constantly reminded of the part their ancestors played in the Holocaust and the deeds which have been done tragically in the name of their country. But can any other country say that we effectively address the past in a similar way?

While Holocaust Memorial Day is an event which is commemorated globally, the importance of such a day is often overlooked in countries which did not experience on a large-scale the horrors of the Holocaust. In Britain, for instance,

many other days of national importance are given emphasis over this vital day, such as VE Day or Armistice Day, which are commemorated incredibly tastefully and respectfully in this country.

I’m sure we’ve all been present to a wreath-laying ceremony or observed a minute’s silence to think about the brave men and women who have given their lives to uphold peace and democracy throughout history, but how many of us can say we have ever treated Holocaust Memorial Day with the same respect and observance?

As a historian it is very easy for me to say to you that remembering the past is an important thing in our society and that the dangers of forgetting such horrific events such as the Holocaust could not only be fatal but could lead to horrific consequences. Of course I would argue this, and on top of it I would also argue that it is one thing to learn the history and another to actually understand it in all its abhorrent details. Statistics fail to convey the importance of the Holocaust in history and therefore it is important for humanity that we don’t just think of the statistics but also of the individual lives which were brutally taken and justified in the most horrendous of ways.

I would implore you on the 27th of January every year to give a thought to those individual people; to educate yourselves on their lives, the things they loved and the way in which they were murdered. The single greatest resource that humanity possesses for this is the Diary of Anne Frank, which I’m sure many of you have read at least once in your life (and if you haven’t then you are doing a great disservice to the memory of the Holocaust). I read her diary first when I was around the same age as she was when she went into hiding with her family, in the back rooms of the warehouse in which

her dad had worked until the Nazi Regime imposed itself upon the people of the Netherlands. It has scarred me since to think that this innocent young girl was experiencing the same thoughts and feelings which we all felt whilst we grow from a child into a young adult, and to think that she never made it to adulthood. Her diary was discovered after the war by her father, the sole survivor of the family, and it was published soon after in 1947 and has subsequently been reprinted several times and translated into seventy

different languages. I implore anyone to read the entire thing and have dry eyes by its ending.

If it is only by learning these personal stories that we can truly learn from this horrific past, then it should be compulsory for everyone to undergo this catharsis every 27th of January. With economies around the world reeling from the shock of the Pandemic, and the corresponding political unrest and polarization, it is of paramount importance that we learn from this past, learn why

the Nazis came to power and how they justified the systematic killing of millions of innocent people in order that we should never repeat it again and be able to spot the early signs of such a regime whenever it should appear. It is everyone’s duty to learn from the past, and to employ that knowledge in the future. Without this, we shall face dire consequences, and our children will be the ones begging society to learn from our mistakes.

Give a thought to those individual people...educate yourselves on their lives, the things they loved and the way in which they were murdered.

The Oxford Student | Friday 4th February 2022

CryptOx:

Features | 15

An Introduction to Oxford’s Cryptocurrency Society

Julian Whitaker

F

or those that don’t know, CryptOx is Oxford University’s crypto society, dedicated to entrepreneurship and venture capital in the web3 and digital asset ecosystem. We are the best place for students looking to discuss these topics and to gain exposure to the businesses leveraging this technology. We would like to emphasize that no experience or knowledge is required to join us and crypto is an incredibly exciting and opportunity-filled space to start getting involved in.

the international press; The New York Times, BBC, Time, Forbes etc.

As he managed this without ever transacting with the legacy financial system his backstory has been described as the true fulfilment of the Bitcoin whitepaper: building a monetary network outside the control of any central banks or governments. The youngest person to have ever delivered a lecture at the university, Benyamin joined us at Pembroke’s Pichette Auditorium and shared his views with an engaged audience on this flourishing digital landscape and the explosive opportunities that exist within this universe.

Last term we held our first inperson event of the year: ‘Art and You might be asking yourself, Culture in a Digital Universe’, a what are NFTs anyway and why lecture on the fushould we care? ture of crypto and NFT is a word how it will impact Benyamin is a twelve- you have probaall of our lives, de- year-old programmer bly come across livered by Beny- from London who began a few times over amin Ahmed, and learning to code at the the past several age of five. it was a huge sucmonths - the access. Benyamin is ronym stands a twelve-year-old for Non-Fungiprogrammer from London who ble Token. This means an item that began learning to code at the age cannot be traded equivalently for of five. During the school summer another item. For example, money holidays he got pulled into the is considered fungible since £10 emerging NFT sphere and decided today can be traded for any other to code his own collection (Weird £10 tomorrow whereas a ticket for Whales). The project was an in- a flight has a specific set of properstant hit and went viral earning ties making it non-fungible. The him over $600,000 and attracting online NFT boom currently tak-

ing place is being largely driven can be split into approximately 3 by the cryptocurrency revolution categories; the first and biggest and this technology is creating a today being a market for high highly accessible end crypto art platform for digitrading, buy“This Metaverse tal artists to begin ing and selling is going to be far of high value sharing and tradmore pervasive ing art pieces. But and low utilthere are subtle and powerful than ity assets such niches tied to the anything else” -- Tim as the famous fundamental propSweeney, CEO of Cryptopunks erties of blockor even Ben’s Epic Games chain that makes own Weird it favourable for Whales. Ownartists to take ers of such this route over traditional ones. pieces are consequently members One example Ben discussed is of a club exclusive to owners of derivative works, which Ben NFTs from the same collection, a sees as a badge of honour in the trait of NFTs that ties nicely in to NFT space rather than “fake rip- the second emerging facet of this offs”. He went on to discuss one market: branding and merchanNFT project “cryptoadz” created dising. The third and most versaby Gremplin, who intentionally tile sector of the NFT landscape is waived all copyright and instead what Ben described as programencouraged artists to copy and mable art, content with high utility remix his work. No copyright dis- and low value i.e., in-game curputes ensued after the release of rencies, skins and cosmetics etc. several identical and reworked Although predominantly targeting collections since the artist knew gamers we can see the huge pothat all of his works from the orig- tential for NFTs of this type to be inal collection could be verified used in many broader applications by the blockchain. This begs the across nearly every industry today. question, can blockchains disrupt existing intellectual property laws Looking forward, Ben talked in favour of on-chain verification? about the Metaverse (a 3D virtual world inhabited by avatars Benyamn went on to evaluate of real people) and the massive the current and future state of the institutions competing for its conNFT art market, explaining how it trol and influence. You may have

image credit: pinguino k via Flickr

come across Bored Ape Yacht Club, a collection of art pieces that is seemingly becoming a franchise in its own right that has very recently partnered with Adidas in their own bid to establish themselves in the Metaverse. He finished the talk with a quote from Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, “This Metaverse is going to be far more pervasive and powerful than anything else”, leaving us to wonder, what is the role NFTs will play in our lives and in particular in the development and realisation of the Metaverse?

For those who wish to watch the lecture themselves, the recording can be found on YouTube - and to anyone who wishes to stay ahead of the curve in this emerging and fast-paced industry, CryptOx invites you to come to any or all of our events this term. This includes talks with the head of the online exchange Gemini UK (founded by the Winklevoss twins), a high frequency trading firm in crypto markets, Portofino, and a chat with representatives of the NFT platform Bondly. If you’d like to join us or find out more about what we’re doing check out our website at www.cryptox.me or search CryptOx on Facebook.

The Oxford Student | Friday 4th February 2022

16 | Columns

Sabbatical Officers: Historically, Present Anvee’s Corner and Future with Anvee Bhutani

Nominations closed for the SU leadership elections on Friday last week and it was so exciting to see that we had the most nominations in all of Oxford SU history! With that, I thought that this week I would come to you all with a blast from the past and take you through the past, present and future of the pillars of the SU: the Sabbatical Officers.

The Education Act of 1994 gave way to the modern UK University Student Union representative system as we see it today. This lays out the provision for ‘Sabbatical Officers’ - a full-time officer elected by the members of a students’ union who are usually Trustees of the organisation as a charity and operationally involved with being the representative voice of students at the University. The position can be undertaken either between years of study or at the conclusion of one’s degree and is typically either 1 or 2 years long.

Here in Oxford, Oxford SU was formally started in 1973 after students had been or-

Freddy’s

ganising themselves for nearly a decade under the name ‘Oxford University Students Representative Council (OUSRC)’.

Because we are a collegiate university, Oxford SU is made up of members from its affiliate organisations, JCRs and MCRs. For the first several years of its history, the only Sabbatical Trustee position was the President. This was slowly expanded to the six person team that we know of today over the next roughly thirty years by adding a new position every few years.

One famous past Sabbatical Officer is Anneliese Dodds, current MP for Oxford East & Abingdon who in her time as President led occupations of Exam Schools and campaigns to withhold tuition fees when they were first introduced in the late 90s. Another is Will Straw, the founder of leftwing media outlet Left Foot Forward, who also led protests against the government despite his own father being a senior member under both Blair and Brown.

This leads us to the present.

Friday Roundup with Freddy Foulston

The Prime Minister was beleaguered with fresh allegations this week that in the midst of the crisis at Kabul airport last August, he prioritised the evacuation of dogs, pets and other animals belonging to Pen Farthing’s charity, Nowzad, instead of British personnel in Afghanistan. He described the allegations as ‘total rhubarb’just one fruity specimen from among the many offbeat comments of a Prime Minister who loves food-related metaphors and similes almost as much as he loves food itself, comparing superfast broadband to ‘superin-

formative vermicelli’ in a recent Tory conference, for example. In the past, his esoteric vernacular has historically and raucously extended to ad hominem attacks on mayoral officials whom he described as ‘supine, protoplasmic, invertebrate jellies’.

But he didn’t stop there. The OxStu have received covert reports from Whitehall that, within the space of a month dubbed, ‘Boris’ verbal veganuary’, in which he scatter-gunned politicians with vegetable shots from his figurative potato gun of rhetorical wrath, he also described Angela

The current sabbatical officer positions are as follows President VP Charities and Community VP Access and Academic Affairs VP Graduates VP Welfare and Equal Opportunities VP Women

For some background, the Oxford SU sabbatical officer roles have not been reviewed for over a decade. Contextually, most SUs review their roles every 5-7 years to make sure they fit the needs and priorities of the student body and I firmly believe that Oxford ought to do the same.

The future of the Sabbatical Roles remains unknown but I think there is scope for change and improvement for two reasons: engagement and balance.

I think on the engagement side, the SU currently has a host of campaigns and projects that do incredibly well but there is no internal cohesion on the work that each group does and how this connects to the Sabbatical Offic-

Rayner as having “as much substance as a flaccid baby carrot”, and Keir Starmer as a “lemon, not a leader”, as well as “a stiff, lobotomised parsnip” after a string of uninspiring and legalistic retorts during PMQs. He even referred to his hitherto esteemed colleague, Priti Patel, as a “frumpy, turgid turnip”. When asked whether Rishi Sunak would succeed him in the event of his resignation following the Partygate scandal, the Prime Minister declared, “Rishi has as much chance of being handed the keys to No.10 as the pips of a dessicated kumquat”. And if that didn’t cut the mustard, the Prime Minister, in comparison, described himself as a ‘raffish, rambunctious, and reassuringly ravishing radish’.

Nips, pips, exotic fruits and root

ers’ work. Because the campaigns specifically serve as a great vantage point to scope out concerns in the University and Colleges, the SU needs to internally engage them more and establish a better pipeline to the student body.

There is also a need for workload balance between sitting on committees and lobbying the University and Colleges long term versus running projects and campaigns to directly support and give back to students short term. At the moment, the remits of the officers mean that some officers engage almost entirely with the former and others almost exclusively with the latter.

This, too, I believe can be better balanced with a rejigging of the sabbatical officer roles, and consequently, the remits of work done by the SU. Making this change will be a long term process that involves consulting everyone from the current sabbatical officers, SU staff, JCRs/MCRs, SU Campaigns, SU Trustee Board, Student Council, the University and more but I am confident that change is both necessary and possible.

This past week, I brought a

vegetables abound in the Johnson vocabulary. Upon catching wind of this, The Guardian newspaper hit back by comparing the Tory cabinet to Waitrose essential pitted, nocellara olives: decadent, greasy and hollow.

Whether or not the aforementioned fast-track doggy airlift allegations turn out to be true, the OxStu was delighted to hear that all of Pen Farthing’s dogs returned to the UK in one piece, but, unfortunately with some of the reports of Sue Gray in a number of pieces, inside their stomachs, after some of the dogs were adopted in Downing Street and, in a fervent farrago of furry frenzy, launched into a hirsute heist on some important filing cabinets: I wonder how the British Public, slighted

proposed sabbatical officer restructure to Student Council to hear student feedback on the new roles. This would change the current structure to the following President VP Activities and Community VP Undergraduate Education and Access VP Postgraduate Education and Access VP Welfare VP Liberation and Equality

The presentation on the rationale behind all of these changes along with a summary of the role review process as a whole can be found on the SU website but as this is the consultation phase, anything and everything is good feedback! Please drop me a line with any thoughts, feedback or concerns and I’d be happy to chat further.

And of course, while we do have the current sabbatical roles in place, get ready for hustings and manifestos this week for our annual SU leadership election!

Until next time:)

by the report’s long delay, will react when Sue Gray arrives at the press conference emptyhanded and declares, “My dog ate my homework”. The bile-covered remnants of salvageable report pages subsequently dissolved in the vinegary tears of civil servants. Rather confusingly, under the ensuing barrage of questioning as to the whereabouts of the Sue Gray report and the public disclosure of the ‘Downing Street Doggy Dinner Party’, the Prime Minister replied, “Nobody told me there was a party” and continued to insist, despite the Sue Gray report’s by now semi-dissolved, fragmentary non-existence, that he would wait for the conclusion of the Sue Gray report before taking any further questions.

The Oxford Student | Friday 4th February 2022

Columns | 17

snmuloCColumns

Moved to London t o wor k as a carpenter

(very Jesus) but hated it. Went to Dubai with his Dad where he managed to land a job as a marketing man for a crypto currency business owned by a Hong Kong kingpin despite having literally no qualification, but still lived at home in Jericho whilst he trained to join the marines.

What had I been doing in the same time? Crying over my degree mainly.

The conversation flowed. He went on a rant about posh people, black tie events and Burns Night (there was a Burn Night bash going on upstairs). He explained that he hated the way that posh people boasted; for example he never told people he regularly went grouse hunting because, like, it wasn’t his whole personality and, like, literally only his ten best friends knew. I do love a man who is so down to earth.

The pub closed and we were kicked out along with the black-tie boozers. We walked back to mine to continue the evening.

And continued by watching the newest season of Rick and Morty and discussing the intricacies of modern life as represented through a time travelling sci-fi cartoon. It was amazingly deep and meaningful, philosophical to ground-breaking proportions.

Maybe I should drink vodka line sodas on the regular…The show came to a close and after a few snogs, you know the drill, the curtain fell.

All in all, it was lovely. We even messaged a bit afterwards and would’ve met up only he went to South Africa to “look at the wildlife”.

Fast forward to the weekend.

A night out in Plush. The jaegers were flowing, the drag queens were shimmying, the walls were trickling with sweat and the lights pulsated. For those who were there - you know who you are - it

was carnage from start to finish.

In the dark and sweaty corridors, saliva was exchanged like paintings in the pre-monetary art market of Ming China (always on the degree grind, I’m a finalist x). The next day or so we began to drop like flies. One by one we slithered into the dark depths of isolation.

Group chat conversation turned to fruit and why college only provided undercooked courgette as a veggie option.

Testing occasionally, then once a week, then several times a week became testing twice daily. I was negative. But my throat was sore and I was having trouble swallowing.

“You’ll test positive soon” “They’re just false negatives” I was so sure they were right.

But then it got worse. I phoned the doctors. The conclusion?

In the midst of this global pandemic, as everyone is being whacked by some sort of medical mafia I, in a cruel twist of fate, was diagnosed with…mumps.

I trudged home to self isolate having taken the call at the Rad Cam because I am the main character. The sun was setting, I was wearing mismatched earrings, flares and a furry coat.

I looked like an “it girl” but now the it girl had to ostracise herself in a weird take on Gossip Girl.

When I got home I then started to message everyone I had come into contact with to

with Poppy Atkinson Gibson inform them. It was like telling people I had super gonorrhoea (I would imagine). This involved some awkward conversations including with the man who most likely gave it to me.

He wasn’t really receptive to the idea unfortunately but I did my duty and tried.

The worst part is he was such a laugh, I probably would see him again. I actually think it would make such a cute story for the grandkids.

“How did you two meet?”

“Well, dearie, we started out on Tinder and then battled through mumps to realise that we couldn’t live without each other’s tonsils”.

Then in an MGK and Megan Fox move, we’d show them our inflamed preserved tonsils, forever intertwined.

Where is this mumpy man now you ask? Still in South Africa I believe. But beware the boys of Jericho for you know not what contagion they carry…

(For advice on types please refer to my 5 Tinder Types. I do the work so you don’t have to x)

Openclipart

beloved in ghost form. Instead, I just went on other disastrous dates.

And then, the other week he messaged me.

“So sorry I didn’t reply. I was in Portugal and then Dubai and I deleted Tinder.”

Reasonable, mysterious, intriguing; it was giving me “I’m not like other boys” energy.

“No worries of course. Hope you had fun.”

“Yeah, we should catch up. Fancy a drink on me?”

Readers, I said yes didn’t I?! The drinks were going to be free…

St Aldate’s Tavern was the location. He arrived looking stunning, sat down, and said he didn’t like this pub. Not a brilliant start. He ordered the drinks: a pint of cider for me, and a vodka lime soda for himself. It was an odd aesthetic but apparently he was off the beer having had an epiphany. He didn’t elaborate.

We caught up. Like all rich boys with probable daddy issues, in the intervening 6 months since we had last met he had: Been to Yorkshire and lived in the m idd le of now her e .

Gone to Portugal on holiday.

j4p4n via

Art. Music. Meta plays. Peep Show. Life is cyclical, and so is dating. Not in a “let them go and if they’re right for you - they’ll come back” kind of way, but in the sense that Oxford is actually a small place and I’m a sucker.

Do you, o loyal readers, remember a certain someone who did a spot of ket sniffing way, way back?

If you don’t - shame on you! And if you do, get a life and stop reading my articles to procrastinate.

Please. It’s for your own good.

This fabled man disappeared after that fateful evening to I-knewnot-where. Like Jane Eyre, Elizabeth Bennet, and other absolute literary legends I pined, I looked out of the window at the pouring rain, and I sobbed into my pillow at night… for about two seconds before I promptly forgot he totally ghosted me.

Months went by. It was like that scene from Twilight when R-Patz leaves Bella and she just sits in the same position as the seasons change; only the result was not dangerously riding a motorcycle to see m y

18 | Profile Editor: Will Neill, Jessica Kaye profile@oxfordstudent.com

The Oxford Student | Friday 4 February 2022

In Conversation

With your Student Union V Presidential Candidates

We spoke to five of the candidates who told us about themselves, their platforms, their views on the Student Union, and why they believe they are the ideal candidate to bring about change.

Kelsey Trevett Why would you like to be President of the Student Union?

After two years of disrupted education, Oxford SU ought to be at the forefront of fighting for all students, ensuring that wellbeing, and fair treatment, are the basis for all university decision-making. With experience as Co-Chair of the Young Greens of England and Wales, including serving as a member of the national executive of the Green Party, I have the skills to represent students in a way which doesn’t disempower the collective student body, but moreover fights for its platform and strength What are the problems with the SU and what needs to change?

The SU feels detached from so many students at the university.

With individual college JCRs and MCRs, and the challenges of the past two years, it’s crucial that the SU is proactive in its activities, meeting students where they are and engaging them with SU projects, campaigns, and the broader student movement.

What can the SU do for students?

The SU has the potential to be a powerful force, fighting for the rights of students in an increasingly marketised higher education sector, from which Oxford is not exempt. Free and fair education isn’t a commodity, and we are not customers: the SU has a duty to stand up for the welfare of students in this current environment.

I believe that with our liberation campaigns, SU projects, sabbatical officers, and the diversity and en-

oting for the upcoming Student Union election opens next Monday, with the candidates beginning to campaign and to spread their message. The candidates stand of a polarised platform, calling for fundamental changes they would enact to as President or whether there should even be a president full-stop. The President of the Student Union is a full-paid job with a oneyear salary of over £21,000.

The candidate elected taking

a year out of their studies to act as a representative of the student community. Campaigning begins on Friday 4th February, with the results being announced on the Thursday 10th. The Student Union acts a representative body for the whole student community, acting in their interests and supporting them in their academic and general life.

- Will Neill, Features Editor

Enrico Pelganta ergy within the student body (both undergraduate and post-graduate), we can deliver meaningful change to improve our university.

Why do you think you are the right person to be SU President?

As a queer disabled student, I know both the challenges I’ve had to face and overcome whilst studying at Oxford, but also that these experiences are contextualised by so many others; I would be naive in saying I understood perfectly all the difficulties faced at Oxford, but being able to listen and engage with students is how we deliver change.

Describe yourself in five words.

Committed, approachable, and a laugh

Why would you like to be the President of the SU?: I wish to re-establish the prioritisation of students over bureaucracy and political divisions. SU exist to serve its members, not the opposite way round. I feel that this is not true anymore, and I want to change that.

What are the problems with the SU and what changes are needed?

The SU needs reform. Although some good initiatives have been promoted over the years, the way the organisation is run gives the impression to many people that divisive political ideology is pushed at the expense of the common person.

Change is needed to reconnect the SU to its members. This means getting the SU out there, and its future President, to re-connect with students from all walks of life and an

array of different concerns. There is also a feeling among many that the SU financial resources are not allocated in a optimal way. increasing efficiency through a no-nonsense approach is key in increasing the SU reach and benefit as many people as possible who feel left behind by the way the organisation is run.

What ultimately can the SU do for students?

SU should facilitate the expression of full potential of all its students.

The organisation cannot rely on inertia, neither it can afford that if it wishes to stay relevant. We need to make sure that rational problemsolving gets precedence over political ideology.

Profile | 19

The Oxford Student | Friday 4 February 2022

Candidate Profiles

Richard Mifsud Michael-Akolade Ayodeji Why would you like to be the President of the Student Union?

I wouldn’t! If you vote for me, I will do my upmost to make sure that the Oxford University SU president role is NOT filled next year, by not taking up the post, hence the phrase “Empty Chair Campaign”. I will instead say that the whole salary (of over £21,000) should be used for other projects, such as scholarships or charity

What are the problems with the SU and what changes does it need?

Outside of this election campaign, no one really notices what the SU do. So why are we spending so much money on the SU? Most of the traditional roles an SU does at other university is undertaken (incredibly well) by the JCRs and MCRs of each college, and it leaves the SU being out of touch with most students, and with relatively little influence.

I therefore think that having nonsalaried officers would be much better, with the money used for salaries diverted elsewhere.

What ultimately do you think the Student Union can do for students?

I think that over £21,000 not being spent on a salary for a president would do a world of good in say funding student bursaries, or financing Freshers’ Fair. I have run this campaign for the past few years (last year getting 489 voting for me), and I

still haven’t seen the presidents (and the SU) make a noticeable impact on the student experience. Therefore I think that this is the year to change that!

Describe yourself in five words.

RON personified, yet thoroughly electable , or, Dude who photographs empty chairs

Why would you like to be the President of the Student Union?

Because I’ve been fortunate to have others help me through the tricky situations at uni and I think I have the sense of perspective, competency and will to do my bit and help others. I started University as a mature student, estranged from family support, financially in a tricky spot and learning to adapt to living with disability diagnoses in what seems a fastpaced-DIY environment. Overcoming obstacles emanating from these particular circumstances would’ve been beyond achievable had it not been that I was blessed with understanding tutors at my college and the goodwill of friends that helped lobby for support from university staff. But I’m sadly aware that others haven’t had it so lucky. Some issues are seemingly too complex to tackle or so niche that there isn’t the will to. From my third year friend who appears to be a middle class on paper and thus falls through the eligibility criteria support they legitimately needed; to estranged first years that are finding it difficult to access support, not because it does not exist but due to bureaucratic barriers and disparity of support amongst different colleges or students studying with disabilities that have SSP which is not properly implemented. In short, I’d like to be president of the SU precisely

to champion support for students from diverse circumstances dealing with issues that sometimes fall between the cracks of recognition or lack the volume to compete with the ruckus.

What are the problems with the SU and what changes does it need?

Recent years has actually seen the SU respond to problems students have highlighted which I think is good and should be celebrated. Our recent sabbatical officer teams are nothing short of iconic in my view. This is not just limited to their make up but also in their achievements; from Nikita Ma’s valiant effort to leading the SU through its first pandemic and responding productively but sensitively to the issues of most student minds; Mental Health and Racial equality, to the current Sabbatical Officer team delivering projects that makes a real impact such as Safa’s sub-fusc reimbursement to the Sabb teams facilitation of protest and campaigns that are close to the hearts of different communities. However, I must admit that the wider student population’s engagement with the SU ned to improve and that start with the SU working closer with JCRs and MCRs both to help tackle rising matter but also ensure awareness of the SUs achievements and purpose. The apathy towards the SU amongst

the wider student population not only perplexes student of its purpose but more damningly, weakens our ability to ensure the university take student and campaign concerns seriously What ultimately do you think the Student Union can do for students?

I think ultimately the Student Union can be a platform from which the main stakeholders (us students) feel our voices are not only made audible to in the ears of decision-makers at the university and college governing body level but also a policy laboratory with the skill, will and tenacity contribute to tangible changes being made. I believe the SU can do this for students firstly building trust with students and the uni itself.

With the students by reacting to issues raised and implementing pledges made. With the university by engaging in constructive criticism and recognition of strides made during negations. Secondly being accessible. This can be achieved in a number of ways not limited to sabbatical officers that are approachable but also sensitive and cognisant of the needs of different people, with varying abilities and from different backgrounds.

Describe yourself in five words.

The Beret Wearing Camera Man

The Oxford Student | Friday 4 February 2022

Otto Barrow Why would you like to be the President of the Student Union?

I really love Oxford. The Societies, reading, sandstone quads, but above all the people who I have had the pleasure of meeting and befriending along the way. But in my time here I’ve also seen the ways it really needs to improve. Since I was young, I’ve had an outlook to always try to make the world a better place – and that’s continued at oxford. I think the SU has the potential to radically improve the lives of Oxford students – and from my lengthy first-hand experience in Oxford societies and the SU in particular, I think I’m the right person, with the right passion, to make that change for the better.

I’ve really grown to care for the Oxford community – and I think that shows. There are other more prestigious, far far better paying positions that I could move into following graduation. But it’s my passion for improving a place I love that makes me want to run for president of the SU. What are the problems with the SU and what changes does it need?

I think the SU has three key issues facing it. Ignorance, inefficiency and a mixed reputation. Not enough people know what the SU is, and how it can help them. The SU is inefficient – it’s filled with people doing great work, but many projects are stuck in the pipeline without results. And the SU is not taken as seriously as it should be – frankly stupid policies like the ban on clapping and recommendation of jazz hands instead, undermine its credibility.

So the SU – which has the ability to greatly improve the lives of Oxford students through facilitating intercollage collaboration with JCR’s and MCR’s, and with the National Un-

ion of Students – needs to be better presented as a serious and effective organisation, and its many services and support system advertised to the students it could help. The SU needs to refocus on the issues that matter, prioritising problems ranging from Sexual assault to the Environment, while also solving issues with simple solutions that have obvious answers, but that people aren’t engaged with – such as the ban on trashing.

What ultimately do you think the Student Union can do for students?

Improve their experience of Oxford. Everything from coordinating collage level campaigns with JCR’s and MCR’s, to policies like increasing visibility of exam access arrangements, or publishing league tables for Collages adoptions of anti-sexual harassment policy are things the SU could do to make Oxford Student’s lives happier, and better.

Why do you think you are the right person to be SU President?

I’ve been though a lot, but the profound family tragedies, the death of my mother and sister, and my father’s dementia diagnosis, that have overshadowed my childhood have given me a drive to, wherever I can, improve the lives of others, and instilled me with a real duty of care. I have worked in the SU for nearly three years, so I know how it works, and how to get things done efficiently and effectively. So, I have the dedication – I have the compassion, and I have the competence.

Describe yourself in five words: Competent, Committed, Passionate, Deer-Mad

Election Timeline

20 | Profile

The Oxford Student | Friday 4th February 2022

Editor: Agatha Gutierrez Echenique oxstu.pink@gmail.com

Pink

Pink | 21

On the EHRC and the Legal Concept

of Sex

Agatha Gutierrez Echenique Deputy Editor

O

n January 26th, 2021, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) wrote to the Scottish government about the reform of the Gender Recognition Act of 2004 and published a response to the UK Government’s consultation on conversion therapy (a full transcript of both of these written publications can be found on the EHRC’s Twitter page). This article will take up some issues concerning the EHRC’s letter to the Scottish government, specifically.

The letter to the Scottish government recognizes the centrality of the Gender Recognition Act of 2004 in guaranteeing rights of members of the trans and non-binary community in their efforts to authentically embody their own gender expressions. The Gender Recognition Act of 2004, for example, stipulates conditions wherein an individual may obtain a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC), which, for the purposes of socially transitioning, can be crucial for an individual. How-

ever, as the letter itself notes, the process of obtaining a Gender Recognition Certificate has long been criticized as “intrusive, medicallybased, bureaucratic, expensive and lengthy.”

Furthermore, the letter recognizes that, while the Gender Recognition Action also provides for avenues wherein a gender nonconforming individual may seek assistance in their attempts to access identity-based services, the wait times associated with actually accessing the services are unacceptably long. An initial appointment, the letter points out, may take up to five or so years.

Recognizing these difficulties, the EHRC supports Scotland’s calls for the reform of the Gender Recognition Act and calls upon the UK government to also amend its practices when it comes to transrelated care.

The EHRC letter concludes with the following: The question, first and foremost, is to ask what “the established legal concept of sex” is, precisely.

According to FOI release in February 5th of 2021, the Scottish gov-

ernment has not yet articulated whether or not there is exact concurrence between its terminology of “sex” and “gender” and that of the terminology employed by the Office for National Statistics and the UK government for “sex” and “gender.”

Nevertheless, the Scottish government uses “sex” as denoted in the Equality Act of 2010: “in relation to the protected characteristic of sex, a reference to a person who has a particular protected characteristic is a reference to a man or to a woman.” A man means a male of any age, and a woman means a female of any age, according to section 212. We should note that the wording of the Equality Act of 2010 is ambiguous as to how we should understand “male” and “female.”

That is to say, the language of the act is not “a woman is anyone who identifies as female,” but rather that a woman is a female.

However, the two propositions “X is Y” and “X identifies as Y” are both identity statements; insofar as it is true that X does identify as Y, then it holds the same meaning as “X is Y.” For example, if I were to say: “I am Agatha” and “I identify as Agatha,” one would recognize the sentence has the same object, though with a different sense.

I suppose it could be objected, as I undoubtedly believe that someone would object, that one’s identification as a woman does not a woman make (or that one’s identification as a man, for that matter, does not a man make), to which I would respond: On ne naît pas femme: on le devient. Or, to put it more simply: this is the Pink section of the Oxford Student. If you’re really going to lob these objections at me, a trans person, do me the courtesy of reading Butler, at the very least.

Admittedly, I raise my eyebrows a bit at sticking to a legal concept of “sex” and not “gender,” while altogether omitting a legal concept of “gender” for reasons that sex is not gender, but I set aside these concerns and entertain the idea that the terms are, roughly interchangeable in legal terms– briefly, anyway. The problem is that, while such a conception of “sex,” as I’ve analyzed is, in some qualified way, trans-inclusive, it’s also not really trans-inclusive. The

reason for that is that it’s a rather binary conception of “sex” is because we are precisely using the term “sex” as the basis of our legal protection. Sex implies two poles: male and female. It purports to adopt a pseudo juridico-medical language to describe the condition of actual people: in reality, it creates a narrative wherein there are only two things you can have, either two X chromosomes or an XY pair. And really this isn’t even a medical reality either.

This, of course, ignores the actual, living people who may be intersex, or non-binary, or genderfluid, or bigender, or pangender, etc. The legal concept, then, shouldn’t be “sex.” It should be gender because gender describes a spectrum. For an organization that purports to affirm trans people in their experience of themselves, it is odd that the EHRC should be so affixed to binary legal definition. The trans community, after all, is not merely composed of individuals who are trans in a binary way. I certainly am not. And to think that there is some kind of cookie-cutter mold that all trans people can undergo in their straight-forward “sexchanging” transition is to reduce the complexity of transness to a cis heternormative framework: that is to say, exactly what it is not. Thus, legal protections should not, as the EHRC would suggest, be based upon an outdated legal construction of “sex.” It benefits no one because it represents no one.

Before concluding this article, I should like to address a final objection to my analysis of the legal concept of sex and my generally disillusioned air towards the EHRC’s response. The objection might be put as follows: “The legal concept of sex is important in that, in conjunction with the totality

“

of the Equality Act of 2010, it affords protections to women (it goes without saying that we mean cis women) against discrimination. By opposing a legal concept of sex, you oppose protections put in place specifically for women.”

To which I would say, no one is stopping you from saying that your gender, as a sense of who you are, can no longer be “woman.”

Just because I have expanded the range of admissible responses to “how do you view yourself, fundamentally?” does not mean you are banned from saying “I experience myself fundamentally as a woman.” And no one would argue that, historically, the experience of being a woman has been fraught with difficulties directly stemming from structural injustice.

What I would object to, and which I find insidious and entertain an unfriendly suspicion towards, is the essentializing narrative that everyone born with a uterus is born into suffering, to the extent that anyone who does not have a uterus and tries to “be a woman” is in fact put on some farce for brownie points or trying to assuage some oppressor guilt.

Such an analysis of power is childish, at best. Power is not something that is held, but rather a series of relations which we embody in different times and places. And the aforementioned narrative, which is so damaging to trans women, is a pretty good example of the ways in which power, exercised as a relation, can be damaging in a way that doesn’t conform to such essentializing narratives. In the same way that we should consider people’s lived realities when constructing our legal concepts, we should also consider people’s lived realities

We otherwise consider that the established legal concept of sex, together with the existing protections from gender reassignment discrimination for trans people and the ability for them to obtain legal recognition of their gender, collectively provide the correct balanced legal framework that protects everyone. This includes protecting trans people from discrimination and harassment, and safeguarding their human rights. Our focus is on continuing to seek opportunities to use our powers to support litigation to protect trans people’s rights.

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22 | Gen Z

GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GE EN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z N Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GE Blane AITCHISON EN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z Deputy Section Editor N Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z reated last month, the FaceGEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN book group ‘LET’S SHARE Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GE OUR CLOTHES’ already has EN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z over 1.5 thousand members. Polly N Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z Spragg set up the group because GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN she was “over buying new clothes” Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GE for bops and other events, citing concerns about the cost of EN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z her continually updating her wardN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z robe and the implications for the GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN environment.

Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GE I decided to talk to Polly to find EN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z out more about the group.

N Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z is the group all about?

GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN What I created the group because I Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GE saw a trend in the fashion indusEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z try revolving around sustainably N Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z wearing new clothes that was GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN there with companies like HURR Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GE and By Rotation which allow you rent event wear and secondEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z to hand selling sites like eBay and N Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z Depop, but there was something GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN missing – a way to share clothes, Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GE rather than buying them. Buying EN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z clothes second-hand is ethical, but N Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z it still costs money, so sharing is a better option for students.

GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN much In Oxford, events often come up Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GE at the last minute, and we don’t EN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z often have money or time to go N Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z out a buy a whole new outfit, so GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN by asking other people if they have Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GE something suitable and posting online, people can show you EN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z itwhat they have while you work, N Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z and then let you borrow it for free!

GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN I really wanted to make wearZ GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GE ing new clothes environmentally EN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z friendly, cheap and easy, because N Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z I know how exciting it is to wear a or different outfit for a night GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN new out. I don’t want to stop people Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GE from wanting new clothes, but EN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z I did want to try and reduce the N Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z environmental impacts of wearing GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN new clothes.

Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GE How did you get the idea for group?

EN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z the The main inspiration was from N Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z my use on other resale sites, as GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN well as my dissertation, which is Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GE actually about online reuse platEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z forms, and so I interviewed rental N Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z wardrobe owners and Depop sellOne of the wardrobe rental GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN ers. people I spoke to talked about how Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GE there was a lack of a community EN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z within the clothes rental marker, N Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z so I decided a Facebook group GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN would be an easy way to start one.

Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GE I’d had the idea for a Facebook for ages, and I did have EN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z group doubts over whether people would N Z GEEDITORS: NZ GEN Z GEN like to use it, but I was reassured GEN Z LYDIA FONTES GEN Z and spurred on by my friends, and GEN Z BLANE AITCHISON Z GE within 48 hours of me making EN Z G JEN JACKSON GEN Z N Z

The Oxford Student | Friday 4 February 2022

An Interview with the owner of Oxford’s newest Clothes Sharing Group

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the group, there were about 1000 members!

Who is it aimed at?

I always thought girls would use it more just because it’s a bit more obvious when you wear a dress twice. I was also worried about it just being for used for events, but I also wanted it to be used if you were bored of all the jumpers you had and wanted to wear a new jumper for the week, for example. I also think there might be a shift in mindset needed for boys, because they aren’t usually afraid to wear the same things over and over.

However, I have found that boys do look for things for themes, like the post searching for a chicken costume! I think it might also be because things like suits fit very specifically, so boys often want their own. I would love for everyone to use it, but I am aware that a lot of people like having their own clothes and the concept of ownership, and borrowing things isn’t always the same. I do like the idea of saying you borrowed an item of clothing from a Facebook group when asked where you got it from!

How many people run it?

I set it up by myself, with some help from my boyfriend. In the beginning, I did more admin related things to help with safety and efficiency, including posts about a potential safety deposit for more expensive items, and photos of a few successful borrows. I also asked for people to post it on their JCR Facebook groups, and because of this it got loads of traction. There’s not much of a need for admin stuff now because new people can see how it works by looking at the page because it’s so simple.

Did you think that the group would be as big or successful as it is now?

I had quite a lot of confidence in my idea because I’d been stewing over it for a few months, although I had some doubts because even though I knew I would use it, I didn’t know if anyone else would. I really didn’t expect it to blow up as much as it did, but I think there’s a difference between joining the group and actually using the group. There are definitely people in the market for it – we’ve had 25 posts on the most active day, with most having comments.

Even if 3/10 turn out to be successful, that’s still really cool, all you need to do is find the person and give the clothes to them, or

“I think we need to change our mindset to trying to borrow first” - Polly Spragg (not pictured)

The first successful outfit swap that occurred in the group just leave it in their pidge. I didn’t know it would be successful but I’m definitely glad that it is What has been the groups biggest success, in your opinion?

I got put in contact with someone who had about 40 ballgowns from her university days, and she was happy to do an open house for people to come and look. I think about 20/25 people went and have picked up and worn some of the gowns she was sharing, which is a great success! Another time, someone posted a picture of a Zara dress and asked “Does anyone have this in a medium” and someone had that exact dress in a medium, and I think it’s so cool that someone might have the exact outfit you want – you just need to ask. I also liked how I’ve created a community – it’s really nice to see the generosity and selflessness of others.

Would you say that you/the group is trying to take a stand against fast fashion?

100% that. That’s exactly what it’s doing. Fast fashion is the creation of cheap and poor quality clothes to give supply for demand.

Consumption is inevitable, but hopefully the group allows people to try new clothes more sustainably. I think we need to change our mindset to trying to borrow first and then buy, and I’m hoping that with the rise of renting clothes and

buying them second hand people may turn away from fast fashion.

A greater desire to rent out and try more expensive clothes rather than cheap stuff may inspire people to buy better quality things when they do buy new clothes.

Do you think Oxford’s bop culture is detrimental?

Yes, they usually require weird outfits that you would never wear, often that you would never wear again, but this means that there must be costumes that people have already bought. Don’t feel bad about what you’ve bought in the past, but try to borrow first and use stuff that someone else has bought for a bop.

What does the future hold for the group?

Going forward, I would love to see the group evolve so that more people get involved. There’s only so far that you can go with generosity, but maybe in the future if this were to evolve, there may need to be some sort of incentive.

I also think that having over 1000 people in the group is great, but it might feel a bit weird to share with someone who you don’t know so well. Hopefully this is the beginning of something that will put more emphasis on sharing, community, generosity and dampening the effects of fast fashion.

The Oxford Student | Friday 4th February 2022

GenZ | 23

Edward Enninful at the Oxford Union

How to be *That Girl*: Analysis of a Trend

Jen JACKSON

also shapes his creative process.

He is effusive in the praise of his n Monday evening Edward team, and draws his inspiration Enninful sits down at the from many areas of life; street Oxford Union to discuss fashion, art, films. He condenses his career as a fashion stylist and this into three words: reflection, editor. Editor-in-Chief of British projection, documentation.

Vogue since 2017, he has worked “Reflection is looking through in the fashion industry since the history to see what we want to age of 16, being appointed a fash- bring forward. Projection is about ion director for the British maga- what’s to come, what to give to the zine i-D at the age of 18. Since then audience, and then documentation he has worked with both America is the result.” n Vogue and Vogue Italia.

He is emphatic about the n Dressed all in black and wearing eed for greater diversity, stressred sunglasses, he cuts a surpris- ing how essential it is not only to ingly understated figure, which it have diverse shoots and covers but is revealed later is the subject of for people of diverse backgrounds careful consideration. An impor- to be behind the scenes. “It’s never tant audience question brings the enough for me; we have to keep thought process to light: “Who are pushing.” you wearing?”

Edward’s advice for our genera“Prada, Burberry, and the shirt tion: “Be fearless, ask questions is from The Gap,” comes the re- and don’t take things at face value. sponse. “I think about it each Be inquisitive and don’t ever stop day, even though I always look learning.” He credits his desire to the same.” It’s true; the head to learn for pushing him to try new toe black ensemble becomes a far things and take risks. “Never rest more interesting reflection of his on your laurels.” personality and ethos when deThe discussion turns to how to constructed like so. As the conver- persevere and stand out in such sation progresses it becomes clear a saturated industry. He recounts this personal variety - regardless anecdotes of the years when he of the outcome - is a key part of had very little money; when he his approach to his work; the im- would sleep on his parents floor portance of being open-minded and walk everywhere rather than about the world is reiterated on get the bus. “Whatever setback several occasions. you get, you just have to get up. If We begin with you’re destined to “Individuality do it, you will do it the foundations of his career. His will always win. and you will stand mother made What fashion is out.” clothes, and he abFashion predicto you trumps sorbed his familial tions for 2022? everything.” cultural influences The impact of through bright colours, patterns Covid is also discussed, and how and fabrics. “But that’s all I knew the magazine changed and evolved about fashion,” Edwards says. “I with the rest of the world in recome from a very strict African sponse. Edward explains how they family; you had to be a lawyer.” set out to use the Vogue covers Despite these encouragements, to reflect the pandemic and the at the age of 16 he was spotted events of 2020; the fourteen landby stylist Simon Foxter and began scape covers commissioned in the an almost two decade long career summer, for example, to highlight with i-D. On how his upbringing the idea of taking a breath, of reaffected his attitude to the world: setting.

“I’ve always had this empathy, beHow does he think one can precause I was the ‘other’. I had an vent the business of fashion underoutsider’s perspective.” mining the creative element? “It’s Edward’s appointment as Editor- always about art and commerce. in-Chief for British Vogue came But Vogue does it with integrity, with a storm of media attention, and we don’t sacrifice the creaas Alexandra Shulman stepped tivity.” down after holding the position The last point discussed is that for almost 25 years. What were of sustainability. Edward agrees his goals for Vogue as he took over this is the most important issue of the helm? his time, and that discussions are “Vogue is the greatest magazine happening daily within Vogue as to in the world. I wanted it to be a how to promote better designers home for everyone, to embrace the and take steps to becoming carbon people who might have thought, neutral. His motto for fashion: buy Vogue isn’t for us.” This approach better, buy less.

Section Editor

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Elsie CLARK Deputy Editor

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came across a video on Instagram that made me stop scrolling mindlessly and stare in horror. It was a Reel (TikTok’s awful, copycat cousin) of a university student’s morning routine. In the video, a pretty brunette girl gets up at 4.30 am, eats a healthy breakfast, hits the gym by 5.30, does her skincare routine, and is on campus ready to work by 7.30.

The video, lifted from TikTok like all Reels, had been enthusiastically captioned by the sharer with, ‘the life we all want’ or something similar.

The caption was the real kick in the teeth for me. The only reason I was scrolling through Instagram Reels in the first place is because I am currently stuck in jobless isolation and have nothing better to do.

I had not woken up at 4.30am; in fact, it was a good few hours past 7.30 and I was neither out of bed, nor dressed in a stylish outfit, nor at the gym nor being productive.

In fact, I was in my pyjamas with the curtains closed and an essay calling me with increasing desperation from my desk.

Still, isolation or not I wouldn’t be caught dead waking up at 4.30 to be in the library by 7.30. It was the awful prospect of waking up whilst it was still dark that prematurely killed my rowing career (that and a genuine loathing for the erg). The fact that the person behind the Instagram account that reposted this TikTok actively wanted to be someone who gets up at stupid o’clock was mind-boggling to me.

Although neither video nor caption mentioned the words ‘that girl’, it very clearly plays into the broader trend. Over January, the ‘that girl’ aesthetic exploded across social media as people attempted to improve themselves for the better with the New Year, but it shows no signs of slowing down as 2022 matures. In case you weren’t aware, ‘that girl’ embodies a harmonious ideal of style, health, and productivity: she exercises, she goes on walks, she has a structured sleep schedule, cooks her own healthy meals, drinks water, reads books, has her own skincare routine, always looks good, and shits rainbows for all I know.

The general emphasis of ‘that girl’ culture appears to be aspirational and inspirational: watching all these videos of young women

making nice coffee and walking in the sunshine does provoke a wistful urge to do something better with your own life, and maybe to try yoga or to make a to-do list yourself. Yet despite its outward pretensions to self-care and a selflove, the trend is not without its insidious side.

The ‘that girl’ aesthetic appears to be not so much about real selfimprovement but projecting the idea of it, curating an image of productivity and put-togetherness that can be smugly plastered all over social media. Whilst for some, posting your life routine or meal plans might be a good way to hold yourself accountable and stick to your goals, the ever-increasing volume of content in this genre only adds to the general pressure women are constantly under to be nothing short of perfection.

This is only made worse by the fact that the perfection of the ‘that girl’ aesthetic is sold, unconsciously or not, on social media by slim white women. The trend is hardly dominated by a diverse array of faces, not helped by the fact that the foods you see girls eating in these videos aren’t ex-

The ‘that girl’ aesthetic is not aspirational but simply unattainable.

actly international. Avocado toast, smoothies, and baked oats are fine and all, but form part of a pretty white diet. For people who aren’t slim and blonde (or brunette with balayage), the ‘that girl’ aesthetic is not aspirational but simply unattainable.

Moreover, being ‘that girl’ looks expensive - all those clean skincare products and healthy meals aren’t

exactly cheap. Most people also just don’t have the time or energy to spend every minute of the day living the best life for themselves; they need to work or look after family rather than spend half an hour making an aesthetic stack of chia seed pancakes for lunch.

Some have argued that it’s misogynistic to attack the ‘that girl’ trend, given that gym bros on Instagram aren’t subject to the same judgement and accusations. After all, the trend as a whole has at its heart the more sincere aim of encouraging people to better themselves, and whilst this is true it is worth bearing in mind that the ‘that girl’ aesthetic inspires people to self-improve but not in their own image: they are simply attempting to replicate another unrealistic standard.

For those who are struggling and find comfort and hope in videos of people telling them to eat their greens or enjoy the sunshine, the ‘that girl’ movement can undoubtedly be a positive thing. However, viewers of these videos should also be aware that whilst a matcha latte and a face mask are all well and good, they’re not going to change your life overnight. Becoming ‘that girl’ is about much more than projecting an aesthetic or buying certain products; it’s about trying to live the lifestyle that’s right for you and being confident in yourself, things which might not necessarily involve waking up at 4.30am or doing 12,000 steps a day.

Assimilating certain aspects of the ‘that girl’ aesthetic into your life probably isn’t a bad idea - we should probably all drink more water and learn to cook a few wholesome meals. But everyone’s lives are different, and as long as you are doing the best you can and taking care of yourself along the way, you are ‘that girl’ - even if you refuse to eat baked oats for breakfast.

oxstu.culture@oxfordstudent.com

Enter tainment

Editors: Sam Wagman. Janita Hussain (Deputy)

24 | Entertainment

The Oxford Student | Friday 4th February 2022

Award Season Return: A Guide to the Films that DISPATCHES FROM THE Matter BACK OF THE PACK Sam Wagman

Entertainment Editor

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nce again, the film awards season is upon us and with that, an endless array of ‘must-see’ movies, ever-elongating ceremonies and weeping stars telling those at home that ‘they were just a kid with a dream’ (and Beverly Hills showbiz parents).

For the more-than-casual moviegoer, it can be an intimidating time; are you truly a cinephile if you haven’t seen the latest meandering Jane Campion period drama (The Power of the Dog) or Wes Anderson’s most recent exercise in egocentric symmetry (The French Dispatch)?

In order to calm your fears, here’s everything you need to know about this year’s awards contending films as well as a few films that will be upsettingly left behind.

As always, there’s a large contingent of great films which will be sadly left out of the awards recordbooks because they’re too long, too short, too animated or too not-inthe-English-language…

Summer of Soul (…or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) – dir. Questlove

Directed by the charismatic frontman of The Roots, Questlove, this is a brilliant documentary about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival – a joyous celebration of Black culture, fashion and music that acts as both a truly fun musical experience as well as a deeply resonant study of the fractious civil rights atmosphere in which the festival took place.

Drive My Car – dir.

Ryusuke Hamaguchi

Of all the films, a personal favorite of the year is Japanese director Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Drive My Car. A subtle, deeply emotive piece of film tackling themes of love, loss, grief and revenge without ever feeling laboured. In international films, Titane, Julia Ducornau’s completely outlandish Palm d’Or – winning body-horror

movie must be seen to be believed – despite being left off the shortlist for this year’s Oscars, it’s garnered a tremendous amount of love from critics groups across the world.

The Lost Daughter – dir. Maggie Gyllenhaal

Maggie Gyllenhaal’s directorial debut The Lost Daughter just dropped on Netflix and is yet another showcase of Olivia Colman’s never-ending docket of great performances – Jessie Buckley and Dakota Johnson are both equally outstanding in this intimate and deeply stirring drama.

Passing – dir. Rebecca Hall

Another astonishing debut comes from Rebecca Hall, Passing is the kind of sizzlingly quiet film that can only come from an actor’s mind.

*** Then, of course, are the films which may well share in the awards bonanza that have been endlessly analysed.

The French Dispatch – dir. Wes Anderson

Wes Anderson’s The French

Dispatch doesn’t quite reach the heights of some of his earlier work, however, still retains his signature beauty and eccentric casting. The Green Knight, directed by David Lowery, is a fun ride through Arthurian England culminating in one of the most perplexingly fantastic closing scenes you’ve ever seen on screen.

Honourable mentions

Honourable mentions go to animated documentary Flee (from the remarkable mind of Jonas Poher Rasmussen), Paul Thomas Anderson’s equally reviled and admired Licorice Pizza, Ann Dowd’s stellar performance in Mass, Michael Sarnoski’s feature film debut Pig, the heartwarming CODA and Joel Coen’s new adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic tale, The Tragedy of Macbeth.

*** That about covers all the films – see you in March, when Jared Leto has an Academy Award for whatever pantomime Italian he’s playing in ‘House of Gucci’ and Hollywood has decided ‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’ is their Best Picture of the year.

Entertainment | 25

The Oxford Student | Friday 4th February 2021

glitch via Openclipart

j4p4n via Openclipart

THE ROYAL RUNNERS-UP

THE BIG DOGS (OR SAND-WORMS?) The Power of the Dog – dir. Jane Campion

The latest film by veteran director Jane Campion is a haunting psychological examination of a ranch in 1920s Montana and the terse and teasing power dynamic between two brothers; the dirt-caked viper, Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch) and the gentle, oftcowardly George (Jesse Plemons).

It’s an anxiety-inducing tale of repressed desire, masculinity and domination complimented by Ari Wegner’s lingering cinematography and the ominous New Zealand landscape in which it was filmed. It is both a serpentine study of masculine toxicity and a masterclass in evocative, subtle filmmaking from the maestro herself.

Expect The Power of the Dog to charge the acting categories at this year’s Oscars for Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst and Kodi Smit-McPhee as well as picking up gongs for Wegner’s cinematography and Campion’s screenplay adaptation of Thomas Savage’s book of the same name. Oh, and it’s a top contender for this year’s Best Picture.

Dune – dir. Denis Villeneuve

Can Denis Villeneuve make a bad sci-fi film? My answer is no. His adaptation of Frank Herbert’s 1965 sci-fi epic (wonderfully nicknamed ‘Game of Thrones in space’) is every bit as bombastic, awe-inspiring and downright bizarre as the novel deserves. The film follows Paul

Atreides (Oxford’s new adopted son, Timothée Chalamet), heir to his family’s noble seat, as he travels to the dangerous, but lucrative, planet Arrakis to take over mining of its rare ‘spice’ mineral.

Greig Fraser’s cinematography is ferociously grand whilst Hans Zimmer’s score is arguably some of his greatest work. Chalamet puts in a solid performance but it’s his onscreen mother, Rebecca Ferguson, who truly delivers as well as the deliciously grotesque turn put in

by Stellan Skarsgard.

Don’t expect Dune to sweep in the glitzy categories, however it should end the season with an impressive haul of technical awards and a few for Zimmer’s vivid score.

Belfast – dir. Kenneth Branagh

Kenneth Branagh’s new semiautobiographical film releases in UK cinemas soon and it’s already picking up a healthy amount of awards buzz. The film depicts the events of summer 1969 in Belfast during The Troubles through the innocent lens of a 9-year old boy, Buddy (newcomer, Jude Hill). Shot in gorgeous black-and-white by long-time Branagh collaborator Haris Zambarloukos, the movie tugs at the heart-strings (excuse the cliché) and is grounded by tender performances from Jamie Dornan, Judi Dench and Ciaran Hinds.

It’s a (wait for it…) must-see of this year’s cinematic calendar.

Although it might feel cynical to say given the emotive subject

Firkin via Openclipart

matter of Belfast, autobiographical, black-and-white film is exactly what the Academy loves to vote for (think Cuaron’s Roma) so expect for it to be a top contender at this year’s Oscars – many are touting it as this year’s very Best Picture.

a disturbing flash-point in a troubled life.Spencer is not touted as one of the big awards contenders (unfortunately). However, Kristen Stewart has been leading the race for Best Actress since the film’s release and it would be a great tragedy if Lady Gaga’s middling House of Gucci performance deprives Stewart of a thoroughly deserved gong.

King Richard – dir.

Reinaldo Marcus Green

Spencer – dir. Pablo Larrain

The latest instalment in the ‘Princess Diana cinematic universe’ comes courtesy of Chilean director Pablo Larrain who has previously showed-off his biopic chops in 2016’s scintillating Jackie.

Putting aside Kristen Stewart’s less-than-fantastic wig and accent, Larrain succeeds in curating a thoroughly different perspective for the world’s most-loved Princess. Moody, overwhelmed and psychologically fractured, Stewart plays the figurehead in both creepily subtle and horrifyingly melodramatic tones. Aided by Jonny Greenwood’s stirring soundtrack (which evokes memories of Mica Levi’s equally rousing work on Jackie) and the marvellous Claire Mathon’s smokey work behind the camera, Spencer is a haunting microcosm of a woman and

Two bright young sporting stars.

A pushy father having to make difficult choices in the face of his daughters’ supernatural talent.

King Richard sounds like the type of film most viewers would avoid on the Oscar bait gravy train and yet, it supersedes expectations to become one of this year’s true cinematic highlights. Reinaldo Marcus Green avoids the conventional tropes of a sporting drama by centring the dramatic prowess of his lead, Richard Williams (played with superb gravitas by Will Smith), and his two breakout stars, Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton (playing Venus and Serena, respectively). Although the film never quite delves deeper into the impact of Richard’s tough coaching plans – unsurprising, given the film was made with the family’s permission – Green sparkles in his depiction of the violence of Compton and the racism faced by the sisters within the tennis establishment.

Although the film has lost some of

the awards buzz it had generated earlier in the season, Will Smith is still a front-runner for the Best Actor trophy (with stiff competition from Benedict Cumberbatch).

West Side Story – dir.

Steven Spielberg

Spielberg is back with his first film since 2018’s Ready Player One and his first ever movie-musical: a faithful – but no less magnificent – adaptation of the classic 1961 film based on the broadway songs of the late Steven Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein. The timeless Romeo and Juliet tale supplanted onto the streets of New York takes on an added impetus given the highly toxic nature of the debates surrounding immigration in the U.S. (which is brilliantly woven into the film by writer Tony Kushner). Yet, despite Spielberg’s irritating ability to shine in all genres, it’s the female performances of the film that lend it the magical quality so present in the 1961 original. Ariana DeBose is a revelation on camera (she’s already shown audiences her stage prowess in Hamilton), Rachel Zegler is everything you want in a Maria whilst Rita Moreno is show-stopping as Tony’s mother-figure Valentina.

West Side Story will pick up a raft of nominations in most of the major categories – look out for Ariana DeBose for Best Supporting Actress as she’s gained quite a bit of traction there as well as in the musical categories.

FOOD&DRINK

Food od & Drink Food & Drink Food & Drink Food & Drink Food & Drink Food & Drink Food & Drink Food & Drink Food & Drink Food & Drink Food & Drink

26 | Food and Drink

Editors: Phoebe Anderson, Kellie Tran Deputy Editor: Dania Kamal Aryf food@oxfordstudent.com

The Oxford Student | Friday 4th February 2022

Ode to the College Brunch Elsie CLARK Deputy Editor

I

t’s 11am on a Saturday. Hall has just opened. A row of bedraggled students begin to shuffle up towards the servery. Some have only just woken up, some have not seen their beds since yesterday morning, yet they are all joined together in pursuit of one common goal: brunch.

Weekend brunch is my favourite meal in college. I always love eating in hall, be it in a formal or informal setting: it simply warms the heart to see groups of friends coming together at the end of long days in the library or lectures to enjoy what is a fairly small and mediocre meal. Yet this warmth becomes much more elevated by the sense of community you get from splitting a par-baked bread roll with your college compatriots.

Brunch is never a mediocre affair. You have to try very hard to cook substandard breakfast food and, at my college at least, brunch is one of the best meals they serve.

I could enumerate all the fantastic foods on offer: baked beans; scrambled eggs; pastries; hot coffee; fruit yoghurt; hash browns; mushrooms (yes, mushrooms are one of the best breakfast foods and I will not hear otherwise)...

But enough people have rhapsodised about the delightful variety of brunch as a meal: “It’s like British tapas,” I told a friend recently (the Spanish are screaming), but I have not come here to repeat their well-worn, if entirely correct, statements.

I am here to commemorate the college brunch experience. As I said earlier, hall has a cosy community feel that cannot be found in a restaurant or kitchen. Looking down at the tables of faces, some

familiar, some not, you really get the sense that you are part of a much larger collective, all sharing in the strange world that is Oxford University.

Brunch on a weekend is on another level, however. Nothing warms the soul like splitting a pain au chocolat with a friend and discussing the escapades you got up to at the bop the night before. Brunch serves as an excellent hangover cure for all that wine you drink at formal on Friday, and as the buttered toast and sausage enters your system you can slowly feel the fog clearing, and begin to contemplate writing your Max Weber essay with moderate dread rather than nauseous horror.

At brunch, you pay very little and get a lot. This, to frugal student ears, is highly satisfying.

College brunch is in my opinion far superior to any number of fancy bottomless brunches, and costs about a fraction of that price. In my college, it is hard to spend more than £3 at brunch, even if you try really hard to

push the budget and get as many extra items as possible (weird chocolate flapjack? Sure. Orange juice carton? Why not?). Paying £10 for a full English in a café, not including drinks, pancakes, or weird flapjacks has become ridiculous to me now. At brunch, you pay very little and get a lot.

This, to frugal student ears, is highly satisfying.

The Oxford week can often seem overstuffed with work and socials, ever pressed by the urgent need to sleep. Yet at brunch, the outside world melts away for a little while: it’s all right to stay and sit for the next hour, chatting with your closest friends about nothing in particular; whatever seems important can wait, because what’s really important is eating excellent food with entertaining people whilst guessing who on the next table is the most hungover.

To complete my ode, I present to you this short and substandard poem:

Bacon, eggs, beans, hash browns You have the power to melt the hardest of frowns.

Dining hall, tables, chatting, chairs Enter and be relieved of all your despair.

Brunch is best, brunch is right (Especially after a very messy night) So eat up and enjoy your plate Brunch, the Oxford student’s true soul mate <3

FOOD FIGHT!

Why Hassan’s Is Undoubtedly THIS WEEK’S HOT TAKES the Best Kebab Van in Oxford ON OXFORD KEBAB VANS Iona NEILL

T

hey say that diamonds are a girl’s best friend but I would like to argue otherwise. Has the writer of that statement ever been drunk and ravenous on a Friday evening , or craving cheesy chips at 11pm on a Monday? I can’t say that diamonds would particularly help you in those situations (unless of course Hassan’s took them as payment, which I suppose they most probably would). In any case, ladies and gentlemen of Oxford, your best friend is waiting for you opposite Balliol college, and its name is Hassan’s.

I have visited many a kebab van in my time at Oxford but nothing hits the spot quite like Hassan’s - not mozzarella sticks from Solomons, not chips from the Columbian food van I can’t remember the name of, certainly not a falafel wrap from McCoys (sorry Pembroke). It is conclusive that the onion rings from Hassan’s cure all number of physical, mental and psychological problems that ail Oxford students, from hunger to hangovers, mental breakdowns and essay crises. I can’t remember a time when I haven’t felt better after a Hassan’s trip, usu-

ally following a few pints with friends at Turf Tavern, from which Hassan’s is just so tempting close (the central location to Hassan’s being just one of the many reasons for its superiority).

I have been away from Oxford for several months now but I just can’t get Hassan’s out of my mind. All of you still fortunate enough to live within walking distance of this magnificent establishment should count yourselves lucky, and of course go and try their mozzarella sticks immediately if you haven’t done so already. Try

as I might, but no amount of greasy chips and kebabs from lesser fast food chains can mend the Hassan’s shaped hole in my heart.

M

y routines and habits are often simple and predictable – until I get bored of them a week later, and decide to develop new routines and habits – that will eventually, also, fall apart. Yet, one of those routines I still consistently find myself going back to are trips to the one and only Ahmed’s

Food and Drink | 27

The Oxford Student | Friday 4th February 2022

Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff Hannah-Louise SIDDIQUI

(1 serving) • About 70-100g pasta – I like wholemeal fusilli or penne best • 100g mushrooms of any kind – Chestnut work quite nicely due to their nutty flavour • Half a large leek (could sub with onions and spinach, but I would recommend leeks as they are naturally quite sweet, and soak up the source really well) • 3-4 tablespoons of soya yoghurt, no added sugar (could sub with cream) • For flavour, and if you have an excess of Zesty White, some white wine could also be added to the sauce • 2 Teaspoons of nutritional yeast, plus a sprinkle for gar-

Bar-BQ Kebab Van on Oxford’s high street. Whether at 10pm after a dreadful evening in the Gladstone Link, or at 2 in the morning, unable to sleep after experiencing yet another (SIGH) existential crisis for the most trivial reasons – Ahmed’s has seen me at my highest of highs, and lowest of lows!

Yet, he never fails to make me feel at home with his reassuring smile, and even more reassuring food.

“You here for the usual?” he’d ask, amused, and I’d nod, drenched in pure embarrassment after heading to the van for literally my tenth day in a row, ordering absolutely nothing else but cheesy chips and chicken nuggets.

Then, I’d disappear again for weeks on end to hyperfixate on

•

Instructions 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

Cook the pasta according to the packet (and your preferences – I love how the al dente texture contrasts with the thick creamy sauce and soft vegetables).

Whilst the pasta is cooking, slice the mushrooms lengthways into moderately (but not too thin) pieces. Also cut the leek into circular pieces, and crush or slice the garlic.

Once the pasta is done, drain and set aside.

In a pan, fry the leeks until they start to soften, then add the mushrooms.

Add flavours! Stir in miso, salt, pepper, herbs, nutritional yeast, garlic, and paprika.

Leave to cook for around 10 minutes.

Add the soya yoghurt and pasta to the vegetables.

Mix together and allow the sauce to warm for about 2-3 minutes.

Transfer to a bowl, and garnish with herbs, salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast Enjoy!

In Defence of Ahmed’s Bar-BQ Dania KAMAL ARYF

a different type of food, before coming back to Ahmed’s after a while – he still remembers me!

Not only is it the closest in proximity to my college (nobody asked, but it’s Oriel, just fyi, and yes, I am embarrassed to admit) but, more importantly, it is the ultimate Oxford Kebab Van that is also closest to my heart, and (as a hungry history student) to the Gladstone Link <3

Who knows the

Nosebag?

Noor Qurashi

Tucked away at the corner of St Michael’s Street is the Nosebag.

Every school holiday, my siblings and I would stay with our grandparents in Oxford for a few nights and on one of those days we would walk into the town centre. A visit to the Nosebag was among the highlights of our trip.

On reaching the top of the stairs we would be suddenly immersed in a microcosm of Oxford’s delights. An assortment of traybakes to your right, a menu opposite scrawled in chalk above a colourful array of salad. Only the Nosebag could make salad so exciting.

And to your left, a selection of drinks in primary colours. I would always request the mango juice— a tall glass of course, not the short one—while my siblings ordered a hot chocolate. We’d wander into the seating area, my mother balancing the precarious tray that often held around seven mugs and glasses, and head straight towards a large table for three adults and four children, that for some odd reason was always conveniently empty.

My grandfather would stay in the café for a long time, sipping tea with his broadsheet newspaper while the rest of us paid a visit to Blackwells. We stopped coming to the Nosebag many years ago once my grandparents were no

longer able to climb those rickety stairs. In recent solitary visits, I have watched other men sip tea while reading newspapers, with their peculiar intellectual air, and wondered if that is who my grandfather was; A part of this environment of local academics who made the café feel alive with the buzz of ideas, even as many of them sat so painfully still.

In my few recent visits, I have come with a laptop, rucksack, a couple of pens, and a reading list.

I watch each person carefully as they enter, quietly observing the friendly waiter who greets them.

The Nosebag is a great place to work; There are very few sockets for charging a laptop, but I suppose this provides an incentive to actually leave. As I sit there clumsily with my chunky yellow highlighter, crumpled reading list, and bottle of lemonade (they no longer sell mango juice), I wonder at how I could be such a non-academic. I marvel at the thought that anyone might ever see me as among that put-together Oxford brood: one of those strange ‘newspaper people’.

Then I reminisce about my grandfather’s newspaper reading. What if I were to consider, just for a moment, the possibility that not much has changed over the years after all...

Food od & Drink Food & Drink Food & Drink Food & Drink Food & Drink Food & Drink Food & Drink Food & Drink Food & Drink Food & Drink Food & Drink

Ingredients

• • • •

FOOD&DRINK

C

reamy, rich, and delicious, my much tested (a.k.a. making it once or twice) and healthier variation on the classic Russian dish will hopefully bring you warmth on these cold February evenings. Either that, or food poisoning, but whatever your outcome, just don’t shoot the messenger. I have included some potential subs and swaps you could use, as (student) kitchens are often chaotic; there’s nothing worse than wanting to treat a recipe as an authentic text and discovering you don’t have any of the ingredients on hand. Furthermore, perhaps due to following my South Asian dad’s method of ‘stuff measurement, throw whatever you have in a pan’, it was painstaking to try pin down the amounts of certain ingredients used. However, I have been vigilant, and provided my very approximate measures below.

•

nishing (you could use cheese instead here, but if you’re not a fan of vegan cheese, nutritional yeast is great for providing a cheesy flavour, whilst supplementing you with nutrients like Vitamin B12 and iron) About 1 tablespoon of olive oil (if wanting to eat less oil, this can be slightly reduced and supplemented with some water.

Additionally, for flavour it can be increased) 2 cloves of garlic A couple of pinches of paprika Salt and pepper to taste 1-1.5 teaspoons of miso (you could use mustard and/or a vegetable stock cube here, I just didn’t have any) Generous sprinkle of herbs such as thyme

GAMING

The Oxford Student | Friday 4th February 2022

28 | Gaming

Editors: Stuart Mcloughlin Deputy Editor: Elias Formaggia oxstu.culture.games@gmail.com

Star Wars Eclipse - What Can We Expect?

A

little over a month ago, Lucasfilm surprised us all with the release of a stunning cinematic trailer for the upcoming Star Wars title, Star Wars Eclipse. The beautiful trailer took us on a real journey, revealing multiple worlds, characters and of course, conflict between Jedi and Sith. Star Wars releases in recent years have not been worth the hype, take for example Star Wars Battlefront 2 or Star Wars Squadrons. However, Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order changed the game

and it’s fair to say we would not have Star Wars Eclipse without its success. This time we can be assured that the game is in good hands. Star Wars Eclipse will be made by Quantic Dreams in tandem with Lucasfilm. Quantic’s repertoire may be small, but they are certainly a case of quality over quantity. Think of their 2010 hit Heavy Rain or their more recent 2018 title Detroit: Become Human.

Well, what can we expect?

The information on the game’s website is limited to say the

least. However, it does reveal that the game will be set in the High Republic Era of the Star Wars Universe, meaning that the game will be taking place hundreds of years before the events of the Skywalker Saga.

The game will also be set in the Outer Rim, featuring a variety of new planets and aliens that players will not have encountered before. This will be a breath of fresh air for most who are tired of the desert plains of Tatooine and the forests of Endor. In terms of the

gameplay, players will take control of multiple characters “each with their own morality, personality, motivations, and impact upon each other and the story at large”. Player’s decisions will be key and not every playthrough will be the same, meaning that there will be hundreds of hours of replayability. There is also a whole host of lightsaber action in the trailer, and I imagine players will get to choose either to follow the darkside or the light. This will be a Star

Stuart Mcloughlin

Wars game like no other.

After the failure of Star Wars Battlefront 2, the future of Star Wars games looked grim. However, we now have a plethora of new exciting titles. Even just this last weekend, Respawn announced that they had three more Star Wars games in the pipeline. I’m sure though that it will be Star Wars Eclipse that gets everyone talking for years to come.

Pokemon: Gotta Remake ‘em All Stuart Mcloughlin Gaming Editor

I

f we judge remakes based on how faithful they are to the original game, then Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are undoubtedly great.

Maybe this is due to the fact that this time Game Freak delegated the remakes to a relatively unheard of new studio, ILCA. Whatever the cause, these new titles avoid adding in divisive new features from the newer games, as Game Freak did with Pokemon Lets Go Eevee and Pokemon Lets Go Pikachu, making for a truly enjoyable return to the Sinnoh region.

Despite the hefty price tag of £49.99 for a remake, Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl still make for a nostalgia filled return to the Pokemon

series. I remember buying the original game back in 2006 and it being the first Pokemon game I played from start to finish.

Within an instant of launching the game on my Switch, I felt the same sense of excitement as

I felt the same sense of excitement as I did over fifteen years ago I did over fifteen years ago. These games are faithful remakes that will really appeal to fans that have become critical in recent years.

The remakes do well in incorporating clever mechanics from the newer games whilst retaining what made the original games so special. A wild Bidoof appearing to carry out any HM moves in the Overworld is a delightful nod to

the previous games, whilst simultaneously solving a frustrating issue from the original.

However, the game is not perfect, with one issue being certain aspects of the Grand Underground. I have no issue with the idea of the Grand Underground itself and in fact loved its introduction in the original games. The problem with the remakes though is that now you can catch Pokemon there too, many of whom are extremely overleveled and sometimes incredibly rare. The Grand Underground opens just after the first gym, yet on your first foray, you can encounter level 30 Pokemon. On my second trip, I caught a level 30 Absol which then became the highest level Pokemon in my team by far. This meant that the second, third and fourth gyms were all a breeze as training in

the grand underground levelled my Pokemon up far higher than even the gym leader’s ace. It also begs the question, if the Pokemon appear in the Overworld in the Grand Underground, then why can they not appear in the Overworld

The cutesy, almost Mii-like art style for the character models ruins certain aspects of the game above ground? This is one of the aspects of the newer Pokemon games that fans actually enjoy. Another issue that urks me is the animation of characters in the Overworld. The cutesy, almost Mii-like art style for the character models in the Overworld ruins certain aspects of the main story. For example, it takes away from the fact

that Team Galactic is a group of villains vying to take over the world (And in the process, kidnap thousands of Pokemon).

The in battle style is fine, but the Overworld character designs do not do the characters justice.

Overall, these games will please fans who have criticised past remakes. More importantly though, these games will introduce new Pokemon players to one of the best Pokemon regions ever created. Players too young to have played the originals can now have a share of the nostalgia too. These games are not without their faults but that was to be expected regardless of the direction Game Freak took with the remake of a classic. If you have a spare £50 lying around, maybe down the back of the couch, then these remakes are certainly worthwhile picking up.

The Oxford Student | Friday 4th February 2022

Editors: Benedict Yorston Deputy Editor: Laetitia Hosie

OxYou | 29

OXYOU

Oxyou.oxstu@gmail.com

How to deal with that corporate rejection email Madeleine ROSS We’ve all been there. The ‘Thank you for attending our selection day’ email has landed in your inbox, and those six words in the opening paragraph tell you all you need to know. It’s over: no more manually putting your A-Levels into a text box about twelve hundred times, goodbye video interviews, so long, farewell to the awkward ‘Zoom’ calls (obviously hosted on some other software, that you had to download specifically) with other people who would also quite like to sell their souls for a company car.

The dream of being an investment somethingor-other, a management consultant - ah, to be a 21 year old with no real world experience, telling other people how to do their jobs - or to have any money at all and a chance of maybe buying a house one day, has been pissed into the wind, and all because you failed to “actively listen enough”.

Well, that aside, here’s a handy guide of what to do with your corporate rejection emails.

1. DECIDE TO DO SOMETHING WORTHWHILE WITH YOUR LIFE. You didn’t really want the job anyway, did you?

You could be Prime Minister or a charity legend instead of a corporate nobody in a badly fitting suit. Chase those dreams: if they don’t work out, just marry a tech bro or something.

2. SCREAM INTO THE VOID OR CRY IN THE LIBRARY. Doesn’t really matter which of these you

choose, but it is best to get this part over nice and quickly. A brief but loud moment of utter abandon - just enough to let you forget all the nice daydreams you had been having about money, and being able to afford to eat more than Pot Noodles.

3. DELETE THE REJECTION EMAIL, ALONG WITH HELPFUL FEEDBACK (SARCASM IMPLIED) FROM YOUR INBOX. The handily attached feedback is a bit like an OxCort report or Oxford Union election manifestos - best left unread. Often featured are bangers such as “The assessors were left unsure as to why the candidate was dressed like a banana.”

4. TAKE THE TIME TO PROCESS, BUT ONLY IN ORDER TO LAUGH AT THE POORLY PHRASED EMAIL. “We did not observe all of the many qualities that we are looking for.”

“If the candidate had not been dressed as a banana, the assessors might have been better able to understand the more relevant qualities that the candidate may have possessed.”

5. NOTICE THAT THEY HAVE MISSPELLED YOUR NAME IN THE REJECTION EMAIL: DECIDE THAT THEY HAVE NOT REALLY REJECTED YOU, AND TURN UP TO THE INTERVIEW ANYWAY. This only works if you are still dressed like a banana. Continuity is important; for extra points, turn up in a banana suit that appears to be a more ripe version than the one that you wore on Zoom.

This shows the assessors that you have really

What your workspace says about you

matured as a banan… I mean, as a person and candidate.

6. START WORK. The assessors could not deny that they were intrigued by your perseverance, and also confused as to how exactly it was that you always knew what dates the interviews were on (and also the names of their pets and first primary school teachers, and why you had access to their bank accounts). Due to your ingenious banana costume - available via all good retailers - they had not forgotten you, and decided that clients wouldn’t either. They also literally could not stop you turning up, because your tech bro boyfriend (told you he’d be useful) told you when the graduate scheme started.

7. NON, JE NE REGRETTE RIEN. The perks are great, and the banana costume has revitalized a dying industry. You’re on the way to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, but you’ve decided to leave, to join your tech bro boyfriend’s start-up, which is something to do with NFTs. Don’t know what an NFT is, but it will almost definitely be absolutely fine. Probably...

Thank you for taking the time to read this article. Unfortunately we are not looking to take on additional readers at this time.

THE COLLEGE LIBRARY You’re either here to complain to your friends every twenty-five minutes (when your Pomodoro timer goes off) about how much you hate your degree, or you’re here because you fancy someone in college and you’re hoping that you will lock eyes when reaching for the same copy of The Republic even though you do biology. You know it is actually remarkable what Plato had to say about intracellular movements in eukaryotic cells once you really get to the heart of it!

THE COFFEE SHOP A prime location for Oxlove potential. Maybe you will be the sexy dark-haired stranger in the Magdalen puffer in Big Pret on Cornmarket Street at 2pm on Wednesday…

You don’t actually get any work done here and you have to make one £3.20 latte last for six hours, but you do look quirky. So there’s that.

YOUR FACULTY LIBRARY The sense of communal distress is comforting for you. Plus it’s easier to get books that you will read three pages of and cite in your bibliography.

AND FINALLY, SPOONS How did your collections go?

Arvin61r58 via Openclipart

THE ROAST HEATS UP: WEEK 3 WHAM Rordon GAMSAY

SHOCKING: NOBODY LIKES THE CLUB ADVERTISING TEXTS Students have been left reeling after having to deal with a tsunami of advertising texts.

Having somehow obtained the mobile numbers of every undergraduate in the city (GDPR apparently now stands for ‘ur Getting Down to Parkend Right?’), the dynamic trio of Rachel, Rufus, and Josh have been sliding into more DMs than Prince Andrew after his kids’ birthday parties. Gamsay would have thought there were enough unwanted arrivals happening at their clubs via injection for them to be prioritising, instead of putting effort into appearing like they’re Oxford Brooke’s

of phishing scams, but then he guesses overly aggressive bouncers don’t pay for themselves.

A particular shoutout should go to Rufus, presumably a middle-aged manager, who opened his scintillating sales pitch with a cheeky ‘Wagwan’. Wagwan, Rufus, is you’re annoying me. At least offer the chance to win free-entry to a proper club, not just Oxford’s 2nd most famous (though admittedly less racist) Bullingdon Club.

REVEALED: UNION BALLS MORE POPULAR THAN TIMOTHEE CHALAMET Friday was a difficult day for many. At 1pm, the link for the upcoming Oxford Union ball was released, and within three minutes, every

spot for this highly coveted event was taken, leaving hundreds of aspiring prime ministers and yummy mummies disappointed. These first year mulleted PPEists, unnecessarily controversial students and Varsity Club regulars were unfortunately too late to secure their tickets.

sent me some port to get absolutely shit-faced with my chums beforehand. Terrible, terrible turn of events”.

INVESTIGATION: HOW ARE STUDENTS SPENDING THEIR TIME IN ISOLATION?

“It’s tragic. I had rehearsed everything. I was going to scavenge the room for finance students and grill each one of them on their favourite hunting locations and country houses. I even ordered a Rat and Boa dress!” confessed Petunia Fitzgerald, a second year Christ Church student, when interviewed by Gamsay.

In response to a surge in Covid cases across the University, Gamsay took it upon himself to interview those stuck in isolation via Zoom or, when interviewees failed to respond to his repeated meeting links, by throwing stones at their windows and shouting expletives at them angrily.

“Yeah, damn damn shame,” confessed Tarquinius Harmonius VIII, heir to the earldom of Hereford and avid Union-events-attendee when interviewed by Gamsay. “My father kindly

One student from Keble had this to say about their recent positive test: “it’s good to see something positive in my life for once after last week’s essay. Jesus.”

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