The Oxford Student - Week 1 Hilary 2022

Friday 21st January 2022

Vol. 104, No. 1

www.oxfordstudent.com

The Comment

Peter Denton discusses vaccine mandates, while Dan Harrison scrutinizes the Univeristy Covid Plans...

Gen Z

Entertainment

Lydia Fontes interviews the Blockchain Society and nearly gets recruited...

Agatha Gutierrez Echenique listens to Mitski, while Dania Kamal Aryf dances along, supposedly...

Oxford University received at least £45,000 from multinational mining company facing anti-mining protests in Serbia

by Poppy Atkinson Gibson News Editor

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Oxford SU Launches Safer Oxford Campaign to Improve Nighttime Safety News Editor

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he Oxford Student Union has announced that it is launching the #SaferOxford Campaign which seeks to raise awareness around the lack of safety in Oxford and its effects on students.

The Oxford SU’s Facebook stated that “every student has the right to feel physically safe around Oxford.

We’d like to foster and environment where spaces around the University and city are free from harassment and violence”.

The campaign’s priorities include ensuring that safety measures are put in place for student nightlife, promoting policies that help students get home safely as well as raising awareness through the use of surveys and testimonials.

This follows on from protests and campaigns in recent months including the ‘Girls Night In’ which was organised by the campaign ‘It Happens Here’. In October of 2021 the campaign organised a boycott of all Oxford nightclubs in response to concerns about the levels of spiking

experienced. The protest included over 500 students gathered on Broad street and resulted in ATIK and The Bridge both closing their doors for the evening.

Oxford SU also stated that on a college level they had encouraged and “revamped” the Safe Lodge policy and guaranteed that 31 colleges are part of the scheme. Those involved can be identified by a green dot in the windows of the Porter’s Lodge signifying it is a safe space.

In addition the Student Union reiterated that they had lobbied the city

centre bar and club venues to adopt the ‘Ask Angela’ policy whereby those feeling endangered can ask for Angela at the bar and receive help with booking a taxi to leave the venue.

I think it’s a much needed thing from the SU and I’m sure it’s been in the works for a while Katie March

Read more on page 5

Saïd Business School Appoints New

by Jason Chau Dean

T Kellie Tran gives an American Perspective on Baked Beans and other parts of a British Breakfast

he University has announcement the appointment of Soumitra Dutta as the new Dean of the Saïd Business School. Dutta, currently the professor of management at the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business at Cornell University in New York where I joined in 2012, is set to take up his position on June 1st this year.

He was previously the Dean of SC Johnson College until January 2018, where he was tasked to lead

£ 45,000

Amount Oxford received in funding from

controversial mining company Rio TInto since 2013

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News Editor

the integration of Cornell’s three business schools into one unified college of business. He was also a key figure in establishing the Cornell Tech campus on New York City’s Roosevelt Island, which he cited as his greatest achievement at the Ivy League institution.

Read more on page 5

Illustration: Jonas Muschalski

Poppy Atkinson Gibson

ccording to Oxford Climate Justice Campaign, Oxford University has received at least £45,000 in funding from the multinational mining company Rio Tinto since 2013.

The £45,000 includes two donations of £20,000 each to the Said Business School Centre for Business Taxation in 2014-15 and 2017-16 respectively, and a further £5,000 in 2019.

Rio Tinto is an Anglo-Australian multinational company and the second largest metals and mining corporation producing iron ore, copper, diamonds, gold and uranium.

It is also a major coal producer.

The company has recently attracted international attention due to largescale protests against plans to construct a lithium mine in the Jadar valley, western Serbia, which was set to the Europe’s biggest lithium mines. For three weeks, thousands of protesters in Read more on page 4

2 | Editorial

The Oxford Student | Friday 21st January 2022

The

OXFORD STUDENT Editorial 1st 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

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Profile Features Sam Zia interviews Lord Andrew Adonis

Comment Editors Shiraz Vapiwala Peter Denton Deputy - Jonah Poulard

Sport

How to save Premier League clubs

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Profile Editors Will Neill

Identity Editors Dania Kamala Aryf

Emma Manners, Duchess of Rutland - @duchessrutland, Instagram

JOIN OUR CONTRIBUTOR’S PAGE!

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 Stuart McCloughlin

Columnists Alfred Dry Anvee Bhutani Charlie Buckley Nadia Awad Freddy Foulston Poppy Atkinson Gibson Sharon Chau

The shenanigans of Novax Djokovic

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News Editors Caleb van Ryneveld Poppy Atkinson Gibson Sara Hashmi

Features Editors Anna Davidson Deputy - Marietta Kosma

@theoxstu

No exp needed <3 - Scan the QR Code

I

t’s weird to think that this time last year I was holed up in my childhood bedroom during that most accursed terms in lockdown. According to my camera roll I was being told my work on T.S. Eliot’s Four Quartets was a “good book review” but not an essay. Fast forward and I am now Editorin-Chief of the newspaper where I spent that online Hilary deputy section editing OxYou. Why I am now at the very top of the very journalism-industrial I sought to satirise/destroy is, frankly, a pity. I only ran for this position out of spite; my disappointment upon being elected in December last year was immeasurable, and every single day of Hilary 2022 is consequently ruined.

In spite of this, the vac period was a time for me to learn how to take student journalism more seriously. Yes, I thought, I will spend Christmas looking beyond the joyous and varied

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

Join our illustrator group on Facebook to get create content for the OxStu!

From the Editors opportunities to shitpost about Oxford life in their largest and most widely-read newspaper, and embark on a journey into news that spoke truth to power.

So my first article was about Timothee Chalamet. I also got a LinkedIn. It’s been a difficult few months.

With a new year, and a new term, comes pressure to improve. But as an ex- Welfare Officer, accepting who we already are is surely more important. All of us, this paper included, will undoubtedly make mistakes this term this term, but each day offers a new beginning and the chance to learn from yesterday. And a chance to make more mistakes.

Alex Foster,

St John’s College

Not sure if anyone reads editorials, but I certainly did and hence I spent a good portion of the vac wondering what a barge pole is, and the rest of vac playing with my cats. As such, publishing this first edition was much more stressful than it needed to be.

However, I do hope that you’ll be able to appreciate the effort our entire team put in to get this completely overhauled edition to print in time for first week.

Despite having one of the smallest teams so far, our editors were able to get a huge amount of content written and designed. Thanks to them, I only had to pull around three all-nighters and was only mildly quivering from caffeine throughout the week.

I certainly cannot match the wit and natural talent of the fellow on my right (your left) but I hope to make up for it in dedication. We’ve drastically changed the layout

and operation of this publication for this term and despite the difficulties I am optimistic that it will all be worth it.

One of our Dep Eds mentioned that, as a paper, we were stuck in the dark ages for the past few years, as so much expertise was lost from our team as a result of our year -long hiatus from publishing any print editions - a depressing analogy, but apt nevertheless.

If that is the case, then what you are witnessing now, my friends, is the motherfucking Renaissance.

As the caffeine kicks in, I invite you to join me on a wondrous journey through the next 30 pages of immense suffering for me, but (hopefully at least mildly entertaining content for you.

The more sadistic readers among you should rejoice at how much pain this paper has caused me. Yet somehow, still, I already know I’m going to be sad when it all ends.

Love,

Andrew Wang, St Benet’s Hall

The Oxford Student | Friday 21st January 2022

editor@oxfordstudent.

News | 3

NEWS @TheOxStu

The Oxford Student

oxfordstudent.com

Staff at University Hospital to Wear Cameras Amidst Increase in Violence Jason Chau News Editor

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edical staff within the emergency department at the University’s John Radcliffe Hospital will wear body cameras as part of the Oxford University Hospitals (OUH) NHS Foundation Trust’s There’s No Excuse campaign, launched on Monday. This is happening in the wake of an increase in violence seen in hospitals, with the OUH saying that instances of aggression towards health and care staff across the trust have increased from 80 in November 2020 to 180 in November 2021.

Sam Foster, its chief nursing officer has called the rise ‘completely unacceptable’ and it will ‘not be tolerated under any circumstances’.

The cameras are smaller than a smartphone and will be worn to deter hospital visitors from becoming violent, with Terry Roberts, OUH’s chief people officer calling it both a way to reduce incidents towards hospital staff but also ‘a vital step in ensuring patients feel safe too.’

They will also help to identify and if necessary, prosecute any offenders. Frontline staff on shift using the cameras have been provided with training and are told to wear them on their uniforms in clear view of any patients. The devices will only be switched on when a person becomes violent or abusive and after they have been told they will be recorded. A three-month trial of body cameras started this Monday.

Foster added that OUH fully understand the ‘anxieties, stress, and worry caused by the ongoing pandemic’, but urged people to ‘treat our staff with respect’ as they are working ‘incredibly hard in challenging circumstances’ the public safe over the past two years. She warned that “verbal abuse and aggression can be just as damaging [as physical violence], and can take a huge toll on someone’s wellbeing…potentially [leading] to increased sickness and absence.”

Terry Roberts also said that “every member of [the OUH] staff has the fundamental right to be safe at work and it is our priority to eliminate violence and abuse.”

2022 undergraduate admissions sees record numbers from state schools Alex Foster

Editor-in-Chief

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he University today released its first set of statistics on the 2022 set of Oxford undergraduate offers. Over 3,600 students received an offer from their college, with 70% of offers to UK applicants going to students educated in the state sector. This is an increase of 12% since 2016.

In a press release first posted on its website, the University quoted “strong competition for places”, with applications averaging “almost seven per place”. Overall, more than 3600 students received offers, a figure the University quotes as an increase of 2.6% on the previous year’s admissions numbers. This means 38% of those interviewed received a place.

Importantly, the report sees that 70% of offers to UK applicants have gone to students educated in

the state sector. This is a figure up from 58% in 2016, and the University writes that it “remains committed to offering fair access to all candidates”, with these figures indications that “admissions from under-represented social groups continues to grow in line with last year’s figures”. Additionally, the University’s Opportunity Oxford scheme continued to expand, with offers to the scheme increasing by 36.5% to 228. The scheme offers students from under-represented backgrounds a variety of support packages to help them transition to studying at Oxford.

The interviews, held in early December last year, were the second set of admissions schemes to have been held online as a result of the pandemic. Over 20,000 interviews took place, with 3,600 students receiving an offer.

4 | News

Safety group Walk Together Oxford launched by students

The page, Walk Together Oxford was set up in early January and advertised on the already existing OxWarnings, a page created in March 2021 to offer a safe space for those who “feel uncomfortable being followed in a street to warn other people.”.

Walk Together Oxford, spearheaded and run by Katie March and Luca Boot aims to provide real time assistance and a safe forum for people to message and make posts to arrange walking home at night.

An example given was: “Hi guys, I’m leaving Spoons in 30mins is anyone else in the area to walk back to SEH.” The Facebook group has gathered over 200 members since its creation.

Katie and Luca both stated that the idea was born from a similar imitative at Cardiff University where the hockey and rugby teams had set up an Instagram page where girls who wished to walk home at night on Saturdays could direct message an Instagram page and they would come collect them.

Jason Chau News Editor

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News Editor

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Five Colleges Announce Twinning with Local Primary Schools ive colleges have announced a new partnership with local primary schools to provide more access to the University and academic support for schoolchildren in a pilot initiative led by the student charity Oxford Hub, which aims to reduce educational inequality in the city.

Poppy Atkinson Gibson

safety group has been created by two students on Facebook to provide support and advice for those who feel unsafe when walking at night in and around Oxford city centre.

The Oxford Student | Friday 21st January 2022

Lucas said that “I thought it sounded like a good idea to transfer to Oxford, I was honestly pretty shocked by how many bad experiences girls I knew had had walking home at night or in clubs or wherever. Every single girl I knew had, at one point or another, been groped or harassed or had a bad experience Katie stated that she thought it was a good idea because “I’ve had several uncomfortable experiences where I’ve been left alone on a night out and felt like I’ve been followed home [or] have been approached by strangers while walking alone in the evening.”

Their hopes for the Facebook page are that vulnerable people will be able to walk home at night and not be entirely reliant on their friends or volunteers as with the Cardiff university model.

Both Lucas and Katie said that they were surprised by the response: “We didn’t expect such a big response from setting up the Facebook, but generally just want to help make Oxford a safer place for everyone.”

The Facebook page states that “ultimately we want this to be a positive and inclusive thing” and admin March posted that they “have been shocked by just how many people have joined! We didn’t expect it to get so much attention”

Under the new arrangement, St. John’s, New, Somerville, Trinity and Exeter colleges will be ‘twinned’ with Rose Hill, Woodfarm, St Frideswide, St Christopher’s and John Henry Newman Primary Schools respectively.

The twinning will allow primary school pupils, their teachers and families to visit the colleges. Schoolchildren will have the opportunity to use college facilities and attend university activities such as attending workshops with academic tutors, have lunch at dining halls and sing in college chapels. They can also enjoy one-to-one academic support through Oxford Hub’s Schools Plus programme

which matches local children with university students serving as volunteer tutors for academic tutoring. Specifically, St. John has announced that its undergraduate students will travel to Rose Hill in south Oxford to provide catch-up tutoring and extra-curricular activities.

Oxford Hub said that the vision of the programme is to “build long-term relationships between Oxford University and local schools, tackling educational inequality, raising local children’s aspirations and supporting them to achieve their potential”. The University added that “the new initiative is targeted specifically at primary school pupils in a set of schools in particularly disadvantaged areas of Oxford.”

Speaking about the twinning, Jan Royall, Principal of Somerville College and Chair of Oxford University’s Conference of Colleges, commented that the pilot will “[bring] the University and local community closer together and [reduce] educa-

tional inequality in our city.”

Professor Maggie Snowling, President of St John’s College, also stressed that “early school years set the stage for later educational outcomes” and said that she is “[looking] forward to opening the doors of St John’s to children from Rose Hill and learning from their experiences.”

Representatives from the primary schools have also welcomed the partnership. David Lewin, the Headteacher of Wood Farm Primary School, said he was “delighted to be a part of the new twinning project”, adding that this helps pupils have a ‘strong sense of connection’ to the city of Oxford. Sue Vermes, headteacher of Rose Hill Primary School and a St John’s alumna, said “I was privileged to study at St John’s as one of the first women admitted, and it would be wonderful to think that this link might open up for some of our children the possibility that they could also take that route in the future.”

Oxford University receivedCont. from front page

Poppy Atkinson Gibson News Editor

-Belgrade and elsewhere in Serbia blocked roads and bridges in opposition to Rio Tinto’s plans to launch a £1.4 billion mining operation.

The protests have resulted in a vote to suspend two key laws in Serbia’s parliament that ecologists state would have allowed Rio Tinto to start on their project.

In 2013, the Foundation Rio Tinto gave at least £25,000 to the Oxford Blatnavik School of Government, whose offers includes a course on oil, gas and mining governance. Between 2014 and 2016, Rio Tinto plc made two donations to the Saïd Business School Centre for Business Taxation, whose publications include papers such as ‘International taxation and environmental protection’.

Rio Tinto has faced accusations of corruption, environmental degradation and human rights abuses. The company is

currently battling a civil lawsuit by the US Securities and Exchange Commission that accuses the company of fraud in its Mozambique coal business.

This follows a £27.4 million find in 2017 from the UK’s financial watchdog for breaching disclosure and transparency rules.

The CEO, Simon Trott conceded earlier this year that the company was “not proud of its history” which included the dumping of hundred of ancient artefacts in their Marandoo mine in Western Australia, as well as the deliberate destruction of an ancient cave which was an archaeological research site evidencing 46,000 years of continual occupation. Further instances include the dumping of 1 billion tonnes of mine waste into the Kawerong-Jaba river delta from their former copper and goldmine in Panguna, Papua New Guinea.

In response to the news of

funding from Rio Tinto to Oxford University, Matilda Gettins, member of Oxford Climate Justice campaign said: “It is disgraceful, although totally unsurprising, that the University of Oxford continues to take money from Rio Tinto, one of the dirtiest mining companies around.

The university is laundering the reputation of Rio Tinto, funnelling graduates into its careers, and helping the company with research; the losers are frontline communities, primarily across the Global South, who are fighting for their lives against extraction and climate breakdown.”

Benny Wenda, Chair of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua said: “Institutions like the University of Oxford, revered around the globe as a beacon of reason and justice, cannot continue to perpetuate and gain from this pillaging of our- (cont.)

The Oxford Student | Friday 21st January 2022

Saïd Business School Appoints New Dean Jason Chau News Editor

-As an expert in technology and innovation, he has advised governments on related policies. In addition, he has been the Chair of the Global Business School Network and spent 13 years in leadership roles at INSEAD in France. His non-academic accomplishments include serving on the boards of listed international corporations, founding several successful start-ups, co-chaired the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Innovation Ecosystems and created major global technology and innovation indices.

Professor Louise Richardson, who led on the appointment of Professor Dutta, said she is delighted that the Professor accepted the offer, adding that “he brings a global perspective, wide-ranging experience and deep knowledge of technology and of business education.”

Cont. from front page

In response to his appointment, Professor Dutta said he is delighted to be joining the Saïd Business School. He also brought up his personal connection to the university, as her draught had graduated from Oxford and both he and his wife had spent a half-year sabbatical here. “[My wife and I] are both looking forward to being part of this diverse, exciting and innovative community,” said the incoming Dean.

His appointment follows the departure of Professor Peter Tufano, who stepped down as Dean in June 2021. Professor Sue Dopson has been the Interim Dean in the meantime. Speaking on the announcement, Professor Dopson said, “We are excited to be welcoming Professor Dutta to lead our School community. With Professor Dutta at the helm, we will continue to flourish as we focus on tackling complex, world-scale challenges through education.”

News | 5

Cont. from front page -Such initiatives by the Student Union are come as a response to increasing frustration within the student community and in light of statistics which reveal that of March 2020, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimated that 4.9 million women had been victims of sexual assault in their lives. And approximately 989,000 men had experienced sexual assault.

A YouGov poll from Feb ruary 2019 also revealed that 23% of women and 4% of men “always feel unsafe” when walking alone at night and 34% of both men and women sometimes felt unsafe walking home at night compared to 32% of women and 53% of men expressing not feeling in danger when walking alone in the day time.

The SU President commented: “I’m very happy to have launched the SaferOxford campaign as we return back to an in-person Hilary term.

Student safety is a topic that is very close to my heart and one that I think hasn’t been addressed nearly enough by the University. Over the past few months, I’ve worked closely with the colleges, University and wider city on measures around improving safety and I’m happy to be sharing those with you alongside where we go from here and what you can help with.

Additionally, if you have a personal experience with feeling unsafe, I’d really encourage you to fill out the SU survey where we’re collecting individual testimony. I really hope that together we can take on the safety problem head on.”

Katie March who recently launched Walk Together Oxford, a Facebook group designed to provide contacts for those feeling vulnerable at night to walk home safely commented: “I think it’s a much needed thing from the SU and am sure it’s been in the works for a while” “I’m not really sure I quite know what the practicalities of the project are going to be, but I hope that maybe our Walk Together Facebook group can collaborate with the SU programme.”

Individual students have expressed optimism at the move by the SU. One student said that they were “pleased the SU is doing something about it”.

Other students were more conservative stating that they feared this wasn’t “really enough to tackle something so endemic. It looks good on paper but other initiatives haven’t done much. The green stickers for example only work if the lodge is open. I hope it works but I’m not sure.”

It Happens Here Campaign had a mixed reaction, stating, when approached for comment: “It Happens Here is, as ever, happy to see the crucial issue of street safety in Oxford being addressed, particularly given our extensive history of campaigning on the issue. In particular, we’re pleased that our past work lobbying for the Safe Lodge scheme has fed up to the SU and despite the work we’ve already done addressing this particular scheme, we’re glad to see that its also on the radar of others. Despite the SU’s decidedly mixed record on student engagement, we’re glad that our work has brought this issue to their attention and we’ll continue to be campaigning on this issue and others even once the current cycle of Sabbatical Officers have finished their terms.

The email went on to state that had not been consulted by the SU, “which is obviously quite disappointing,” but reiterated they are “always glad to see the issue of street safety on the radar.”

The SU has encouraged students to get involved with the campaign and if you feel comfortable to contribute to their survey to share personal testimonies of your experiences in Oxford.

-at least £45,000 from multinational mining company facing anti-mining protests in Serbia (cont.)-land. When genocide is taking place, everyone has a moral responsibility to cease their participation in it.”

When asked for comment, an Oxford University Spokesperson said: “Throughout its history, Oxford University has benefited from the generosity and foresight of philanthropic donations. The funds we raise help discover cures for debilitating disease, offer solutions to the world’s most pressing problems and assist worthy students, from diverse backgrounds, to obtain an Oxford education.

The University is aware of its position within, and responsibility to, the wider community in which we operate, and has robust and rigorous guidelines regarding the acceptance of donations and research funding.

We have a very clear position on academic independence from donations. Our donors have no say in setting the research and teaching programmes of the posts or infrastructure they fund, nor do they have any access to the results of research, other than publicly available material.”

Anvee Bhutani, President of Oxford SU commented: “It is very disappointing that the university has taken such a large sum of money from fossil fuel giant Rio Tinto despite climate lobbying efforts from students for years.

It’s also highly ironic that a company which recently destroyed a 40,000 year old Indigenous site in Australia, for example, was found to also be partly funding scholarships to the University for Indigenous Australians.

Given Oxford’s commitment to climate efforts and the passing of the University Sustainability Strategy this year, I would really hope that in the future, the University and its constituent colleges better scrutinise their donation funding and delink from companies like Rio Tinto.”

All significant gifts and donations are reviewed by Oxford University ‘Committee to Review Donations and Research Funding’. This committee includes independent, external representatives and has a rigorous due diligence process for donations and gifts. The Chancellor’s office, Ngaire Woods’ office, and

the Said Business School have all been approached for comment but have yet to respond.

Following on from a report in February 2020, that concluded that Rio Tinto had one of the least gender diverse boardrooms of the world’s biggest businesses, the Anglo-Australian company appointed Ngaire Woods, a professor at Oxford University as well as two other women to its non-executive board

of directors. They included Jennifer Nason, the global chair of JPMorgan Chase; and Hinda Gharbi, the executive vice-president at the oil services firm Schlumberger.

Woods has also written and contributed to academic and business works discussing climate change including ‘Governing Climate Change: Lessons from other Governance Regimes’ (with Arunabha Ghosh) in Cameron Hep-

burn and Dieter Helm, The Economics and Politics of Climate Change (Oxford University Press, 2010).

These new findings bring the total Oxford received from the fossil fuel industry between 2015-2020 to at least £19 million. Oxford Climate Justice Campaign has said that it will reveal the total given in 2020-2021 in the coming months.

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8 | Comment

The Oxford Student | Friday 21st January 2022

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

Comment

Asian Development Bank via flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0)

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Mandatory Vaccination: Unnecessary and Unjustified Peter Denton

ast month, Boris Johnson called for a “national conversation” on mandatory vaccination against Covid-19.

Supporters of mandatory vaccination argue that the social benefits that arise from increased rates of vaccination overrides people’s right to bodily autonomy, including lower rates of community transmission, and avoiding preventable stress on the NHS. There is, however, little evidence to suggest that vaccination effectively reduces transmission.

A recent study found that “the vaccine’s beneficial effect on Delta transmission waned to almost negligible levels over time”, while the BBC has reported that vaccinated individuals “appear to be just as infections” as the unvaccinated.

Only three months after receiving a second dose of AstraZeneca, the chance of catching Covid from an infected close contact was 67%, the same as for an unvaccinated person. Pfizer fared slightly better, at 58%. Even at their peak effectiveness, three weeks after vaccination, Pfizer was only 42% and AstraZeneca 57%. It is therefore unsurprising the WHO has reported that the recent wave of Omicron has been by “young,

health, vaccinated” people. All this means that any vaccine mandate that seeks to reduce transmission would have to time limit the validity of vaccinations to three months or so, and, even then, the effects would be relatively minimal.

Vaccines are most effective at protecting against serious Covid infection. A study of the Pfizer vaccine found that someone vaccinated with two doses of Pfizer was 87% less likely to be hospitalised than an unvaccinated person. Current estimates suggest that vaccination has “averted over 39,000 hospitalisations and over 13,000 deaths in older adults” so far in

While the threat posed by the unvaccinated to themselves may be large, the threat they pose to wider society, and the NHS, is not. the UK. The government has a duty to act in times of a national healthcare shortage, as they might food during famine, or water during

drought. To address a shortage in healthcare, the government may either delay treatment for less urgent health issues, or attempt to prevent people from developing health issues in the first place.

During the early stages of the pandemic, the government took action to limit preventable ill health to “Protect the NHS”. To minimise Covid-related hospitalisation, strict lockdowns infringing upon people’s freedom were justified to reduce the spread of Covid and avoid overwhelming the NHS. While many routine treatments were stopped, the NHS was not said to be “overwhelmed”, which was taken to mean a lack of hospital capacity to treat only the most urgent patients.

Concern has recently been directed towards unvaccinated Covid patients using up NHS capacity, which could lead to the cancellation of much-needed operations.

However, for several years now, the NHS has lacked the capacity to keep up with the nation’s healthcare needs. In the summer of 2019, prior to Covid, there were 4.4 million people waiting for routine treatment, up from 2.5 million in 2010. The NHS waiting list is now

at 6 million. This means any and

For several years now, the NHS has lacked the capacity to keep up with the nation’s healthcare needs.

all extra demand for urgent healthcare may lead to the cancellation of much-need operations – even a single additional Covid patient.

In reality, the unvaccinated are not significantly using up the NHS’s medical capacity. Most people in Britain are vaccinated, and almost all of those most at risk of hospitalisation are. Over 72% of the UK population has been fully vaccinated. That figure rises to 91.8% for adults as of 8 December 2021, and to more than 97% for adults aged 70 and over. While the threat posed by the unvaccinated to themselves may be large, the threat they pose to wider society, and the NHS, is not.

Contrary to Oxford scientist Andrew Pollard’s claim that the “ongoing horror, which is taking place in ICUs across Britain, is now largely restricted to unvaccinated people”, the UK’s Intensive Care

National Audit & Research Centre, the body in charge of recording ICU statistics in the UK, has reported that in November, when Pollard made his claim, 48% of all Covid-19 patients admitted to ICUs across the country were unvaccinated. This figure rose to 61% in December.

The NHS’s hospital bed data, regularly released for the public, shows that during November 2021 26.3% of occupied ICUs were for Covid patients. Taking into account that admitted unvaccinated patients stay in hospital for about 35% longer than unvaccinated patients, this means only about 17% of all occupied ICUs in November were for unvaccinated Covid patients.

While the threat posed by the unvaccinated to themselves may be large, the threat they pose to wider society, and the NHS, is not.

Meanwhile, the most recently available data on hospital bed status, from the 9th January, shows that 19.1% of occupied hospital beds were in use by Covid patients.

While there is no data on the vaccinated-unvaccinated breakdown for general hospital bed usage, using ICU figures in December as an indicator (note that this is likely-

The Oxford Student | Friday 21st January 2022

Comment | 9

After a Boric victory,

the future of Chile remains unclear Daniel Harrison Deputy Editor

O

Paulo Slachevsky/Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

-an overestimate since vaccines are even more effective at preventing ICU admission than hospitalisation) suggests that 15.7% of occupied hospital beds were taken by unvaccinated Covid patients. This figure represents the Omicron peak. Just a month ago on 14th December, only 5.8% of all occupied beds were in use by unvaccinated Covid patients. Both these figures would fall further if taken as a proportion of both occupied and unoccupied hospital beds.

Juxtapose, then, the “crisis of the unvaccinated”, with the NHS’s capacity problems. There are “staff

There are “staff shortages of 100,000”, and we now only have 141,000 hospital beds, the fewest since records began in 1987/8, when we had more than twice as many.

shortages of 100,000”, and we now only have 141,000 hospital beds, the fewest since records began in 1987/8, when we had more than twice as many.

We are no longer in a Covid emergency, nor are the NHS’s current capacity problems anything new.

The objective of the government has shifted from not “overwhelming” the NHS, to reducing all and

any avoidable pressure on the NHS. The measures deemed appropriate to achieve this different objective should shift accordingly.

Campaigns to improve public health amongst adults have not, in Britain, tended to rely on compulsion, nor should they. Because healthcare is nationalised in Britain, citizens have a responsibility for their own health to both themselves and others. You should get vaccinated. You should also avoid all unnecessary activities which adversely affect your health and increase your likelihood of needing medical treatment. Men and women age 40-79, for instance, are 25-27% less likely to need “long or frequent hospital admissions if they do some form of physical activity”, the cost of which amounts to around “7% of the UK’s per capita health expenditure”. We should not, however, force the inactive to exercise, as we should not force the unvaccinated to get jabbed.

The solution to an inactive nation or lack of vaccination in a liberal society is not to mandate, but to persuade. To start down the authoritarian track of mandating uniformity for such a small material benefit to society would be a grave error. Lest we forget that it is uniformity that breeds fragility; and that it is variation in the face of uncertainty that makes our societies capable of withstanding low probability and unexpected threats.

n the morning of 19th De- on the continent. Any instability Indeed, fiscal stability and ecocember 2021, the fate of in Chile bodes ill for other South nomic growth may prove to be a nation was undecided American nation states, and could one of Boric’s more difficult goals. as Chileans voted in the second mean increasing attempts by South The day after Boric’s victory, the round of their presidential elec- Americans to migrate to the USA. currency, the Chilean Peso and the tion. Yet for those hoping for Britain should pay close attention stock market fell sharply. There more certainty after election re- to the Chilean election, as this is will be great pressure on Boric sults were confirmed on the next precisely the type of country that from Chilean and international day, the future of Chile remained post-Brexit Britain must improve business interests to modify his uncertain. Although the socialist its trade and investment relation- economic and environmental Gabriel Boric (leading the Approve ship with. Chile is a member of agenda, especially his opposiDignity alliance) had secured vic- the OECD, has experience of sign- tion to mining projects that in his tory, his allies did ing Free Trade words ‘destroy’ the environment. not achieve a maAgreements with The cynic within me says that jority in either We must not overlook economies such this policy leaves Boric with only the Chamber of as the USA, is a enough wriggle room to support Chile’s economic Deputies or the large exporter mining projects that minimise and geopolitical Senate. of minerals and damage to the climate. It is diffiimportance. Chile, like agricultural cult to imagine a Chilean president Britain, is far more The first round products, and sticking to an environmentalist of the presidenis developing a agenda and not approving any influential than its tial election was financial more mining projects when copsize and population leading held on the 21st services sector in per mining accounts for 20% of suggests.

November and South America. If GDP and 60% of exports.

Jose Antonio ‘Global Britain’ Kast (leading the can’t expand Meanwhile, the greatest political right-wing Christian Social Front its commercial ties with a free- obstacle to Boric’s reform agenda alliance) led with 27.91% com- market economy such as Chile’s, is Congress. There are twenty-one pared to Boric’s 25.82%. As no then the slogan is as vacuous as different parties in the Chamber candidate secured a majority, a its detractors suggest. of Deputies and many of the memsecond round was held and Boric bers are independent-minded. comfortably defeated Kast, with Gabriel Boric is likely to attempt In the Senate, Boric’s Approve 55.87% of the vote to 44.13%. to usher in a new era of social Dignity alliance only holds four Gabriel Boric thus became the liberalism and economic reform out of the fifty seats. Much of Bopresident-elect of Chile, the young- that will either be socialist or ric’s four-year term hinges on est president in Chile’s history at reminiscent of the cabinet he thirty-five years old.

European social selects and his It is difficult to imagine a government’s democracy. He is As historic as this election has a strong support- Chilean president sticking ability to build a been for Chile, those of us in Brit- er of equal rights to an environmentalist meaningful and ain and the rest of the world may for the LGBTQ+ cooperative diaagenda and not well be wondering: why does Bo- community and logue with Conapproving any more ric’s victory in the Chilean elec- legal recognition gress. He will mining projects when not get all of his tions matter to the rest of us? Af- of non-binary ter all, Chile has only the world’s identities. He has copper mining accounts promised agenforty-third largest economy and promised tax ris- for 20% of GDP and 60% da through, but a population of nineteen million es on the wealthy if he can enact of exports. people. and businesses some significant equivalent, in reforms, such as However, we must not overlook terms of their projected revenue, reforming the pension system Chile’s economic and geopolitical to 5% of GDP. He is keen to abol- and reducing income inequality, importance. Chile, like Britain, is ish the private pension system then his term should be deemed far more influential than its size and increase public spending. a success. and population suggests. The He is also eager to tackle climate country’s economy represents a change, promising to oppose the On the other hand, if Boric fails to critical node in the global econo- $2.5 billion copper, gold and iron build a majority in Congress for at my, as Chile is the world’s largest Dominga mining project that was least some of his proposals, then producer of copper and the sec- approved in August 2021. Yet the ultra-conservatism of Kast, ond largest producer of lithium, on becoming president, he has or some other figure, may return which is used to produce batteries promised to balance this expan- to lead Chile. Given much of the and components crucial in most sive progressive agenda with ‘fis- Chilean right’s persistent refusal modern technology. Chile also has cal responsibility,’ suggesting that to condemn the Pinochet dictatorsignificant regional influence, as he has taken notice of the jittery ship, that may well herald a return it is often held up by other South financial markets, who are anxious to dark days for the country.

American politicians as a model about his economic radicalism. for political and economic stability

10 | Comment

Progress, but not Progress: Oxford’s covid rules

The Oxford Student | Friday 21st January 2022

Daniel Harrison Deputy Editor

‘in-person’ means.

It means opportunity. The opxford University’s covid portunity to meet new people rules have been nebulous without the screen freezing and in places, but progress has the opportunity to share emotions undoubtedly been made in the collectively. The opportunity to struggle against this virus. As the cry, mumble, grumble, smile and Omicron wave begins to recede, laugh together. it is time to reflect on our experiHumans are social, purposive beence with the university’s covid ings and with the easing of restricregulations. For tions at Oxford many Oxford University, we students, it has must celebrate We can all now been a hard, unwe are reappreciate what the that relenting, punturning to a truer ishing slog. And term ‘in-person’ means. expression of our that was Hilary human nature.

2021. The resiIn more condency requirement was waived crete terms, the progress that and only students with specific has been made can be seen in that needs could return to Oxford. Al- the university is now operating at most all teaching and exams went Stage 2 of its Business Continuity online during the cold, dank, dark, Framework. In Hilary 2021, the dreary months of January and university was at Stage 3.

February, as The Oxford Student It is important that the univerreported on the 6th January 2021. sity’s rules are significantly less Memories can also be very short, taxing than they were in Hilary but the Oxford Student Union se- 2021. In the UK we are substancured a great victory. Its pressure tially closer to a situation where on the university helped lead to covid is endemic. The high vacaccommodation fees being relin- cination rate at the university quished for students who did not is also especially encouraging. return in Hilary 2021 and for those The Covid-19 Student Vaccinawho chose not to return in Trin- tion Survey in November 2021, ity 2021. The £9250 tuition fee in which nearly 50% of students remained untouched nevertheless. responded, revealed that 98% of The fact that there was no form of respondents were either partially concession or refund is a moral or fully vaccinated. disgrace.

Yet despite these tentatively posThere is a very serious point itive signs, there are some clear here, which is that as a univer- ambiguities in the university’s sity and a community, we marched covid rules. through the deluge of challenges There is an ‘expectation that most to arrive at a point of progress. teaching’ will take place in perWe can all now apson this term, which sounds preciate promising. Yet later in the what guidance, it states that the there term ‘may be some oc-

O

casions’ when staff choose an on- leges’ responses. It is line format, because they believe comparable to that it is the most educationally Johnson’s effective approach. This provides teaching staff with more reasons to deliver content online, which may stray away from being directly related to covid. Yet many of these classes, tutorials and lectures will have been delivered in- ‘go to person pre-pandemic. Our tuition work, but fees still stand at the eye-watering don’t go to £9250 if you are a UK student and work’ press more if you are an international conference in student. But one thing changes, May 2021, when amthe university’s costs: they fall. If biguities and inconsista student or member of staff has encies reigned supreme covid, then that will understand- in the rule book. ably mean an online session, but At my college, Worcester, it if this is not apparent, then every was announced that the SCR will sinew must be strained to teach not be open for dining, but it is in-person. We are social, purpo- for coffee. sive beings, who thrive off others’ Covid and coffee must have some energy, communication and ideas. sort of special relationship.

Nobody has come to university It was also announced at the to sit in their room constantly for beginning of Hilary that the bar £9250. They could stay at home will only open for takeaway, alfor free. though this decision was abruptly There is also ambiguity over the revoked. On the 19th of January, holding of events at the university. the bar will return to a semi-norBusiness and community events, mal service. Talk about governing as well as large internal events by U-turn. More progress in easing are discouraged from being held restrictions must be made. Formal in-person, but commercial events and social events with catering recan continue to be held ‘where quirements will also not go ahead feasible.’ What is the difference in January. This is disproportionbetween ‘business’ and ‘commer- ate and onerous, as pubs, restaucial’ events? rants and even nightclubs are Let’s take a look at the other open without any restrictions. I rules. Face coverings are man- even went to an Aston Villa match dated in all teaching, assessment against Man Utd where thousands and library settings. They must queued inside for burgers and also be worn when individuals are chips. Caution and protection are moving around buildings. Social imperative, but paranoia leads to distancing is not formally required paralysis; we need more progress. and staff who are able to work In times of national emergency, from home are expected to con- such as a pandemic, the colleges’ tinue to do so. All students were autonomy should be restricted also encouraged and decisionto take a lateral making cenAt least we are in a flow test less tralised at the than twenty-four better place than in level of the Vicehours before their Hilary 2021. I believe Chancellor and return to Oxford, leadership that things can only get their then take another team. better. test on the day At least we are they arrived in in a better place Oxford and another test three than in Hilary 2021. I believe that days later. Students are also things can only get better. Let us strongly advised to test them- take encouragement from the selves twice a week and take the predictions of scientists such booster vaccine. All of this is as Professor David Heymann, of proportional, measured and the London School of Hygiene and sensible. Overall, the univer- Tropical Medicine. He has stated sity’s covid response has been that due to the high level of popusuperior to the UK government’s lation immunity, the UK will be circus. one of the first countries where Yet, the most frustrating, head- covid will become endemic. Let us banging inducing aspect of the hope and dream: progress awaits. university’s covid rules is arguably the lack of unity in the col@Tmaximumge License CC0

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Nobody has come to uni-

versity to sit in their room constantly for £9250

The Oxford Student | Friday 21st January 2022

BE BOLD OR STAND DOWN

Daniel Harrison on

2

Chris McAndrew via Wikimedia Commons

021 closes with the latest Opinium poll placing Labour seven points ahead of the Conservatives. The most recent poll for the Sunday Times put Labour eight points ahead. However, look beneath the glittering, shiny surface of these polls; Labour is not in a strong position. The party’s polling is due to negative pressure on the electorate; more voters do not want to support Boris Johnson’s Conservatives because of the recent avalanche of sleaze and scandal that reached its climax over Partygate. The holding of Downing Street Christmas parties sent an unmistakeable message to the electorate; there is one rule for us and another for you. This is the source of Labour’s lead.

must switch to supporting Labour either because they prefer Starmer over Johnson as PM or because they believe that Labour would run the country more effectively. In order to achieve this objective, Starmer must reform his shadow cabinet and his relationship with his deputy.

Labour’s shadow cabinet reshuffle in November was described in media outlets as ‘major,’ ‘radical’ and ‘ruthless.’ Not a single one of those adjectives is apt. The issue is that Starmer should have been bolder in his choices about the makeup of the shadow cabinet.

A critical attribute of a successful leader is to be fearless There are many parallels be- in surrounding yourself with tween the leadership of Ed Mili- talented people. You should do band and Keir Starmer. Labour this because they will often be under Miliband was ahead in the most creative individuals, most polls from 2010-2015 and they will challenge your thinklost the 2015 election. Miliband ing and they will compensate also struggled to settle on one for your own weaknesses and clear strategy of complement how he would your strengths.

A critical attribute present himself Johnson fails at and his party; he of a successful leader this, because talked of moving of his deep inis to be fearless in on from New Lasecurities and surrounding yourself his desire to bour, One Nation, ‘responsible capi- with talented people. be the centre talism.’ Starmer of attention. must not make This is where the same mistake. Bold, imagina- Starmer can be different. He can tive leadership is required. The prove to the electorate that as objective in 2022 must be that PM he would empower talented the party builds a sustained poll- people and delegate, creating ing lead that is partly based on a new style of political leaderpositive pressure; more voters ship. Nevertheless, delegation

Starmer and the future of Labour

is only possible if you are surrounded by a sea of competence.

Yet in his reshuffle, Starmer has missed an opportunity.

a core team who are assembled based on their communication and media skills, alongside their policy expertise. This team must be forensically critical of Most of the reshuffle consist- the government when they err ed of individuals being moved and passionately positive about around to and the alternative from different that a Labour Starmer could shadow portgovernment have been bold and would offer. folios. It is not imaginative in 2021, enough when Labour must It is right that instead he has been win an additionYvette Cooper timid. al 127 seats at has been apthe next general pointed as shadelection in order to win a majori- ow home secretary, but why has ty of 1 in the House of Commons. it taken more than a year and a It is not enough when Labour half? There are other MPs who requires a larger swing to the should be brought in. Hilary party than in 1997 in order to Benn, as a former International win a majority. It is not enough Development Secretary and then when the Conservatives despite shadow foreign secretary under austerity, brexit, pandemic mis- Corbyn, should be re-appointed management and now sleaze and to that role. He is serious and scandal, could quite easily re- statesmanlike. Dan Jarvis, with gain their polling lead if Johnson his experience serving in the quietens his backbench critics. British Army in Iraq and Afghanistan, should be shadow So what reform is required? It defence secretary. Other more must begin with a ban on the cre- effective media performers, such ation of any new positions with- as Stephen Kinnock and Chris in the shadow cabinet in which Bryant, should be appointed to shadow ministers are not shad- shadowing the Welsh and leader owing government departments. of the house briefs respectively.

Ed Miliband should not be the David Lammy should remain as shadow climate change secre- shadow justice secretary, given tary; he should have remained in his legal background and his his position as shadow business, inexperience in foreign affairs. energy and industrial strategy secretary. This will ensure that A conundrum that faces Starmthe shadow cabinet does not er is how do you solve a problem become a bloated organisation like Nick Symonds Thomas? He that lacks flexibility and adapt- is too intellectual and steeped in ability. Instead, there should be the history of the Labour Party

Comment | 11

to be left languishing on the backbenches. It would be a waste of talent. He should be made deputy chair of the Labour Party, working closely with Anneliese Dodds to develop Labour’s policy programme for the next election.

Wes Streeting should also be shadow education secretary given his previous role was shadow child poverty secretary and Rosena Allin-Khan should be Shadow Health Secretary.

She has deep and specialised knowledge of the NHS, as she has worked as a junior doctor in A&E departments in different NHS hospitals and during the pandemic she has worked as a volunteer doctor during the parliamentary recesses.

Most importantly, Starmer should collaborate with Angela Rayner to give a more precise definition to the deputy leader role. Rayner should work alongside Nandy to develop Labour’s policy offering to the seats that the party needs to win in the North and Midlands. Nandy should focus on devolution and infrastructure, Rayner on labour market reform.

Starmer could have been bold and imaginative in 2021, instead he has been timid. He will only get one chance, one election to become PM, so there is no point in caution. Learn something from Boris Johnson’s success; take some risks and sometimes it will work. You can afford to do this as leader of the opposition. Your mistakes can’t translate into bad policy; you are not in government. Your mistakes can only produce some negative media coverage, which will not be long-lasting as we are still in a pandemic.

12 | Green

Editors: George Mackay, Kellie Tran Deputy Editor: Elias Formaggia green@oxfordstudent.com

Green

The Oxford Student | Friday 21st January 2022

An Oxford Student’s Guide to

Veganuary Aleena WASEEM

S

hakespeare once said the course of true love never did run smooth. And by true love, he meant true veganism.

For those venturing into the plant-based world for the first time as part of the infamous ‘Veganuary’, switching from a meaty life to one full of greens, tofu, and avocados may not seem the most tempting. Often people start with the best of intentions, yet by midJanuary, many give up as the withdrawal symptoms from cheese, melt in the mouth Cadbury’s Dairy Milk, and dead animal carcasses prove too much.

Yet, ‘Veganuary’ isn’t about being perfect. Instead, it should be seen as a journey into a more healthy, sustainable, and environmentally ethical lifestyle. Being vegan isn’t easy – and certainly not for those whose diets are normally centred around meat and dairy products.

Being a vegan as a student is even harder - the heavy workload and high living costs of Oxford means switching diets to a seemingly more expensive and time-consuming one can seem less than tempting.

But fear not vegan converts, for I can confirm (as a long-term vegan of four years) that your ascension into a more superior dietary choice can be both easy, tasty, and relatively inexpensive!

One of the main criticisms of veganism is that the meals just aren’t as tasty. Well, my meat eating friends, think again.

The world has moved on from watery tofu and vegetables as your starter, main and dessert.

Instead, the plant-based industry has produced some incredible, delicious, and sexy substitutes.

One of the main criticisms of veganism is that the meals just aren’t as tasty. Well, my meat eating friends, think again.

Some of my favourites include: Linda McCartney’s Chicken Bucket – chicken style pieces made from rehydrated textured soya and wheat protein, with a chilli breadcrumb coating. These are to die for. I first tasted this when my best friend bought them the day my boyfriend

broke up with me – and after eating them, I was over the breakup.

Quorn Vegan Chicken Free Slices – the absolute perfect sandwich filler. Pair it with vegan mayonnaise, lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes in a tortilla wrap and you have the ultimate easy-to-go snack.

Tesco’s Free From Rocky Road Mini Bites – For those who have a sweet tooth, these rocky road bites are the supreme craving satisfier. I have sat and eaten all 12 of these in a single sitting and I have no regrets.

Greggs Vegan Sausage Rolls – A direct quote from my mate ‘they taste better than normal sausage rolls’.

As well as amazing vegan products, Oxford has so much to offer in the way of vegan-friendly restaurants.

Here are my top recommendations: The Coconut Tree, St Clements Road.

This restaurant is an absolute steal with 50% off Monday through Wednesday. Living just two minutes away from here means I am a frequent visitor to the Coconut Tree, and they now greet me by name. The Coconut Tree serves Sri Lankan food, ranging from all sorts of carnal curries, which are almost all vegan/veggie and some spicy delicious dishes of brinjals (fried

aubergines) spicy potatoes, dhal, curried cabbage and much more.

Every visit to the Coconut Tree is 40% spent marvelling at how delicious it is, 40% marvelling at how cheap it is, and 20% over ordering because you want to try everything.

The place is so popular though, so make sure to book if you want to go!

Green Routes – Magdalen Road Green Routes is the ultimate hangover brunch place. It is a vegan nirvana. Popular highlights include vegan breakfast patties, cheesy tater tots and luscious chocolate and banana pancakes.

The staff are always super friendly, and this cafe means that vegans too can enjoy a hungover brunch.

McDonalds – Cornmarket Street You may be shocked to find the infamous fast food chain has made it into my top restaurant recommendations.

But you won’t be once you’ve tried the new McPlant burger. Seriously. I have had sex dreams about this burger.

Succulent, juicy and as a non-vegan once said,

‘tastes exactly like a Big Mac’, this will fulfil your maccies craving any day of the week. Perfect for a post night out snack on your way back from Bridge/Parkend/Plush.

The Gardeners Arms – Jericho The GA has a 100% vegetarian menu and is the perfect place to take a first date. Its cute and pretty inside, and the food is classic pub grub but all vegan/veggie friendly, including kebab bowls and dirty fries Oxford, therefore, has much to offer the vegan population. So for those soldiering on with veganism, may you long continue to save the world, one leafy green at a time.

ble transition to low and zero emission vehicles. A ZEZ will encourage much of the traffic frequently passing through Oxford’s streets to switch to zero emission through its day rate charges of up to £20 for non-complying vehicles between the zone’s operating hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.. These charges will be enforced through plate recognition cameras, the same technology which caused your dad to miss your Year 6 piano recital because he was attending a speed awareness course in Poole.

Luckily for your father, exemptions may be made for parents passing through the city to move students in and out of their accommodation, with the council aiming to deal with these issues on a case-by-case basis.

The money that is made from ZEZ charges will be used to fund the running of the scheme, as well as being reinvested into council initiatives such as Connecting Oxford, which will further improve the quality of local transport.

The council has also stated that excess funds may be used for the installation of bike racks within and near the ZEZ. It is hopeful that Oxford’s ZEZ will achieve the aims it has set out. Low and zero emission zones have been shown to reduce air pollution and traffic elsewhere. Brussels experienced an 11% decline in nitrous oxide and particulate matter in the local air following the establishment

clean air scheme launched in London saw an increase in the rate at which high emitting vehicles were replaced relative to other areas.

There is some concern that the establishment of these zero emission zones leads to non-zero emission vehicles avoiding ZEZs and instead just increasing air pollution in the surrounding areas. However, Oxford City Council has stated that as the ZEZ does not contain any through traffic routes, they do not expect any significant levels of displaced traffic.

In the absence of any issues arising with the scheme, there are plans it will be expanded to the greater city centre, encompassing the entire High Street as well as St Giles and St Aldates later this year. The council then hopes for the zone to stretch across the entirety of Oxford by 2035, five years after the U.K. government has committed to ending the sale of new diesel and petrol vehicles.

Oxford’s Zero Emission Zone; E-mission to clean the city Elias FORMAGGIA Deputy Editor

The pilot form of Oxford’s zero emission zone (ZEZ) is set to launch in February this year with the aim to encourage the shift to low and zero emission vehicles and improve local air quality. The clean air zone will initially cover some of the city’s main streets including Cornmarket and St Michael’s with plans to expand later in the year.

Oxford’s centre is no longer the Brideshead bike haven it once was where the streets were only punctuated with the occasional sports car pulling up outside college. It now takes the form of your more typical city centre, frequented by heavy goods vehicles and pissed off commuters. Aside from contributing to the infamous queue that forms at the Magdalen traffic lights, which I can only imagine Dante drew on for his depiction of Hell, the large flow of vehicles through the city is a primary driver of air pollution and

the degradation of local air quality.

Transport emissions are the answer to over half of nitrous oxide emissions and upwards of 10% for the release of other air pollutants. Long-term exposure to nitrous oxide can increase an individual’s susceptibility to respiratory infections and contribute to the development of asthma. Looking beyond just the local detriments, the presence of nitrous oxide in the atmosphere not only exacerbates the greenhouse effect, but also depletes

Oxford’s centre is no longer the Brideshead bike haven it once was the ozone layer which is our primary defence against the UVB radiation from the sun.

Through the introduction of a zero emission zone, Oxfordshire City Council aims to reduce the level of these emissions and accelerate the inevita-

The council has also stated that excess funds may be used for the installation of bike racks within and near the ZEZ

of a low emission zone in the city.

Moreover, this form of initiative has also been effective at encouraging the shift towards low and zero emission vehicles in other regions: a 2008

The Oxford Student | Friday 30th April 2021

Editors: Dania Kamal Aryf identity@oxfordstudent.com

Identity | 13

Identity

Between Space and Self: Ayushi Aruna ARGAWAL

O

n my way back home to Delhi, I had three things on my mind: all the food I was going to enjoy, the questionfire I was going to face from family and friends about my future plans and my personal life, and most worryingly, the state of my cupboard.

My Journey ing is entirely foreign, (my dad was appalled when I suggested it many years ago) and going as far as locking said door, would be ultimately out of the question.

Over three weeks at home, I became used to starting my day with loud wake-up calls from either of I got used to The state of my my parents. Often, cupboard is a extremely sunny they would just great metaphor nudge our dog into mornings, for my existence my room. Unfortulong afternoon within my family nately, I happen to naps with my home. Every time be his least favourdog’s snores I return from ite family member, university, I find as background and he would bark stacked on top of incredibly loudly so music. my own clothes a I had no choice but to pile of my sister’s wake up and let him belongings that no longer fit in out. A very effective alarm strategy. her cupboard(s) alongside my dog’s medical records, amongst I got used to having chai (real other things. Bordering between chai, please) three times a day, the stack and the end of the shelf, and communal family snack ready to collapse into freefall at breaks twice a day. I got used to any given minute, there are bits relatives dropping in, neighbours and bobs of my mother’s erstwhile sending over their children to get possessions which she never uses studying advice from me, and beanymore but will also never have came familiar with receiving parthe heart to throw out. Only two cels of food from aunties whom years ago, I had an explosive fight I knew only by association with with my mum about this phenomtheir kids. I got used to extremely enon of such alien things colosunny mornings, long afternoon nising my room and cupboard. naps with my dog’s snores as She was aghast that I could get so background music, and walks angry about something so comwith my dad after dinner. There monplace in households like ours. was little space for me to just sit alone with my thoughts, but Surprisingly, when I opened there was also no dearth of caring, my cupboard this time around, concerned ears to hear them out.

I found myself at relative ease.

As a result of climate change, Not because it was not full of my Delhi has been getting heavy rains sister’s and dog’s and mother’s in January. One such rainy night, things, but because I knew that merely two days before my dein three short weeks, I would be parture, I woke up to such loud back to my own cupboard in my thunder that it sounded room in Oxford – full of things almost like a cloudburst. Bewhich were only mine. No one tween sleep and wakefulness, it would have access to these cup- could have even sounded like it boards, nor would they be able to signalled the end of the world. keep their things inside without My mum immediately ran into my initial permission. I would not my room, and fussed over how have to say “okay, now I’m going my sleep must have been ruined. to my room to work for an hour. She slipped into my bed and told I’ll be back soon”, or else, risk an me she was going to sleep there, untimely intervention without a with me. I slowly fell back asleep knock on the door. In a household with her reassuring presence. like mine, the concept of knock-

Image credit: Samet Kurkus @unsplash

A few days later, I sat somewhat melancholically throughout my flight back to the UK. I contemplated how merely a few weeks ago, I was consumed by anxiety on my way home, yet now, I was feeling even more anxious on my way back to Oxford. I have come to realise how the adjustment is needed on both sides. At the start of the vac, I had to learn how to re-adjust to the chaos of being surrounded by family and get used to having no time even to think, let alone work. Then, coming back here, I am learning how to get used to the silence again.

The solitude. The mornings when it is just me and my alarm, and my cupboard with nothing but my own clothes. It is uncomfortable, to run towards silence from the noise, and then towards the noise again, from the silence.

It seems that there is no in-between – and if there is, it is not a reality in either of my worlds.

Now that I am back in Oxford again, I have often been awoken in the middle of the night by students passing by my room on St. Giles. Last night, I had woken up to a particularly loud and rowdy group right outside my window – an experience not quite different from the sound of that cloudburst only a few nights ago in Delhi.

In a poignantly cinematic fashion, I reached across the sheets, and yearned to call out for my family – but then I realised how I had all the space to myself.

I reached across the sheets, and yearned to call out for my family – but then I realised I had

all the space to myself.

Oluptam quis eum ex esequi am, ut anducidis ut la illuptus moloreic tet

14 | Sport

Sport

Academies can save Premier League Clubs

Daniel Harrison Deputy Editor

If there is one thing that strug- solo goal against Norwich in Decem- ing philosophy demands. This can gling Premier league clubs should ber. Ramsey’s two younger brothers especially be the case if the manager do in order to survive in the Premier are also in the club’s academy setup. creates his own playing blueprint for League jungle, it is this: invest in your Another academy product is Carney all age groups at the club, as Ralph academies. There have been two big Chukwuemeka, who has impressed Hasenhüttl has done at Southampspenders in the January transfer win- when he has come off the bench and ton. It means that by the time these dow, Newcastle and Aston Villa. Yet many elite European clubs, includ- young players arrive at the first team, that is where the similarities end. ing Bayern Munich, are reportedly they don’t need to adapt in the same Newcastle are mired in an existen- interested in signing him in the sum- way that Coutinho has to when he tial battle to preserve their Premier mer. moves from Barcelona to Aston Villa, League status and are desperately Many Premier League clubs are because they already know about attempting to land more signings struggling to avoid relegation, the how the club and fans expect them to save themselves from the drop. likes of Newcastle, Burnley, Watford, to play. Signing Coutinho may generMeanwhile, Aston Villa have their Norwich and even Everton. With the ate valuable media attention, but is gaze fixated on the top half of the exception of Everton, none of these it a long-term, sustainable policy to table and are stealthily assembling clubs have well-established, success- sign a flailing and failing 29 year old? a team that hopes to compete for a ful academies. Yet investing in their There are also many off-field adplace in the top seven next season. academies provides the only long- vantages to investing in academies.

There is another critical difference term, sustainable way to produce It can save money in the long run. between the two high-quality teams There may be significant costs in the clubs. Newcastle that can be imbued short run, as clubs have to invest in have an under- They are with the fans with a clear playing scouts, coaches, medics, sports sciperforming, un- and of them. They want philosophy. entists and psychologists, but investderwhelming There are many ing in academies is about producing to win, because they love youth academy benefits of invest- long-term rewards. Newcastle have their club. and their new ing to develop a just spent £37 million on two playowners, the PIF of successful acad- ers who have a combined age of 61.

Saudi Arabia, have identified their emy. These benefits can be divided If the club had a deep reservoir of academy as requiring substantially into on-field and off-field advantages. highly able and ambitious academy more investment. This is a startling Academies can produce world- products, they may not have had to fact given that Newcastle are the only class players who form world-class spend so much on so little and so old.

Premier League team from the North teams. Look at the Man Utd team of If a club is also in financial diffiEast of England, which has a popu- the 1995-96 season when the club culties, a successful academy could lation of 2.7 million people. Their won the Premier League and the cup bail the club out. This would be a competitors for attracting talented double. Alan Hansen said ‘you can’t last resort, but if a club was in dire young players are in a poor position; win anything with kids,’ but that tro- financial straits, then they could sell Middlesborough are in the Cham- phy-winning, dominating machine some of their best academy players. pionship and Sunderland are lan- of a team contained the likes of Paul The academy was a fruitful source guishing in League One. Newcastle’s Scholes, Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, of revenue for West Brom. Tottenacademy should be one of the best in Nicky Butt and the ham were willing the country given that they have such Neville brothers.

Newcastle have just to pay £22 million a large catchment area from which Young players who for Saido Berahino, spent £37 million on who was only 22 at they can attract the brightest young are from the local players and given the incredible pas- area also appreci- two players who have a the time and had sion for football in the North East. ate in their heart combined age of 61. not made many Aston Villa’s owners, Wes Edens and soul what it Premier League and Naseef Sawiris, have commit- means to play for their club. Think appearances. In the end Stoke signed ted millions of pounds to the club’s about Steven Gerrard or Jamie Car- him for £12 million, but that was a lot academy since their takeover in ragher’s pride at playing for Liver- for West Brom, who at the time were 2018 and it has produced immedi- pool. They are not playing for the owned by Jeremy Peace, famous for ate results. Aston Villa’s under-18 fans; they are with the fans and of his eagerness to balance the books side won the FA Youth cup last year them. They want to win, because at the club. Birmingham City also for the first time in nineteen years. they love their club. Academy grad- received £25 million-plus add-ons Newcastle’s last FA Youth Cup tri- uates can strengthen the invisible, for selling the seventeen-year-old umph was in 1985. but the ineradicable bond between Jude Bellingham to Borussia DortAston Villa’s Jacob Ramsey, who club, fans and their local community. mund in 2017. is from the Great Barr area of Bir- There is a reason why fans often sing So for all those Premier League mingham, is a proud graduate of the chant of ‘he’s one of our own’ clubs who are anxious about relthe club’s academy and has recently with a sense of great pride. egation and for those clubs in the been Villa’s star player, scoring one As the academy players have Championship who are excitable goal and assisting another in their played for the club since a young plotters, dreaming of promotion, do most recent game against Manches- age at the youth levels, they will have not chase the glamorous signing of ter Utd. He also scored a spectacular a clear sense of what the club’s play- today, invest for tomorrow.

The Oxford Student | Friday 21st January 2022

F1 2021: A titanic battle for the crown Daniel Kovacs Sports Editor

I

t’s lights out and away we go!

The 2021 season of the Formula One world championship has been the most-talked about of the past few years. It has been filled with non-stop action from race to race, close battels, 6 different winners, 13 different drivers earning a podium and of course an absolutely incredible, titanic battle for the drivers’ championship between two drivers determined at all costs to be at the top come the end of the season.

Sir Lewis Hamilton entered the season as the defending champion for the fourth consecutive year, searching for a record overall eighth world title! The turbo-hybrid era had been Mercedes’ playground, with 7 straight drivers’ and constructors’ championships since 2014. Challenging them this year, however, was a resurgent Red Bull, led by Max Verstappen.

Arguably the most exciting F1 prodigy of this century, he debuted full time at the age of 17 (!) in 2015 and became the youngest race winner when he took top spot in Spain in 2016, still only 18 years old. He had achieved victory at least once each season since, but the Red Bull machinery was never quite strong enough to allow him to challenge for the world title itself. Now it seemed it just might be. Hamilton, the champion, the veteran, the record-breaker versus Verstappen, the prodigy, the hungry challenger coming for the crown. The scene was set, and it certainly did not disappoint.

Hamilton started the season well with 3 wins in the first 4 races, and it seemed we may be in for a repeat of recent seasons of dominance by the Brit. The defending champion struggled on the streets Monaco, however and Verstappen’s victory in the principality kickstarted his title challenge. He responded with his own streak of wins, including especially dominant performances in Austria. Both drivers would go on to celebrate home Grand Prix wins to rapturous applause. As the season drew to a close, Verstappen seemed to have the edge after wins in Mexico and the United States, before a late Hamilton charge (including an incredible comeback drive over the Sao Paulo weekend) saw them level on points before the finale in Abu Dhabi. All throughout the year, these two drivers were in a class of their own, with 14 of 22 races finishing with them as

the 1-2. Many of these races were extremely tight, the victory decided in the final few laps, going Hamilton’s way in Bahrain and Spain, but Verstappen’s in France or the USA. The tense battle inevitably brought drama as well, with stakes so high, controversy was never far away. The contenders would come together at Silverstone, Monza, and Jeddah, and their wheel to wheel battles often pushed the limits of clean racing. It was absolute must watch racing at each Grand Prix, a year-long fight where the two drivers were separated by under 15 points for most of the season! It was a refreshing change from previous years where Hamilton’s title challengers would usually fade by the middle of the season, races (and the championship battle) could often be a foregone conclusion. This year, you sat down to watch each and every race in the knowledge that you would see two of the best drivers of the era give everything they possibly could. There was no room for error, every point mattered, and Max and Lewis drove accordingly. It may not always have been fully clean or fair, but it was always tense, exciting, edge of your seat action.

And then the finale… for a title to come down to the last lap, of the last race, of the longest ever F1 season, is unbelievable stuff!

Arguments over whether the FIA was right or wrong to act as it did will persist for years to come, but events as they unfolded undoubtedly gave us one of, if not the most, dramatic ending to a season of motor racing! The restart, Verstappen lunging in for the overtake, Hamilton attacking back but coming up just short, the celebrations and despair at the chequered flag are unforgettable scenes. A dramatic title win, and the realisation of a lifelong dream for Max Verstappen, F1’s first ever Dutch champion, on top of the world in 2021.

Cruel irony for Lewis Hamilton, who himself won his first world title with a last lap overtake back in 2008. Heartbreak for the Brit, but one that will hopefully inspire him to come back more determined than ever in 2022, chasing that incredible 8th world title! A stunning conclusion to one of the all time great championship battles, one that will be remembered for a long time, where both drivers gave it their all throughout the season and would have fully deserved the title. What more do you need for an unforgettable season?

The Oxford Student | Friday 21st January 2022

Novax, No Thanks

Matthew Holland

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hroughout the entire Pandemic, Australia has managed to tackle COVID much more effectively than most other countries, with only 1.6 million cases in total and just over 2600 deaths. The state of Victoria, the most densely populated Australian state, home to Melbourne and the Australian Open, has only accrued 590,000 cases as of writing this.

The reason for this relative success at managing the Pandemic: Australia’s harsh quarantine rules and border restrictions.

In line with their usual border restrictions which place necessity over an individual’s choice to move to Australia, individual exemption visas are only granted to unvaccinated people who are providing some form of service or benefit to Australia, whether that be a foreign student or key worker, and even in these circumstances these visas are rarely granted.

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that Novak Djokovic, a known anti-vaxxer and conspiracy theorist, has been denied entry into Australia in preparation for the Australian Open.

While some may argue that it should be his own personal choice whether or not he gets vaccinated,

one must consider the harm that world-leading scientists, or that could be caused not only to him- world-leading scientists are part self but to those he comes in con- of some conspiracy to harm them. tact with who may be affected if he The contradictions are blindingly were to contract COVID. Consider- obvious, I’m sure most of these ing his strong stance on COVID be- people are quite happy to drink ing a hoax, it is quite clear that he fluoride in their water, and I’m has a blatant disregard for the fact sure they take other medication that people like him are the reason which they have as much personal that COVID continues to spread knowledge of as they do with COVso widely and kill in such high ID vaccines. I find it hard to believe numbers. As of 22ndDecember, that Djokovic, a famous athlete, the percentage of COVID patients hasn’t taken some painkiller or in intensive care units in London something of that kind in his life who were unvaccinated was as without questioning it. Unless high as 90% and every time he sees doctors noted [T]hese people a paracetamol he’s a particularly overcome by a high number of think they know rage and throws younger people better than world- it away in disgust, in their 20s and leading scientists, I can’t help feeling 30s appearing in or that world- this man is a hypointensive care. It crite. is clear therefore, leading scientists that vaccinations are part of some Another point to work and should conspiracy to make is the degree be seen in the of arrogance being harm them. same context as exerted by this seatbelts or any man, as he acts kind of medicines; we trust that as if he’s above the laws of counthey will keep us safe and so we tries and above COVID restrictions conform to an infringement on our because he’s a famous athlete. It civil liberties. speaks to the privilege that athletes are used to, that usually some What disgusts me the most about kind of special consideration is the anti-vax movement, besides made to their case and as such the fact it is making COVID last they are not used to being treated much longer than it frankly in a similar regard to anyone else should, is the idea that these peo- entering a foreign country without ple think they know better than a proof of vaccination. A similar ar-

Features | 15

rogance and feeling of superiority experiences were the same, the finds itself in many other sports, reality is that many people expewith the perfect example being rienced lockdown with varying set by England and Manchester degrees of luxury and privilege. Of City footballer course in the UK, Kyle Walker revelations are Privilege and who admitted to being made about the idea of breaking lockpoliticians partyour lockdown ing and breaching down restrictions multiple times in experiences being lockdown restric2020 to see his different to those tions while the parents and sister of people in power rest of us were during the first in isolation and lockdown in the is an issue that is only permitted UK. Speaking of particularly raw to go outside for making mistakes, at the moment. an hour’s worth he later said of the of exercise. incident, “Obviously mine were on a bigger scale It leaves a sour taste in the mouth and gets magnified by the media”, to think that politicians, athletes a point he repeatedly made about and other wealthy individuals his breaches as he acted with little were breaching the same rules regret and suggested consistently that they repeatedly told us to that he was being specially tar- follow, and for someone who has geted as a result of his fame. This followed them and has performed is a similar reaction to that which their civic duty to get vaccinated, Novak Djokovic’s father had in re- I am filled with a hatred of people sponse to his son’s deportation who think they’re above that and when he suggested that it was a who laughed at me while they en‘witch hunt’ and likened his son’s joyed luxury. treatment to that of ‘Jesus Christ during his crucifixion’.

For these reasons, I have no sympathy for Novak Djokovic and I’m Privilege and the idea of our lock- incredibly glad that the Australian down experiences being different Government decided not to give a to those of people in power is an special consideration to him and to issue that is particularly raw at follow the rules which themselves the moment. While ordinary peo- had set for everyone. ple felt like they were performing a civic duty and that everyone’s

Features Hilary Term: Start of something

The Oxford Student | Friday 21st January 2022

16 | Features

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

new, or a little bit blue?

Aniya Selvadurai discusses hopes

and fears for Hilary term, and gives advice for handling workload while enjoying a more ‘normal’ term.

I

f I were to sum up what Hilary term feels like to me in one word, it would almost certainly be ‘liminal’. You don’t have the excitement of heading back to Oxford after a three month vac, but you’re not gearing up to the end of the year either. Its position in the middle of the academic year but the start of the calendar year only adds to its confusion. Moreover, as a term repeatedly hit by COVID-19, it is hard to work out what exactly Hilary term holds, making feelings about it all the more muddled.

I think that a new term, regardless of when in the year it falls, offers the possibility of hope and change. After a reasonably long vac, it feels easier to view the term with a bit more perspective; you’re (hopefully) not exhausted from weeks of allnighters, and the excitement of seeing friends you haven’t seen in a while is enough to make Hilary at least a little bit appealing. Even though the mountain of work always seems daunting, often a new term brings in module changes, and a change in

topic and tutor can be just what is needed to bring the fun back into academic life at Oxford. It is too easy to take our amazing resources and buildings for granted, and coming back to Oxford less sleep-deprived and with slightly more zest for life I find means that I see Oxford life, with all its libraries, cafes, and old buildings, in the shiny grandeur I did on my first open day. What’s more, after a few weeks at home, the idea of increased independence and the freedom to get a kebab in the

I see Oxford life, with all its libraries, cafes, and old buildings, in the shiny grandeur I did on my first open day. middle of the night seems all the more appealing.

Of course, all that I have said could be said about any term, so

what is it that Hilary offers that neither Michaelmas nor Trinity do? I think Hilary’s unique position comes from its proximity to the start of the new calendar year – I believe that this can bring about both enthusiasm and apprehension for the term. The new year is always regarded as a time of possibility; the sense of being able to start afresh can be invigorating and inspiring enough to dispel some of the stress that an Oxford term brings. New years’ resolutions in particular can help us feel motivated and eager to get on with the term. The flip side of this, of course, is that the heightened expectations to achieve more, be healthier, be happier, can bring about increased feelings of anxiety, and can result in a sense of disappointment if we do not live up to our often somewhat unrealistic targets.

Amongst all the excitement a new year brings, I’m sure

there are many students who are perhaps feeling more worried than not about Hilary term. Some may still be burnt out from last term, and others may already be concerned about looming deadlines. Hilary also brings in questions about the future as summer internships open for applications, and decisions about living situations begin to be made. Furthermore, the impact of Michaelmas may have left many students with a plethora of feelings regarding the start of Hilary. With many of us having experienced our first ‘normal’ term of university in a

The new year is always regarded as a time of possibility

while, perhaps ever, the overload of academic commitments alongside a significantly fuller social calendar may have left some feeling overwhelmed by the volume of things to do, and thus apprehensive about resuming this level of activity in Hilary. I think it’s important to recognise this, as whilst

some people may be feeling particularly thrilled by the resumption of normal life, for others Hilary may seem like an uphill struggle.

The kinder and more understanding we are to one another, the easier it will be for us all to get through (and enjoy!) the upcoming eight weeks.

All this considered, I think it’s important for us all to be aware that students are coming into Hilary with feelings ranging from apathy to excitement, joy to dread. There’s a lot in the term that is enjoyable and will bring a great deal of fun, but there are also worries and concerns that may overshadow those experiences at points. It’s important for all of us to check in with our friends as we embark on this new term, so that no one feels that their feelings aren’t valid or are out of line with what everyone else is thinking. It is possible to be looking forward to and slightly dreading this term, and the kinder and more understanding we are to one another, the easier it will be for us all to get through (and enjoy!) the upcoming eight weeks.

The Oxford Student | Friday 21st January 2022

Columns | 17

snmuloCColumns Istudent elections

I

t was the third date. All had gone well previously in that I hadn’t wanted to tear my eyeballs out as I had wanted to do on so many other dates.

His name? Hamish. Yes, I know.

It too reminded me of a Scottish terrier rather than a fully fledged human being but there we are.

Beggars can’t be choosers.

And so, towards the end of Michaelmas we met up. It was a tricky time for me. I was in the middle of set designing and helping out with a production of Quartet. (shameless plug, go and see the wonderful EIC Alex Foster’s newest production. Is that alright dear Editor?) For background it involved some late nights such as tidying up at 10.30. And so with this in mind I communicated my schedule to Hamish.

He was very obliging the dear soul. So we agreed to meet at 7 at this pizza place next to the White Rabbit, backing onto Gloucester Green. We unfortunately couldn’t go to the White Rabbit because a previous date worked there and a previous date had occurred there.

The run in was tremendously awkward and so I was at pains to avoid it.

At 6.57pm, Hamish messaged to say he was running late and could we shift it back to 8.30. What was he doing? Didn’t he know I was an Oxford student with a backbreaking schedule and the ego the size of a house!?

I had booked out of college dinner on the proviso of pizza, and

I really love pizza.

This was unwelcome news. I was not prepared f or such news.

My stomach couldn’t handle such news.

Yet it had to.

I mooched around college for a while like an odd sock. People asked “aren’t you supposed to be on a date right now?”, “Yes” I glumly replied. That was the issue with pretending you were Oprah and broadcasting your business to the entirety of the student population.

Finally 8.30pm rolled around. I was ravenous. I had already eaten a passing toddler much to the chagrin of the parents.

We entered the pizzeria. I was met with a flock of about 30 15 year olds. All was chirping and twittering. We fended off the seagulls and sat down. We ordered and the pizzas arrived only for some reason Hamish took mine.

I suggested he’d got the wrong pizza but the man was resolute. I didn’t want to beef the poor bloke, I was trying to make a good impression but I could understand why he’d wanted to swap. He had ordered a pizza with an egg on.

An egg. Who, I ask, does that.

Immediate red flag. I should’ve run for the hills but I lacked the energy. I was withering on the vine. And so I tucked into his disgusting pizza. He eventually conceded he had the wrong pizza and we swapped. Only he’d eaten most of his. In the end I realised it must have been a calculated ruse.

I had been done dirty the absolute swine.

Anyway, 10.20pm came upon us and it was time to make a quick dash and go and clear away the set. I was glad to shake Hamish off. We were not sympatico. He liked Marmite and as we all know, you either love it or you hate it. He liked beer, I likes cider. He was a Velcro man, I was a laces girl. We

with Poppy Atkinson Gibson were simply never going to work.

And so I made my excuses and went to go. But then he offered to help clear the set. I chuckled and said there was no need. He insisted. I insisted right back.

Now, as we all know, if this were a Guy Ritchie film, (think Snatch, The Gentleman, Rock’n’Rolla. If you don’t know what I mean, look these up you absolute peasants!) I would have taken out my gun and cocked it at him. But alas since the last incident I was banned from carrying a loaded weapon and so I had to use the mightiest weapon known to man; the pen/verbal communication.

Yet this didn’t work. I knew idioms were a load of nonsense!

He wouldn’t go. Irritatingly the BT Studio was right next to the pizza place. He followed me to the door. He tried to come in. At this point I literally had to shut the door in his face. I know, I know, that was brutal, a cruel move. But dear readers, I was only running on 1/3 of a pizza.

He shouted through the letterbox that he would wait outside for me. I shouted back that he really shouldn’t and then ran backstage.

I cleared the set very slowly that night, hoping against hope that poor Hamish had got bored and gone. I checked the CCTV, the emergency exits, peeped through the windows and eventually he gave up. I trudged home that evening, stopping off at a faithful kebab van (the name of which I shall not disclose so as not to start a civil war).

Hamish messaged later on saying he’d had a lovely time. I was confused. Had we even been on the same date?

And that was the last I ever heard of Hamish.

Although I recently went to the Jericho Tavern. Delightful little spot (this is not a paid promotion) and guess who was at the bar in the near empty place on a Sunday evening. You guessed it. The man, the myth, the legend. We did not make eye contact. I hid behind a plant. I don’t think he saw me…

I hope.

f there’s one thing that runs like clockwork at Oxford, it’s . Every term without fail, those who have the misfortune of calling themselves ‘committee members’ or ‘officers’ at [insert generic society name here] come crawling out asking for your vote once again that term. As a (now former) hack jaded by the test of time but, most importantly, amused by the so-called student politics phenomenon, I find myself well-positioned to offer unsolicited - but hopefully helpful - elections advice. Behold, Anvee’s guide to elections: It really wouldn’t be hacking advice if I didn’t tell you to…well…hack.

But hacking isn’t about just texting everyone on your Facebook friends list with a copy-pasted message to vote for you as you panic the night before. To be an effective campaigner, you need to get involved with the student body much earlier and figure out what’s already being done and where the gaps lie. For instance, if you’d like to pledge stuff on your manifesto around climate change initiatives for the University, speak to Oxford Climate Justice Campaign and other groups *ahead* of time and understand what they do but also where they would need support. Then when it comes time to run your election campaign, go back to the group, show them how you’ll tackle problems they raised, and ask them to support your campaign.

For the SU election, you can even receive endorsements from societies and student groups and if a certain group ties in well with the role you are running for, this can be a great route.

TLDR: Get involved, learn more, make friends and then ask them to support your campaign.

If you’ve ever worked on a political campaign or been interested in local or national politics, you’ve definitely heard the phrase ‘Get the vote out’.

On a basic level, getting the vote out is a systematic way of increasing voter participation in an election by speaking to every member and reminding them to use their vote. Your biggest barrier as someone running for a student election is apathy. People forget to vote, don’t know what it is that you’re running for, or don’t know why they should spend a couple minutes of

the day voting for you. This is where untapped voter bases come into play.

There are a few different kinds of voters in Oxford. Firstly there are those that will vote no matter what and are very involved with student life. These voters read every manifesto, do their own research and then vote for whoever they think has manifesto points that align with their priorities. The second kind are affiliated voters. These people have a friend running for election or someone they’ve endorsed as a society and they’ve decided very early on who they will support. But the final category is that of the apathetic voter. In Oxford, this includes groups like graduate students, STEM students, part-time students and more.

These people are traditionally less likely to get involved with student politics but are ones that if you are able to convince them to vote for you will help go a long way in establishing your voter base. Elections are not about the opinion of the loudest few but rather of the largest majority and diversifying who you are able to get to care about your campaign will only help your cause.

I’d like to close by saying that it’s really okay to run for student elections. Being a ‘hack’ isn’t just that, it’s about working to put together a good set of pledges and priorities for the student body and then championing your cause. Therefore on a more serious note, nominations for the SU leadership election are open and I’d really encourage you all to take a look and consider running for a role. We are electing for our six sabbatical officers, student trustees, NUS delegates, campaigns and more.

If you’d like to learn more about the role or just want to get more insight into life at the SU, you’re more than welcome to get in touch with me or any of the other officers!

The final and most crucial bit of advice I could give is to plan early!

While you do have more time to get your nomination in, give some serious thought to whether you’d like to run for election now and then plan around that. Trust me when I say, from personal experience, that you do not want to be making Canva graphics in the middle of the night for your campaign with an essay deadline looming for the next morning. So plan early, and thank me later!

Happy hacking!

Anvee’s Corner with Anvee Bhutani

The Oxford Student | Friday 21st January 2022

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Miss Take’s

Lessons of Love Good morning class! I hope you have all been behaving so far this term; anybody who hasn’t can expect a big red mark from me very soon.

Now, anybody who has previously attended one of my classes will know of my most important lesson: love who you are, but love me more. Those of you who have not previously attended one of my classes can expect a small red light to hover on their forehead any day now. For today, we are going to delve deep into my most salient teaching, beginning with not

my first but second most important lesson.

To love yourself is not always to like yourself. Everybody makes mistakes (pun intended), and everybody is tortured by a singularly most irrelevant, yet personally cringeworthy moment just before sleep. Nevertheless, while we must recognise what we do not like about what we have done, what we have said, or who we have bent over our knee and spanked for truancy, we must try to love ourselves. It needn’t be grand gestures of self-admiration. The idealised movie montage of smoothies, exercise and five-minute makeovers is fantastic, but not indicative of love. Instead remind yourself every once in a while that actually you do like your hair

ating a Gemini?

D Want to know how to spend your money

(spoiler alert, it’s not blow)? Wondering which planet in retrograde is making you want to shit in your hands - and clap just Gem ): to feel somewins T ( i thing? Mystic in 1 2 a e Rusty is here nd un 21–J d would fi se y a to help.

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but o sma chari all laugh, ly make s e r ’ u g n w Yo n o i k ric om can ke a b tch. You starts bec t with a m o u t way t ur as a cr es before i ly hang ou akes o k o o m j e life m hu ple n suicid Most peo edy of a . You’re a y n a s m e. ag selve it bectabl ur tr predi cause yo bout them ial – enjoy e ace a t ’r you b eel better iled poten e out you ssed. r f a u f r g ep e them -bank of eople fi just d p k y l l n e r a a fo w tu C takin You’re June 22 cer (Craa n – a g J u maki other p sensitiv ly 22 b): alwayng them eople’s p e soul, of Rusty Kate acerb s a bad t your ow roblems a ten h n a n i . t n d e T g is Oxford’s , but his i you m t he s s Every ake ever ituation, can often n’t p r e mier you a one even y issue ab seeming exc u m filled tuall like re – out ers’ e a tumour y sees you yourself. crossdresser, motio t f nal t hat feed or what known for turntil yo urmoil to s on othing looks, tricks, u’re c g ut ou row unand straight men the c t. Enjoy hemo seven nights a . week. She’s decided to take a short break out of teaching child orphans to juggle knives for busking money to give you her unearthly predictions. Mystic Rusty is also available for readings over the phone (reach her at 0300 123 7123) for the reasonable cost of £6.99 per minute, plus your standard network charge. Just make sure to clarify which service you’re requesting – she uses the phoneline for a variety of purposes.

o Le ly Ju : n) oy io nj s. , e ok (L 2 ut lo nd t 2 d o ur h a n’t us an yo mt do rug st ng ar t, I pa o –A t to nti r w nes ap e, s 23 an flau e fo ho but on . You w d im be s, r is gn . n t i te an a na eo he s un Virof ry h is gon t L rot ood u h ): u t u u b g irgin Yo lux on . I’m abo d’s e a o yo go (V ember b d n g m y t in is vit ch rie n’t –Sep st 23 Th eati mu oyf t ca ol Augu cr ow y b tha contr pulse to have kn ly m th im i m t w e 2 2 dyke as and se ingenuity en ngry e r t e an a e full of id g, but you ns. Try no You’r i ’r in eard h nce th eryth s. You issue k fix for ev your patie nth – I’ve uised o g a quic uns out as an this m knives dis son at r r gay m g rying soon od pe nch a m are car ou’re a go g anythin r to pu in .Y the o f w d othe o o o some spoons n o don’t g lcoholic m n’t do. a d ke ,s woul as co your heart

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Octo t , y ke (p u r ye e ber 2 ember 2 ou f re s sk s 3– 3 am fe e a il You’r e a party ou rab nd l out y perso our in s ly n other te peop rnal thou with a hab this m le. Th ghts it to d i b your onth mak s can often y being a rown se e ro until lf. Let yo sure to tak exhaust y und o ur th you r e u, so s om o this l e ife, p alise tha ughts con e time for t you athet intru sume ic s a Every ive thoug and use re all alo you le n one h h ates y ts are tr ss. All yo e in ue. ur ou.

S ag- r i u s er on emb based lfi t t a er): Nov 1 s n o i 2 e h (Arc ecember your opin time for s g, in a D m d r – s d i o 2 e f 2 ten is month e your b bush f o u Yo ng Th our ost o cha ions. ave y emot vement, s ck, and sh ndly to m in g o e impr alarm clo ou’re fri s as borin Y n s r . a o e t r i y p c u s b ea pa ed o e m l e o n v c e e – sh e, but can Maybe d . e l peop situations r to spic e l d a r i c o is so lity d sona up a bit. s thing

2 A This 1–April ries (Ram ): Ma with month, y 19 rch a thing n opport ou will b e u coura big (don’t nity to ta present e crum ge, other forget the ke on som d w b el u l i e s be e b argu ing w efore you your dre !). Have mana meat ith your r very ey ms will , as th es. A gorg yo quite is month eous ch void un a l ot y ar u’r Yo of sh ou’ll be ta k of of ou e a u c i lking t e . one w A b a n d n an A ants t fter all, n tw een twa yo em oft pri o lis o an o w t a u. oti en l 2 Aries ten to an d we ea nd Yo on fe 0– T a nywa gr ge ek ri d u al el M au y. ap t u s ng o ar d u a ru hi nd . G th a l e c rai ns y 2 s ca e et e oa or n ta 0 (B lly r w ov sa d re on ble ul m o c l ): ou and hoe er y e h f la t. T eve , th s. d ve ou oo un ry ry ink Yo oe r r f d d be on in u sn is ea ie ry in e g m ’t clo r fo – g o a y he y n find ses f ch r th ou less av ee yo t g an e l ’ve y s d t u eo g ast ea o d hid - e rc o e hi so ng m . e

18 | Columns

sometimes, you are a funny person, or you are remarkably adept at opening jars for people. Whatever it is, allow yourself to enjoy it. Sit with it for a while. Buy a cucumber and then sit with it for a while. Learn to enjoy your own company and feel grateful for having the privilege to do so. When you are ready, you may then realise that others should feel the same about you. Give yourself the love you deserve so that others may do the same. As a teacher I must strongly condemn plagiarism, and as a fellow Scorpio I must strongly question RuPaul’s intentions, but I have to agree with the age-old line, ‘if you cannot love yourself, how in the hell are you going to love somebody else?’

Which brings me to the second

Now let’s delve into the world of prophecies, potions, and magic wands (Hitachi™ branded) for January 2022…

and most important part of my lesson! Loving me! Once you are ready to share your love with the world, simply devote it to your favourite teacher. The sultry mistress of your dreams. Fourth runner-up of Miss Cowley 1986. The one and only Miss Take. However you decide to show your love is up to you but I am happy to offer suggestions: follow @misstakeofficial, come to my shows, or simply sit with me for a while. Buy a cucumber and then sit with me for a while. Believe it or not, even I have had moments of doubting my love for myself. Like that time I looked in the mirror and saw I had three wigs on instead of four, or when I was driving home from school and accidentally ran over Miss Fortunate. God rest her

soul. But when I have these moments, there is one certain cure that I will share with you. Dance. Simply dance.

Get up and put on whatever song you choose (my personal go to is Shackles (Praise You) by Mary Mary but your taste level might not be as high as mine), and bloody dance! I promise you that you will feel better. If you don’t, and even if you do, then check my socials and come to my next show. If you don’t feel better after that? Then just sit for a while.

Buy a cucumber and then just sit for a while. Well my class, I shall leave you there for this week but I wish you a wonderful Hilary term and please do remember: Love who you are, but love me more!

The Oxford Student | Friday 21th January 2022 Editor: Will Neill, Jessica Kaye profile@oxfordstudent.com

Profile | 19

In Conversation

A Discussion with Andrew Adonis Sam Zia NickEfford@Flickr.

I

interviewed Andrew Adonis (Lord Adonis of Camden Town) over zoom on a rainy autumn Friday morning in London to discuss his new book It’s the Leader, Stupid. The title (which I suspect is inspired by James Carville’s famous quip ‘It’s the Economy, Stupid’) is a fitting summary for a work which contends that leadership is the primary determinant of the outcomes of national elections. Everything else — including policies and manifestos — is secondary.

He rejects out of hand the notion that parties of the left (Labour included) are at some sort of built-in disadvantage against Conservatives, citing the success of Sweden’s Social Democrats in the country’s past 31 national elections.

After summarizing these ‘maxims’ of leadership, the book is comprised of a collection of ‘portraits’ of different leaders, who span four centuries and three continents. The portraits are highly engaging and concise, and the book is easily read in one sitting.

So what is leadership? It is comHis first portrait, “Gladstone vs prised of many things, Adonis tells Marx”, is one of my favourites, in me, but is principally comprised part because it reads like a thriller. of “charisma, confidence, acu- Adonis tells of Marx’s obsession with men, empathy, presence, [and] Gladstone’s pursuit of incremental glamour” (Churchill, Blair) or an (but nonetheless highly significant) ability to personify the “spirit of economic and political reforms, as the age” (Attlee springs to mind). well as his unrivalled political skill.

The work’s second thesis about lead- Marx’s contempt for Gladstone’s ership is equally intriguing: “failed ability to rewrite his parliamenleaders resign or are sacked -- or tary speeches after they had been they go on to lose again” (19). I ask made in order to suit his political him whether this can help explain needs is well-described. Something why the Labour I especially apParty has been preciated about so historically ‘He rejects out of hand the the work is that unsuccessful in notion that parties of the Adonis makes no UK national elecpretense to be Left are at some sort of tions. “It’s worse objective. In its built in disadvtange...’ than that” he resubjectivity the sponds, “Labour picks losers and then sticks with them… both Kinnock and Corbyn lost their first election and were kept in post, unlike Iain Duncan Smith, who was sacked without even fighting a general election”.

book is poetic and even sometimes lyrical; witness here his homage to Gladstone, whom he clearly admires: ”thanks to Gladstone, and leaders like him, the renaissance of humanism is the civilization of modern Europe”.

Next, in “Bevin vs Stalin”, Adonis writes convincingly that “Bevin stood up to Stalin sooner and more effectively than any other postwar Western leader” despite major opposition from much of the British left. I cannot help but wonder if today’s Labour Party has anything to learn from Bevin (its policy on malign international actors such as China remains less hawkish than that of the Conservatives).

Moreover, Bevin’s policy of ‘containment’ towards the USSR, leadership of Britain’s acquisition of nu-

“

interviews Lord Adonis about leadership, politics, and what we can learn from the greats clear weapons, and role in founding NATO are all well-documented by the chapter.

However, it is here where I feel that sometimes the portraits (such as this one) are at risk of being starryeyed about their subjects. The book does not address not only Bevin’s open antisemitism but also the limitations of his extremely hawkish ideology (it did, after all, lead to massive Western blunders in Iran, Cuba, and Guatemala, among countless other nations). Adonis mentions how Bevin explained his desire for

So what is leadership?

It is comprised of many things, Adonis tells me, but is principally comprised of “charisma, confidence, acumen, empathy, presence, [and] glamour” (Churchill, Blair) or an ability to personify the “spirit of the age” (Attlee springs to mind).

the UK to have nuclear weapons by arguing that he didn’t “want any other foreign secretary of this country to be talked at or by a [US] secretary of state… as I have just had done”.

But, above all, this quote may demonstrate Bevin’s refusal to accept the obvious; namely, that Britain’s diminishing world influence would necessarily leave it at the mercy of the US, or Europe, or both. As Britain would come to discover in Iraq in 2003 and Afghanistan in 2021, its possession of nuclear weapons seems to have no impact on whether it is “talked at” by Washington.The chapter does conclude brilliantly; however: “Bevin won; Stalin lost”.

I find the chapter on Biden to be the least convincing. Consistent with the rest of the book, it is well-written and fluid. But Adonis’s description of Biden as one of the great leaders of our times is inconsistent with the reality of a President with dire approval ratings matched only by Donald Trump, record levels of inflation, and a completely unwarranted and unnecessary foreign policy disaster in Afghanistan.

Whether or not Biden can pull a rabbit out of a hat before 2024 (or indeed 2022) remains to be seen.

But far from being a latter-day LBJ or FDR, Biden seems to be destined to be the Jimmy Carter of our time; namely, a perfectly affable one-termer who oversaw a major foreign policy disaster in the Middle East and whose mismanagement of the economy heralded in a period of co-

20 |Profile

Profile

“

of the week

Dania Kamal Aryf talks with MichaelAkolade Ayodeji about his art, activism, and his personal journey.

The Oxford Student | Friday 21st January 2022

I see myself as a very artistic person, with aspirations of an artistic career, but there is definitely a lack of cultural capital for those who come from a similar circumstances, like mine.”

Michael-Akolade the Man, Ayodeji:the Myth, I -nservative domin an c e in Wa shingt on.

Adonis dodges taking a position on Afghanistan in the book, preferring to call it “controversial”, and cites Biden’s claim that “I cannot and will not ask our troops to fight on endlessly in another country’s civil war”.

Heseltine, he writes that “Tarzan… [refused] to be cowed by fashionable and dangerous absolutists. His last act was to attempt the same in resisting Brexit after 2016. But by then the roar was diminished and the cause was lost”). Later chapters on George III and Napoleon are highly inventive and fresh.

He engages with me on the issue in our interview, saying that withGiven its topicality, I will close by drawal was the only “logical” choice briefly mentioning Adonis’s chapter given (his words) the lack of tangible on Boris Johnson. “He triumphed progress made in Afghanistan after because he is modern England’s 20 years of ensupreme insider gagement. Howand outsider at “...thanks to ever, I suspect the same time” Gladstone, and his reluctance Adonis writes, to make this in a brilliant and leaders like him, position more concise synopsis the renaissance firm in writing of Johnson’s ruthof humanism is is testament less political skill the civilisation of an unrivalled chato his knowledge that in 5, modern Europe.” risma. His fram10, or 20 years, ing of Johnson’s the episode (and Cameron’s) may be viewed as one of his- supreme self-confidence as a result toric ineptitude in Washington. of their Etonian background was His later chapters on Jenkins, Lloyd convincing (Adonis recounts an epiGeorge/Asquith/Grey, and Foot/ sode in which Johnson murmered to Heseltine, are captivating and im- him “give them bread and circuses aginitive. Some are informative (his and they will never revolt”). chapter on Jenkins is a masterful summary of the achievements of However, I think his analysis of a man of whom I knew little), cou- Johnson may fail to tell the whole rageous (his assertion that World story. Johnson’s victory in the red War I was a folly that Britain would wall, teflon-like poll ratings (despite have done best to keep out of is as the twin disasters of Covid and Brexpiercing as it is true), and lyrical (of it), and continuining receipt of con-

the Legend

fidence of his parliamentary party cannot be explained away merely be arrogance and Eton. Rather it is his enormous skill in being able to sense opportunities and shamlessly follow them, devoid of any loyalty to principles or even people, that has made Johnson the political phenomenon which he is today.

“He triumphed because he is modern England’s supreme insider and outsider at the same time...”

The chapter on Roy Jenkins is littered with ‘jenkinisms’. One that struck me in particular was Jenkins reflects: “Let us think of a long jumper. He starts with a rapid succession of steps, lenghens his stride, inwcreases his momentun, and then makes his leap. We have to look before we leap... but leap we eventually must” Adonis has made an extraordinary leap with this book. It was a pleasure to read it and a privilege to discuss it with him.

...

n a crowded corner of a high street coffee shop on a cold January afternoon, Michael and I eventually had the opportunity to sit down and catch up, after initially having to postpone this long-awaited conversation.

Dania Kamal Aryf Deputy Editor

music, and theatre. I hope to pursue a career in acting, or in music, and I fundamentally believe in artivism. That is, using art as a form of activism, because I’d like to eventually live in a world where I can use music or my creative talents to make social commentary.

“I’d be more than happy to be interviewed for an article, but only under one condition – that we don’t mention anything about the Oxford Union at all,” he said, when I first reached out a few months I’d like to introduce to the widago. Immediately, I agreed, know- er public certain perspectives ing full well that there are already of the world, and other people’s far too many articles and head- experiences, which we might not lines about ‘Oxhave initially ford Union Presbeen aware idents’ – past, of,” he says.

‘I’d like to present, and “But I chose introduce future, floating to study PPE to the wider around within mainly bethe press. cause of my public certain perspectives of the interest in Michael and politics, espeworld...’

I both agree cially based that we want on personal the work we experiences. do to be genuine and original.

‘Genuine and original’ is perhaps It has been an important ophow I would describe my per- portunity for me to learn, and to ception of Michael, using fewest think about why the world is the words possible. But Michael’s way it is, and why it can somepersonality and his admirable times be unfair,” he continues. passion for the things he does, Having grown up in difficult cirdeserve more than just ‘a few cumstances, Michael explains how words’. he initially did not consider going into further education. In 2018, he So I ask if we could ex- came to Oxford as an undergradupand on this when I tell Mi- ate, and as a mature student. chael to introduce himself.

“I’m Michael, I study PPE at UniDuring year 11, he completedversity College, and I like poetry,

The Oxford Student | Friday 21st January 2022

-his GCSEs in one year after being out of formal education for almost 3 years prior. Michael’s education was later further interrupted due to visa complications as a child of immigrant parents, and he spent an additional few years working to survive and ensure that he was able to continue staying in the UK.

es in the first place,” he says.

Michael explains how eventually, he began to get involved with running poetry workshops for Mind UK, a nationwide mental-health based charity. “I did those workshops in Coventry when I was taking time out from my studies, and they were specifically targeted for students who grew “Frankly, I didn’t think much up in care, and from underpriviabout going into further educa- leged backgrounds. It was imtion at all. But eventually, what portant to me to provide a space made me really want to do it was where people could creatively the fact that I was denied it. I think and safely express themselves.” that when you don’t have the Throughout his time off, Michael opportunity to also had the do something, opportunity to that’s definitepursue a course ‘We are actively with the Peter ly when you begin to appre- discouraged from Jones Enterciate it more,” Academy going into artistic prise he emphasises. on social encareers...’ trepreneur“I see myself as ship, and una very artistic dertake a brief person, with aspirations of an internship with MP Nick artistic career, but there is defi- Bowles from the then Departnitely a lack of cultural capital ment of Innovation and Skills. for those who come from similar “When I worked with Bowles circumstances, like mine. For MP, it was mainly with a team of example, I didn’t grow up in a Oxford graduates and PPE-ists, world where my parents took and that was when the idea of me to the theatre as a leisurely continuing my further education activity, and children of immi- became something I seriously grants are often expected to be wanted to pursue,” he says. He doctors, lawyers, engineers. explains how the team had been very appreciative in recognising We are actively discour- his talents and hard work, and aged from going into artis- had encouraged him to return tic careers, especially due to to education and complete his the inherent lack of privilege A-Levels and apply to Oxford. and access to these spac- “But a lot of different complica-

Profile | 21

tions meant that I could barely Oxford, which aims to promote afford to financially survive when a more equitable system for imI went back to doing my A-Levels. migrants and asylum seekers. MiAt one point, I was working in a chael is also part of the Cameroon warehouse from 10pm till 4am, Conflict Research Group, which and then going to school the next strives to raise awareness on onday, it was exhausting. And when I going turmoil within the region. first got my Oxford offer, I eventu- When I ask Michael about his imally had to take another year out mediate plans after graduation, he and re-apply again, due to issues does not hesitate to tell me that he with student finance,” he explains. is ready to go back to making muUpon arriving at Oxford, Mi- sic, theatre and poetry. “I definitechael continued his involvement ly want to continue giving poetry with activism workshops, and lobbying making films, ‘I also think for underpriviand starting a there should be leged groups. social entreHe has been an preneurship to more focus on advocate for the make all these accommodating Student Union’s opportunities a neurodiversity...’

Liberation Camlot more accespaigns such as sible to people Class Act and like me,” he says.

DisCam, and aims to raise “Part of the reason why I also awareness on the intersection struggled a lot when I first came between class and disability. to Oxford was realising that I had “I also think there should be more become disconnected from who I focus on accommodating neuro- thought I was, and what I wanted diversity, because at Oxford, it to do. So when I began to get incan seem as though people are volved within the creative scene talking about it all the time,” Mi- here, it definitely brought me chael continues, “but it also seems back to feeling like myself again.” like nobody fully understands Among the productions he had what it is – myself included.” been involved with are the short “Do you have A D H D films ‘Black Lives Playlist’ in Hilary by any chance?” I ask. Term of 2021, ‘Lost Connection’, “Oh yeah, definitely,” he says. and ‘Blink’, in Trinity Term of 2021.

I laugh and excitedly re- “I am so lucky to be here, and spond with, “oh gosh, me too!” I want to make the most of We continue to talk about his ad- all the privileges laid out in vocacy and activism, and he tells front of me,” he continues. me about his involvement with “Music and art have always been, the Bail Observation Project in and are always going to be a part

of me. But I still need to improve my thinking on social issues before I go out to produce the creative work that speaks about those things – and I think that my degree in PPE might be able to help me understand these issues better.”

He explains further, “I am using my time at university to do the things that I’ve always been interested in, because I find that it’s a lot easier to get involved in making small changes within the Oxford community. It is also a lot easier to make small attempts to fix things within the system, instead of fixing certain things in my life that I cannot control.”

In an affirming conclusion to our conversation, Michael tells me, “we live in a world with inherently flawed systems, and I probably can’t fix the entire system. But I often ask myself, ‘what can I do to help people, and make the world a better place, whilst I’m still here?’”

I reflect back on everything he has told me, and realise how Michael has inevitably answered his own question. We part ways with reassuring smiles, no longer in the crowded coffee shop, but instead, I am led out through the gates of University College and eventually find myself back on Oxford’s high street.

Image credits: Michael-Akolade Ayodeji

22 | Pink

The Oxford Student | Friday 21st January 2022

Pink And they were... roommates?: The

Editor: Agatha Gutierrez Echenique identity@oxfordstudent.com

erasure of queer love

friend, her literary adviser, and her muse. So much so that Dickinson even compared her love for her “friend” to Dante’s love for Beatrice, the muse which inspired The Divine Comedy.

In short, Dickinson was explicit about her love and utmost admiration for Gilbert, so much so that Dickinson considered Gilbert’s writing advice like being a student of Shakespeare himself. In one letter from 1852, Dickinson writes:

incided with queer feminism, especially after large feminist support of HIV/AIDS activism.

An additional reason is that Mabel Loomis Todd, Austin’s mistress, edited out much of Gilbert’s influence in the posthumous publications of Dickinson’s works.

She also removed much of Dickinson’s lively nature, creating her into a gloomy figure she wasn’t.

Using modern infra-red technology, scholars were finally able to show what exactly Mabel edited

“Susie…be my own again, and kiss me as you used to?...I

hope for you so much, and feel so eager for you, feel that I cannot wait, feel that now I must have you - that the expectation once more to see your face again, makes me feel hot and feverish, and my heart beats so fast - I go to sleep at night, and the first thing I know, I am sitting there wide awake, and clasping my hands tightly, and thinking of next Saturday, and “never a bit” of you.”

Jessica DeMarco-Jacobson

A

nd They Were... Roommates? is an ancient meme – by internet standards at least – used to poke fun at academicians for their frequent “straightification” of historical couples that appear to be obviously queer.

A 2016 movie titled “A Quiet Passion,” is an example of the “straightification” of Emily Dickinson in contemporary media.

The film failed to recognize Dickinson’s relationship with her sister-in-law, Susan Gilbert, for what it was, instead focusing on Dickinson’s wit and energetic meekness. Cynthia Nixon, the actor who played Dickinson in the film, even admitted to the poet’s “equal opportunity” sexuality not being present in the movie. Rather, it preferred to portray her as a vulnerable, lonely woman in pursuit of an unrequited romance.

This was an inaccurate depiction to say the least. Dickinson received an involved education thanks to the encouragement

of her father, and she was filled with more spirit than her poems and your grade school textbooks may have suggested. In fact, she attended a school that was formerly an all-boys institution and took courses that rivaled that of boys her age. Thankfully, some later media came to ruffle this rigid image of Dickinson.

A later 2018 film, “Wild Nights with Emily,” based on Emily Dickinson’s affectionate relationship with Gilbert, is an example of how modern media is beginning to accept the likelihoods of these historical, queer relationships.

Of course, ”Wild Nights,” being a rom-com, takes quite a few liberties with the historicity of the relationship. However, the epistolary relationship between Dickinson and Gilbert illustrates an electric bond, defined by their mutual appreciation of each other’s intelligence and goodwill.

After marrying Dickinson’s brother William Austin Dickinson, Gilbert became her sisterin-law. Dickinson wrote more letters to her than any other person she was in correspondence with.

Dickinson considered Gilbert her

The two young women lived close to one another; they were, in fact, next-door neighbours. Unfortunately, we will never know if Dickinson and Gilbert spent their nights with any spicy sexual escapades. That’s what the films are for!

But why has their relationship only recently come to light? One of the earliest texts which looks into Dickinson’s queerness is The Riddle of Emily Dickinson by Rebecca Patterson, originally published in 1951. This was a brave publication for the blacklisting era. Unfortunately, it did not receive much attention at the time of publication due to this culture.

The author, in the preface, was forced to prove her straightness by mentioning she had a family and children, in order to avoid being criticized for advancing the “lesbian agenda.”

The earliest academic articles about Dickinson’s and Gilbert’s seemingly homoerotic relationship date from 1990. This is not an accidental year, as the early 1990s are often considered the beginning of third-wave feminism. This third wave soon co-

out. They found that Mabel would either blot out words with ink or scratch them out with the end of a sharp blade. So, in this case, the queer erasure of Dickinson occurred in her time rather than from scholars of our own In “Wild Nights,” Loomis Todd’s editing criticism is played over Dickinson and Gilbert’s more “romantic” scenes. It is, at once, a running comical contrast be-

tween popular narrative and reality and a reminder of the queer erasure Mabel—and many others—committed. The scene and this erasure begs the question: Why is it more palatable for Dickinson to be received as a melancholic spinster rather than a passionate, queer woman?

Martha Nell Smith, professor of English, and founding director of the Maryland Institute for Technology in the Humanities wrote that when she began reading the correspondence between Dickinson and Gilbert, she felt it was pretty obviously sexual. She questioned the long-time erasure of the poet and later published her findings in her 1992 book Rowing in Eden: Rereading Emily Dickinson.

Dickinson and Gilbert’s relationship lasted until Dickinson’s death. Gilbert wrote Dickinson’s obituary, which ended with this excerpt from Dickinson’s poetry: “How better to note the flight of this ‘soul of fire in a shell of pearl’ than by her own words?

They remained in love, even after death. Next time you read Emily Dickinson’s poetry, read in-between the lines to see beyond historical erasure. As Smith recalled, “I found myself thinking: If all of this was sent to any man in Dickinson’s life, there wouldn’t be any kind of argument about who was the love of her life.”

Amherst College via flickr

“

Morns like these, we parted; Noons like these, she rose; Fluttering first, then firmer, To her fair repose.”

”

The Oxford Student | Friday 21st January 2022

Gen Z | 23

Who wants to be a crypto millionaire?

Inside the Oxford Blockchain Society

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 Lydia FONTES EN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z N Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z The world of cryptocurrency is GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN undeniably polarising – obsessed Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GE over by its devoted enthusiasts EN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z while the uninitiated regard it N Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z with a mixture of suspicion and GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN derision. This was never more obZ GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GE vious to me than when I began to into Oxford’s Blockchain SoEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z look ciety, founded in 2016 as an effort N Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z to bring together crypto enthuGEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN siasts throughout the university.

Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GE The mere mention of crypto EN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z seems to evoke raised N Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z eyebrows and grifrom many GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN maces Oxford students Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GE and this attitude EN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z is prevalent in N Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z the wider comGEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN munity as well.

Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GE When discussing society with a EN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z the friend over lunch at an N Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z Oxford noodle restaurant, which GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN shall remain unnamed, the manZ GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GE ager interrupted our conversaEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z tion, urging us to stay away from N Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z cryptocurrency, which he saw as unreliable industry overrun by GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN an scammers.

Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GE EN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z Speaking to the members of N Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z the Blockchain Society however, GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN I found no such scepticism. I spoke Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GE with one member, Elena Vicario, hearing her enthuse about EN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z after the society over drinks in our N Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z college bar. I invite Elena to disGEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN cuss the controversial financial Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GE technology taking over the world EN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z from the comfort of my grimy acN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z commodation kitchen. She bormy microwave to heat her GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN rows aubergine with tinned tuna and Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GE we talk crypto.

EN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z N Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z Elena is a fairly new addition to GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN the ranks of Blockchain Society, Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GE having joined in November of last after a collaboration event EN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z term with Oxford Women in Business.

N Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z Participants at the event GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN were given $40 Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GE worth of the cryptocurrency EN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z Ethereum to exN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z periment with as GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN well as access to the Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GE wisEN 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 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 EN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z GEN Z

dom of experienced Blockchain Society members. Having been initially reluctant to attend the event, Elena became instantly hooked and ended up at dinner with the Blockchain Society committee members once the event had wrapped up. ‘I felt like a whole new world had opened up to me.

You don’t have to be a computing geek to be a part of it’, she tells me.

Elena had a role in the society’s recent project, in which they transformed their structure and now run the society as a DAO – a decentralised autonomous organisation – or, as Elena puts it to me, a sort of company within the crypto world, which is based around communal, rather than hierarchical structure. I can’t pretend that I completely followed the concept, but I nodded along bravely as she went on to talk me through blockchains, crypto tokens, NFTs, and more. As my head starts to swim with these concepts, the big mathematical brains involved in the Blockchain Society seem an imposing prospect. The society is dominated by postgraduates, all studying in dizzyingly complex fields – the society’s president, Keivan Samani, himself a nuclear physicist, lists quantum computing and artificial intelligence among the academic disciplines studied

‘You don’t have to be a computing geek to be a part of it.’

by society members.

But Elena assures me this great store of intellect is nothing to be put off by: “One of the main things for me was the openness. They really want to help you learn”, she insists. This appears to reflect Keivan’s aims for the society, he explains that “We’re trying to build and maintain a culture that makes it friendly for everyone”.

He speaks of discovering his passion for assisting beginners become active participants in the industry, citing the power of “a good old fashioned pep talk” for encouraging nervous amateurs to try their hands at coding and other skills. This enthusiasm for new members and spreading the crypto-love begins to make sense as I discover that a large network of enthusiasts is much sought after in the world of crypto. It is the relatively large society membership that allowed the transition into a DAO in the first place.

It seems there is room for everyone in the Blockchain Society, yet this friendly approach cannot detract from the aura of serious money-making that surrounds some of its members. I speak to James O’Leary, the society’s vicepresident, who is very keen do discuss his personal achievements in the world of crypto. He claims to have personally raised around $4.1million from venture capitalist, or VC, investors for his football management game Footium in which players own an NFT football club. The confidence with which he reels off his project’s stats tells me they must be impressive, even if they mean very little to me, and he claims Footium is the most successful NFT project founded by a UK student.

Whilst James maintains that he received little help from the society when working on this project, he does strongly recommend Blockchain Society membership to crypto beginners, mentioning their recent collaboration with ChainShot, a company which runs courses in Ethereum coding, in which some members of the society earned scholarships of up to £4,000 to its Ethereum developer bootcamp.

The cryptoworld is fast growing and everyone working on projects now considers themselves early to the game. Even for an initial sceptic such as myself, the enthusiasm I am met with from the society’s members is infectious. I felt

myself on the ledge of what is known as the ‘crypto rabbit hole’. I cannot let myself get too swept up though. The eyerolls that a mention of cryptocurrency is inevitably met with throughout Oxford is often paired with a sincere ethical concern over the industry’s contribution to climate change. The process of mining cryptocurrency is extremely energy intensive; BitBitcoin uses more electricity per year than it takes to power entire nations, surpassing the Netherlands, Argentina and the United Arab Emirates in

coin uses more electricity per year than it takes to power entire nations, surpassing the Netherlands, Argentina and the United Arab Emirates in energy usage. I’m slightly hesitant to bring this point up to the crypto-devotees I am speaking to, not wishing to dampen their enthusiasm, but I needn’t have worried – their belief in the industry is unshakeable.

James insists that environmental concerns have nothing to do with blockchains themselves, mentioning blockchains such as Algorand who have claimed that they in fact have a positive impact on the environment because of their sponsorship of various climate-focused projects. I am not altogether surprised that I receive no response when asking Keivan the same question. It seems that Blockchain Society members cannot be tempted to dwell on the more dubious aspects of their passion, sticking resolutely to the bright and shiny hard sell.

As evidence to the enduring spirit of recruitment that is so strong in Blockchain Society, Keivan promptly offers me a position writing articles for the society as a way into the world of crypto – and perhaps I was almost tempted.

Editors: Lydia Fontes, Jen Jackson, Blane Aitchison (Deputy) Deputy Editor: Elsie Clark

24 | GenZ

A day with the Oxford Fashion Society

Image Credit: Megan Baffoe

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like to attend our Oxford Fashion Society committee meetings in an outfit that I feel represents me well, and today is no exception; I’m sitting here waiting to interview everyone in my favourite Selkie jumper, a cream knit skirt, and knit socks with lace bow details for the cold Winter weather.

The rest of the committee are just as excellently attired: Caitlin, our President, looks wonderfully preppy in vintage tan trousers, multicoloured brogues, a blue sweater vest and a 60s mac that was once her grandfather’s, while Cece, our Vice, has made both her earrings and cardigan herself, and paired them with a pink pleated midi skirt and a baby pink puffer.

For me, fashion strikes the balance between expression and performance.

Our treasurer Daisy is cosy in a black jumper and balloon-fit jeans, whilst Olivia, our secretary, is sporting a navy blouse and cameo brooch beneath a forest green beret pretty peacoat.

Setting up a Society at Oxford is no joke, and our first term has been a very busy one. Already, we’ve had our first photoshoot, social, and speaker (the fabulous Laure Loutala M’Polo, Oxfordbased entrepreneur and founder of AFROShow), and this is only the beginning. On the agenda, we have a trip to the Odeon to see

The Oxford Student | Friday 21st January 2022

Meet the committee of Oxford’s newest - and most stylish - society, interviewed by one of its members, Megan Baffoe.

But as well as the fashionobsessed, I hope we can attract and maybe inspire people for whom fashion isn’t so important.

There’s sometimes an assumption with fashion that there’s an aesthetic threshold you have to reach before you can be considered “fashionable enough” to be involved in things like this.

But, we hope that our society will be a welcoming place to anyone who is intrigued or even just looking for a new hobby.

the highly anticipated House of Gucci, a collaborative project with the Photography Society, and even “making your own clothes” workshops, to be run by the committee members that are more gifted with a needle than I. Now, however, we’re just here to make the rounds of Oxford’s various thrift shops and vintage markets in search of new additions to our wardrobes; once finished (and very happy!), we settle down for a lengthier chat about what the newly set-up Oxford Fashion Society means to the committee.

For me, fashion strikes the balance between expression and performance; I can reflect parts of myself that are already there through my clothes, but I can also project a persona. I’m very curious as to what the rest of the committee has to say about the relationship between fashion and identity, so it’s my very first question - what does fashion mean to you as an individual?

Olivia: I think that fashion is so important to identity, whether that’s expressing yourself or who you want to be! For me especially, sewing is my favourite thing to do, so I love being able to completely choose what I want to wear by designing things and choosing fabrics to match my personality.

Daisy: Yeah – I’ve become interested in fashion through learning to make my own clothes over the

summer. I love finding beautiful fabrics and working out what I can make with them;I find sewing an amazing way to express creativity in a way an Oxford physics degree doesn’t typically allow.

Cece: I think because of experi-

‘Fashion is for everyone, and we want to reflect that in this society.’

ences in my childhood of feeling excluded and unseen (it’s not very difficult to fall outside the category of normalcy in rural Denmark), I’ve always turned to fashion as an armour and also as a way to stay true to myself and announce my presence and identity to the world. I remember I was so surprised when I moved away from Denmark and people started to compliment my clothes and my style.

That had never happened before. So I guess it started out as a statement of defiance and now it’s just something that brings me joy every day.

Caitlin: When I got to Oxford, I just couldn’t believe there wasn’t a Fashion Society here already!

It’s such an important part of my life and when I first thought about founding it, I envisioned a community of people interested in any and all aspects of fashion, from design to journalism.

Cece: All of you raise really excellent points. I think something else we have talked about is creating a platform where we can find and share ways in which “passion for fashion” can be made more sustainable and accessible, through talks, sewing and knitting workshops, as well as trips to the local Oxford charity and vintage stores. We all love the creations made by designers of course, but our focus is really not high end, or fast fashion for that matter. Fashion is for everyone, and we want to reflect that in this society.

Daisy: Sustainability has become a very important issue for me too; I swore off fast fashion in January last year, and while I have broken my promise a couple times since then, the regret that came from those purchases has been enough to stop me from doing so again.

Caitlin and I actually first became friends during our thrifting trips in Oxford, and I easily get by with slow fashion brands, apps like Depop, and charity and vintage shops. This discussion leads us pretty easily into my final question for the rest of the committee: what is the place of fashion in the modern world?

Olivia: Similar to you, my New Year’s resolution for 2021 was to avoid shopping at fast-fashion shops! I had been researching the impact of the fashion industry on the environment and the ethics of clothing production and didn’t like what I found, so decided to make a personal change!

It has actually been surprisingly easy to find clothes in vintage and second-hand shops, on eBay and buying from slow fashion, small businesses. I think this is made easier by my hobby of dressmaking though, meaning I

can transform garments and other textiles I find into items I like and which will fit me - I realise this isn’t an option for everyone.

I also think it’s just amazing, especially in a city like Oxford with so many inspired and inspiring people, to see the ways that people use fashion to express their identity and personality - from the tiniest thing like a pin-badge, to wearing an extravagant ballgown, I think that fashion is a way that we can start conversations and really connect with other people!

Cece: I still shop at fast fashion stores sometimes, but I am definitely more conscious of it than I have been in the past. The last five years or so I have increasingly been shopping second hand and I also knit and crochet a lot of my clothes myself. I think the fashion industry needs to be completely overturned, especially environmentally and ethically, but fashion itself will always exist and I think it is integral to self-expression but also to culture and community.

Caitlin: Same, I try to avoid fast fashion shops, usually going for vintage instead. That said, I do occasionally still buy from fast fashion shops and still often wear the clothes I’d bought from fast fashion shops before deciding to avoid them. I don’t think the answer to making fashion sustainable is to shame anyone who buys or has bought from fast fashion, as size, budget and even just lack of time can make second-hand shopping more difficult. Instead I believe we should be encouraging people to shop sustainably where possible and to wear their fast fashion clothes for as long as they can, even when they’re ‘out of style’ … I think a massive part of maintaining fashion’s place in the modern world is moving away from trends, especially micro-trends.

People buying things only because they’re in style and discarding them when they’re out is what drives fast fashion and I’m hoping that as we move towards more sustainable living, people will focus more on dressing for their personal style than trends.

This conversation has been edited and condensed.

The Oxford Student | 21st January 2022

Editors: Benedict Yorston Deputy Editor: Laetitia Hosie

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OXYOU

Oxyou.oxstu@gmail.com

The six stages of collections grief Joshua WALKER

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s we stagger into the start of term, we can once again try to forget the termly humiliation ritual that is the ‘collection’. Having gone through 8 weeks of blagging and waffling our way through tutorials, classes, seminars, conversations with elderly relatives, and our own crippling sense of self-doubt, we are confronted with the terrifying prospect that one day we’re going to have to convince a half-awake examiner with a stack of papers a mile high that we are worthy of at least a ‘Pass’, with the accompanying whipping through the streets of Oxford that entails. To help you understand the process known as ‘collections grief’, we have summarized the typical student’s response into 6 succinct stages.

1) Revision is for Cowards

2) False Hope In between the sitting of the collection and the receiving of the results, you experience a period of blissful ignorance known as ‘false hope’, where you can indulge to your heart’s content the fantasy that your skillful analysis of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code will bring a tear to your tutor’s eye, its beauty leaving them no choice but to frame the essay and hang it on the wall for all to see. This false hope can last anywhere from a week to several years depending on how much your tutor can be arsed to mark your worthless regurgitations, but once it is over, you are brought crashing down to the harsh reality of:

3) When everyone’s inadequate, no-one will be As Albert Einstein posted on Facebook last week, everything is relative. If everyone else did as badly on their collections as you did, then it means you have nothing to worry about.

You may find a brief moment of solace as your friend tells you: ‘oh yeah, that collection was a nightmare’, only to sink further into shame as they lament that they only got a 2:1, and get this, not even a high 2:1 - a middling 2:1.

When asked how yours went, you can only respond with a mumbled “same” and change

4) Excuses, excuses You are thus confronted with the horror that you are not in fact an average gazelle, comfortable and safe in the middle of the herd, but a lame, abandoned creature, currently being circled by lions with red ink dripping from their fangs onto your paper. You seek to justify your situation by finding excuses.

You’re doing a more difficult subject than all your friends - maths and engineering are just numbers, after all, whereas your Geography challenges you to do so much more, like keep on top of your crayon supply for colouring in maps. You felt ill on the day of the collection - that could have happened to anyone, regardless of when exactly they came back from Plush the night before, or more accurately the morning of. The right questions didn’t come up – why wouldn’t your tutor choose at least a couple of essay titles from the few you actually submitted during term?

After searching for excuses, and finding that their glaring weaknesses break even the strongest of self-denials, you finally resort to:

5) Planning a heist You gave a cursory glance at the most recent past paper the day before the collection, safe with the universal con- stant that the mock exam is always the most recent past paper. After being proven wrong and shown the grim reality

GAMSAY RETURNS: BEST OF THE ROAST Rordon GAMSAY

EXCLUSIVE: HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS EXCUSED FROM COLLECTIONS DUE TO POOR MENTAL HEALTH FOLLOWING NORTH FACE SCAM Last week, in what turned out to be a scam, hundreds of Facebook users fell for a promised discount on everyone’s dream fashion staple: The North Face Puffer.

Hundreds of undergraduates from all around Oxford, a place celebrated for the individuality and diverse style of its students, rushed to buy the same Men’s XL puffer jacket in Jet Black, losing up to £300. After realising that this iconic coat would not be coming through their letterboxes, many were

left heartbroken and distraught, having lost both money and their only chance to be cool.

“It’s just – rah – like, so lame,” lamented Araminta Robinson-Fernsby, a second-year Christ Church art historian (known to most as ‘Minty’ or ‘Min’) when interviewed by Gamsay. “I already have a Ralph Lauren one, but I wanted something cheaper and more down-to-earth, you know? I can get my Dad to send me the money I lost – it was only a couple hundred quid – but I’m just upset. I might rusticate”.

Gamsay also set out to interview students from lesser-known colleges in an attempt to measure the seemingly huge emotional impact of the scam, but was unfortunately unable to locate Wolfson College to complete his analysis. facilitated by the RAG bungee jump,

these dastardly criminal minds cannot be faulted for their lack of commitment to the cause.

SCOOP: TIMOTHEE CHAMALAMET CITED IN RECORD NUMBER OF POLICE REPORTS AS MOTIVE FOR BREAKING AND ENTERING HERTFORD

In a crime wave greater than that seen in Chicago in the 20s, Oxford police were overwhelmed by ambitious undergrads attempting to gain entrance to certain locations in Hertford in the run up to Christmas. Having been tasked with getting to the root of the issue, crime statisticians finally determined the common motive - Timothée Chalamet.

Students took a break from watching Little Women and Dune to make desperate at-

of your performance in an unseen exam, only one course of action remains – a heist to rival Jake Peralta’s finest efforts. Research must be done to locate where the exam papers are printed; lockpicking must be learned in order to sneak into the trucks before they depart; you must become a master of stealth so you can slink into the night, a wad of papers under your arm and a degree glistening on the horizon.

However, realising that all this would take effort, and after a few minutes of half-hearted Googling, you immediately give up and go back on TikTok.

6) Acceptance You recall how you began this process, full of defiance and ready to face your doom without debasing yourself by revising beforehand.

You find yourself there again, a strange calm settling over you. You can’t change the past, you say to yourself, so no point in worrying about it. The word ‘collection’, like the number of electrons in limestone and the regnal dates of Martin Luther King, drifts out of your mind. Well, it does until about 3 months later, when the cycle starts all over again.

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a Wikimedia Commons

As we all know, to revise before a collection is a futile gesture, like putting on a wooly hat before popping to the North Pole, or visiting a library in the vain hope that knowledge will osmose itself into your brain whilst you scroll through Instagram. It is much braver, and more honest, to accept your inevitable demise and face it with courage - so you did no revision. Anybody who did revision is cheating, therefore disqualified, and so technically did worse than you. The advantage of doing no revision is that you can tell yourself that had you done any revision, you of course would have remembered the volume of a parallelogram or the conjugation of ‘croque monsieur’.

If that fails, students comfort themselves with the knowledge that revising would have defeated the point of the collection - after all, it is supposed to simulate a real exam, and we all know you aren’t going to revise before the real exam either.

the subject quickly.

tempts to catch a sighting of their floppy haired hero, putting their lives on the line and coming up with all manner of ways of gaining access to their beloved sex symbol. From climbing the ivy up the walls, to ladders across from turret to turret, and even an attempted flying entry facilitated by the RAG bungee jump, these dastardly criminal minds cannot be faulted for their lack of commitment to the cause.

In their police interview, Lucy Borwormalot stated that “I only wanted to get him to sign my pillow that has his face on.

Since when was the pursuit of true love a crime? That’s not the country I grew up in.”

With a resumption of filming in February, police are bracing for further arrests. Rordon will keep you updated as the story develops.

oxstu.culture@oxfordstudent.com

The Oxford Student | Friday 21st January 2022

A Doll’s House: Dancing to the Tune of Mitski, Colonialism, and the Male Gaze Dania Kamal Aryf

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iru Helmer is everything that a man (read: a British colonial officer in 1879 India) could want. She is beautiful and intelligent, a dedicated mother, daughter, and wife – and in the eyes of her husband, Tom, she dances gracefully like divinity. He affectionately refers to her as his ‘Indian princess’, his ‘little skylark’, and his ‘pretty but expensive pet’.

Together, they have built a loving home in Calcutta with their two children, Peter and Bob, and enjoy the many privileges that an uppermiddle-class life has to offer. When Tom gets promoted to the position of Chief Tax Collector, Niru is inevitably overjoyed. Yet, her short-lived excitement is gradually replaced with betrayal and tragedy that shatter her entire reality.

Tanika Gupta’s adaptation of Ibsen’s classic play is a cleverly written piece that brings together the question of class, community and colonialism, and ultimately, the exoticism of women of colour within inter-racial marriages. Initially brought to life at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre in 2019, the show received critical acclaim for being a breath of fresh air. Gupta has been praised for encouraging new ways of rethinking classic texts, colonial societies, and the lived realities of such times.

This year, a group of Oxford students aim to do the same in taking Niru’s personal story to the stage of our very own Keble O’Reilly. I recently had the opportunity to speak to Jigyasa Anand and Srutokirti Basak to discuss the team’s vision and creative direction, and their perspectives on the many important themes within the play.

“But I knew I didn’t want to do something that was about white, middle class people, because it’s not representative of mine, and so many other people’s realities. It is so important to me to correct the gaps that currently exist in OUDS. I wanted to make something that had doors for people of colour, and roles for people of colour - and that’s when I found Tanika Gupta’s adaptation.”

Jigyasa, as Director, has previously been involved with acting and drama throughout Oxford and

Enter tainment

Editors: Sam Wagman. Janita Hussain (Deputy)

26 | Entertainment

London, and excitedly tells me that this is her first time directing her own production. I ask if she had reasons for specifically choosing Gupta’s adaptation of ‘A Doll’s House’ as her debut, and she tells me that, “I just wanted to make the kind of theatre that I’d also want to watch.”

“I absolutely loved the original. I love Ibsen’s play, and the original is great because it’s so character driven,” she continues.

“But I knew I didn’t want to do something that was about white, middle class people, because it’s not representative of mine, and so many other people’s realities. It is so important to me to correct the gaps that currently exist in OUDS. I wanted to make something that had doors for people of colour, and roles for people of colour - and that’s when I found Tanika Gupta’s adaptation. So over the summer of 2021, I seriously began thinking about how to put on the show, and by the end of Michaelmas we started working on it and putting together a team.”

Hence Srutokirti, as part of the production team, holds a crucial role as their ‘resident historian.’

Being a final-year History student of Bengali descent herself, she has extensively studied the time period and the context of colonial societies that frame the backdrop of Gupta’s play. Srutokirti’s historical insight has given the production team the opportunity to delve deeper into the many systemic and subconscious forces at play, which shape the lives of Niru and those around her.

“Tanika Gupta’s adaptation is set in 1870s Calcutta – the heart of the British Raj during an era of high imperialism. Inevitably, there is much more tension within this story than in Ibsen’s original because it centres around a mixed-race marriage between a Bengali woman and a white British man, who is a high-ranking colonial officer,” Srutokirti says.

“This play is

meant to be a form of historical fiction, and while writers should be able to do whatever they want with history, an important part of the process is also figuring out how to convey it to your audience. In a similar vein, just because this story happens to be a work of fiction, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have any bearing on reality.”

“We witness that the character of Tom Helmer staunchly supports imperialism, because it ‘promotes civilisation and education’,” she continues. Srutokirti explains how Tom also repeatedly exoticises and glorifies Niru for her ability to dance Kathak, an Indian classical dance which was performed extensively in Mughal courts, and he asks her to dance for him. Yet ironically, he also refers to her community as ‘savage heathens’.”

She adds that, “this play is meant to be a form of historical fiction, and while writers should be able to do whatever they want with history, an important part of the process is also figuring out how to convey it to your audience. In a similar vein, just because this story happens to be a work of fiction, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have any bearing on reality.”

“As a historian, Srutokiriti has also played a really important role in noticing or pointing out certain things which the rest of us on the production team may not have realised otherwise,” Jigyasa adds.

“For example, when I read the play and noticed there was a Christmas tree in one of the scenes, I wondered if there were actually Christmas trees in India at the time.

Srutokirti was able to research this and confirm that there were, and she also helped shed light on the pronunciations of certain words, the clothing styles involved, and the ways in which the characters interact with each other.”

This extensive historical insight has been invaluable for the show’s creative team and the set designers as well - an emphasis how the play is meant to be a safe space to creatively explore and express these deeply important and personal narratives.

When addressing the complexities of Niru’s mixed-race marriage, Jigyasa cites an article by Nylah Burton, on how the fetishisation and commodification of inter-racial relationships reflect the ways in which power operates within our most intimate spaces. Jigyasa and Srutokirti both continue to explain how this harmful fetishisation is present not only within Niru’s marriage, but is also still a very common, ongoing experience that many women of colour endure, especially when growing up in Western societies.

As the story progresses, one begins to question whether Tom Helmer had ever genuinely been in love with his wife, and if he was perhaps merely “in love with the idea of her.” Although the same could be said about Nora from Ibsen’s original play, Gupta’s adaptation highlights how Niru’s pain becomes inevitably double-edged and a lot more complex, due to the additional element of colonial dynamics involved.

When addressing the complexities of Niru’s mixed-race marriage, Jigyasa cites an article by Nyla Burton, on how the fetishisation and commodifi-

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The Oxford Student | Friday 21st January 2021 cation of inter-racial relationships reflect the ways in which power operates within our most intimate spaces.

“Also, I hope you don’t mind this, but I really want to add that I absolutely love and am the biggest fan of Mitski,” Jigyasa continues, laughingly.

“So whenever I re-read the play, I keep going back to the lyrics from Mitski’s song, ‘American Girl’, where she sings how ‘your mother wouldn’t approve of how my mother raised me, and you’re an all-American boy, I guess I couldn’t help trying to be your best American girl’, and I feel like the same could be said about Niru, when she struggles to live up to Tom’s fantasies of an ideal wife.”

I smile wistfully in response to what Jigyasa has just said, realising how Mitski’s lyrics are not merely reflective of Niru, nor Nora’s, story from Ibsen’s original – but of the all-too familiar narrative surrounding women who eventually learn to grapple with the painful realisation of being dehumanised, especially by the men they once loved. Hence, Gupta’s re-writing of this play sheds a particular light on the grief, anger, and heartbreak that often accompany the continued attempt in re-building and re-discovering one’s identity, especially after such a shattering revelation.

When we talk about humanising the characters within the stories we tell, Jigyasa emphasises that, “we’re not going to kill ourselves for our art. We’re still making a piece of art, and I don’t want the focus to be on the fact that this play is specifically about a woman of colour, or about race, or about colonialism. This is just another piece of theatre that aims to tell the story of a character’s life, and that Niru is the main character of this story.”

Ultimately, the question of humanising, and of perceiving, continues to resonate deeply with Niru’s poignantly admirable pursuit for a more honest, and genuine self. Beyond the constricting gaze of an ignorant lover’s unattainable ideal, Niru’s journey merely reminds us to live as authentically as we can – as human beings, above all else.

Tanika Gupta’s adaptation of A Doll’s House will be staged at the Keble O’Reilly theatre in 8th Week of Hilary Term 2022. More information about the show will be available closer to its release.

Review: Mitski’s New Single “Love Me More” Agatha Gutierrez Echenique Deputy Editor

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n January 12, 2022, Mitski released another track for upcoming album Laurel Hell, titled ‘Love Me More.’ The song is the fourth release of the album, which is set to come out on February 4th, 2022. ‘Love Me More’ is an extraordinary work of art concerning feelings of hopelessness and the desire to be someone else In ‘Love Me More,’ the reiteration of ‘love me more’ serves to lend the song an air of desperation – love is something claimed of another person which cannot be fulfilled in any other way. Further,

sometimes, from both.

The division between one’s environment and one’s own disposition, particularly in turbulent times, is not always clear. Indeed, in times like these, one has a sense that life just becomes ‘another day to come…/we’ll pretend it ends tomorrow.’ Love, then, serves also to ‘clean me up’ – as a purifying salve to a life of chaotic drudge.

Mitski clearly means to address the listlessness many of us feel in our everyday lives. Particularly in a pandemic, who amidst us has not asked ‘I wonder how they keep it up?’ when watching people go by

More than that: we want to be effaced by something greater than us.

‘Love Me More’ is in line with Mitski’s love songs, as Nylon.com points out. It speaks about a desire (characterized in this song as an ‘itch’ that shouldn’t be scratched) to lose one’s identity to someone else. Or at least, this is the straightforward interpretation.

It’s also plausible to see Mitski speaking about her relationship with her own music as being one that is all-consuming. ‘Working for the Knife’, another track released for Laurel Hell, discusses

Mitski herself said about her inner muse in an NPR interview in 2018: ‘I will be whatever it needs me to be. I will do whatever it needs me to do in order for me to continue to be able to make music.’

As usual, Mitski has packed a phenomenal amount of meaning into a short track. The lyrics – a visitation on struggles with love – or a recurring theme in Mitski’s discography, with each of her previous albums having a similar track covering Mitski’s ongoing evolution regarding the topic. As a lyrical poem, ‘Love Me More’ is excellent.

the imperative is an imperative because it fulfills certain needs: of drowning it out, of drowning me out. Thus repetition is used in two ways here: to emphasize necessity, and to play on two seemingly opposed, but in fact deeply intertwined consequences.

The repetition of the word ‘’drown’ in ‘drown it out’ and ‘drown me out’ serves to separate these two needs out as separate ideas, but at the same time the very repetition connects them. It is as though they are two sides of the same coin. In fact, there is an intentional conceptual confusion between ‘it’ and ‘me’ – the necessity of being loved comes from the fact that it is the only thing that silences chaos, sometimes from one’s environment, sometimes from one’s own disposition, and,

their routines?

Our increasingly online world has commodified our lives in such a manner that we are incentivized to present picture perfect glimpses of our lives: tidy homemade meals, clean apartments, and rock-solid relationships. But, in fact, the snapshots presented on social media are inaccurate portrayals of other people’s lives and the consumption of these appearances tends to lead to feelings of envy and unhappiness.

Yet knowing this fact: that social media presents a false image of other people’s lives and that the pandemic is having a toll on everyone, doesn’t take away the feeling of helplessness and despair in the face of one’s own state of disrepair. We want someone – or something – else to clean us up.

the difficulties of being an artist in a profit-driven world such as ours.

The artist, in order to be an artist, is compelled by their own nature to produce art – to do otherwise is to betray the artist’s essential nature. But the act of creation itself cheapens and sullies the artist’s endeavor – art is created for and consumed by an audience that frequently misunderstands, mishandles, and sometimes outright destroys arts in its consumption. Still, the artist must continue ‘working for the knife’ – making art in a way that both creates and destroys the artist in an ouroboros cycle.

Thus ‘Love Me More’ can be seen as written to Mitski’s own creative fountain: tired from the strain of creation, but nevertheless enduring in a difficult relationship. As

Music-wise, Mitski has also continued on a theme of 80’s inspiration throughout Laurel Hell – ‘Love Me More’ is no exception.

Mitski manages to bring back this era of music in a way that does not feel tired. Instead, ‘Love Me More’ is the type of song that invites you to dance and scream to the lyrics in a late night pajama party with your best friends. I look forward to the rest of Mitski’s work, as usual.

Image Credit: David Lee via flickr

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

The Oxford Student | Friday 21st January 2022

Baked beans: An American perspective on

English Breakfast

Kellie Tran

Food & Drink Editor

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erhaps the most quintessentially English thing an American could possibly experience during their time abroad in Great Britain has got to be characterized by one’s first encounter with the world-renowned classic British breakfast.

Though the image of the “traditional” full English breakfast

E4 tjc via

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national travelers from the U.S. As far as certified foodies are concerned, my opinion on the subject is a mere speck in the horizon of international eats; and though it is true that as a presumably biased American I am by no means qualified to settle these morning cuisine disputes, I have to say my own first embrace with the good ol’ English baked beans in tomato sauce wasn’t as distasteful as I had previously predicted it would be (though it certainly wasn’t magical).

Was it a little strange?

Maybe. Is it a taste that I have since then ac-

comprised of bacon, some form of sausage, baked beans, eggs, grilled tomatoes, mushrooms, and buttered toast is absolutely regarded as a staple morning treat for the British, it remains pretty *ahem* confusing to inter-

A

fter scrambling around for a few minutes looking for a big enough bowl, immerse 500 grams of pork ribs into warm, almosthot water in a bucket instead. The pork should soak for around 15-20 minutes.

In the meantime, you can prepare your vegetables and seasoning. Prepare a few cloves of garlic by placing them on the chopping board and smacking each of them with the flat side of your cleaver. Realize you don’t have a chopping board and clean and sanitize the countertop for use as a makeshift replacement. Next, realize you don’t have a cleaver and resort to smushing the garlic cloves with the much thinner flat blade of the stupid chef’s knife - how do people use these things?

Next, carefully wash your daikon rad-

quired?

Absolutely. And what about with regards to the previously intimidating grilled whole vine tomatoes and mushrooms you ask? Love it.

Contrary to the rather savory spread presented by the English, the classic All-American breakfast plat-

ter of bacon, sausage, eggs, hash washing it down with even more browns, and pancakes or waffles of its confectionery materializa—often topped with a mountain tions, preferably in the form of of freshly whipped venti caramel cream that is fur- As someone who is frappuccinos ther lightly gar- used to starting off from Amerinished with the the day with alarm- ca’s most noseasons most readtable franchise ing mouthfuls of ily available fresh high-fructose corn Starbucks, the fruit varieties (to syrup and wash- simple combiprovide an illunation of beans ing it down with sion of nutritional caramel frappucci- and grilled tobalance, of course) nos from Starbucks mato resemand served with – the simple com- bles a perhaps an astronomically bination of beans much needed, large jug of sick- and grilled tomato and with time eningly sweet and resemble a perhaps eventually sticky maple syr- much needed, nutri- delicious, nuup— can seem not tious reality check. tritious reonly much more ality check. appetizingly intuitive to the American traveler, but also illustrative That isn’t to say that I don’t of what is considered to be an ac- miss the nostalgic sugar-high curate depiction of the most ba- that pancakes and syrup can sic components throughout most provide first thing in the mornworld-wide morning cuisines. ing, I don’t think there is anything more gloriously American While the debate to decide which than a tower of buttered panspread is more palatable remains cakes drenched in maple syrup. as hot as it is contentious, objectively, both sides spearheading In this respect, I ask that the visthe “All-American versus Eng- ceral reaction which commonly lish” war on breakfast contain ensues after an American, like rather minimal differences. It’s myself, realizes their expectedly just that said differences are made enormous stack of sickeninglyto appear almost too shockingly sweet and oh-so-good buttery strange when they are compared pancakes has been replaced side by side, with the English with an agreeably ugly and unpreferring to include veggies related counterpart, beans, during and legumes while the Ameri- breakfast be generously forgiven. cans prefer, well, fruit and sugar.

But if we are just going off of As someone who is used to pure serotonin, I am sorry to starting off the day with inhaling pronounce that the All-American substantially alarming mouthfuls breakfast spread has got the Engof high-fructose corn syrup and lish beat.

RECIPE: How to make Pork Rib Soup (lonely vers.)

ish. There’s a pandemic going around, after all, Andrew Wang and these things are Editor-in-Chief just sitting in the store raw-dogging the COVID air village farm without running water. with those.

Naturally, you will at this point not Your dad always brings your mom way Roughly chop up some onions, green have any peeler with which to peel too much when he visits home and it onions, and ginger, and prepare youryour radish. You should have listened always goes bad and makes him sad self a bit of star anise, a few bay leaves, to your mom and brought a peeler and everyone sad, so better use it up and a tiny strip of cinnamon. Apparwith you instead of that stack of pho- quickly so you don’t feel bad. Prepare ently most of the cinnamon we use tos with friends who stopped talking a bowl and soak the dried bamboo isn’t real cinnamon - that’s a TikTok to you almost as soon as you left. In shoots in water for a bit. fact, so take it with a grain of salt. Realdire circumstances, remember you In the meantime, go back to washing ize you forgot to buy salt, and also soy can always to resort to peeling the your daikon radish incessantly be- sauce, so ask your flatmate for some. radish with a chef’s knife... However cause it bothers you too much to peel Thank god (despite believing in no it’s probably best to leave the daikon daikon radish with a chef’s knife. It’s such thing) that he is only half British radish for later. so much more satisfying with a peeler, and so actually seasons his food. Put Don’t forget to start preparing the and peeling with a knife is always so a pot of water on the stove and wait dried bamboo shoot that your grand- wasteful. You could probably do it with for it to boil. You probably should’ve mother made on her little mountain a cleaver though, you’re pretty handy done this earlier, but it’s okay you’re

Food and Drink | 29

The Oxford Student | Friday 21st January 2022

While Singapore might be more ahead in terms of economic growth, I am obligated to say that Malaysia nevertheless has a much better reputation for the quality and richness of our food. But this is perhaps a discussion better left for another day. Instead, we revel in the shared joy of our local coffee shops – ridden with charm, chaos, and kaya.

Dear reader, let me introduce you to The Kopitiam™.

According to its Wikipedia definition, the word happens to be a portmanteau of ‘kopi’ (the Malay/ Indonesian term for coffee), and ‘tiam’ (the Hokkien/Hakka term for shop), with “menus typically offering a variety of foods based on eggs, toast, coffee, tea, and Milo.” Though, if I were to define it through entirely personal terms, the kopitiam is to me, a representation of everything endearing that I cherish of home, and of Southeast Asia as a whole. tired from the long plane ride and staying out the entire last few nights with friends before you left. Put the rice on as well - you definitely should’ve done that earlier, what were you thinking? Your flatmate is pretty cool for bringing a rice cooker all the way from London. Wash the rice to get rid of starch, eyeball how much water to add, and place it in the cooker.

While the water is boiling, now it’s time to peel the daikon radish. Make sure to procrastinate by standing around a bit to watch the water boil and fume about how completely stupid you are for not bringing your peeler.

Was it worth it? Was it?

At this point, the pork should be pretty well soaked and the water should be beginning to boil. Pour out the dirty wa-

As you sit down, you are greeted perhaps by a middle-aged auntie or uncle, who brings you the menu on a singular, laminated piece of paper, covered in traces of grease and oil. Usually, there is no need to even properly go through the menu anyway, because most kopitiam tend to serve the same type of food. Although they are mostly alike, and can be found in abundance all over the region, a kopitiam breakfast or late-afternoon tea, still remains a classic experience that never gets old.

People often talk loudly, especially in an open-air kopitiam, and I appreciate this as part of its unique enticement.

Across the room, one usually would find a group of politically opinionated (and occasionally politically incorrect) uncles debating the upcoming general election, or a group of aunties either absorbed in local gossip or complaining about their husbands. In Southeast Asia, every middle-aged person happens to be an auntie or uncle, whether one may be biologically related to them or not. In another corner of the kopitiam, one might stumble across a family with young children – distressed parents often giving a telling-off to their hyperactive child for spilling something across the table, or for impulsively disrupting a random stranger’s breakfast to say hello.

More endearingly, kopitiam food is an exciting blend of different culfff-

ter, rinse the pork a bit more, and put the pork into the boiling pot. Throw in the garlic, ginger, green onion, chopped onions, star anise, bay leaves, and ginger as well. Now it’s time to peel your daikon radish. Don’t forget to mutter vile insults under your breath and flip off the chef’s knife before you go to peel the despicable root vegetable.

Now comes the most important step.

While it may be tempting to peel the radish very slowly because you just sharpened the otherwise useless hunk of junk knife, and because you don’t like wasting the radish, do not do this.

Instead, be very cautious to peel the radish with quick slashes to let out your frustration on this vegetable that, while still despicable, is not really at fault.

You must have sufficiently wet hands

Dania Kamal Aryf Deputy Editor

A Love Letter To The Charming And Chaotic

Kopitiam

tures bound together by a shared history of immigration, amalgamation, and a vibrant community that has built itself upon remnants of the region’s complicated past, and an ever-more complicated political landscape of the present.

The kopitiam, to me, is an embodiment of nostalgia and memory; A reminder that while many things have changed, and will continue to change within my life and the lives of those around me, it is still likely that the classic breakfast that I have always known – of kaya toast with with half-boiled eggs and teh tarik, will always be on the menu, and will always still taste the same.

Coming to university, I have learnt to make-do without the frequent kopitiam breakfasts I once enjoyed. Adapting to living in the UK, with almost non-existent access to a nearby kopitiam has meant that I now have to opt for the many quirky little coffee shops throughout Oxford instead.

Though they are much quieter, and more demure – they remain equally charming, with stories of

at this stage in the process. Only then, at this point, it is crucial that you blink at the wrong moment such that your hand slips and you accidentally cut a chunk out of your index finger. Remember that you’re a man and should not emote, but then remember no one’s around to enforce such toxic masculine stereotypes, but then remember how cool masculine men look in movies n shit. So instead of simply saying “ow” like a weakling slam the poor, abused radish onto the counter.

Now comes the hard part.

Take a deep breath and stare at your reflection in the kitchen window for a bit. Let yourself feel a little self pity, then clean up your poor little index finger and proceed.

Put the chopped radish into your

their own, and differently-themed cafés having a uniquely personal touch.

I often joke that, at any given moment, one would usually be able to find me in my ‘natural habitat’ - ie, a coffeeshop, regardless of whichever part of the globe I happen to be in. Arguably, this is largely because it fuels my daydreamy, romanticised clichés of being a writer who spends too much unnecessary time in coffee shops and cafés, often in search of ‘literary inspiration.’

While I have grown to appreciate these beautiful moments I have in Oxford, often with a freshly-brew mocha and my laptop or a decent book I have brought to read – on certain days, I still inevitably find myself yearning for the taste of home. On these days, I make myself some toast and reach out for the jar of kaya in my fridge, revelling in nostalgia. If anything, these moments only remind me of an essentially visceral part of my soul that will always continue to cherish the irreplaceable charm and chaos of a local kopitiam. pot along with the dried (now less dry?) bamboo shoot. Put the lid back on, set the pot to a low simmer for at least thirty minutes and ideally two to three hours for more flavor. Add boiling water from your flatmate’s kettle as necessary. While you wait, clean up the kitchen and then just sit there pondering your life choices. You’ve been making food for way too long to be this useless. Maybe this is why your younger sister wants to do all the housework herself even when you ARE home and probably resents you for it.

You practically raised her since mom is always always working, and she still has the audacity toAh shit, you absolute fucking idiot failure, you forgot to start the rice cooker.

FOOD&DRINK

Though these two nations within Southeast Asia remain bound by a complicated history and occasional unresolved tension akin to a pair of former flames, our cultural practices -- and more importantly, our undying love for local cuisine -- essentially remain the same.

The kopitiam is a character of its own – with shiny plastic chairs arranged by folded-up tables laden with specks of rust, the loud whirling of a ceiling fan right above you that makes you weary of it possibly falling apart at any time, and the wafting smell of yesterday’s leftovers from a nearby longkang, which all make the experience even more authentic.

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

I

f you find yourself in Oxford long enough, you’re bound to meet or eventually befriend a Singaporean. They do happen to be everywhere within this city, with accents and vocabulary uniquely recognisable that you’ve probably picked up some lahs or aiyos yourself, along the way. Unfortunately, Malaysians like me are a much rarer breed, though we do still happen to be lurking around within these dreaming spires, and are often mistaken as Singaporean at first glance by well-intentioned Westerners.

GAMING The Oxford Student | Friday 21st January 2022

30 | Gaming

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

An Ode to Dragon Age II I think it’s hard to argue that Dragon Age 2 is the best Dragon Age game. It has neither the epic narrative of its predecessor, Dragon Age: Origins, nor the slick combat and expansive world map of its successor, Dragon Age: Inquisition. It doesn’t even have a descriptive word in its title. It is simply The Second One. But despite this, Dragon Age 2 is my favourite instalment in the franchise.

Dragon Age 2 was, in some ways, doomed from the start by its very tight development timeline of just a year and a half, starting life as an Origins expansion that was turned into a full sequel with production lasting only nine months. So, there are some issues, like lots of reused maps and background character models, a few annoying glitches, and a shorter story with fewer

side quests. But some of the results of this tight schedule are what make Dragon Age 2 so special. It’s set in a single city over the course of a decade, charting the character Hawke’s journey from a refugee with nothing to the Champion of Kirkwall. The focused setting keeps the stakes high and makes you genuinely care about the fate of Kirkwall and the political and social unrest within it.

What makes Dragon Age 2 so compelling for me is the characters. Keeping them all happy when at least half of them disagree with every decision you make is a challenge, but on the flip side they’re a diverse and interesting bunch. My usual party for Hawke’s adventures is Isabela, the morally grey pirate rogue with a secret heart of gold, Anders, the mage revolutionary who

Eliza Niblett

is possessed by a spirit of Justice, and Fenris, an elf warrior with mysterious magical powers. My other favourites are the charming storytelling dwarf Varric, who serves as the game’s very unreliable narrator, and Merrill, a Dalish elf whose sweet personality contrasts wonderfully with her talent for blood magic and summoning demons.

The story too is captivating. Dragon Age 2 is not necessarily a game where you win at the end. It’s broken into three acts, spanning seven years, and Hawke probably reaches their peak at the start of the third. What follows from there is a downward spiral of personal tragedy alongside the deteriorating relations between mages and templars that threaten the city Hawke has come to call home. I’m going to avoid spoilers, but

I’ll say that things don’t end fantastically for Hawke. They certainly aren’t celebrated as a hero like the protagonists of Origins and Inquisition. It sounds depressing, but it’s something different, both for the series and within the fantasy genre. It makes Hawke feel like a person, unlike many fantasy protagonists who seem a little hollow behind the heroism and the ‘chosen one’ status.

Dragon Age 2 does not deserve the hate it gets. I can’t denwy there are some surfacelevel issues, but beneath them lie the foundations of a truly amazing game. The fourth instalment of Dragon Age is currently in the works, and I hope Bioware look to the successes within Dragon Age 2 as inspiration for the future direction of the series.

Stuart Mcloughlin Gaming Editor

Top Five Games Set For Release in 2022 It’s a new year and that means a whole twelve months of new games to look forward to. From the looks of things, 2022 will be an extremely exciting year for gamers on all platforms.

Whether you’re on the Nintendo Switch or your Alienware water-cooled gaming PC, there are titles to tickle everyone’s fancy. In this article, I outline my top 5 hotly anticipated titles coming out in 2022.

1. Dying Light 2 Since the days of the DayZ mod for ARMA 2, there has been a real dearth in quality zombie survival games. The first Dying Light game promised to fill that void, but its generic storyline failed to satisfy many players. It’s sequel however, hopes to rectify the issues of the previous game. The developer, Techland, has even recruited several employees who worked on CD Projekt Red’s highly successful The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The premise is largely the same; the player must attempt to survive the zombie apocalypse whilst bearing in mind the day/night dynamics. With an improved story and a much larger open world, Dying Light 2 is one of

the most anticipated games of 2022.

Release Date: 4th February

is a Second World War based RTS. The previous instalment was set on the Western Front alongside the war in Russia. Company of Heroes 3 will take place this time in Italy and North Africa, offering players a whole new gameplay experience.

The game will also introduce new gameplay mechanics. For the first time in the series’ history, a tactical pause button has been introduced.

Whilst paused, you will be able to queue up unit orders that will take immediate effect once the game is unpaused. This will be a great tool for anyone, but should be particularly helpful to newer players who are still getting the hang of things. The level of in-game destruction has also been increased, making the real time battles feel even more dynamic. The official release date has not been confirmed yet, but Relic has assured us it will definitely be in 2022.

Release Date: 2022, TBC

2. Starship Troopers: Terran Command One that I Imagine most will not have heard of but that’s nonetheless worth a mention in this list.

Based on the so-bad-they’re-good 90s sci-fi films Starship Troopers, Terran Command is an RTS set in the film’s cinematic universe. I’m showing my age here, but I always loved these movies and thought they were the perfect setting for a game like this. It’s the 23rd century and whilst humanity is out colonising new worlds, they encounter a dangerous foe on a distant planet.

Their new enemies are known as the Arachnids, a bug-like species that appear to be technologically inferior to the United Citizen Federation. Inspired by earlier RTSs like Command & Conquer Tiberium Wars, Starship Trooper: Terran Command will keep the RTS genre relevant and fresh in 2022. 4. Pokemon Legends: Arceus Release Date: 31st March Following on from the highly successful remakes of Pokemon Dia3. Company of Heroes 3 mond and Pearl, Gamefreak are reA bit of a ‘dad’ game, the next one leasing Pokemon Legends: Arceus, on this list is Company of Heroes which could change the Pokemon 3. The Company of Heroes series franchise forever. Many Pokemon

fans were understandably disappointed with the lack of open world gameplay in the first Pokemon release on the switch: Pokemon Sword and Shield. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was released around the same time and still remains one of the best games of the last 10 years, proving that the Switch was capable of handling expansive and highly graphically demanding RPGs. This left many asking why the new Pokemon titles were not similarly expansive and impressive. To those critics I say: here is the answer. Pokemon Legends: Arceus promises to be a wildly expansive Pokemon RPG set in the Sinnoh region, then known as the Hisui region, long before the events of Pokemon Diamond and Pearl. You will play as one of the first ever Pokemon trainers helping to complete the first ever Pokedex. The focus of the game is exploring and catching Pokemon rather than battling, but the experience shouldn’t feel too dissimilar from previous titles. Also a plus, the game is out this month!

So get your pre-order ready and make sure you don’t miss out.

Release Date: 28th January

5. Star wars: Jedi Fallen Order 2 This technically has not been announced yet, but I am so excited about it that I had to include it. The follow up to the first Fallen Order stands to be one of the biggest releases this year. After the universal disappointment that was Star Wars: Battlefront 2, we were left wondering if there would ever be a decent Star Wars title ever again - and boy were we wrong. The first Fallen Order was a fantastic game that combined gripping story telling with aspects of the open world RPG. More importantly, however, it restored the Star Wars community’s faith in the big game companies to create a game that wasn’t filled with bugs or exclusively pay to win (Star Wars: Battlefront 2 loot crates I am looking at you). The second instalment in this series will hopefully build upon the first and potentially include some crossovers with the recently expanded Star Wars TV universe. Who knows, maybe we will get to see the Mandalorian or even Obi-wan cropping up in Cal Kestis’ journey with the force. More importantly though, will there be a rematch with Vader? We will have to wait and see.

Release Date: TBC

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The Oxford Student | Friday 21st January 2022

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