The Waterfront issue 257 by Waterfront

the waterfront

The official student newspaper of Swansea University

Free Issue 257 02 November 2015 waterfrontonline.co.uk

INSIDE

STUDENTS WARNED OF RISK IF FOUND WITHOUT A TV LICENSE HALO 5 REVIEW. WORTH THE WAIT? PAGE 35

SUCES TAKE A TRIP TO SKOMER ISLAND PAGE 28 by Declan Murphy

waterfrontnews@swansea-union.co.uk

Statistics just released from TV Licensing have said 352 18-25 year olds from Swansea, Port Talbot and Neath were caught without a TV license. The statement comes with the warning of students being prosecuted by up to £1,000 if they’re caught without one. The license covers people watching live televised broadcasts on a television and on the web but excludes pre-recorded content such as iPlayer and 4OD. Normally a license will cover one individual student room due to the legality of it being its own residence with a lock on the door. If the TV or device is located in a communal living space you only need one license. The statistic also came with research that found 29 per cent of students think they cannot be caught watching live TV on phones, computers and tablets

and over half believe that the general populace are unlikely to be in danger of being caught without a license. Legally the inspector cannot enter your house without prior knowledge of you possessing a TV. More research in the article also states two in three students held a positive view of the BBC and thought a TV License was worth the money. The scope and size of the sample was outlined at 220 students from across the UK. Catherine Griffith-Williams, spokesperson for TV Licensing in Wales, said: “Every year myths circulate around campus about when you do and don’t need a licence. We want to make sure students know one is needed by law to watch or record live TV, on any device including a laptop, tablet, mobile phone or games console. A TV Licence costs on average £12.13 a month which goes towards services like Radio 1’s Big Weekend, BBC iPlayer, Newsbeat and BBC One Match of the Day.”

One student, choosing to remain anonymous, said: “TV licenses are overpriced for what they are”. Another, Tammy Schuh, stated: “People don’t get enough say in what they’re paying for, it isn’t run by the people”. She went on to say “There should be a student version, it is overpriced for what it is”. TV licensing has always been a point of contention as many feel it doesn’t offer its value for money, especially with other competing broadcasters like ITV and Channel 4 as well as increasing visual entertainment costs, with a rise in numbers of people watching Netflix and other streaming services for their entertainment dosage. The BBC has also been at the center of many scandals over the last couple years, Operation Yewtree and Clarkson’s infamous punch has left the BBC in a dark place. The loss of the old Top Gear trio being the fallout from that particular incident. Nicholas Fearn, has written a feature inside on TV Licensing which can be found on page nine.

FOCUS ON:TALIESIN ARTS CENTRE PAGE 13

NEWS

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02. 11. 15

Your Union FTOs: Full Time Dedication by Declan Murphy

waterfrontnews@swansea-union.co.uk

So we’re over month into the academic year and as a result we’re over a month into the tenures of our FTOs. So what have they done? In what ways have they helped the student body? In order to best review their place on the board I believe it is best to look at their efforts in regard to the Bay campus. Bay’s launch wasn’t exactly the smoothest of starts, it was never going to be, however that’s not the point of this article. What is the point however, is how the FTOs dealt with student concerns. If we could rewind ourselves to Monday 21st September, the opening of Bay. In the morning it was relatively clear that the transport to and from the campus was inadequate and patchy, many students were late and fingers were pointed at First. Within the day Lewys and co had secured more buses to bring students to and from Bay; this quick and swift reaction was exactly what was needed. Pressure is also being applied to the cost of tickets in the hope of reducing the fares for both standard bus tickets and the park and ride system. Staying on the topic of transport, we also have the slight issue surrounding parking on the Bay. With it being so far away from the student dense areas of Hendrefoilan, Brynmill, Uplands and Singleton Campus, many students turned to cars for transport. Where this becomes an issue is when those students arrive at Bay to find no oncampus services for student cars. The alternative being that those students have to contest with the local residents for parking, causing quite the fallout. It even managed to spark an article on the South Wales Evening Post website after local residents were blocking spaces from students with traffic cones. In light of the situation, the FTOs have launched several avenues to exert pressure and find a solution. One such being a petition with three key points: Parking access for students with disabilities, students living outside the Swansea area and supporting students who

Bay store opens after long wait On Tuesday 27th October, the Tesco express store on Bay campus opened its doors to the public more than month after most students moved in.

from L-R, Lewys Aron, Sam Uche, Robiu Salisu, Felix Mmeka, Lloyd Harris enrolled in or before September 2013. The first of those three points has already been achieved, which extends coverage of the Blue Badge to a broader range of disabilities as well as temporary ones such as mobility limitation. Moving away from transport in the direction of student welfare and Lloyd Harris. The Welfare Officer has been tackling the issue of women’s health in the form of reducing the price of sanitary towels and tampons in the on-campus Costcutter. This move is part of the wider #FreeThePeriod campaign which aims to remove the luxury tax on women’s health products.

various issues about student mental health. For those of you unaware, the SU held a Student Minds Week in the hopes of promoting help for students with mental issues. If you’re interested in reading more about it you can actually read Lloyd’s take on it in this issue. I won’t say much more to avoid overlapping content, all I will say is that it is worth the read. What I will say about the article is that it is interesting to see the officers using the media to its maximum capabilities.

£1,500 heading the way of SU-TV and Xtreme Radio. The investment in media is something much needed and has allowed Xtreme to invest in very much needed studio equipment and also allowed SU-TV to keep going after a shaky year.

From women’s health to mental health, over the last week you may have seen various posts on Facebook or stands in Singleton promoting

Lloyd’s article in the paper is only one such example. The FTOs seem to be constantly on Facebook engaging students, making an effort to deal with any issues the student body have. The value the officers place in the student media is only represented by their commitment to invest further in the media with additional funding of

It’s been a very active month for all the officers this last month, and hopefully it continues. With the launch of Bay it was always going to be a period marred with challenges and obstacles but the officers have shown great resilience in dealing with issues which is a testament to their abilities. Although many of the issues listed in their manifestos have been addressed, there is still much more to do. If you’re interested in tracking the progress of the President’s manifesto you can do so at www.lewysaron.co.uk.

The supermarket branch is the first real shop on the Bay campus and eliminates the need to travel into the city centre to make purchases.

Lock ‘yer gaff!!!

street operation revealed a high proportion of student houses had their front door unlocked and had insecure windows making them easy targets.

The delay is akin to others around the campus; some accommodation and campus facilities are still incomplete as well as poor infrastructure in places. That being said, the introduction of an actual shop is a great step forward.

Students are being asked just to make sure they Lock their Doors and Windows when they leave their accommodation, even if they are just popping out to the shop. Community Liaison Officer Robin Benson is working with the Students Union and the Police to run a Lock Yer Gaff Campaign to help ensure students don’t become victims to burglaries and lose lots of vital possessions. A recent

Recent evidence also suggests that loads of bikes are also being nicked from students, mostly enabled by students using cheap and ineffective bike locks. The Union and the University and the Police are all working together to keep students safe and free from becoming a victim of crime….it’s just commonsense to Lock Yer Gaff!

NEWS

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Charity Week 2015 by Hamzah Nurgat

waterfrontnews@swansea-union.co.uk

In a packed Islamic society (ISOC) calendar, there is nothing quite as exciting as charity week. Charity week is a fantastic initiative which first began 11 years ago, whereby colleges and universities across the country and now even globally - raise money for one charitable cause, in one week. It’s a week which has the promotion of unity at its core, where students from all backgrounds work together to raise money in the most creative of ways. Swansea University has been taking part in charity week for over 5 years now, getting bigger and better each year. Last year charity week raised a whopping total of £736,644, with Swansea raising over £5,000. Not bad for one week ey? Despite this impressive figure, we unfortunately didn’t manage to beat our arch rivals

last year, the Slytherin of the charity week Wales and West world - Cardiff. This year however, the trophy is bound to be ours (A bit of friendly competition all in good spirit). As I write this piece, we’re currently over half way through our charity week. So far we’ve ventured out to Swansea city centre for bucket collections twice, taking with us a teddy bear mascot which always works a charm with the kids, we’ve held numerous delicious bake sales on campus, the girls have had their pamper night, and we’ve had a societies quiz night - a first in Swansea charity week history! I personally have been involved in charity week

for 4 years now, and the generosity of people never ceases to amaze me. From passionate, devoted volunteers who give up so much of their time to make the week a success, to those who donate and inspire us with their kind words, to the local businesses and members of the community who kindly sponsor our events. Charity week encompasses and brings to light the best in people, and I think it is this which makes it such a huge success year after year. To mark the end of charity week we’ll be selling more delicious food and cakes on campus, as well as holding our “SU Splash” event - letting people

throw wet sponges at our full time SU officers, all in the name of charity (thanks guys!). We’ll also be holding our annual charity week dinner on November 6th, so do contact us for tickets! Our dinner will consist of a lovely 3-course-meal, entertainment, a fantastic auction and more. Charity week allows all those who have taken part to choose which children and orphan projects they would like the money to go towards. Last year, charity week funded several projects including a prosthetic limb centre in Gaza, and counselling and psychosocial support in the Central

African Republic. This year has more excellent projects lined up, including access to healthcare and education for refugees in the UK, psychological support for Syrian refugee children, a mobile health clinic for slum children in India, as well as other projects for Rohingya refugees, and children in Malawi, Gaza and Pakistan. We in the Islamic society would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone in the University for helping charity week be a success this year, and we hope to share with you soon our grand total for this year.

Swansea University Travel and Transport Update Jayne Cornelius, Swansea University’sTravel Plan Coordinator, answers some questions asked about the transport issues students are currently facing.

Q: Will the number 8 night bus service remain?

Q: Have you addressed the early issues students faced during the opening weeks of the Bay Campus?

Q: What about the cycle route?

A: Yes, we’ve put on more buses! A new timetable will be introduced on the 1st November 2015. The 8 service between Student Village and Bay Campus will now run every 12 minutes. The 10 service running every 20 minutes will also be rerouted to begin and end at the Singleton Park Campus travelling and returning via the same route through Sketty Park, Uplands and the train station to the Bay Campus Q: Many students highlighted the need for a shuttle service, will we get one? A: Yes, the Pink Link is back. Remember the bendy buses; they have made a return as part of the UniBus Network under the 8X service. This will provide a direct return shuttle bus service between both campuses with a journey time of 22 minutes once every hour.

A: Yes, you are keeping the late night bus service – remember to keep using it to get home safely in the evenings.

A: Improvements are being made to various parts of the cycle route to install signage to increase road safety and minimise risks to students travelling along the route.

The new bus timetables are available now online on the First Cymru, http:// www.firstgroup.com/south-westwales, and Traveline Cymru, http:// www.traveline.cymru/) websites. Use your night bus service to get value for money out of your bus pass. Not got a pass? Pay just £2 for a return fare after 7PM on the night service. Want to visit the Bay Campus on a Saturday from Uplands? Jump on the 20/20A/21A/21B and connect in

the bus station on a Cymru Clipper service to the Bay Campus. From 1st November 2015, work will start in Swansea which will affect bus services. The 4/8 services will now alight in the bus station due to the Kingsway reverting to a one way system. Anyone having difficulty finding their service can look for a First Cymru Monitor who will ensure you get on the correct bus.

A student focus group will be set up to facilitate a partnership with the Students’ Union to gather direct feedback and discuss new proposals to improve bus services for students. Those interested in participating should declare interest with their student rep or the Students’ Union. To get in touch with Jayne regarding feedback, ideas, issues or participating in associated schemes, please email: j.cornelius@swansea.ac.uk. If reporting an issue, please include the time, date and bus service.

NEWS

the waterfront upon badly from the poor lights may be forced to miss lectures because of the bad conditions.

N EW S by Hazel Stabler

waterfrontunionnews@swansea-union.co.uk

Singleton Lights Leave Students In The Dark For a number of years, the university has inspired many of us with their apparent desire to build upon and improve the campuses, spending millions of pounds on new buildings, lecture halls, and accommodation suites. However one of the largest needs for change has come from somewhere just beyond the campus perimeter; Singleton Park. As you might already be aware, the 250 acres of land offer little to no light, and the 10 minute walk that both university students and staff take through the park towards the Brynmill area can be dangerous. Lights were replaced in 2013 with newer, brighter streetlights, however the improvement offered no ease of mind for those who walk the park at night. The lights themselves still leave gaps in the path, offering no complete path of light. This leaves a problem for all students, especially the ones who need the most protecting. With the light disappearing as early as four thirty students who have lectures that finish at 6 are walking through the park in almost pitch dark. Students with accessibility needs, are also impacted

Although the desire for change has been expressed almost unanimously by staff, students, and concerned parents, there has been very little in terms of a resolution. Student union President Lewys Arôn recently assured me that “In January the Union will be launching a campaign to install lights in Singleton Park. This will involve working with the council and the University, both of which have a duty to ensure the safety of students in the park. Let me be absolutely clear, the current situation is dangerous and action must be taken.” In the past academic year the student’s Union posted a survey directed at students, asking many questions about the Singleton lights situation. One student claimed that “the lighting is so poor that you really cannot gain a full view of what is around you. There could be a dangerous individual hiding amongst the trees and you simply would not have any idea they were there.” This has been a real problem in the past, as in May of this year, an individual was seen by passing school children displaying himself in a sexual manner as they passed - once while they walked home, and then again less than two weeks later. This route taken by the school girls is a regular route to and from work, school and university for so many. The dark path can often be a playground for sexual predators who know they will not be seen. A more serious case was reported in January of 2011, as a woman was followed through the park, and left shaken as her attacker grabbed her by the throat before running away into the dark bushes. Although this stimulated a large response, and the university warned students not to walk through the park alone at night, many students find that they have no choice, as their homes are a direct link from the park exit. While many are concerned that the university is not phased by the apparent dangers of Singleton Park, I have been reassured that they are “committed to the safety of [their] students across all areas of student life”When asked about their plans to resurrect new lights, they told me “Whilst the University funded the original installation of the lights in Singleton Park, a recent upgrade and the ongoing maintenance of the lighting system, the park is owned and managed by the City & County of Swansea. The University, in conjunction with the Student Union have lobbied the City & County to improve the lighting across the park for many years with little success. Based on the recent concerns the University will consult further with them about this issue.”

My experience of the NUS Liberation conference by Heather Wood

waterfrontunionnews@swansea-union.co.uk

Last Thursday on the 22nd of October I made my way to the NUS liberation conference. My day didn’t start the best way possible, with a 5:30 start and then finding out you were sent to the wrong address and have to return to a location you were at two hours earlier does things to your head. After arriving only an hour and a quarter of an hour late, I walked into an introduction and networking session. I soon got to work and started to learn what you need to start a successful campaign, why its so important to all students to get involved. How they can prove that many voices feel this way, they can bring helping hands and make the whole campaign stronger. I learnt how to make a perfect campaign team, on how to appeal to people with similar interests on a certain subject, how I can get them on board, what would they get out of it. My second workshop introduced getting to the basics of campaigns, what the roots, what the consequences of those problems? Later on, we all discussed the definitions of intersectionality. We

went over the different oppressions and how they interlinked. Why there such a big importance on ensuring that all liberations are open, and those who identify with different liberations are able to intertlink with different liberation groups. We lead an interesting debate on how to be good ally to liberation campaigns, some of these suggestions included; to not assume pronouns, to not trivialise experiences where people have been oppressed. We also discussed the importance of acting rather just saying empty words, to try and actively help. Other notes of how to be a good ally, includes being unbiased and the ability to try and see it from all sides, to become neutral as possible. Moreover, we should learn from others and apologise for your mistakes. I thoroughly enjoyed the day and I really enjoyed meeting people from other unions, conversing about different campaigns and even seeing some similarities between campaign ideas. It was great meeting some many passionate liberation students. Till the next NUS conference! The voting period for the elections of the delegates to attend the Wales and the National NUS Conference finished on Friday but its never too late to get involved and communicate with your elected delegates.

Open Mon-Fri 10am til 3pm

If you have any questions, or concerns about the lighting in and around Singleton Park, or would like to get involved, please E-mail Lewys, the Union President at President@ swansea-union.co.uk

Union House east side (Opposite Divas)

Singleton park during the day

02. 11. 15

NEWS

LIBERATION by Akosua Darko

waterfrontliberation@swansea-union.co.uk

the waterfront

02. 11. 15

Officer focus: Ellie Pullen Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coming up to disability history month and I thought it would be good to know our Swansea students with disability officer Ellie Pullen and see why she was inspired to become the part time disability officer.

I was inspired to run for Students with Disabilities Officer after representing Swansea at the NUS National Conference. I had always intended to become active in the student union when I joined university, but I had a fairly difficult first year with my health and was unable to be as involved as I wanted to. When the opportunity to stand as a part time officer came up I was determined to stand and make a difference for disabled students. My experiences during my first year showed me that the university could better support disabled students.

WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAND AS A PART TIME OFFICER CAME UP I WAS DETERMINED TO STAND AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR DISABLED STUDENTS I have a number of goals for the year and have already been working towards one of my manifesto points after working with the Student Minds group on a mental health awareness week. The response from students was really positive and not only did we raise awareness but we also raised money for Mind and Student Minds. A further manifesto point is to evaluate the way different college deal with extenuating

circumstances for students with a declared disability, on Tuesday 27th of October I will be attending a meeting to evaluate Assessment and Marking for Students with Disabilities. I will raise the issue of the discrepancy across the university and argue for unified approach. In addition to this I will be launching a campaign for free doctors notes for students with disabilities in the event they are unable to submit work or attend an exam because of their disability.

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02 November 2015 waterfrontonline.co.uk

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Review: Halo 5 - Does it live up to the hype?

...find out on page 35

19 October 2015 waterfrontonline.co.uk

features

with Nicholas Fearn

Living with strangers

Let’s face it. People aren’t all that great. They have the ability to really suck at times. As you’re well into your life as a Fresher now, you probably know the people you’re living with fairly well. If you are and you’re saying something along the lines of “Yes, I do and they’re great and I’m looking forward to a great year with them”, then you’re part of the lucky few. Most likely you’re thinking he or she is really annoying and you can’t wait to cut loose. When put together with up to seven strangers, it’s very unlikely that everything will smell of roses. But to get you through that awkward stage of your life of anonymous flat sharing, we here at The Waterfront have compiled some helpful tips on how to survive horrific housemates and infuriating flat fellows.

by Rhian Davies

1. Don’t force yourself to fit in. If you’re more of a night in with Netflix and early to bed kind of person who prefers the quieter side of life, don’t feel you need to have to get drunk every night just to fit in. If your house mates can’t respect that you prefer not to spend the night with sticky shoes and playing drinking games, that’s their problem. 2. Everyone needs time to themselves. You should allow yourself to have time away from your social obligations for the health of not only your studies, but also your anxiety. Being able to relax and get an early night once in a while is a great way to decrease stresses from the outside world. Don’t be afraid to tell people you feel like a night alone and shut

your door early; no one can be a social bunny 24/7. 3. It’s not forever. If you don’t get along with your fellow housemates, simply remember that you have 9 short months of your first year, and it is meant to be enjoyed. Don’t get hung up on negative vibes, and stay out of each other’s way if bickering is ensured to happen. You don’t have to be best friends with the people you live with; as long as it is bearable to pass one another in the kitchen, you’re doing better than some. 4. Help is available. If things are becoming unbearable and communication has not only broken down but jumped off Vivian

tower, there are always people around to help. Welfare wardens are there to assist you with your problems, however small. If things are so bad that you don’t feel you can live with your housemates anymore, there are opportunities for students to be moved accommodation if welfare wardens feel it is also necessary. Hopefully this article will help calm you with first year flatmate frets. Remember that dealing with conflict is one hell of a skill to learn and is better to learn early on. There are resources out there for you to use if things disintegrate and things are never as bad as you first think. Most importantly, remember to have an amazing first, second and third year.

19 October 2015 waterfrontonline.co.uk

TV licensing: What’s the deal? A guide for freshers, returning students and their parents.

Moving into accommodation at university isn’t easy. We all get that. You’ve left the confines of your home to live among complete strangers, and instantly, you’ve become an adult. You’re now responsible for everything, from buying and cooking your own food to managing your money and student loans. But if you’ve got your own TV in your room, have you given the TV License much thought? It’s something you may have forgotten to look into and to find out more about, perhaps because you’ve just moved in and had to deal with so much. Well, we feel for you and are here to help. British law stipulates that you need a TV License if you’re watching or recording television programmes as they’re being shown on the TV. If you were caught without a license, you could end up being prosecuted or handed a fine of up to £1,000 - which are two outcomes you’ll want to avoid completely.

Are you covered? This is the question you should ask yourself if you do have your own TV, because, of course, you don’t want to end up getting in trouble. Generally speaking, if you’re living in halls, you’re not covered by a communal TV license. So don’t suppose you’re fine. Simply give TV Licensing (the go-to organisation for information about the license) to find out if you’re actually covered.

If you’re a student living in a shared house under a tenancy agreement, you’ll be happy to learn that only one TV Licence is required to cover all televisions and devices in the property. As well as this, if each student has a separate tenancy agreement and live television is only watched in a communal area, you’ll only need one license. The only time you’d need a single license is when you watch live television in your bedroom. Don’t be fooled that the TV license only applies to traditional televisions, though, because that’s not the case. A license is also a must if you’re to stream live TV on a mobile phone, a tablet, a games console, a laptop, or a PC. However, if you’re room is already covered, you’ll be OK. Just remember to check.

Different ways of paying As a student, you’re probably on a tight budget, which is why £145.50 in one go for a license can be daunting. However, TV Licensing does offer you the ability to pay for it in chunks. This can be be done via Direct Debit on a yearly, quarterly or monthly basis. It totally depends on what you feel most comfortable with; the most important thing is that you’re abiding by the law. What’s worth noting is that if you buy a TV license at the start of the academic year, you may be entitled to a three-month refund at the end of it - worth over £36. You only need to have three months left on your license and be leaving halls or other rented accommodation to move into a licensed address.

What do Swansea students think of the license? Jordon Trott, a second-year English student who lives in a house in the Uplands, is an advocate of the concept of the license. He said: “I am very pleased with The BBC’s quality and coverage. I believe it is crucial that the BBC remains impartial and that it is not influenced by shareholders or ratings. However, he does see some negatives here: “I do, however, believe the BBC should be more aggressive in obtaining sporting events. It’s an outrage that the Olympics will not be shown on BBC One following the 2020 Toyko Games. “And, as a student, it’s a disgrace that you are expected to fork out £145 to watch live television, especially when it pertains to shows such as The Ten O’clock news.” Ieuan Bater, a second-year business student, believes students should pay as a collective. He said: “I don’t think students should have to pay individually - they should either have to pay as a block (like my flat of 8 ) or a discounted rate of like £10 a year per person “As for families, I believe they should pay but the amount should go firstly BBC/S4C then towards all channels to some extent. It might be easier to charge families the money monthly/quarterly as part of their Sky/Virgin Media etc payment. This would mean less families pay but could be easier enforced.”

features

19 October 2015 waterfrontonline.co.uk

Welcome to the Hangover of Life! Your Students’ Union Welfare Officer, Lloyd Harris, takes a look at Mental Wealth and the stigma surrounding mental illness. The hype of Swansea Freshers’ fortnight has long come to an end. The nonstop socializing, boozing and relentless nights of partying are starting to feel like a distant memory as the hangover of life comes crashing down. So, what are you left with? Independent living, making friends for life, and of course, #noparents. However, you’re also facing deadlines, financial strain and quite possibly the highest levels of stress you’ve experienced to date. The Freshers’ fortnight is undoubtedly a rite of passage, but now that it’s all over, how do you cope with the trials and tribulations of #UNAY? University is guaranteed to change your life. Hopefully, the majority of these changes will be enjoyable, the best days of your life in fact, but don’t kid yourself; it’s all going to be hard work. Being a student in Swansea is all about trying to find the right balance between doing well in your studies and making the most out of the two drinks for two pounds in Tooters. Finding this balance between work and play can be quite a task to say the least. Handling stress, meeting and working with new people, performing presentations and maintaining relationships with family and old friends are just a few of the issues students face. So what happens when all of these things start to build up..?

Cold, hard facts

tal health. ) completed a study of students’ men

The National Union of Students (NUS Here is what they found:

ess. 20% of experienced feelings of mental distr v92% of respondents claimed to have lem. prob th heal tal men a students consider themselves to have rienced , is that 13% of students have expe The most alarming statistic, however stics stati nal natio by data from the office for suicidal thoughts. This is amplified des suici ent stud of ber num just four years, the that has highlighted that within mere 4% of a this, ite Desp . men in third a over has doubled in women and risen by ort for mental health issues. students are currently accessing supp tal health students who are suffering from men It’s fair to say that the number of Heavy this? ing caus be d coul t rise you? Wha problems is rising fast. Does this surp hips, tough ions relat , ness esick hom , fees on tuiti workloads, financial burdens, high job markets – take your pick! s are we talking about exactly?

So, what kind of mental health issue

What’s the stigma? “stig•ma” [stig-muh] - a mark of disgrace associated with a particula r circumstance, quality, or person.” Judging someone by the state of his or her mental health is never acceptab le. Whether it’s a direct comment or a subtle dig, your judgment can so easil y shatter someone’s self-confidence. Stigma can cause a lack of understa nding from friends and family, discrimin ation and bullying at university or work. Worst of all, it can lead to the belief that improving the situation is impo ssible. Nine out of ten people with men tal health problems say that stigm a and discrimination have a negative effec t on their lives. Having a mental heal th disorder really doesn’t mean you’ re crazy, but it does mean you need treatment. Similar to if you had a medical disease. Would you be afrai d of your family or friends judging you for having the flu? measles? cancer? No. So why would they think any less of you for having depression or anxiety?

Don’t call me crazy When you hear “mental illness”, what exactly com es to mind? Natalie Por portrayal of a ballerina’ tman’s s descent into madness ? How about the horrifi of Hannibal Lecter? And c habits the infamous Jigsaw fro m the ‘Saw’ films, he mu been “crazy”, right? st have When portraying menta l illness, the media usu ally hams it up. We mu this portrayal of menta st take l illness with a pinch of salt. TV programmes and are made to be much films more dangerous, drama tic, frightening and biz reality. There is also a lac arre than k of education about me ntal illness. Unfortunate are consequences of thi ly, there s. Inaccurate depictions and being poorly inform stigma and can be a bar ed fuel rier to people seeking hel p. We can all help to challen ge the stigma of menta l illness. Together, we can a mentally healthy com create munity that supports rec overy and social inclusion reducing discrimination. whilst Don’t label or judge peo ple with a mental illness them with respect and . Treat dignity, and show them the support you would receive yourself! wish to

It’s time to change

d groups in the country of the most marginalise e on are es ess people illn l nta Students with me more cities, with more re awareness events, in mo e hav we t tha l vita and it’s day. getting involved every n with the ds week, in collaboratio 19th, I ran a Student Min er rt (LGBT+ tob wa Oc of Ste ek ah we nn Ha the On le extra help from litt a h wit od and , iety ath s Officer), He er Wo Student Minds Soc (Students with Disabilitie len Pul e Elli ), ). cer cer Offi Offi Women’s ck Students usa Darko (NUS Wales Bla tackle (Women’s Officer) and Ako ntal health issues and me of s nes are aw e rais to s use wa Ho ek ton we Ful of the The aim of in the main foyer ing them. We were situated do ing as ll nd we rou as sur es, ma issu stig the erent mental health diff ut abo n atio rm info offering students activities! some fun and engaging

19 October 2015 waterfrontonline.co.uk

Drum roll, please…for Swansea Student Minds! The Student Minds society is run by students, for students, as a complement to the support services currently provided by the university. The group was designed to offer further support, providing a comfortable, non-judgmental environment for students who want to discuss personal issues. However big or small your problem, be it a bad exam result,

Get

know

your

Student

Minds

RHYDIAN: We want to raise awareness of the most

MIA: Hi, I’m Mia and I am the vice president of Student Minds.

LYDIA: I’m a second year Psychology student and Secretary

I am a second year psychology student, so I know about the many issues surrounding mental health and about the stigma surrounding the subject which I have learned from the experiences of my friends. I feel by drawing attention to the issues and educating people about different disorders that not only we can change people’s perspectives, but by doing this become a more aware and informed society. It is my hope that we as a society can make it easier for people to receive the necessary help and reduce the feeling of isolation that many people with mental disorders feel. We aim to do this by holding different events, such as the Student Minds week, throughout the year.

They work with Student Minds UK to promote positive well-being amongst students. As young adults we really need to be aware of our own well being as well as that of our friends and families. If mental health issues are not addressed properly during university, it could result in leaving unprepared for life after graduation.

team

KATE: Hello, I’m Kate, President of the Student Minds

Society and also a second year psychology student. I believe the current stigma surrounding mental health needs to be broken down and instead a more compassionate and accepting view is needed. As president, I’m hoping to try and break down this stigma through raising more awareness and providing more education on the issues students face. Additionally, I hope we can promote a general positive view of people’s well-being and create an environment whereby individuals feel they can seek help if they need it.

a fall out with your parents, or a serious anxiety attack, they are here to help you.

common mental health conditions that affect students, and to break down the stigma attached to these conditions. I personally have struggled with depression and anxiety throughout my time at university so I have first hand knowledge of how difficult it is to seek help and speak out over the social pressures students face, and the stigma attached to struggling. What we want to achieve as a society is to get as many students as possible to learn more about mental health and to trigger discussion around the topic.”

for Student Minds Society, so naturally mental wellbeing is high on my list of priorities. I find it odd how stigmatised mental illness can be—when you break an arm, do you walk around in pain until it cripples you? No. So it seems odd that we are almost expected to do the same with depression, anxiety, bipolar and the many other conditions we can suffer from. I want a world that allows someone to say “I have depression” without having to suffer alone or risk losing their job or credibility, and that’s why I’m dedicating not only my time but my career to the cause of ending stigma. Sometimes people just need a little help— let’s give it to them.

Find the society on Facebook: www.facebook.com/swanseastudentminds

From L-R: Mia Smith, Rhydian Morris, Kate McKeown and Lydia MacDonald

Student Minds Week

discriminate against the mentally ill. Talk openly of your own experiences of mental illness. The more open we can be, the more confident people will be when asking for help when they need it.

“Nearly all of the films I’ve watched with portrayals of mental illnesses in them are centered around violence and crime, and the outcome of the story is almost always negative.” Jess, 21

If you’d like to help out or campaign for this cause, please get in touch with the Student Minds society!

“When my close friend told me they thought they had an eating disorder, I didn’t know what to say. I was obviously supportive, but I didn’t know the best way to show this support.” Sarah, 19

What went on? The week was a massive success! On Monday, students wrote down a positive message, picked one up, and passed it to a friend. We got students to write down their anxieties on Tuesday, and then we tore them up! Students knowledge of schizophrenia was tested on Wednesday, where we gave students home made cakes for correct answers to questions. Thursday, students wrote down what they loved about their bodies. For the last day on Friday, we talked to students about general well-being tips, and provided free tea, coffee and hot chocolate!

Further to these fun activities, we also had some wonderful conversations with students, whilst also distributing a wide range of informative booklets/ leaflets/flyers, as well as useful workbooks.

How did it go down? Amazingly, every student we spoke to during the week was positive towards the cause. Breaking the stigma of mental health issues is something that many students are now trying to achieve. Conducting a campaign like this is so important because students need to know that Swansea University is a safe place to talk about mental health. It was also important to offer such useful workbooks and leaflets to students. Unfortunately, I don’t feel as though there’s enough support for students suffering with mental health in the UK. In Swansea University, we are

lucky to have a fantastic Wellbeing Centre. Highly trained and friendly staff continuously help our students every single day. Sometimes however, the waiting time to see someone in the Wellbeing centre can be quite lengthy, and I would like to see more resources given to the Wellbeing centre. I’m planning on running another campaign in collaboration with the Student Minds society early next year. Hopefully we’ll be able to help out some students suffering from exam stress!

You can help Learn about mental health and illness and share the knowledge! Get to know people with personal experiences of mental illness. Speak up when friends, family, colleagues or the media mock or

What do you think? “Uni life is hard! We’re expected to excel in our studies but I think most people overlook the difficulties we face whilst studying. My student loan came through very late this year which caused me a load of problems.” Richard, 20 “It’s absolutely terrible that student suicides are on the rise. Student’s should always have someone to talk to about their problems.” Emily, 23

“There needs to be more promotion for mental well-being. Students’ need to know that it’s okay to talk about their mental health.” James, 19 “You don’t need to be an expert Psychiatrist to help people. Everyone is capable of offering a hug and a nice cup of tea.” Sian, 21

features

19 October 2015 waterfrontonline.co.uk

Meet Your Union: Part Two

by Molly Dowrick

In the second part of our interviews, we speak to your Societies and Services officer and Womens officer. Sam Uche FTO, Societies & Services @SUSUSocieties

9) What’s your favourite food?

3) What’s the best part of your job?

Chicken and rice

The best part of my job is how many doors it’s opened. I’ve met so many people and I’m aware of so many campaigns and I have the chance to make a difference.

10) What’s your favourite film? I have two: 300 and Gladiator

11) If you were an animal, what would you be and why?

4) What issues/student improvements are you currently working on?

The ability to read people’s minds!

The campaigns I hope to work on: -bring self-defense classes to uni campus -to campaign for women’s mental health, working with Student Minds and Mental Health Week. -the “Free the Period” campaign -campaigns with the Disability and LGBT+ officers, particularly involving lighting up Singleton Park.

13) What’s one thing you can’t live without?

5) How can students get involved?

God

Students can get involved by emailing womensofficer@ swanseaunion.com or tweeting me @PTO_W_Officer.

14) Tell us something that might surprise us about you...

6) What’s your favourite place on campus?

1) What 3 words best describe you?

I’m a deep thinker, I think everywhere!

The second floor underground in the library, it’s quiet and secluded and lovely with all the old bookcases!

Fun, truthful, enthusiastic

Heather Wood, PTO, Women’s Officer @PTO_W_Officer

7) What’s your favourite place in Swansea?

A lion: I’m King of the Jungle!

12) If you could have any superpower what would you like to have?

2) What do you do for the Union/what’s your job? I’m the Societies and Services Officer, my job is to oversee all the societies and university services on campus, I’m involved in giving students opportunity to discover themselves through societies.

9) What’s your favourite food?

Being able to inspire and work with lots of different students.

Blue cheese salad

10) What’s your favourite film?

4) What issues/student improvements are you currently working on?

Miss Congeniality

Publicity for societies

11) If you were an animal, what would you be and why?

5) How can students get involved?

A big cat, I love them!

Facebook: Sam Societies, Twitter: @SUSUSocieties

Fusion café in Faraday building, I love to meet people there!

7) What’s your favourite place in Swansea? The Liberty Stadium!

8) What societies were/are you a member of? A whole lot!

8) What societies were/are you a member of? I’m the Secretary of the English Society and also a member of the archery, debating and feminist societies.

3) What’s the best part of your job?

6) What’s your favourite place on campus?

The LC2 spa!

1) What 3 words best describe you?

12) If you could have any superpower what would you like to have?

Organised, determined, good-listener

Either the ability to mind read or the superpower to stop time.

2) What do you do for the Union/what’s your job?

13) What’s one thing you can’t live without?

I run women’s campaigns to ensure that any problem that the female population of university has can be dealt with, to make a positive impact on the university campus. Through my role I am able to work with loads of different committee, including the Zero Harrassment Board and and the Executive Committee for the Union.

My mac: it has everything I need!

14) Tell us something that might surprise us about you... I’m a gigantic animal lover.

culture

19 October 2015 waterfrontonline.co.uk

Focus on: Taliesin Arts Centre

Taliesin Arts Centre is your on campus arts hub, providing a range of films, live performances and live stream broadcasts to suit everyone. Live music events include jazz, world music, folk and contemporary music. Taliesin also offers top quality drama and international dance performances. Live stream of the best plays, operas and ballets are now a feature at Taliesin, broadcast from National Theatre. Royal Opera House and Royal Shakespeare Company among others...

Great ticket deals for Swansea University students! See films for only £6 a ticket. If 8 or more book together, it is only £5.40! See live drama, dance and music for only £3 a ticket (£5 if buying a ticket at the door on the night). See live streams from the major theatres for only £5 (less than half price).

What’s coming up at Taliesin?

both the Welsh language and the language of the Ghazal both evolved from Sanskrit.

November is a great month for live music – Welsh/Indian fusion from Ghazalaw, rousing folk from Calan, a young Welsh band, and something really different – a classic silent documentary accompanied by Harmonie Band live on stage. You won’t see such a broad range of music of this standard and originality anywhere else in Swansea, or in South Wales for that matter. You should make the most of it!

Ghazalaw will be joined by BBC Horizons artist of the year Kizzy Crawford as support.

Sunday 8 November 7.30pm

Thursday 12 November 7.30pm

Don’t forget, you must produce your student card to get the discount. Pop in and pick up a brochure (we are opposite the library) or visit the website at www.taliesinartscentre.co.uk You can also Like our Facebook fanpage or follow us on Twitter

/taliesinfanpage

@talieisinswansea

Tuesday 24 November 7.30pm

“Real talent”HUW STEPHENS BBC Radio 1 about Kizzy Crawford “Ghazalaw is unique. It’s the inarticulate speech of the heart, voiced across cultures, continents and ages. It’s a record from the past, for the future.”ANDY MORGAN

Man With a Movie Camera (U) Score written by Paul Robinson and performed live by Harmonie Band

Ghazalaw

Calan - TAITH! Calan Winter Tour

Tauseef Akhtar Vocal & Harmonium Gwyneth Glyn Vocal & Guitar Georgia Ruth Williams Harp & Backing Vocals Ashish Jha Tabla Sanjoy Das Guitar Manas Kumar Violin With support from Kizzy Crawford

Fiddles, guitar, accordion, bagpipes and step dancing explode into life as Calan perform songs and tunes from their new album, Dinas. Infectious guitar rhythms and high voltage routines give way to beautiful and haunting songs. Amongst the traditional Welsh melodies and brand new original material, they breathe fire into the folk tale of Merlin and The Two Dragons: A song that tells the story of why there is a dragon on the Welsh flag.

The sublime sounds of India and Wales combine in this unique and exquisite collaboration that brings together the Indian Ghazal and Welsh folk traditions. The 6-piece Ghazalaw is led by Mumbai-based Tauseef Akht and singer-songwriter Gwyneth Glyn from Cricieth, North Wales. Together, they weave the love poetry of their two ancient traditions.

Calan visit Swansea on their extensive tour of the UK, USA and Canada.

At first glance, India and Wales might seem to be distant relations, but dig a little deeper and we discover that Welsh folk and Indian Ghazal traditions evolve from ancient poetic forms which share surprising affinities. There is a strong historic linguistic link, as

“…there’s nowt as dear as folk – especially when played with the grace, daring and sheer joy this multi- instrumental five-piece bring to a winning selection of reels, jigs and hornpipes.” THE DAILY MIRROR “Calan have it all. Energy, attitude, freshness, a sense of fun and above all real talent.”FRANK HENNESSY BBC WALES

Considered one of the most innovative and influential films of the silent era, Dziga Vertov’s Man with a Movie Camera, is markedly modern. Depicting life in 1929 Moscow, Kiev and Odessa for the working class, the film reveals the cogs that allow these bustling cities to survive. Vertov’s stunning cinematography takes on more drama with a live musical accompaniment by Paul Robinson’s HarmonieBand, a six-piece ensemble of multi instrumentalists specialising in presenting especially composed scores for silent film.

Other live events and films at Taliesin On 5th November, we have Land of Our Fathers, a powerful play about six trapped Welsh miners. The following night brings The Falcon’s Malteser, a comic play which took the Edinburgh Fringe by storm. Hamlet, with Benedict Cumberbatch is broadcast from National Theatre on 7 November. Films this month include the documentary We are Many (12A) on 4 November, Macbeth (15) with Michael Fassbender on 16/17 November, and The Martian (12A), starring Matt Damon on 23 November.

music text

with Gareth Matson

Music for Autumn months

19 October 2015 waterfrontonline.co.uk

by Harry Ballmann & Gareth Matson

waterfrontliberation@swansea-union.co.uk

Autumn is synonymous with toffee apples, crunchy leaves, woollen jumpers and freezing your nips off in the queue for Sin City. But, unlike summer, it doesn’t have its share of music festivals creating the ‘ultimate summer soundtrack’. So here are a few albums which define autumn for us: If You Wait by London Grammar: This album is atmospheric and mellow, and by far a favourite autumnal album. The guitar sound is reminiscent of The XX, but put together with a larger range of percussion and piano. If You Wait is a unique album, capable of being a quiet background listening album, or a powerful and gripping album.

Trouble Will Find Me by The National: An album made for staring through the condensation of your window while your November assignments elude any fragment of concentration. The baritone vocals paired with the subtle string and brass arrangements bring a brilliantly atmospheric album of content gloom.

Portraits by Maribou State: Maribou State are yet to make an impact on the music industry but Portraits is certainly an album worth listening too. Portraits is certainly an album worth listening too With an electronic edge and a range of sounds, it offers a different direction to the other autumnal albums.

Peanut Butter Blues and Melancholy Jam by Ghostpoet: A hypnotising down-tempo trip hop album curating its way round tales of contemporary British suburban life. The ambient vibe successfully gives that early morning feeling, epitomised by ‘Survive It’.

Random Access Memories by Daft Punk: Random Access Memories is an album which is truly what you make of it. On the one hand, the funk groove of songs like Instant Crush gives a sense of relaxation, yet you can become fully immersed in songs like Give Life Back to Music and Contact; it proves to be an album of contrast.

Parachutes by Coldplay: Parachutes is as relaxing as it is rejuvenating. Coldplay’s simplicity of sound is what makes this album great, it is not complex, you can simply just listen and enjoy it. Yellow is after all the colour of autumn.

I Forget Where We Were by Ben Howard: Howard’s guitar sound is totally absorbing, especially in songs like The End of the Affair and Rivers in Your Mouth. The album is awash with emotion, illustrated by Howard’s thought provoking lyrics and melancholy vocals.

Veneer by Jose Gonzales: Veneer fits the mood perfectly; log fires and comfy armchairs come to mind when listening to this album. With songs such as Heartbeats and All You Deliver, Jose Gonzales truly shows the capacity to create a sound which defines easy listening.

My Head Is An Animal by Of Monsters and Men: My Head Is An Animal reminds me of being outside, exploring, and of nature in general. This is another easy listening album which boasts catchy and acoustic melodies, usually accompanied by a range of interesting and equally melodic vocals.

19 October 2015 waterfrontonline.co.uk

Album reviews Rudimental: We The Generation

By Gareth Matson

Rudimental are back with ‘We the Generation’, however it fails to reach the dizzying heights of their Mercury Prize nominated debut, ‘Home’. The formula hasn’t changed, but at times it fails to deliver anything substantial and falls flat, title track ‘We the Generation’ is guilty of this, the predictability almost leads to boredom. However this album has its moments, ‘Love ain’t Just a Word’ is a great example of when Rudimental get the balance right. Starting with a ska vibe in the vein of The Skints it soon shifts into a rousing drum and bass song which Rudimental are famed for, with help from Dizzee Rascal this track takes the album up a notch. ‘Rumour Mill’ gives a welcomed House beat with vocals from Will Heard, who is consistently brilliant in his tracks on this album. With a helping hand from the older generation, ‘We the Generation’ does finish on a high note, the late Bobby Womack is mixed into the track ‘New Day’, paired with a solid horn section and signature Rudimental beats, it’s everything this album should have been throughout. There are undoubtedly some great singles within this album, but as an entity, the album fails to keep the listener interested throughout. You can’t help but feel the band did themselves no favours by not releasing it in time for the summer, considering they are an award winning festival band, it would have made sense to capitalise on that and play to their strengths.

Bring Me The Horizon: That’s the Spirit

By Dan Roddy

Since their debut album in 2006, Bring Me The Horizon’s sound has been constantly evolving and changing. Their latest offering ‘That’s The Spirit’ has changed their heavy “deathcore” influences from their ‘Count Your Blessings’ tour into a radio friendly, critically acclaimed album, enabling them to reach number 1 in the UK albums chart. Building on 2013’s ‘Sempiternal’, the band’s new album mixes the bands rock origins with a newly found electronic tinge with similarities to that of Linkin Park and Korn. Songs such as ‘Throne’ and ‘True Friends’ have an almost NuMetal sound that seems to have won them many new fans. With so many stand out songs on the album it is easy to see why they no longer feel the need to play old material during their sets. ‘Avalanche’ is an instant sing along ballad that you can just picture being chanted by thousands of starry-eyed fans, pyro blasts accompanying the masses. The song ‘Oh No’ even features a saxophone. A saxophone? In a Bring Me The Horizon album? Next, you’ll be telling me that Macaulay Culkin has formed a Velvet Undergound cover act all about pizza…oh wait that’s true as well? This album is massive. The band are now huge. In the space of just a few years they have transformed themselves from social outcasts into one of the biggest modern rock bands. Bring Me The Horizon now have huge arena-friendly tracks and a lead singer who has enough charisma and charm to woo stadiums for many years to come; it appears then that they may be on to a winner here. The Sheffield band have well and truly arrived at the party and they are bringing their new pulsating sound with them. With a sub-headline spot at Reading and Leeds already under their belt, surely it is just a matter of time before the quintet start headlining the major festivals.

Noteworthy songs: Throne, Avalanche, True Friends

Thinking about your next student property?

Whether you’re looking for a one bedroom chill-pad just for you, or a massive house for you and all your mates, we give you the low down on the how to find the right property, plus the Top Ten tips to you need to read before you sign anything. There are two really important things to remember when it comes to looking for your student house... 1. Don’t panic! There is a surplus of

student housing in Swansea and so you don’t need to rush your housing search.

2. Ask for help. Housing can be a

complicated thing. Pick up a copy of your Students’ Union Housing Guide which will be available to you in the next fortnight. Also, the Advice and Support Centre can give you free and confidential advice.

On Singleton: You can find them on the

ground floor of Fulton House, just behind Costcutter and next to the stairs.

On Bay: They’re in the Bay Library every Friday between 10am and 3pm Email: advice@Swansea-union.co.uk Tel: 01792 295 821

When it comes to looking for housing, you have a few options to choose from, and these are; • • • •

SAS managed property SAS tenant find property Studentpad property Private landlord / letting agency property Student Accommodation Services, also known as SAS Lettings, is a joint venture between Residential Services and your Students’ Union, set up to offer you good quality houses to live in and help you find suitable accommodation in the private sector.

OPTIONS SAS Managed Property In an SAS managed property, SAS administer your tenancy and collect your rent as well as looking after your property whilst you’re living there. All communications are with SAS, so you have the security and reassurance of dealing directly with the University and not private landlords. SAS manage over 130 properties in popular student areas such as Brynmill, Uplands, Sketty, City Centre, Sandfields and the Marina. The property sizes vary from houses with 1 – 8 bedrooms for you to choose from. Living in one of these managed properties will give you the independence of living in a rented house as well as the following advantages that you wouldn’t normally get when renting with a local landlord or letting agency:

•

You pay termly, not monthly, via direct debit with the University • Your termly payment amounts are set up for you, you just complete a direct debit with your bank details • You don’t pay a damage deposit on top of your rent. You just pay a reservation deposit to accept your room (like students in university residences) and SAS discount your last term’s rent

•

You sign an individual licence agreement so you’re only responsible for your rent • You pay what it’s worth! SAS price band our managed properties based on their quality • You don’t pay agency / flat-finding fees • You get contents insurance included • You have a cooling off period until the end of January and cancel your contract without any financial penalty • You don’t need to find a replacement if one of your group pulls out - if there’s a change of circumstances within your group, you don’t need to do anything, SAS will take care of things.

SAS Tenant Find Property SAS tenant find properties are managed by the landlord, not SAS. With the tenant find service, SAS organise house viewings, set up your tenancy/contract and take the first rent payment (usually summer retainer) for the landlord. They then pass everything over to the landlord to deal directly with you and your housemates. However, SAS still provide a level of service which means there are advantages that you wouldn’t get when renting directly with a private landlord:

•

Your landlord has signed up to the ‘Tenant Find Charter’committing to specific responsibilities • Your utility/energy bills will be set up in your name by your landlord before you arrive • Your property will be professionally cleaned before you move in • Your landlord must respond to maintenance issues within a reasonable time • You’ll have a 24 hour contact number from your landlord in case of emergencies

Studentpad Property Private landlords advertise their properties on the Studentpad housing website. You can search for a suitable house on Studentpad by type, size, road name or price and look at property photos. You can email details to friends and favourite properties for comparison. There are loads of houses to choose from and new ones are added regularly. To register with Studentpad, landlord properties must adhere to Swansea Council’s Licensing Scheme which includes:

•

A property assessment for fire safety, gas and electrical safety • Meeting standards for the amenities, repair and maintenance • Landlord agrees to manage property responsibly It is important to note that SAS do not visit or inspect Studentpad properties

Private landlord / letting agency There are many letting agencies in Swansea that target the student housing market. If you do decide to go to one of the agencies, please consider the following:

•

Some agents arrange initial letting only whilst others manage the property throughout the tenancy. • If you have decided to go to an agency they may charge fees for administration and credit reference checks.

LOCATIONS

smaller properties – many 2 and 3 bedroom properties.

Brynmill & Uplands

Sketty

These are very popular student areas close to the Singleton Park Campus (between 5-15 minute walk) and local facilities, including pubs, shops and takeaways. Accommodation is mainly flats and shared houses that have at least five bedrooms.

Sandfields

A popular area for students that is closer to the City Centre and slightly further from the Singleton Park Campus, about a 15-20 minute walk. Accommodation tends to be slightly

•

Fees may be expensive and nonrefundable – you can’t get your money back if you change your mind about the accommodation. • Make sure any fees are clearly explained before you sign anything • You should only be charged fees after you apply to take a specific property As a rule the University does not recommend using letting agents.

SUPPORT Here are some brief things for your consideration:

When to look: With a surplus of housing

for students in Swansea, you don’t need to rush into the process: SAS managed properties are advertised on Studentpad from 1st November Tenant find properties are advertised on Studentpad from early January Private landlord properties are advertised on Studentpad from February

Who to live with: Choosing who you

want to live with can be hard. Think about interests and lifestyle; are your potential housemates vegetarians, smokers, tidy, quiet, late night people or early risers? Think very carefully about living with your partner – it can put a lot of pressure on you, your partner and your housemates.

Rent amount: The average rents are

between £60 and £75, usually excluding bills. It’s worth talking to every member of your group about maximum rent budget before you start looking as there’s no point

This is also a popular area for students close to Uplands – you can walk through the park to get to the Singleton Park Campus. Good facilities including pubs, shops, takeaways. Accommodation is mostly 4 and 5 bedroom properties.

Marina

Accommodation in the Marina area tends to be of an exceptionally high standard, comprising purpose built luxury flats that some students are viewing properties outside their means. Bear in mind extra costs such as utility bills, internet, food etc.

Deposit: A damage deposit is usually

paid when signing a tenancy/contract. The deposit is the landlord’s insurance against you causing damage to the property, unpaid rent, missing items and/ or cleaning. If you are signing an Assured Shorthold tenancy/contract, your deposit should be protected with a government authorised protection scheme within 30 days of paying the deposit

THE TOP TEN TIPS BEFORE SIGNING 1. Be sure

Think carefully before signing as once a contract is signed it will be difficult to get out of it if you change your mind. Make sure you’re 100% clear about the terms of the contract.

2. Be nosy

Ask the landlord/letting agent all the questions you can think of about the property and the tenancy. Find out if bills are included. Ask the current tenants how they enjoyed living in the house / area and what the landlord is like regarding maintenance / repairs.

3. Be safe

Don’t go to viewings alone. This is not only for your personal safety, but a second opinion is always useful. If you’re part of a group, make sure everyone views the property and agrees it’s suitable before signing contracts or paying deposits/fees.

attracted to. There is a choice of 1 and 2 bedroom properties, with many 2 bedroom including en suite bathrooms. It’s approximately a 25 minute walk to the Singleton Park Campus. Average rents are between £600 per month for 1 bedroom flat and £750 per month for 2 bedroom flats.

St Thomas

Properties in St Thomas are best suited for students studying at the Bay Campus. Close to the city centre there is an abundance of local shops and amenities.

4. Be thorough

Take your time; look everywhere. You’ll be less likely to miss important things and be able to compare properties more objectively.

5. Be observant

Look out for the condition of the property and furniture and pay particular attention to safety features.

6. Be realistic

Don’t take on more than you can afford: set a realistic budget and stick to it. Remember to factor in utility bills, TV licence, contents insurance, food and other living costs.

7. Be equipped

Take photos to help you remember which house was which. If you’re looking at several properties they can become a bit of a blur. If taking photos, check the current tenants are happy for you to do so.

8. Be organised

When you start looking, make sure you’ve got the means to pay your deposit as this is required by SAS and all landlords / agencies.

9. Be informed

Make sure you know your rights. If you need advice contact the Students’ Union Advice and Support Centre.

10. Be on the ball

Keep an eye out for repairs and ask if the landlord intends to get them fixed. If you decide to take the property get it noted in writing that any agreed repairs or improvement works will be done before you move in.

Featured Property

FLEET STREET

BED 3 bedroom house in Sandfields - close to local amenities & city centre

A AS GW

Property comprises 3 double bedrooms, living room, kitchen, bathroom.

HA U LL

E T Y M Y FY

Properties available for the next academic year

Studentpad Ref

SWP543301

VICTORIA AVENUE

Rent (Per Person)

£83-84

BED

Sandfields area - close to local amenities and the University. 4 double bedrooms, large kitchen with dining table & chairs, good size living room, bathroom with bath and sep large walk in shower, rear enclosed garden.

Our properties are

ALL INCLUSIVE

Student Accommodation Services (SAS) is a joint venture between Residential Services and the Students' Union aimed at assisting students looking for accommodation in the private sector. We can help you find the right accommodation through a service you can trust.

Studentpad Ref

SWP511155

VINCENT STREET

Individual contracts

£81-84

BED

Sandfields area - close to local amenities and the University. Property comprises 3 double bedrooms, good size new kitchen, good size living room, bathroom with shower over bath, rear enclosed garden. Studentpad Ref

SWP511157

No damage deposit Termly Rents

Rent (Per Person)

OXFORD STREET

Rent (Per Person)

£83-84

BED

Sandfields area - close to local amenities and the University. Property comprises 4

No agency fees! Personal contents insurance provided

double bedrooms, large kitchen, large living room, bathroom with shower over bath, rear enclosed garden. Studentpad Ref

SWP511139

Rent (Per Person)

£83-84

All properties are available to view on Studentpad – www.swanseastudentpad.co.uk. Any queries please email us on sas@swansea.ac.uk or phone us on 01792 295 101. Alternatively pop into our office situated in the ground floor of Penmaen Residence.

Featured Property

BRUNSWICK STREET

BED

ARGYLE STREET

BED

A 3 Storey House comprising of 8 bedrooms, 2 kitchens, 2 shower rooms - 1 new 2009. other new 2012, sep. wc, large living room. Property is available for between 6-8 students.

7 bedroomed 3 storey property large new kitchen, bathroom with WC, 3 shower rooms -1 with WC, sitting room with new leather sofas. All bedrooms have double beds, new laminate flooring and sinks.

Studentpad Ref

SWP3932

Rent (Per Person)

£77-81

ARGYLE STREET

BED

Sandfields area - close to local amenities and the University. Property comprises 4 double bedrooms, large kitchen, good size living room, bathroom with shower over

Studentpad Ref

SWP3937

OXFORD STREET

Rent (Per Person)

£83-84

BED

bath, rear enclosed garden. Studentpad Ref

SWP511107

Rent (Per Person)

£83-84

BRUNSWICK STREET

BED

2 bedroom first & second floor flat

Good location close to local amenities & city

comprising 2 double bedrooms, good size

centre. 6 double bedrooms, large kitchen

kitchen, shower room. small living room/

with dining table and chairs, good size

dining room.

living room, 1 bathroom, 1 shower room, enclosed back garden.

Studentpad Ref

SWP4027

BEACH STREET

Rent (Per Person)

£88

BED

Studentpad Ref

SWP542947

Rent (Per Person)

£82-84

RHYDDINGS PARK RD

BED

Recently renovated, redecorated and

3 double bedrooms, large kitchen, living

furnished throughout to a very high

room, utility room, bathroom with bath and

standard. Property comprises 5 double

separate shower, rear enclosed garden.

bedrooms, 2 shower rooms, kitchen and living room. Studentpad Ref

SWP508384

RODNEY STREET

Rent (Per Person)

£87-89

BED

centre. Comprises 4 double bedrooms, 1 single, large kitchen with table and chairs, good size living room, 1 bathroom, 1 shower room. SWP11131

SWP3958

Rent (Per Person)

£85-86

Good location for both University and town

Studentpad Ref

Our properties are

ALL INCLUSIVE

Rent (Per Person)

£75-85

Featured Property

EATON CRESCENT

BED

ST HELENS AVENUE

Studentpad Ref

SWP11126

Studentpad Ref

SWP510846

MARLBOROUGH RD

Studentpad Ref

SWP4045

SWP3969

KING EDWARD ROAD

Recently renovated and redecorated throughout. Includes double beds in the bedrooms, large kitchen with table and chairs, living room, bathroom, rear off road

£87-89

BED

very high standard. 5 double bedrooms, 1 single, all new furniture, good sized kitchen, large living room, 2 shower rooms, 2 sep WC rooms. Studentpad Ref

SWP11043

£83

BED

Rent (Per Person)

Recently renovated and refurbished to a

Rent (Per Person)

BED

BEECHWOOD ROAD

Lower Ground floor flat comprising of 2 good sized double bedrooms, kitchen/ diner, shower room, enclosed rear garden. Bedrooms have new carpets and some new furniture. Studentpad Ref

£87-89

House in the heart of Brynmill - property recently renovated and redecorated to high standard. comprises 5 double bedrooms, kitchen, living room, shower room and sep wc room, rear enclosed garden.

£85-96

BED

Rent (Per Person)

ST HELENS AVENUE

Rent (Per Person)

BED

Excellent location close to University and local amenities. 4 double bedrooms, living room with plasma tv, good size kitchen, ground floor bathroom with bath, separate shower and WC and upstairs shower room with shower and WC, rear enclosed garden.

6 bedroom property renovated & redecorated throughout to a very high standard. Property includes 6 double bedrooms (2 ensuite), large kitchen with dining table and chairs with doors out onto decked area, large living room, 1 bathroom, 1 shower room, slabbed back garden.

Featured Property

Rent (Per Person)

£80-90

RHYDDINGS PARK ROAD

BED House in the heart of Brynmill

parking. Finished to a very high standard. Studentpad Ref

SWP4010

CATHERINE STREET

Rent (Per Person)

£88-89

BED

Property currently being renovated, redecorated and furnished throughout to high standard. Property will comprise 3 double bedrooms, good size living room, new small kitchen with washer-dryer, new shower room, rear patio. Studentpad Ref

SWP553155

Rent (Per Person)

£87-90

Comprising 5 double bedrooms, living room, Kitchen and 2 Shower rooms. Property recently renovated and redecorated throughout to very high standard.

Studentpad Ref

SWP15923

Rent (Per Person)

£88-99

Featured Property

HAFAN PLENTYN FLAT 4

BED

GLANMOR ROAD

Large living room, 2 kitchens both with dining tables, 3 shower rooms - 2 with wc. Property to have double beds put in 6 bedrooms over the summer, as well as laminate flooring in all bedrooms.

4 bedroom flat in complex of flats renovated to very high standard.

Studentpad Ref

Flat comprises 4 double bedrooms, large kitchen & living room, bathroom with bath & sep shower, sep WC room, off road parking there are also 2 communal rooms that each flat has access to. 1 comprises a pool table, plasma tv, seating and the other is bike storage room. Studentpad Ref

SWP11046

SWP3945

BED

£83-84

BED

Excellent location close to University and local amenities. 6 double bedrooms, good size living room, kitchen, bathroom with bath and WC, separate shower room, sep WC room, rear enclosed patio back garden. Studentpad Ref

£90

LANGLAND TERRACE

Rent (Per Person)

ST ALBANS ROAD

Rent (Per Person)

BED

SWP510847

Rent (Per Person)

£87-90

UPLANDS CRESCENT

BED

Right next to Singleton Park and thus very

3 Storey mid terraced house in excellent

close to Swansea University. Comprises 2

location. 8 double bedrooms (new beds put

kitchens with dining table and chairs, living

in last summer), 2 kitchens, large sitting

room, 2 shower rooms - 1 with WC, separate

room, 2 shower rooms, utility room. Off

WC room. Double beds in all rooms.

road parking for around 4 cars.

Studentpad Ref

SWP3999

BED

Brand new property recently renovated, redecorated and will be furnished throughout to very high standard. Superb location close to the University. All double bedrooms, living room, kitchen & bathroom. Studentpad Ref

SWP3968

£83

LANGLAND TERRACE

SWP538275

Studentpad Ref

Rent (Per Person)

£86-91

PINEWOOD ROAD

BED

Featured Property

GLANBRYDAN AVENUE

Rent (Per Person)

£83-84

BED

Recently renovated and redecorated completely throughout to a very high standard. Property comprises 6 double bedrooms, large kitchen, living room, 2 shower rooms.

Excellent location in Uplands. Completely renovated to a very high standard. Property comprises 6 double bedrooms, 2 kitchens, good size living room, 3 shower rooms, patio back garden. Studentpad Ref

SWP13870

Rent (Per Person)

£88-89

Studentpad Ref

SWP11041

Rent (Per Person)

£88-89

Featured Property

ELBA CRESENT

BED

YSGOL STREET

BED

Excellent location in Port Tennant close to bay campus. Property renovated, redecorated and furnished throughout to a very high standard. 4 double bedrooms, large new kitchen, good size living room, new shower room, patio back garden.

4 bedroom property in superb location directly opposite the Bay Campus

Studentpad Ref

Property has large open planned kitchen with dining table and chairs, living room, new shower room and all new furniture including all double or 3/4 beds, rear enclosed garden.

Studentpad Ref

SWP549577

UPTON TERRACE

Studentpad Ref

£86-90

BED

SWP4188912

Studentpad Ref

BRYN ROAD

Ground floor flat comprising of 2 large double bedrooms, good sized kitchen/ diner with soft seating, shower room with separate w.c. Off road parking bay at the back of the property. Studentpad Ref

SWP3971

PHILLIPS PARADE

SWP29389

Rent (Per Person)

£82-91

Studentpad Ref

Featured Property

Rent (Per Person)

£86-90

MIERS STREET

BED Property in the Port Tennant area of Swansea, close to the City Centre

Rent (Per Person)

£83

Property comprises 4 double bedrooms, kitchen, living room, bathroom.

BED

Property recently refurbished & redecorated throughout to a very high standard. 6 double bedrooms, large kitchen with dining table & chairs, living room with plasma tv, 2 shower rooms - 1 with WC, separate WC room, enclosed back garden. Studentpad Ref

BED

SWP559371

£82-84

BED

Excellent location in St Thomas close to the city centre & bay campus. Property renovated, furnished throughout to a very high standard. 5 double bedrooms, new kitchen, living room, new ground & first floor shower room, patio back garden.t

Rent (Per Person)

£87-90

MIERS STREET

Excellent location close to the University. Property comprises all double beds, living room with plasma tv, large kitchen, 2 bathrooms, off road parking for around 4-5 cars.

SWP543298

Rent (Per Person)

Recently renovated, redecorated and furnished throughout to a very high standard. Large open planned kitchen & living room with patio doors out to garden, patio area, 6 double bedrooms (1 ensuite), 2 shower rooms. Off road parking available.

Rent (Per Person)

BRYN ROAD

SWP555610

Rent (Per Person)

£83-87

Studentpad Ref

SWP543305

Rent (Per Person)

£88-90

Featured Property

PORT TENNANT ROAD

BED

PORT TENNANT RD

the City Centre. Renovated, redecorated & furnished throughout to a high standard. Property comprises 6 double bedrooms (1 ensuite), kitchen, living room, 2 shower rooms. Studentpad Ref

Property renovated, redecorated and furnished throughout to a high standard. Property comprises 6 double bedrooms (1 ensuite), kitchen, living room, 2 shower rooms.

Studentpad Ref

BED

Port Tennant area of Swansea, close to

6 bedroom property in Port Tennant close to the City Centre

SWP543307

Rent (Per Person)

£88-99

SWP543306

DANYGRAIG ROAD

Rent (Per Person)

£88-99

BED

Excellent location in Port Tennant close to bay campus. Property will be renovated, redecorated and furnished throughout to a very high standard. 4 double bedrooms, new open planned kitchen-living room, new shower room, patio back garden. Studentpad Ref

SWP559369

Rent (Per Person)

£87-89

Our properties are

ALL INCLUSIVE A AS GW

HA U LL

E T Y M Y FY

19 October 2015 waterfrontonline.co.uk

film

with Joshua Vaughan

The Martian: One For The Awards? Ridley Scott’s newest masterpiece The Martian is not only an instant classic of the Sci-Fi/Comedy/Thriller/DIY genre; it blends together nostalgia, reality and the futurism in such a way that you are left wanting to double your money and instantly see it again. The only thing more impressive than Scott’s intricate stitching of what we see on screen is the amount of detail and effort which has clearly been planted into The Martian by the teams in charge of screenwriting, timemanagement and visual effects. The Martian may just be the best film of 2015 (pending Star Wars Episode VII), so let’s spend some time appreciating this beauty in all its glory. The Martian follows astronaut/”greatest-botanist-on-Mars” Mark Watney (Matt Damon) in his quest for survival after being left stranded on the Red Planet by his crew (Jessica Chastain, Kate Mara, Michael Peña among others) during a life threatening sand-storm. Only after they leave is it apparent that Watney (Damon) is still alive, and in a race against time and a lack of supplies attempt to rescue him before the clock runs out.

THE SCORE IS REMINISCENT OF GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2014), IN THAT IT CAN BRING THOSE RETRO 70’S AND 80’S TUNES TO LIFE (THUS MAKING ABBA COOL AGAIN), WITHOUT MISSING A BEAT IN MAINTAINING THE REALISM IT THRIVES FROM.

admire. The score is reminiscent of Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), in that it can bring those retro 70’s and 80’s tunes to life (thus making ABBA cool again), without missing a beat in maintaining the realism it thrives from. The cast work together to perfection; their subtle interactions of both love and disdain work extremely well, as they aren’t forced or understated enough to make the film laughable or boring. You actually believe that they are coworkers, and the subtlety and lack of expression really makes the plot flow towards the film’s climactic third act.

Ridley Scott

There are plenty of things to love about a film like The Martian. The surrounding shots of Space and Mars really rival that of Gravity (2013), without having inconceivable plot-holes to spin the film into action (a la Gravity), which is something Space-nuts or realism-nerds will strongly

Of course, there are always things wrong with a movie, but these things are minor. The sand-storm which spins the film into motion is truly overblown, and the crisis could’ve taken a different, more believable, form. Also, just as Jar Jar Binks was comic relief for Star Wars, so is Donald Glover’s character Rich Purnell for The Martian. Although he eventually saves the day and, more specifically, Matt Damon’s life, he is both annoying and over-simplified. A luke-warm character surrounded by those grounded in realism and depth is easy to spot, and it is found in Glover’s unfortunate sideliner. I know it is Halloween. I know there are scary films coming out. However, when a film like this comes to theatres, it is not to be ignored. If you get a free day, go give this one a watch. You will not be disappointed.

19 October 2015 waterfrontonline.co.uk

Swansea University Short Film Competition We are currently running a short film competition at the university and inviting you to take part. The competition is in partnership with London based company Great Worqs, who have been working with the Union Collective, a Students’ Union initiative to support entrepreneurial students, as well as University departments involved in careers and employability. Great Worqs is a platform for filmmakers to showcase and distribute films to a dedicated audience. Great Worqs started in early 2015 and has since attracted an abundance of filmmakers of all levels (from Bafta and Sundance Winners to student filmmakers). To sign up to the competition and host your content on the Great Worqs platform it is all FREE.

Submission process: • Firstly head over to the Great Worqs sign up page and create a profile. • Secondly head over to the submission page and submit your film

putting at the top of the description “Swansea University Short

Film Competition”.

• Once your film has been uploaded to the platform, students who

have signed up to support you will be able to check out your film on

the platform.

How will films be judged? This competition is an online short film competition and film engagement in regards to the competition related will be analyzed on the 1st February. The top 5 films will be selected and announced on the 1st February in accordance to how the films were rated on the platform by your fellow students and members of the Great Worqs film community. The top 5 films will be judged and a winner will be announced.

Entry Requirements: • Swansea University staff member or student. • Film must have been created in the last 2 years. • Film must be less than 20 minutes long.

Extra Information: To increase your chances of winning the competition, it would be a good idea to have your friends watching and rating your content. If you later decide to release your feature film via Great Worqs the majority of the royalties made from film sales will go back to you (The Creative!).

19 October 2015 waterfrontonline.co.uk

fashion

with Shona Johnson

Fashion and Racial Diversity Consumers of fashion come in many different sizes and come from all sorts of different racial backgrounds, but the face marketed to us as the most beautiful usually adheres to the same euro-centric ideal. The fashion industry operates within a culture that still has a race issue, so it’s no surprise that the industry has an issue with positive representation and racial diversity. Despite the ‘post-racial’ cultural myth in today’s society, we are a long way off from equality. Racism doesn’t have to take the form of obvious hateful discrimination; it also exists as an implicit bias that affects many industries and institutions, and as a result, the lives of many people. Fashion deals in the business of beauty and beauty is subjective, but for an industry that is defined by constantly looking to the future, why are its beauty standards so archaic? Fashion is often about luxury, beauty and exclusivity, but this shouldn’t mean exclusion in terms of race. Italian global luxury brand Prada went 15 years between 1998 and 2013 without casting a single black model in any of its shows. White models dominate the runways every fashion week, consistently holding an 80% share of the catwalk each season, with numerous designers using only white models in their shows. Excluding women of colour from the runway implies that certain races aren’t beautiful enough for fashion; they’re not in style. These implications are then internalised by fashion consumers. Surely designers don’t want to promote such negative thinking. Model agent and activist Bethann Hardison has spoken about this issue at length: “This goes back to what young girls of colour will think when they constantly see it’s white, white, white, white.” Through lack of diverse racial representation in the media, young girls constantly receive a message stressing that only whiteness is fashionable, only whiteness is beautiful, only whiteness is worthy; this perpetuates a cycle of marginalization experienced by women of colour. With prestigious brands (perhaps unintentionally) implying only white women can be sophisticated and alluring, racism is becoming increasingly fashionable. Due to increased media coverage and public interest in fashion, runway shows are hyper-visual, they have become media events reported on television, online and in magazines. Images that were once exclusive to industry insiders are now broadcast into the public sphere, consequently affecting and influencing public consciousness. It’s no surprise

by Shauni Adekoya

be seen as racial discrimination, but in an industry governed by looks, it is excused. Although the public consciousness is arguably becoming more progressive and accepting, the fashion industry’s beauty standards remain set in stone. As the industry is now becoming increasingly accessible to a wide range of consumers; it has become increasingly exclusive in its aesthetics. Supermodel Naomi Campbell has also expressed her concerns: “There is still an issue of ignorance in our fashion world. They just don’t want to budge. They just don’t want to change their idea or be more open-minded, to just book a beautiful girl regardless of colour.” Unfortunately, despite many high profile models speaking out about this issue, this has not resulted in a significant rise in diversity on the runways or magazine covers. that an industry that trades in beauty and stresses the importance of the visual has problematic elements. International fashion companies that fail to present diverse runways are neglecting their responsibility to their global audiences. What’s more, the target customer of high fashion garments is no longer the only consumer of high fashion. Despite not buying the clothes or magazines; mainstream consumers are still exposed to the billboards, the perfume adverts, the marketing campaigns; you don’t have to be a dedicated follower of fashion to be exposed to and therefore influenced by it. Our media’s societal influence is so great at this point, rather than just reflecting culture, it also creates and normalises it. If media continues to perpetuate exclusive and unobtainable ideals, societal opinion will mirror them Although an all white cabine of models is often explained as accidental or pardoned as a coincidence, numerous models of colour who work in the industry have had direct encounters with racism: “I’ve had experience with people who did not want to work with me, because I was black” - Liya Kebede “A few times I got excused by designers who told me, ‘We already found one black girl. We don’t need you anymore.’ I felt very discouraged,”When someone tells you, ‘we don’t want you because we already have one of your kind, it’s really sad.” – Chanel Iman “We’re talking baby steps but it is ridiculous that in 2015 we are still ranting about this. It’s hard for black girls. A lot do give up.”– Jourdan Dunn In any other profession, denying someone a job based on the colour of their skin would

When discussing the problem with whitewashed runways, the issue of aesthetics always comes up. A common argument is that many designers prefer a homogenous runway, where all of the models look identical. It’s about showcasing the clothes, not the models. Models are not supposed to stand out in any way, as it would distract from the clothes. Russell Marsh, who casts for Prada, has said “It’s the clothes that take much more priority than the girl,” as justification for racial uniformity on the runway, “you ended up looking at the girls more than you looked at the collection.” This implies that because of the tone of their skin, women of colour would stand out too much from the white models, and this distraction justifies their exclusion. Judging by this logic wouldn’t designers also show all black runways or all Asian runways in equal measure season to season? Apparently, models are supposed to be clothes hangers that shouldn’t stand out, but what makes a black body stand out more than a white one? What makes white neutral and non-descript? The creative vision of certain designers gets mentioned a lot also, but is creativity beyond critique? Creativity does not exist in a cultural vacuum; we are all influenced by our surroundings, so what does it say about a creative director’s creative vision if they consistently create shows that exclude people of certain ethnic backgrounds, time and time again? Some designers feel that certain races just don’t ‘fit’ their brand’s style, but in a multicultural world we see many examples of ethnically diverse people, living a multitude of different lives and dressing in ways that suit their unique personalities. Anyone can be anything. Falling back on aesthetics is a tired excuse given by designers and casting directors who refuse to state their opinions publically but nevertheless

harbour prejudices behind closed doors that influence their aesthetic and casting decisions. So what is being done about this problem? In 2013, in order to combat the lack of racial variety in fashion; Bethann Hardison, along with supermodels Naomi Campbell and Iman collaborated to form The Diversity Coalition. Utilizing a direct approach, they published an open letter addressing the fashion councils of America, the UK, France and Italy on the issue of diversity, while also naming and shaming high profile designers who consistently used no models of colour. Their celebrity profiles created a media buzz that brought the subject of race on the runway back into the public consciousness. If the designers listed somehow were previously ignorant to how their alienating aesthetic was being received by women of colour, they were informed. Fashion houses such as Tom Ford, Balmain and Givenchy, who already had a diverse cabine of models, were highly praised and this went on to inspire change. Olivier Rousteing, creative director for Balmain said, “I’m proud today to speak about a world where you walk down the street and see so much diversity, different people, different colours, different races. It’s what I want to try to express in my catwalk, in my casting. All my girls, no matter their age, they can be mothers, they can be 20 years old, they can have different body shapes and be different colors. Asian, American, African, European — they are beautiful, strong women who are proud to be on the runway.” In order to create real change, it might be time for luxury fashion to start taking inspiration from the high street? Affordable brands like ASOS and H&M have been championing diversity, and their respect for their consumers creates a more inclusive shopping experience. The way that people consume fashion is changing. It is no longer just through luxury advertising campaigns, high end editorials or highly publicised runway shows, but also online through blogs and social media. Ethnically diverse street style bloggers have taken fashion into their own hands, broadcasting their beauty and creativity on a global scale, via the internet. Independently published diverse magazines like Hannah and Parallel Magazine are also stepping up to fill the void that that a lack of diversity creates within the industry. It seems like if the fashion industry magazines don’t evolve and adapt to this changing racial landscape, they will find that they, themselves are behind the times.

NEWS

waterfrontonline.co.uk

19 October 2015 waterfrontonline.co.uk

Inspiration on campus

In the last issue I spoke to Enfys Walker who shaved her head for personal liberation reasons. This week I spoke to Seeham Mohammed Zaman (a.k.a. Sam), who chopped off her curly locks for charity. What made you want to shave your head? “Both my grandmother and great grandmother sadly passed away due to cancer. I never actually knew my grandmother, but my family tells me that she was a really kind and lovely person who did a lot of charity work, which motivated me to do the same. Also, October is ‘National Breast Cancer Awareness Month’ so I wanted to get involved and do something for it as well.”

How do you feel now that you’ve done it? “I feel equally beautiful as I did before. My hair doesn’t define me as a person, it defines my physical appearance, but my personality and my attitude

defines me as a human. I feel that it’s important to be a good person. Although I felt a little awkward the first day, I went to a party and everyone was very supportive of my decision and it made me feel really good. I got a few negative comments but they didn’t bother me as much, because the positive comments outweighed the negative ones.”

Would you do it again? “I would definitely do it again as I have a soft spot not only for the people who are fighting cancer but other chronic diseases and disabilities. “

Would you encourage other people to do it? “I wouldn’t tell others that they need to shave their heads but I would definitely encourage them to do something for charity. Not everyone wants to shave their head - do what you’re comfortable with.”

19 October 2015 waterfrontonline.co.uk

societies text

with Molly Dowrick

SUCES take a trip to Skomer Island by Lucy Stoddart (President)

During the weekend of the 25th September a group of nine of us from the Conservation Ecology society visited Skomer Island off the Pembrokeshire coast. It was an exciting start to the trip when we woke up at 7am on the Friday morning to discover an Indian summer was forecast for the weekend ahead. We loaded our rucksacks and pre-bought food for the weekend (due to the absence of shops on the remote island) into two cars and set off to catch our 10am ferry. A short journey by the tiny ferry brought us to a small inlet where we were greeted by a

spectacular view of the island’s cliffs and a couple of grey seals, bobbing playfully in the water right beside us. Over the next couple of days we undertook a number of activities with our excellent guide Leighton Newman from the Wildlife Trust. We participated in reptile and amphibian surveys, cetacean and seal watches, daily bird counts, a butterfly transect and a moth trap as well as a small mammal live-trapping workshop. The mammal-trapping workshop taught us how to handle the charmingSkomer voles, endemic to the island and, if you were less fortunate, thefrisky field mice, which would more often than not try and scurry up your sleeve or down your top. Other highlights included watching the mass of manx shearwaters gliding over the seascape and the sound of seals singing in the coves at dusk. We would end each day in the hostel common room with a game of Pictionary and a mug of hot chocolate. After such a wonderful weekend away, it was difficult saying goodbye to the island, but if one thing is certain, we will be back – hopefully for the puffin colony in June! To get involved in other events like this and volunteering opportunities, please sign up at www.swansea-union.co.uk/activities/conservation_ecology/ and join our Facebook group at www.facebook.com/groups/SUCES/?fref=ts

Upcoming society events for your calendar IN SUPPORT OF:

Shoreline Theatre The first event Shoreline Theatre have coming up this year is their annual New Members’ Showcase, on the 5th November, in Divas at 7pm.The evening will include a series of short pieces performed by a selected few new members. The pieces are mainly written by members of the society and vary in genre and theme. *Shoreline Theatre would like to warn audiences that some of the pieces contain adult themes and strong language. Some of the stcenes may appear distressing.* Doors open at 6:30pm. Performance starts at 7pm. Member’s £1.50 & Non-Members £2.50.

Strictly Come Dancing SU Dance society presents Strictly Come Dancing. Monday 9th November. Entry is £3 in advance or £4 on the door Peppermint at 19:30, performance in Fiction at 21:30

19 October 2015 waterfrontonline.co.uk

Oktoberfest 2015 @ JC’s History Social Success By Jessica Rees (social secretary)

by Ellie Drainey (Secretary)

Oktoberfest, one of the biggest celebrations in Germany, has always been a popular event within the German Society at Swansea Uni and worldwide! This year the society welcomed over 100 people to JCs for an evening of German food, German beer, German music and fun!

The History Society has over 230 members from first years to final years, from undergraduates to postgraduates - not all of whom study history, but are just interested in the subject.

The German Society held an Oktoberfest in JCs on Thursday 22nd October. Oktoberfest is one of the biggest celebrations in Germany and is held annually in Munich, Bavaria. The very first Oktoberfest was held in 1810 to celebrate the marriage of King Ludwig I of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Sachsen-Hildburghausen and since then it has become a world-famous event. The German Society has celebrated Oktoberfest for the past couple of years and the committee this year wanted to continue this. We held the event in the coffee side of JCs which was decorated with huge German and Bavarian flags to really create the Oktoberfest festival ambiance in Swansea. JCs kindly imported German beer for the event: we had a light beer and two wheat beers on offer. There was also Bretzls and Bratwurst on sale, which are typical German light-bites. The evening was a real success with well over a hundred people turning up which was so much more than we ever anticipated. This caused the beer to run out far before everyone had had a chance to try some! The committee of the German Society and some guests dressed-up in Dirndls and Lederhosen which is traditional Bavarian costume that is normally worn at Oktoberfest and other big occasions. The committee put together a playlist of our favourite German songs to set the tone. Some of our favourites include Auf Uns by Andreas Bourani, Einmal um die Welt by Cro and Amerika by Rammstein. There was also live music performed by The Midweek Revival from the Live Music Society. We finished Oktoberfest the only way we saw fit, with the 1980s hit, 99 Luftballoons by Lena (some of you may know it as 99 Red Balloons!). The Committee are so pleased with the way the event turned out. It was a great evening and we would like to thank all of you who came and supported us.

Photography by Andy Pover & Swansea University Photography Society

Finding an event to satisfy all these members can be a challenge and so for our first event the society decided to try something a little bit different – inviting all our members to our sponsor bar for the year, Peppermint, and telling them to prepare for a surprise theme, which was revealed at the event. The theme was to zip tie a fresher to a senior, to bridge the gap that sometimes grows between to the two groups. This was something new to the society, as although we have a large range of socials and academic events, such as talks and workshops, this kind of social hadn’t been tried by the society before. Although this surprised a few of our members, the theme was a hit, with the society filling the whole of bar’s top floor! Both seniors and freshers really took to the idea, with the seniors making sure the freshers were given plenty of advice on partying as well as studying! Many joint honours members found the event particularly useful for finding others on the same course and getting to know them better in an informal setting. After about half an hour the zip ties were removed, but many of the pairings remained together getting to know each other better and introducing them to their friends. The night was hugely successful for the society and has hopefully set the tone for our members as to the fun we have planned for the rest of the year!

2AM Fri & Sat 4AM

10 Dilwyn Street, Swansea, SA1 4AE

01792 464 647

19 October 2015 waterfrontonline.co.uk

food text

with Sarah Harris

Festive food and drink ideas for Bonfire night Remember, remember the 5th November. Guy Fawkes Night, more commonly known as Bonfire Night. The one day of the year when the whole community comes together in unison…to burn stuff. Swansea’s renowned for its fireworks displays, be that the St Helen’s spectacular or a bonfire on

the beach, there’s no excuse not to be wrapped up warm, surrounded by good friends, all harmonizing with ‘ooohs’ and ‘aahhs’ as the night sky is lit up by vivid colours. So here’s a couple of recipes that can help ensure your Bonfire Night goes off with a bang. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.)

Food Hot dogs – Oddly enough bonfire night coincides with national sausage week, and if that’s not reason enough for you to celebrate with a banger I don’t know what is. Just spear them with a fork and hold them over the fire until cooked. Marshmallows - The ultimate fireside treat. Just spike the marshmallow onto a fork or long stick and hold it near the heat of the fire. Not only can these fluffy wonders be used as an individual treat, they’re also a vital ingredient in the classic American snack, s’mores. Just arrange a couple of toasted marshmallows and a square of chocolate between two digestive biscuits. An almost instant Bonfire night pudding. Popcorn - Place 2 tablespoons of both popcorn and vegetable oil onto a square of heavyduty tinfoil. Seal the edges to form a loose pouch, leaving room for the kernels to pop. Tie a corner of the pouch to a stick with a piece of string and shake over the fire until popped. You can even add a bit of spice to your snack by adding some cinnamon or paprika to the mix. Orange Blueberry muffins - Now for the pièce de résistance, this one may take a tad bit of preparation but believe me it’s worth it. Stir up a box of blueberry muffin mix according to the package directions. Cut an orange in half and scoop out all the orange flesh then fill one half of emptied orange with blueberry muffin mix. Cover the filled orange half with the empty orange half and then wrap in three layers of tinfoil. Now for the cooking. Just throw them in the fire. No, really. Literally toss them in the fire. The orange peel will insulate the muffin mix from burning. Keep turning the tinfoil balls over and over in the fire, every minute or so. It usually takes about 10 minutes. Once done, just take then off the bonfire, unwrap and eat with a spoon!

Drinks If venturing out into that cold and frosty night isn’t high up on your priorities then you can still celebrate in your own way. Bonfire night cocktails anyone?

Firework (Flaming Cocktail Drink)

Ingredients: 2 shots whiskey, sugar for sweetening, 1.5 oz boiled water, lemon garnish Method: Pour the whiskey, water, and sugar into a cup with a handle. Light the mixture carefully. Use another heat resistant cup and pour the contents back and forth into the cups, whilst alight, 3-4 times. Finally, pour the contents into another cup with the lemon peel and smother the flame. Down the drink in one go.

Burning Fawkes

Ingredients: 1 pint glass full of beer or lager, Amaretto, over proof rum or Sambuca Method: Fill a shot glass three quarters full with Amaretto, top off with Sambuca. Fill a 1 pint glass with lager. Set alight to the Sambuca shot glass and literally drop into the pint glass. Drink immediately.

Soaring Rocket

Ingredients: 2 Shots Bourbon ( or old Whiskey ), 1 shot Vodka, 1 oz orange juice, 1 oz sweet and sour mix. Method: Add all contents into a cocktail shaker with crushed ice and shake very well. Pour into a tall glass. Add orange slice and sparkler for decoration.

Dynamite (shot drink)

Ingredients: Jack Daniels, Sambuca Method: Pour 1 shot of Jack Daniels and 1 shot of Sambuca into a cocktail shaker. Add some ice and shake vigorously. Pour into shot glass and enjoy. *DISCLAIMER* Without sounding too ‘Health and Safety gone mad’ if you’re having a firework party please make sure the person setting light to stuff isn’t sozzled or they may get sizzled. There, risk assessment complete.

careers

19 October 2015 waterfrontonline.co.uk

Feature: Swansea Employability Academy Placement Case Study: Thomas Coleman

Thomas Coleman, a student at Swansea University shares his experiences of the Swansea Employability Academy. “Participating in the SPIN programme opened up many opportunities for me as an undergraduate at Swansea University. I completed a 6 week internship with the Student Mobility and Marketing teams of the School of Management where I executed duties in student recruitment marketing and business engagement; effectively undertaking B2B and B2C marketing simultaneously. I thoroughly enjoyed my position which spurred me on to pursue a career in Marketing. Since enrolling on the SEA Programmes, I have gone on to work in marketing driven positions in a variety of sectors including the third sector, technology, property, professional services, sport and finance. Having worked for some of Swansea’s most influential organisations, my roles have spun across the marketing spectrum including full mix, B2B, B2C, communications, strategy, public relations, sales, events, market research and brand management. I have left University with highly developed competencies a graduate would not usually be expected obtain until working in an entry level position for 1-2 years. This has placed me in great stead and I can gladly say I have achieved one of my ambitions pursuing a dual career in higher education and finance. The SEA played a key role in helping me to develop my employability to become an attractive candidate for employers to recruit. It is amazing how hard work in one small period has opened up so many opportunities since, and I still think there’s more to come.”

Thomas’ Placement and Career journey while studying at Swansea University and beyond: • •

• •

•

Enrolled in the SEA’s Placement Programmes, winter 2013 Completed a 6 week SPIN placement with the School of Management (SoM) in summer 2014 Represented the SoM as a Student Ambassador throughout his final year Lead an Event Management final year project working with Seren Global Media; awarded a first class grade Headed up the commercial operation of TechHub Swansea as Community Manager, January to June 2015 Successfully obtained freelance work in Public Relations with technology start-up SatoshiPoint Summer 2015, obtained 3 month fixed term contract as an External Relations Assistant with SoM Gained a place on the prestigious MSc Marketing Practice course at the National University of Ireland, Galway and obtained a position as a Student Marketing and Communication Lead in the University’s Student Services Directorate However, Tom decided to stay in Wales and work for Swansea University instead! He is now a Business Development and Marketing Co-ordinator in the Estates and Facilities Management directorate. Congratulations, Tom! Tom has also recently also obtained a second position with Swansea City’s main sponsor GWFX Global as a Senior Marketing Executive

Go online to find out more about our Work Experience Bootcamp You can find information on our WoW, SPIN and Santander work placement programmes at myuni.swan.ac.uk/work-placements/. To help you make the most of these placements, our SEA Placement Officers offer Employability Bootcamps, once you’ve signed up to the work placement programmes. These Bootcamps help prepare you for work placements as well as applying for graduate roles. Applications for our placements are open 2nd – 20th November 2015; apply via the web link above. Our Work Placement Team met all the employers who attended the recent Careers Fairs, and the majority expressed an interest in working with us to arrange placements, so this will give an added boost to our work experience programmes in the future.

Global Entrepreneurship Week: November 16th – 22nd 2015 DAY:

EVENT:

TIME & PLACE:

INFO/CONTACT: Do you have a business idea but don’t know how to get it off the ground?

MONDAY 16th Nov

Kick Start Your Start Up

11am - 2pm Café West Fulton House Singleton Campus

This ‘Kick Start Your Start Up’ event will provide you with clear and simple steps to take when starting a business, such as preparing a business plan, obtaining funding, understanding the legalities and fundamentals of business, etc. We also have two successful entrepreneurs who will share their experience and the challenges they faced on the way to setting up their businesses. EVERYONE WELCOME! To register your attendance contact: entrepreneurs@swansea.ac.uk

Learn to pitch your business idea with young entrepreneur Temitope Balogun

2pm - 3pm GH014 (Great Hall) Bay Campus

School of Management Challenge

11am-1pm Room Cbe105 (School of Management building) Bay Campus

Temitope Balogun will be delivering a workshop on his business ‘Great Worqs’. He will also be providing a pitching workshop. For more info contact: Jessica Loomba - j.m.loomba@swansea.ac.uk Closed competition for MN-2012 Contact: Dave Bolton – d.r.bolton@swansea.ac.uk The leap from University to graduate job can sometimes be a difficult one. The job market for graduates is hugely competitive and Employers want graduates who are great in the job, not just the interview.

TUESDAY 17th Nov

Kyle Burrows Getting Work Ready Seminar

10.30am - 12pm SURF room Fulton House Singleton Campus

During the seminar you will learn how to maximise your skills and identify development areas such as:  The competencies that recruiters seek  Developing confidence & self-awareness  Adapting your working style to suit others  Becoming commercially aware To sign up: Anna Kawecka – anna@workreadygraduates.com

Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership (IfEL) and Swansea Employability Academy (SEA) - Start Up Market

An event showcasing student enterprise and student businesses. With Wales’ first billionaire, Sir Terry Matthews, in attendance this event is not to be missed!

12pm - 4pm Atrium (School of Management building) Bay Campus

EVERYONE WELCOME If you have a business/idea that you want to show off contact us now to book yourself a stand! To book your place contact: entrepreneurs@swansea.ac.uk University teams will compete in a series of challenges designed to test their grasp of crucial skills such as teamwork, leadership and communication. These challenges will be set by Swansea University partners from Times Top 100 employers such as IBM and PwC and judged by panels made up of both academic and professional experts. At the end of this two day event, the top team will take home a grand prize of £1,000, with a prize of £500 for the runners-up. There will be a preliminary competition to determine the team for the Business in the Bay competition.

Business in the Bay

Preliminary competition: Wednesday 4 November at 12pm - 2pm (School of Management SoM 239). Enter with your idea for a ‘pop up shop’ located in the new Bay Campus to become part of the Swansea University Business in the Bay team! Pitch your idea to a panel of judges and earn £5 for taking part. If you gain a place in the team you will win £50! The competition is a great chance to develop your entrepreneurial skills and enhance your CV! For more info contact: Stephanie Meyer - s.l.meyer@swansea.ac.uk Or Jessica Loomba - j.m.loomba@swansea.ac.uk

School of Management Challenge

12pm - 2pm Room Cbe111 (School of Management building) Bay Campus

Closed competition for MN-2012 Contact: Dave Bolton – d.r.bolton@swansea.ac.uk

Global Entrepreneurship Week: November 16th – 22nd 2015 School of Management Challenge

4pm-6pm Room GH037 (Great Hall) Bay Campus

Closed competition for MN-2012 Contact: Dave Bolton – d.r.bolton@swansea.ac.uk Day 2 of the competition.

WEDNESDAY 18th Nov

THURSDAY 19th Nov

Internal competition to recruit the FLUX team

Union Collective £250 Business Challenge

FRIDAY 20th Nov

For more info contact: Stephanie Meyer - s.l.meyer@swansea.ac.uk Or Jessica Loomba - j.m.loomba@swansea.ac.uk

Business in the Bay

10am - 4 pm Castle Room Fulton House Singleton Campus

12pm - 1.30pm Castle Room Fulton House Singleton Campus

Getting your business off the ground and being enterprising in everything you do

2pm - 3pm Cbe107 (School of Management building) Bay Campus

School of Management Challenge

4pm - 6pm Room Cbe111 (School of Management building) Bay Campus

Scalextric Challenge

Golf Day

10.30am - 3.00pm Café West Fulton House Singleton Campus

11am - 2pm Biomechanics and Technology Lab, First Floor, Engineering East, Bay Campus

Internal event that invites students from any college to compete for a place on the FLUX 2016 team. FLUX is the UK’s largest inter-university challenge and takes place on th th 6 and 7 January in Lancaster. Students will be presented with a challenge at 10am sharp and will need to create a short picture presentation. 6 places available. Don’t miss out! To apply contact: entrepreneurs@swansea.ac.uk Launch of the £250 Business Challenge where students can apply for £250 to see if their ideas will work. Those who register for this event will need to present a 60 second pitch in front of a panel of judges on the day. So, if you want to secure that £250 funding you better make your pitch fun with extra WOW factor! To apply contact: entrepreneurs@swansea.ac.uk Steve Rook author of the Graduate Guide Book will be delivering a talk on how to come up with a business idea, market it and get your business off the ground. For more info contact: Jessica Loomba - j.m.loomba@swansea.ac.uk Closed competition for MN-2012 Contact: Dave Bolton – d.r.bolton@swansea.ac.uk Motor racing based business challenge involving fantasy race teams. Places available for 6 teams of up to 6 players so if you think you have the skills to win this challenge sign yourself up NOW before it’s too late! SPECTATORS WELCOME! To register contact: entrepreneurs@swansea.ac.uk Test your putting! This exciting event will allow you to test your golf ball putting skills using computer vision and advanced data visualisation which will record your put and give an instant readout. Faults with putts can be identified easily and coaching given. Showcasing the possibilities when a University spinout transfers technology to enhance industrial products. To register / get further info please email - I.W.Griffiths@swansea.ac.uk

Ben Harrison Talk – Co-founder of Mango Bikes

12pm - 2pm Room GH037 (Great Hall) Bay Campus

School of Management Challenge

4pm - 6pm Room Cbe111 (School of Management building) Bay Campus

Startup Weekend

Dylan Thomas Centre, Somerset Place, Swansea, SW1 1RR

Mango Bikes Co-founder, Ben Harrison, will be giving an inspiring talk about his entrepreneurial journey and offering one-to-one support. This is not to be missed! To register your attendance contact: entrepreneurs@swansea.ac.uk Closed competition for MN-2012 Contact: Dave Bolton – d.r.bolton@swansea.ac.uk Startup Weekend Swansea gives you the chance to make your business idea a reality. It's a high energy weekend where you'll be able to meet new people, pitch an idea or join in with someone else's, and form a business...all over the space of two and a half days! For more info and to buy your ticket: http://bit.ly/1MmYtJn

19 October 2015 waterfrontonline.co.uk

tech

with Declan Murphy

Best for productivity: Laptop, Tablet or Phone? With phones getting bigger and computers getting smaller, tablets are slowly getting crowded out of the market. But tablets are great for taking notes. I have one and frequently use that to scribble on lecture slides with any notes that I want to add during lectures. However, you don’t need to go purchase a new tablet just for University. The College of Engineering provides free tablets for engineering students for a deposit fee, which is returned to you upon giving back the tablet at the end of the study. To get one, ask the engineering reception for more details. There are many tablets out there, but I personally recommend the Galaxy Note range since they have a stylus, which is good for taking notes.

Office software

Whether you’re returning to University or this is your first year, you might be wondering what new tech you might need. In the run up to the new unversity year, big stores are pushing ‘back to school’ tech sales in our face, writes Thu Ya Win. You might see a computer store having big banners advertising £100 discount off the latest computers or £50 rebate with the purchase of a certain brand of computer. It can get confusing with tons of computers and other tech devices out there and it may get confusing. But I will help you stay cool and within budget. Computers It is not up for debate that computers and students go hand in hand. Almost all of the lecture notes in the upcoming weeks can be found on Blackboard and most of you will be writing essay papers on computers to be printed out later. The most popular computers nowadays run Windows. Window laptops and computers are familiar to most users but they can differ widely in performance depending on the price range and manufacturers. Therefore, it is good to check out reviews on that particular laptop. In addition, many of the Windows manufacturers are offering ‘student

stores’ that offer discounts on the popular range of PCs. One example is the HP student store that offers up to 35% discount. Other popular computers are those by Apple. The Apple iMac range is often the goto computer for students of universities in movies, where all students are seen carrying one of these shiny slick aluminum machines. But it is no arguing that they are quite pricey. But if Apple is your liking you can grab a cheap bargain by going to the Apple Student store and buying a new device from there. As of the printing of this paper, Apple is offering 15% off selected iMac lines. One of the disadvantages of Mac is the lack of support from software. For example, for engineering students, Solidworks (which is free for students) won’t work on a Mac. A viable less mainstream alternative are the Chromebooks. They are cheap, costing around £100-200, and speedy too. Chromebooks are essentially the Chrome browser without the Windows operating system. Although it’s true that you can’t install any software on the Chrome browser, there are tons of free alternatives online. Today, there are so many laptops and so much competition in the market you should have no problem finding one that

suits your needs at a reasonable price. Nevertheless, if you’re short on cash and can’t afford a laptop, the University loan you one for two weeks one free of charge. Just visit the University library and ask them.

Cellphones It seems that cellphones are all the craze nowadays, with the top of the line Samsung Galaxy S6 or iPhone 6s seen as ‘cool’ and hip. But do you really need those phones or that many minutes. Shop around and find the best deal to suit your need. You may find out you don’t actually need that much minutes offered on the plan. In addition, you could try getting last year model or the year before that. They are just as capable. How much do you need the new iPhone 6 or the new Samsung Galaxy S6? You could easily grab a bargain on the old iPhone 5 or the old Galaxy S4 or S5. Last year’s flagship models are just as capable as this year’s model for a fraction of the cost. In addition, there are tons of cheaper alternative like Motorola Moto X Play or the Moto G.

Tablets Tablets are perhaps the least appreciated techology. They aren’t as powerful spec wise as mid-range PCs, they don’t perform the same job as the computers.

Now we move onto the software. I’m sure many of you are familiar with Microsoft Office for writing documents. But if you don’t have that, don’t fret. Swansea University provides a free copy of Office ProPlus for the PC (inc. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Publisher etc.) or Microsoft Office for Apple Mac (inc. Word, Excel and PowerPoint). To download a copy go to http://tinyurl. com/SwanUniMicrosoftOffice. In addition, there are tons of free Microsoft office alternative out there. One of them is Google’s Docs, which is an online document writer that is just as good as Microsoft Office. One advantage of Google docs is that it allows easy collaboration of the document with other students. Just click “share” on the document and then type on the email. Then all your friends or group partner can type in the same document in real time. There’s even a Google chat to discuss ideas. Another free alternative is Openoffice or Microsoft Office Online, which is a watered down Office provided online by Microsoft. It is quite similar to Google docs. In summary, you don’t have to spend big bucks and go broke buying all the necessary techs for university. And wherever the road may take you, have fun and enjoy your time at Swansea University!

19 October 2015 waterfrontonline.co.uk

Halo 5: Living up to the hype? Halo 5, the newest instalment of the series from 343, is now out. The game boasts all the standard practice of any halo game with its interplanetary conflicts and a large array of weapons and vehicles. But what have they done this time around to make it such a killer game asks Declan Murphy. The opening cinematic introduces us to Fireteam Osiris, one of two teams we will be playing with in the campaign. The team consists of Commander Locke, introduced in the movie Nightfall, as well as Buck, who we last saw flying away in a commandeered Covenant and two new characters in Tanaka and Vale. The game wastes no time in throwing you into the action as you come steaming down a cliff face and into a pack of enemies. I won’t say much more about the actual actions of the campaign in light of it possibly ruining for you. What I will say is that the campaign feels like a rollercoaster… Not in the good way either! Imagine it like Stealth at Thorpe Park, the massive drop one. Halo 5 is exactly like that. The first half is a beautifully crafted game with little in terms of drawback; great scenery, new missions, new weapons, yadda yadda. Where this changes is in the second act where the game offers little in terms of innovation upon its first half, missions don’t differ as much as they could and instead the game feels repetitive and like it’s a spray and prey. Co-op is also heavily featured in the game, with the two main teams featuring four spartans each it makes the game so you’re not “breaking” the story feel. In

all previous games, playing Co-op normally duplicated the main character so you had 4 chiefs running round as opposed to it making any real sense. However 343 seem to contradict themselves with this point as they have removed split screen from the game entirely. I loved playing Halo 3 with my cousins on a split screen but instead if I wanted to do that in Halo 5 we’d all have to be on our own consoles. The campaign is only one piece of the trademark Halo giant, the other of course being multiplayer. This is where Halo 5 shines. The level of improvement in the game is noticeable in everything you do in multiplayer. The new game mode Warzone is amazing and does what many other shooters have failed to do by merging a seamless PvE and PvP environment; requisitions hit the right balance between rewarding players for their play time without hindering the progress of new players, however introduce microtransactions in Halo for the first time; The new mechanics such as “sight stabilization” and “thrust” emulate how you think a Spartan IV would feel, hefty but with the right balance of mobility. At the moment there is only a limited amount of multiplayer modes. Essentially the only ones available are Warzone and Arena. Arena is Halo 5’s ranked play. Players complete ten games in their chosen playlist and from there they are assigned a rank which should hopefully match them with people they would be well matched against as opposed to being stomped. The new ranking system is miles better than previous iterations versions.

Similar to League, Halo 5’s ranked is seasoned and resets every month, meaning you’re not worried about losing or gaining rank as much as you would be with other lifetime ranked games like Dota 2. The game plays incredibly smoothly overall, multiplayer is reminiscent of previous iterations whilst also doing enough for the game to feel fresh and new. There are still a few quirks to be fined out. For instance Forge hasn’t shipped with the game and will be future free DLC and 50 per cent of the maps at launch are through forge creation. Although visually it’s a bit of a mix. The game advertises a solid 60 FPS performance however AI are limited to 30, something which some have considered false advertising. Personally I see their reasoning behind it, the XBO and PS4 are already very outdated by a decent gaming PC of a similar price and so they have to limit performance to keep the game running smooth. This wasn’t the only reason people were in uproar over 343’s apparent false advertising. The games marketing strategy left many gamers feeling cheated on after the difference in game compared to advertising. Overall Halo 5 is a brilliant game, although the campaign isn’t anything to write home about, it’s still got world class multiplayer and will probably feature in the esports circuits around the world as a result. In fact 343 have already announced season one of “Halo Championships”, which aims to provide official coverage and support to their esports teams. After experiencing much of the game’s offerings, I give the game a solid 8/10, campaign is okay, multiplayer is amazing.

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19 October 2015 waterfrontonline.co.uk

creative writing

with Zoe Stabler

Focus on: Wendy Holborow Wendy Holborow is in her 3rd Year at Swansea University. Her poetry collection ‘After the Silent Phone Call’ has recently been published by Poetry Salzburg. Wendy was recently interviewed by Fiona Riley. FR: You’ve recently launched your new poetry collection, ‘After the Silent Phone Call’, published by the prestigious Poetry Salzburg based in the English Department of Salzburg University. What was that experience like? WH: It was wonderful to have such a well-known publisher in the poetry world accepting my manuscript. I’d had a pamphlet published in the 90s in Corfu by a small publishing company there, but this was far more exciting. At the time of acceptance I was studying my Poetry 2 module for the MA in Creative Writing at Swansea University with Professor John Goodby and immediately asked him to host my launch, which he very kindly agreed to.

FR: Yes, I wanted to ask you about Corfu. Your collection is a narrative about leaving the UK, moving to Corfu and returning to Wales. WH: As Theo Dorgan said in his endorsement, ‘These poems may be read as a narrative, rich in persuasive detail, of home and exile, a negotiation of what has been left behind and what has been attained or half-attained.’ The first few poems in the collection are about leaving family and friends, ex-lovers and the homeland. In the poem ‘I Brave the Winter Wind’, the trees on the promenade ‘ … wave as I vacate/these shores for the last time.’ And in the poem ‘Augury; I begin with ‘A solitary dolphin drew me /there…’ ending with ‘A diaspora of raw emotions; / am exiled, have ex-patriated myself, / even though 120 dolphins in/ Cardigan Bay beckon me back.’ FR: How long did you live in Corfu and why did you choose to go? WH: My daughter then aged eleven, and I moved to Corfu in 1997 with our dog and cat. We travelled across Europe in our campervan to start a new life there. We had fallen in love with the island on several holidays there and as my daughter was about to go to High School felt it was the right time to go.

WH: Not a great deal, as I had written most of these poems previously, but I did write three new poems under the tutelage of Jasmine Donahaye. What I have found, especially in Poetry 2 with John Goodby is that I am not stuck in my ways. He opened my eyes to so many possibilities in poetry, such as form poetry, oulipoems, mesostics, aleatory and collage work. I have enjoyed the module so much that I will be working with John for my dissertation next year, working primarily on collage poems. I would also like to study for my PhD but that’s another story. FR: What about the other forms of writing you have worked on, such as the short stories? WH: I have won a couple of prizes for my short stories as well as shortlisted placings and have enjoyed working on new stories with Jon Gower recently. I believe I am ready to send a manuscript of my short stories to a publisher soon. The collection will include my Harem Quartet, four stories about women in the harem of Ali Pasha in Ioannina, Greece, prose I worked on in the first year of my MA with Anne LauppeDunbar.

FR: The launch was held in the library at Pontarddulais. Why this location? WH: I moved to Pontarddulais last year as many of my extended family live in the area and it felt comfortable to be back in the area. I was born in Ammanford and had lived in Loughor as a teenager, so the area has become my home since returning from living in Greece. The staff at the library were wonderful, providing tea, advertising and even finding me a lectern. Around sixty people attended which is a great turn out for a poetry event.

FR: And what did you do while in Corfu? WH: I started an English school to make a living. Even Lawrence Durrell had to teach to support his writing. I also founded and coedited Poetry Greece, a poetry journal, and instigated the Keeley-Sherrard Translation Award. As well as enjoying life on the island I found time to write and the majority of the poems in the middle section of the book are about Corfu. Many others not included, had already been published by journals such as Agenda, Envoi, Poetry Ireland Review, Poetry Salzburg Review, Roundyhouse, Seventh Quarry, to name but a few. The poem in my collection ‘Corfu has settled on me like an old Coat.’ was a first prize winner in the Aber Valley Poetry Competition a few years ago. FR: That poem seems to be one of the poems which reveal the beginnings of your discontent with living in Corfu. WH: Yes. My daughter had returned to study in Swansea and I found myself in Swansea every summer for four or five weeks and not wanting to return. A good friend had died, other friends were leaving the island and it became a lonely time for me. Even my lovely Venetian house by the sea was condemned because, as I say in my poem ‘Condemned’ ‘…it took incompetence/ by workers from the Water Board who shocked / its old foundations to the core and shook/ home’s bogus permanence.’ FR: So you returned around four years ago? WH: Yes, although it had been a difficult

decision. Leaving blue skies for grey, a thriving school business and my remaining friends. FR: I understand you were granted a mentorship with Literature Wales. How did that come about? WH: No matter how many times one is published or wins prizes, I believe you can always learn more. Jan Fortune of Cinnamon Press, who had published me many times, wrote a letter of endorsement and I was accepted for the bursary. I worked with the acclaimed poet Paul Henry on some of the poems in the collection. I had already applied and been accepted for the MA in Swansea University, but deferred my place for a year to concentrate on the mentorship. FR: That must have been an exciting time for you. But tell me more about the MA. How long have you been studying for your Master’s and why did you choose to do it. After all you had retired, surely it was a time to put the pen away, so to speak? WH: I have just finished my second year of the MA. During the first year I concentrated on playwriting and writing for radio with David Britton, thinking it would be a good idea to step back from the poetry and work on new genres. I thoroughly enjoyed that experience. This year I have studied Poetry 1 and 2 and Short Story writing with Jon Gower, who incidentally travelled from Cardiff to support me at the launch. FR: How did your poetry modules help you with your new collection?

FR: Your enthusiasm for your MA and the tutors who have helped is obvious, but what other influences have you had, for example with your poetry and when did you start writing poetry? WH: I was invited to attend a Masterclass with Carol Ann Duffy and Gillian Clarke back in 2005. Prior to that, I had begun to feel rather jaded about my future as a poet. I had only been writing poetry for around ten years by then. They inspired and encouraged me and I love their poetry. I can also say categorically that I love the poetry and prose of Dylan Thomas. How could I not? I am researching the link between Dylan Thomas and Lawrence Durrell at the moment with a view to writing a Radio Drama about their connection. It ties in nicely with my connections to Corfu, which greatly inspired Durrell and to Swansea, which of course, inspired Dylan Thomas. FR: So there isn’t much point in asking what next, you seem to have a lot planned, but just explain what more is in the pipeline. WH: I have a collection of poems I would like to get published called ‘An Italian Afternoon’ as well as putting together a collection of the collage work from the proposed dissertation. The short story collection and Radio Drama, as I have mentioned. Of course, I will be doing poetry readings and reading at independent bookshops to promote my new collection if I am asked.

Wendy’s poetry collection ‘After The Silent Phonecall’ is avilable from John Smith’s on Singleton Campus.

19 October 2015 waterfrontonline.co.uk

Kinder Cinder by Heather Wood A few words from Heather about her short story: “Before writing this story I was told to focus on one element from a fairytale and to write using that muse. For this I focused on the sound of ticking from clocks. Ticking of a clock usually indicates tension and apprehension. I incorporated this into my story using the well told tale of Cinderella.” My hand gripped the handle, my grip was tight from the tension I could feel coursing through me. My gaze fell upon my shoe. I knew it was my imagination but I could almost hear the ticking. But I knew it was impossible as no one

could hear it, as long as my foot was in my glass slipper. I tried to swallow the thick lump in my throat as I walked through the glass doors. My left foot slightly heavier than my right foot, thundered on the delicate floors as I walked onto the dance floor. Tick. Looking around I could see the mice in the shadows, scuttling round even in the large crowds. I shuddered involuntarily. I was surprised to see that they couldn’t smell the rats pungent smell, it practically filled the entire ballroom. It was a mix between a filled bin left in summer heat and The Tudor Thames. I itched my leg, shuddering at the reminder of what was the cause of the uncomfortable feeling. It was

the knife strapped to my leg. I couldn’t.... I couldn’t do it. But I remembered the warnings from the old witch. Two hours, just two hours to kill the prince or I would die. Tick tock. I stuck to the walls, careful to mind the cause of the scuttling sharp claws as they scrambled across the floor. I could almost imagine the knife sliding in his chest like butter. Just one push and it would slide in. Tick. But I couldn’t do it. I wouldn’t do it. The witch was clearly insane. I tried to kid myself that it was a ploy, some cheap trick to play on the village girl. But I knew. I knew it wasn’t. This was real. The ticking emitting from my shoe told me so. I couldn’t even run, even though I wanted to. I would gladly embrace my stepsisters and even my hideous stepmother. Anything to escape this situation.

Ithaka Holds Nothing For Her Now by Wendy Holborow i

iii

Corfu’s triptych of sea and sand and sun vies with Swansea’s diptych heb yr haul*.

She sits in the bay of the window. The flowers in the garden, battered and broken, gorged on by an emerging dynasty of snails while the constant deluge traps her inside.

Her heart is in Wales, the hearth of sheep, where curved ferns lean into bracken, where wild horses are black against the horizon. ii She drives along winding roads, passing towns and fields and feuds along sodium lit and hissing roads. Arriving home, she opens the door, rekindles the long-extinguished fire. Her memories have been locked away like silverware placed in a chest, but only now, too late, does she recall she failed to throw a lighter into her mother’s grave, having found her stash of cigarettes – her hidden sin. She‘d plucked one from the packet, thrown it onto the coffin for her mother’s eternal pleasure. She is alone with the shadows of her failures – it is too late to place a box of matches on the worn headstone.

iv Ah, Agni beach, saganaki and horiatiki at Perikles’ Taverna, yellow Retsina, cloudy ouzo, curled toes in hot sand, a swim in gentle seas. The jewels of Greece are beguiling – emerald mountains, turquoise seas, tanzanite skies, sweet amber nights. v The rain is unrelenting, a horizontal slant. She wonders why she left.

Published in ‘After the Silent Phone Call’ Poetry Salzburg 2015 To be published in Tiger’s Eye, Denver Autumn 2015

Tick tock tick tock. Sweat dripped down my back, causing my white dress to stick closer. I didn’t dare look at the huge clock-tower through the tall windows in the hall. I knew I was running out time. Tick tock tick tock tick tock. I rubbed my hands against my dress, trying to dry them. I didn’t want the knife slipping. Ticktockticktockticktock. It was getting faster. I was running out of time. I just needed more time. Anything. I.. Couldn’t. I- I can’t do this. I pulled the knife from its hiding place into my sleeve just like I was told. I slowly

walked to the Prince. This was all his fault. He’s putting me into this position. Him and his stupid vanity. I was getting closer. 5 steps. 4 steps. 3 steps. I was on outskirts of his posse. Ticktockticktockticktockticktockticktockticktockticktockticktockticktockticktockticktock. I was out of time. I felt a searing pain. I looked down to my left foot and saw my entire foot was fire. I screamed and the knife clattered to the floor. I screamed for help but every face in the room was blank. No one was going to help. “Ticktockticktockticktockticktockticktockticktock Ticktockticktockticktockticktockticktockticktock.

Out of chances. Out of time. Poor cinder. Now watch her skin kinder. Ticktockticktockticktockticktockticktockticktock “Ticktockticktockticktockticktockticktockticktock”. Chorused the crowd. I fell to the floor in agony. I tried to use my dress to put out the flames. Instead the flames caught onto the thin fabric and in seconds my lower half was engulfed in flames. My torso soon joined. I felt every skin particle melt under the heat. I felt it pucker and fall apart. Soon my entire body was covered in fire.

creative writing

19 October 2015 waterfrontonline.co.uk

Short Story: The Rhododendron Tree by Hazel Stabler Hazel is a second year English and Creative writing student who wrote this in her first year. She’s never seen The Walking Dead, but she imagines it’s something similar to this. They packed the car in darkness, and left as the sun was rising slowly in the east. Dawn was a crisp red and purple splashing like a paint pallet across the sky, bringing a dim light on the land. As they passed houses and streets and whole towns, the roads were clear of other cars, and the sidewalks were empty. There was a small thumping in the car. Something that needed sorting out eventually. With his left hand, he fiddled with the dials of the radio, flicking between channels of static. Eventually, he plugged his mp3 player into the speakers, hummed along quietly to the music, and blocked out the disturbance. She sat with her hands on her lap, wordless, eyes flickering this way and that, following the streetlights on the sides of the roads they crossed. Undisturbed were the towns and cities they passed, who slept soundlessly despite the low hum of the car. There were groups of people wandering, drained and numb, through the city centres as the rays of light stretched further and further. They seemed to hunch and drag themselves towards the office buildings that surrounded them, avoiding the glare of the sun with heavy coats and suit jackets that were worn and worn and worn out. Ties slung carelessly around collars, and shirts untucked thoughtlessly; a formal event gone wrong. The car zipped passed these places, and as soon as they were out of sight, they were out of mind. Countryside now surrounded them, and still she said nothing, wiping a single tear from her cheek and letting out a sigh. He rolled the window down to let the muggy air outside spread into the car, and, too, sighed with her.

They reached a highway – a landscape of empty cars and deserted petrol stations. Steadily, his speedometer increased, and ahead, a man stood in the centre of the road sticking out his thumb in a hitchhiker-like fashion. As the car approached they slowed, and the pair noticed a small placard with two words. HELP ME Uneasy, the pair gazed at one another and each thought of the cargo they held, bumping against the boot of their car. In seconds, they passed the man, and unconsciously ebbed the distance from their hands until they were tightly held together. After hours of driving, and countless replays of the same playlist, they arrived at what seemed to be the right destination. The sun was now beginning to dip in the sky, and a red glow covered the grass like bloodied snow. A tall hill facing the sea, and a hundred and fifty year old rhododendron. They rarely grow into more than just shrubs, but this one, planted in the Great War, had blossomed into the brightest and most beautiful tree the pair had ever seen. Away from all the commotion of the city; away from all the death. It had been two months since the disease had struck the nation, but with it many millions had become unwell. Unhuman. Some described it as the apocalypse. The pair unloaded themselves from the car, and took from the back seats a set of shovels which had never been used. Silently, they began to dig, and a cold breeze struck against her shoulders. He took off his jacket and passed it to her, and they continued.

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And then together, hand in hand, they opened the trunk of their car and pulled out the creature inside.

Closing Date — 9th November

Biting, gnashing, red teethed and wide eyed; their little son. Six months old.

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He’s buried now, six feet beneath the ground.

SPORT

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Women’s Rugby

Swansea University Women’s Rugby Union Team’s Season Bolstered by Strong Summer Tour. by Will Humphrey

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Over the summer months when most of the other Swansea students were tanning themselves up in exotic paradises or boogying down on boat parties or hitting up UK festivals; the women’s rugby union team went on a summer tour. The tour lasted for a week but the memories created and skills developed will be eternal. Along with the University’s Men’s Rugby Union team, the Women’s Rugby Union team embarked on a summer tour to Beijing in China. The tour was a rugby seven’s tour which saw players selected from the Women’s first team which is traditionally constructed out of 15 players. While in Beijing the team played four fixtures in a round robin type tournament which saw Swansea drawn against two teams: Beijing University and Beijing Agricultural University. After a successful campaign in the group stage, the team got through to the semi-finals where they played Beijing Agricultural University again and beat them and marched on to the final. Unfortunately the women’s team did not win the final but took great memories from their successful campaign, finishing second in the tournament overall. Due to it being a sevens tour the women had to learn several different defensive and attacking techniques from the ones they were used to in traditional rugby union in which each team has

15 players. Rhian Perry was one of the selected women who was chosen to attend to the tour to China, she stated that although it was strange learning the techniques for sevens rugby, they could be adapted to their BCUS games and would only improve their defence and attack.

I asked Rhian whether she though Swansea can beat Cardiff in the women’s Varsity to which she replied: “Yes by all means, we have a lot of girls in the squad who have played together now for two years and I feel this is our best opportunity to win Varsity with the strength of our squad”.

sport the waterfront

Issue 257, 2nd November 2015

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Swansea Women’s Squash remaining optimistic for season of success, despite opening loss to Cardiff. by Will Humphrey

waterfrontsport@swansea-union.co.uk

Last Wednesday was the first week of the official BCUS season which saw 30 teams of Swansea’s sports teams go head to head with a variety of opposition across 14 different sports. The sports ranged from Water polo to Squash, which saw Swansea’s teams produce an assortment of results, some winning their fixtures and others despite their best efforts lost their fixtures. Women’s Squash was one of the teams which unfortunately lost their opening fixtures to their Varsity rivals Cardiff, 3-1. It was the team’s second seeded Sophie Alderman who produced a valiant performance, which saw her win her games 3-0. Sophie won her first game 11/5, her second game 11/6 and her final game held

off a Cardiff come back attempt to win the game 11/8. Another stand out performer for the squash team was first seeded, Harriet Boyle. Harriet did not win her matches but scored 8 points against a tough opponent who is referred to as ‘The Beast’. In past years, ‘The Beast’ has previously dominated Swansea’s first seeded players when the two teams have met. So for Boyle to take 8 points against her opponent is quite the achievement. After the game I conducted an interview with the women’s squash captain, Jules Clarke to ask her thoughts on the fixtures. I asked her what she thought her side did well she replied with; I think we all remained positive and determined to get a result even though we were losing most of our games. Jules went on to say that in order to improve on fixtures the whole squad need to be more aggressive in games. In order to achieve this improvement the team are bumping up their fitness and training sessions in order to prepare well for their next league fixture against Cardiff and eventually Varsity.

Swansea Men’s Basketball team enjoys opening season win against Varsity rivals Cardiff. In only their second game of the season Swansea Men’s Basketball team came out victorious over their Varsity rivals Cardiff, who last year pinched the Varsity crown from Swansea. Swansea produced a dominate performance which saw them win the game by 70 points to Cardiff’s 40 points. After a second convincing win of the season for Swansea they are now top of the BCUS league which sees them above both Cardiff teams and Swansea’s seconds. Swansea top the league with two wins in two, 6 points and a point’s difference of 41. In the third quarter Swansea came to prominence which saw the captain, James Corden pulling the strings which saw him score 4 three point shots and gave Swansea a thirty point lead from the ten points they had originally at the half time break. Apart from outscoring Cardiff, Swansea outplayed Cardiff through good ball movement and solid team passing.

The team were able to read and break down Cardiff’s defence which was a key element in Swansea winning the BCUS fixture. After the game I asked James Corden if there was anything Swansea could improve upon, in which he replied; “One thing we could improve is cutting down on fouls and playing better off the ball defence they found it very easy to move the ball around and we could have applied more pressure”. I also wondered how the friendly turned BCUS fixture last week against the second Swansea Basketball team helped them in their victory over Cardiff, in which Corden replied; “Game against the seconds last week was good as it helped the new group of boys understand the pressure we face in a league game and helped us gel together as a team meaning when we came into the game against Cardiff we knew better how each other played, where to make passes and took stress off as it wasn’t our first game anymore”.