Issue 13 Summer 2015

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READ BY

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Inside this edition

Friends Forever

Ella Eyre FASHION John Green supported by

xplodemag.co.uk

Credits Team Saeed Atcha – Chief Executive Mithun Kerai – Managing Director Khalil Malji – Assistant Managing Director Chloe Bennett – Managing Editor Sophie Brown – Showbiz Editor Zahra Khan – Fashion Editor Adam Toorawa – Journalist Phoebe McEwen– Journalist Kajol Patel - Journalist Zenely Martin Rios – Journalist Aishah Atcha – Journalist Lydia Edwards – Journalist Sabina Toorawa – Journalist Hannah Moffat – Journalist Aliaa Toorawa – Journalist Nathan Byrne – Journalist Lydia German – Journalist Louise Fitton – Journalist Jessica Furness – Journalist Nadiya Patel – Journalist Marcelin Kadembo – Journalist Kasey Smith – Journalist Moz Patel – Journalist

With special thanks to HM Lord-Lieutenant of Greater Manchester

Contact Xplode Magazine Xplode Magazine The Bolton Hub, Bold Street Bolton, BL1 1LS Facebook & Twitter: XplodeMag E: info@xplodemag.co.uk T: 01204 546081 Distributed FREE in the Bolton area. Contributions welcome. Design & Print by Trendy Design Co www.trendy-designs.co.uk Disclaimer: Xplode Magazine Bolton. Registered Charity 1155789 strives to provide accurate and up-to-date information. If you have seen any mistakes or anything that you are not happy with then please e-mail us: info@xplodemag.co.uk.

Aaaah the summer! Aaaah the Summer! 12 degrees and a bottomless pit of rain – welcome to (the North of) Britain! Nothing screams Summer like a flurry of umbrellas as you walk through town and that Primani umbrella that you see hanging out of a bin… Jokes aside, I do love Summer – you can spend an almost unlimited amount of time with friends without having to worry about exams or coursework and you actually enjoy life more with the barbecues and when the decent weather decided to pop out! I also love Summer because it’s the time of year where Xplode is at its busiest – the office is frantically running around preparing for some of our biggest events to date from training 240 people on CV’s and Job Interviews to entertaining some of Bolton’s high profile people at our 4th birthday anniversary. Xplode’s approaching its birthday and I’m so proud of everything we’ve achieved – as a reader, you might now know about what goes on ‘behind-thescenes’ – Xplode isn’t just a magazine, we’re a registered charity training teenagers in life skills – training people like you in life skills - how to speak with people deal with deadlines and ultimately, how to get a job. The young people involved with Xplode actually apply what they’re taught through creating this very magazine – it’s this valuable work experience that gives them the skills to be better people – if you’re interested in joining us, head to our website now! Over 500 young people have used us in the past 4 years and 400 of those are in the past year alone so I want to finish by wishing us a HAPPY BIRTHDAY! And thanking YOU for being there through our journey! Enjoy the magazine!

All information is correct at the time of print and any unauthorised copying or reproducing of Xplode Magazine's content will constitute an infringement of copyright. © Xplode Magazine 2015, All Rights Reserved.

Saeed Atcha Chief Executive

Contents

26

A Real Struggle

6

Top 5 Films Set in Schools

4

New Music Releases

18

13

Gamer Heaven

Bucket List

Fashion

20

10

30

Friends Forever!

Happiness is the Secret To Beauty

24

A Sinking Feeling

28

The Sexy Truth

3

Music Reviews

Summer is sadly coming to an end! But don’t worry I’ve got the latest releases that will help you get over your September blues and the dreaded return to school and college.

Doing it for the girls, is Ella Eyre with her fierce hair and even fiercer voice. We say we’re responsible for Ella’s success as we predicted her success back in Issue 8 ;)! Recently, Ella’s announced her debut album Feline will be released soon - finally! From her first EP Deeper, the star has progressed massively, recently becoming the face of the Emporio Armani Diamonds Violet perfume replacing Beyoncé! The album is set to feature some amazing tracks such as Good Times and Together. With a release date similar to Jess Glynne’s debut album I Cry When I Laugh, it’ll be tough competition for chart success but certainly one to keep an eye 4 on - we love you Ella!’

Article by Chloe Bennett

First up is the Canadian born star The Weeknd. After a handful of amazing collaborations in his back pocket, with the likes of Drake and Ariana Grande and not to mention the breath taking Earned It which featured on the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack. The Hills star has recently released his third album titled Beauty Behind The Madness. It's the third instalment to Abel's ongoing story following the first two chapters; Trilogy and Kiss Land. The Weeknd scored big at the VMAs too - he actually got Resting Bitch Face's Kanye to dance!"

With 66M followers on Twitter, 34.8M followers on Instagram and 12M subscribers on YouTube, Justin Bieber has kept his Beliebers waiting a very long time, claiming new music would be coming ‘soon.’ Believe was Bieber’s fourth number one album selling 374,000 copies in its first week. But that was released 3 years ago! Although to tide fans over until his next big release, he released the Journal’s EP in 2013 which was something different to what Justin had previously released, rather than his usual pop music, Journals had more of a R&B sort of sound. Fans all over the world enjoyed this album, it was even said that those who previously disliked Justin’s music enjoyed his Journals EP just as much as his regular fans did. His recent single with Skrillex, had over 66M views! Justin said his new album will sound a lot like this single, and Skrillex was heavily involved in the making. “Skrillex is a genius, he’s super futuristic and I just love his sound, so being able to incorporate that sound with what I’m doing has been super cool because its new and fresh and I feel like no one’s done it before.” On July 31st , Mariah Carey posted a picture on Instagram, hanging with both Justin and French Montana, which looked

Article by Aliaa Toorawa

! k c a B s ’ r e b e Bi

like it was taken in a recording studio. Do you hear new music?! His most recent single, ‘What do you mean’ confused fans all over the world when the title of the song was released. Justin also started a countdown to the single’s release date which fans happily joined in. It was released on the 28th August and was a massive hit! Is this the Justin that will change people’s views of him again? I mean we’ve heard so much about him in the media (not the best of things either). Justin was portrayed as a trouble maker and was constantly in trouble with the law, however, it seems like 21-year old Justin is starting to grow up and is now focusing 5 on his music more than ever.

The top y Sophie Article b

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films set in school

It’s that time of year again! We’re back to school! We thought we’d round up the Top Five Films set in schools just to let you know what you’re missing out on!

– So you have the amazing Malibu lifestyle but you’re a bit of a brat, so where does your father send you to learn to behave? An old boarding school in rainy London. This sends Poppy’s life upside down, as she’s thrown into a new setting and quickly makes enemies with a lot of people including the lacrosse team captain, Harriet.

– Hogwarts has to be the most popular school in the world! Everyone at some point in their life has dreamed of an owl flying through your window and delivering your Hogwarts acceptance letter. Whether you’re Team Gryffindor or Team Slytherin (WHY?!), you just always wanted to wear a cape and fly a broomstick or run through platform 9 ¾ and ride the Hogwarts Express.

– Okay, so technically Jenko and Schmidt aren’t high school students, but they give it a pretty good try when sent undercover to try and crack a drug case within a high school. They do their best to try and fit it, but maybe they try a little too hard with joining in the school play and rhyming about atoms in science class. No matter how many times you watch this film, you always laugh at the same things over and over again!

– This film is so fetch! Wait, ‘fetch’ still isn’t a thing? If you don’t know this quote, you definitely know another – everyone does! Even the guys who say they’ve never watched this film secretly have and, just like me, are still waiting for fetch to happen. Most of this film is relatable to everyone and really shows how much effort just going to high school is! 6

– Olive uses the rumour mill at her high school to carry lies about her to project her social standing and become one of the popular girls. Sounds easy enough until she can’t control what rumours are spread and people are making up anything about her – putting her high school education in jeopardy.

a m e n i c f o s r 4 pa i orld w e n i C o t s t ticke the n i w o r h t n ve AND We’ll e Popcorn! Drinks &

TO ENTER, TWEET WITH #CINEXPLODE AND MAKE SURE YOU FOLLOW @CINEWORLDBOLTON THE BIGGEST SCREENS IN BOLTON, 10% OFF ALL BOOKINGS AT MYCINEWORLD

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Sometimes it’s amazing to see how small the world is. And you’d think the world of cinema is HUGE but sadly not! Especially when you realise you’ve seen those famous faces before they became successful! From the series of Game of Thrones, Xplode reveals the past of some of the most remarkable characters.

Aidan Gillen Also an Irish actor known in the series of

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Ned in season 1. The British actor has been in the world of cinema longer than we’d think. Starting his career in 1984, he has appeared as Boromir in The Lord of the Ring saga, winning 8 several awards. (2

Game of Thrones as the powerful and mysterious Petyr Baelish. Gillen acted in the third instalment of the Batman’s trilogy, in The Dark Knight Rises as an agent of the CIA.

Article written by Zenely Martin Rios

0) 01

Six Start of Term Things You Will Notice… Article written by Hannah Moffat

Starting a new term or year at school is so different compared to the end of last term! We’ve rounded up some of the noticeable changes that you will more than likely see at the beginning of your new term. The teacher makes you line up outside the classroom… This lasts for about a week and before you know it you can just stroll into your lesson as soon as you get there. It’s so much effort when you start back at school and have to wait ages for your teacher to come and let you in the lesson! Some teachers may even keep this up all year and never let you walk in as soon as you get there! Remember Must, Should and Could? They more than likely appeared at the beginning of last term and no doubt they will be back this time! Most teachers will stop this after the first few weeks of the term, but at the end of every lesson you will have to rate yourself and probably explain why you think you have achieved a certain level in that lesson. At the beginning of your lessons, your teachers may even decide to do an equipment check… Some teachers will do

this every lesson, whereas others may only do it once or twice. Depending on your teacher you could even find yourself with a detention if you don’t have everything that you should! First impressions are everything and teachers may make these impressions by being strict to begin with, but don’t worry it won’t be long before your lessons become fun and more interesting. Teachers are there to do their job and may seem intimidating at first but your lessons and everything will be fine! Some of your lessons may even be started off in a fun way with the teacher printing worksheets and creating fun tasks for you to do, but it is not long before you end up doing a lesson where you literally copy notes from the board! Despite all the above the worst thing about going back to school must be those early mornings! You all know the feeling… You’ve been off for 6 weeks and probably haven’t seen 9am for a good 4 weeks, but going back to school means that you will be in your classroom for 9!! No more lieins now, well at least not until Saturday! 9

10 Article written by Kajol Patel

Last year marked the 21st anniversary of the hit TV show F.R.I.E.N.D.S, hard to believe I know! These 6 friends really will always be here for us as the reruns don’t seem to be going anywhere soon. Despite the many years that the show has been around, I can guarantee even the biggest fans won’t quite know everything. Here are some facts about F.R.I.E.N.D.S that you probably never knew! The show was initially going to be called Insomnia Café. The cast really were drinking coffee on set, it’s a wonder they ever slept! Our favourite Lion King loving ape Marcel was actually played by a female monkey called Katie. Rachel’s admirer although often borderline creepy Gunther was only named in the middle of the second series but was never given a surname. Ellen De Generes turned down the chance to play Phoebe Buffay, could you imagine! Every episode mentions the word ‘friends’ at LEAST once! It seems Hank Azaria, the actor who played Phoebe’s geeky boyfriend David, really wanted a part in the show as he auditioned for the role of Joey…TWICE.

Gunther’s hair was bleached every week for 10 years as he is naturally a brunette. Chandler’s awkwardness around women was never intended but actually developed as a result of Matthew Perry’s own bad luck with women. Ross actually doesn’t age as he remains 29 for 3 years of the show. Courtney Cox was originally wanted by the creators to play Rachel. Joey’s HIDEOUS white dog that Monica was so desperate to get rid of actually belonged to Jennifer Aniston who received it as a gift of good luck by a friend. Courteney Cox basically is Monica, the neat freak within her meant that she often cleaned her fellow cast mate’s dressing rooms. Ever wonder why it’s so hard to decide which character is your favourite and who’s made you laugh the most? Well it turns out that the writers used a pie chart to keep track of how many jokes and lines each character was given in order the keep things fair between actors. Here at Xplode there’s nothing we’d love more than the news of a F.R.I.E.N.D.S reunion being true Why not tweet us @XplodeMag and share with us your favourite 11 F.R.I.E.N.D.S moments?

A Very British Britain Article written by Nathan Byrne

3. We’re all pale

Over in the states, Americans have a way of somehow exaggerating the way us Brits live our lives. Things that we see as the norm tend to be misconstrued across the world. However, sometimes their views…are completely true. Here at Xplode we have counted down the top British stereotypes that are definitely not just stereotypes.

I mean come on, have you seen our weather? (that reminds us: must chat about the weather at some point)How do you expect us to have golden tans when the sky is a constant shade of grey? You can tell when someone has been on holiday if their face isn’t as white and pasty as a glass of milk. No wonder we try to cherish every bit of sun we get because it doesn’t come along often. Not to mention almost all of us turn a shade of tomato at the first glance of sun. Lucky us.

5. We are experts in queuing

2. We love Tea

Pretty ridiculous but it’s true. In Britain if there is one thing we all know how to do, it is queue. It’s not even about knowing how to queue, we are just born with the inherent ability to do so. Taking this into consideration, there is nothing more nerving than watching someone…push in. It’s like the foundations of life we call reality are crashing down before your very eyes whenever this decides to actually happen. But just because we are confusing, we are too awkward to actually talk to strangers to stop this from happening. Figures.

1. We LOVE talking about the weather

4. We are incredibly sarcastic As brits, we have a tendency to say anything with a sarcastic tone. Not one sentence goes by without some sort of ironic undertone. This sort of talk has slipped its way into every sitcom we’ve ever produced, of course, whereupon sarcastic characters say sarcastic things for 22 sarcastic minutes. Our sarcastic tongue tends to get us in to trouble from time to time because it apparently comes off as a bit rude? Not sure what that means, ex12 actly, so onto the next point?

It’s true, we do. There is nothing we enjoy more than to come home from a long day at work or school and sitting down to a delicious cup of tea. We love tea so much, we have hundreds of different versions, even a British Fry Up flavour! Some people like to have two or three cups a day; others might indulge in near on thirty. Nobody in Britain will judge another person on how many cups they drink, of course – it’s totally fine to have as many as you want.

This comes as no shock really. The weather is a thing we never seem to get bored of. It’s even one of the most common conversation starters. It can be raining and we would moan about it being cold but as soon as it’s warm, we moan about it being too warm. Nobody in Britain is ever annoyed if you bring up this subject, of course, because everybody has been preprogrammed by birth to find it interesting. During winter when the first drop of snow falls, expect to have at least 49263 Facebook statuses about it because of course we can’t see it ourselves.

Late Summer 2015 IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR WHEN THE SUN STARTS TO RUN OUT AND WE START TO PARTY HARD! Fashion Editor: Zahra Khan | Fashion Team: Lydia Edwards, Louise Fitton & Chloe Bennett Photographers: Zenely Martin Rios and Nathan Byrne Makeup: Meghan Baxter | With thanks to model Rosanna Owen

FLICK THESE PAGES FOR A MIX OF CASUAL, DAY AND NIGHT PARTY LOOKS!

Enhance our denim statement piece by adding a floral gypsy top, you can't go wrong with floral in spring/summer! Add matching accessories to the top with a wide floppy hat and shoes! Denim goes with any colour!

Black Platform Shoes, Primark £10.00 Denim Skirt, Warehouse £35.00 Black Crop Top, H&M £5.99

Maroon Hat, New Look £14.99 White Floral Crop Top, H&M £14.99 Denim Skirt, Warehouse £35.00

Pairing this striped shirt to our statement denim skirt can create a smart feel or make it casual by tucking the shirt into the skirt. Add a pair of circular sunglasses to complete the look.

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Denim Skirt, Warehouse £35.00 Stripe Beige Shirt, Zara £22.99

From shopping to a night out, this outfit is perfect to dress up with the block platforms or dress it down by adding a kimono. Wearing black brings out the denim!

With our gorgeous gladiator lace ups, add orange for a fresh summery splash of colour! Match the accessories to the statement piece to tie the whole outfit together. Even add a pair of sunglasses for the hot days. (If we get any in our so very British weather!)

Gladiator Sandles, ASOS £20.00

Orange is the colour you need this season, and with our statement lace up gladiators, it's a perfect match! Crochet patterns are a must, and match a little bag to the gladiators for a finishing touch on a night out!

Gladiator Sandles, ASOS £20.00 Orange Dress, Zara £15.99 Beige Mini Duffle Bag, Primark £4.50

Get your fashion fix at XplodeMag.co.uk 15

White Playsuit, H&M, £19.99 Sunglasses, Primark, £2.00

A festival inspired look! Combine this seasons trends of suede and fringe in our statement piece! Match the pink leather skirt with the shoes and add the flower garland for a summer feel! 16

The wide sleeved playsuit is really in this season so combining it with our statement lace up gladiators is bang on trend! This dressed up outfit is perfect for on holiday or date night!

Tan Blazer Fringed Jacket, Zara £39.99 Pink Skirt, Zara £25.99 White t-shirt, Primark £2.80 Pink Flats, H&M £7.99 Flower Headband, Primark, £2.00

Meet Rosanna She’s a 19 year old Ginge (in case you couldn’t tell) who would love to be stuck in a lift with fellow Ginger Ed Sheeran. When not studying for her English Literature degree, she wants to learn how to drive and in her spare time she drinks tea, dances and eats lots of cake! We asked her ‘if you could have anything in the world, what would it be?’ She says it would be her own Disney Princess castle!

Do you love fashion?

Join our Fashion Team and get involved with our fashion shoots! You could be doing anything from choosing clothing to styling the models on shoot day! Apply online at XplodeMag.co.uk/Join today! 17

GAMER HEAVEN SUMMER 2015

Summer may be coming to an end, but not to worry, Autumn is upon us, and with that some of this year’s hottest game releases. So we decided to list the top 4 games you have to look forward to.

SKYLANDERS SUPERCHARGERS Release Date: September 25th 2015 Platform: Xbox One, Xbox 360, Wii, Wii U PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4

September 25th is set to be the release of the highly anticipated Skylanders Superchargers. Skylands is in peril! Kaos has unleashed his most evil weapon yet — the doom station of ultimate doomstruction. All of skylands stands on the verge of collapse, and a special team, called the superchargers, has been assembled to pilot an unstoppable fleet of incredible vehicles. Now you and the superchargers must pilot these powerful vehicles over land, under sea, and through the sky to stop kaos and save skylands!

HALO 5 GUARDIANS Release Date: October 27th 2015 Platform: Xbox One

The saga continues in one of Xbox’s most popular games. Peace is shattered when colony worlds are unexpectedly attacked. And when humanity's greatest hero goes missing, Spartan Locke is tasked with hunting the Master Chief and solving a mystery that threatens the entire galaxy. It was confirmed by 343 that Halo 5: Guardians will not feature any offline capabilities; including local split screen for campaign co-op and multiplayer and will not have any offline local networking options. It will require an Xbox Live Gold subscription to play in co-op, a mode that is now online only without split-screen. Bit of a shame if you ask me.

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CALL OF DUTY BLACK OPS 3 Release Date: November 6th 2015 Platform: Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4

Take complete control of your combatant in a conflict defined by cutting-edge military robotics fight faster, stronger, and smarter. This is the future, this is Call of Duty: Black Ops 3. Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 combines three unique game modes: Campaign, Multiplayer and Zombies, providing fans with the deepest and most ambitious Call of Duty ever. The Campaign has been designed as a co-op game that can be played with up to 4 players online or as a solo cinematic thrill-ride. Multiplayer will be the franchise's deepest, most rewarding and most engaging to date, with new ways to rank up, customize, and gear up for battle. And Zombies delivers an all-new mind-blowing experience with its own dedicated narrative. Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 can be played entirely online, and for the first time each of the offerings has its own unique player XP and progression systems. All of this is brought to life by advanced technology custom crafted for this title, including new AI and animation systems, and graphics that redefine the standards Call of Duty fans have come to expect from the critically-acclaimed series, with cutting edge lighting systems and visual effects.

FALLOUT 4 Release Date: November 10th 2015 Platform: Unconfirmed

Fallout 4 will be primarily set in Boston, Massachusetts, though the player will explore other areas of New England, better known in the series as the Commonwealth. Interestingly, the game will actually start just before the bombs were dropped, letting you experience the events of fatal day on October 23 2077. Your character will leave his or her home to take shelter in Vault 111, where they awake 200 years later to discover they are the sole survivor, and that they haven't aged. Why? Probably cryogenic freezing. Much of the plot of Fallout 4 remains shrouded in mystery but no doubt partly revolves around finding out how and why you survived for 200 years. The debut trailer did reveal that the protagonist will have a speaking role - a first for the series - and that you'll once again have a faithful dog companion. Before you start getting concerned - no, the dog can't die, but it can be used to maul enemies.

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top 5 daring dives

Article written by Chloe Bennett

WRECK DIVING We all love exploring, but wreck diving takes this to a whole new level. Dive into deep waters to shipwrecks and look into the past as you swim through old corridors. A sort of eerie experience but somewhat satisfying it gives you the chance to brag to your friends about how you ‘saw a ghost.’ And its not only ships, its crashed aircrafts too! Just seeing the wreck will send chilling vibes down your spine. It’s hard to find a good horror film these days, so you can experience your own with this great dive!

SCUBA DIVING Similar to Wreck Diving, but a little less scary. Scuba diving allows you to swim amongst the oceans greatest creatures and discover plants you never knew existed. Something, which can be enjoyed in a small group or a large group of friends, it’s an experience 20 that you will never forget.

SKY DIVING Probably one of the most popular of things on people bucket lists, skydiving is something that everyone will love. Let the wind brush past you as you fall from the skies. Don’t close your eyes though, take a moment to ‘sit back’ and admire the view because it’s something you will not want to miss. And the best thing, you can do it everywhere! Europe, US or over Dubai’s golden beaches, skydiving is the perfect addition to any holiday.

HANG GLIDING Okay, so it’s not strictly a dive but it still ranks up there in the omg-o-meter. Hang gliding gives you the opportunity to fly without the use of a motor. Use your body weight to move the glider before coming to a gentle rest on the ground. The highest altitude that someone has glided from in the UK is a jaw dropping 16,000ft, so maybe you should challenge your mate?

JOHN GREEN WHY I LOVE HIM AND YOU SHOULD TOO! I’m sure that most of you have watched the blockbuster of last year, ‘The Fault In Our Stars’ and when the name John Green pops up, that’s most likely the first thought that springs to mind but I would like to give you a bigger insight into this incredible man’s life and work, as well as that of his brother’s, Hank.

hatched not only fans of the duo (called ‘Nerdfighters’) but a whole community which joined like minded people in sharing intellectual conversations and being proactive about current issues in the world. This has been dubbed by the Nerdfighters (people like me) as ‘Decreasing World Suck’. One of the major events involved in Decreasing World Suck is the Project for Awesome. This is an event where lots of people from the Nerdfighter community (known as Nerdfighteria) upload videos talking about charities that are close to them and that they want to advocate and raise money for. Donations are made and this yearly event raises a lot of money for lots of different charities.

John Green is an author and YouTuber. He makes up a half of the ‘Vlogbrothers’ with his brother Hank. The two contact each other via YouTubevlogs and when the channel began, they ceased all textual communication whatsoever and used the vlogs as their only means of communication with each other. From this project

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Not only have the Green brothers created a YouTube channel that cheers me up when I’m sad and gives me hope, they have created a whole community that encourages creativity and bettering yourself, as well as helping others. The videos not only make me laugh but they also educate me. John and Hank are also heavily involved in other YouTube channels that teach you stuff,for example CrashCourse and SciShow (both of which I would recommend for revision!).

Article by Phoebe McEwen

Not only have the Green brothers created a YouTube channel that cheers me up when I’m sad and gives me hope, they have created a whole community that encourages creativity and bettering yourself, as well as helping others. The videos not only make me laugh but they also educate me. John and Hank are also heavily involved in other YouTube channels that teach you stuff,for example CrashCourse and SciShow (both of which I would recommend for revision!). Finally, the books. When I read John Green’s books, I did not want them to end. I’ve re-read them and I will again and again and every time I do I notice something different in the characters or the story that I didn’t before. These characters who born from John Green’s brilliant mind have a place in my heart; I almost feel like I know them in person and the connection I feel to them is real. So, there’s a brief commentary on John Green and Hank Greens work, although it by no means gives complete justice to the duo. See for yourself by heading over to their YouTube channels:

And check out John’s books. Looking For Alaska is my personal favourite although TFIOS and Paper Towns follow closely behind. Finally, Paper Towns that’s been released in cinemas was a John Green book! It features Cara Delevigne and Nat Wolff. As a John Green fan, I was excited and it didn’t disappoint!

DFTBA Don’t Forget To Be Awesome!

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A SINKING FEELING BECOMING HOMELESS BYPHS THERE TO HELP

Becoming homeless at any age is a terrifying thought, but when it happens to young people it can leave us feeling lost and as if the weight of the world is on our shoulders. If you ever find yourself in a position where you are left homeless, it’s important that you understand that there is help out there. Bolton Young Persons Housing Scheme (BYPHS) is a fantastic project, not only assisting homeless young people get into housing but they also offer counselling and general support. It’s often masked and you don’t tend to hear much about it on the news but with over 500 referrals last year alone, it’s obvious that homelessness amongst Bolton’s youth is still a problem. BYPHS work with a wide range of businesses and charities to offer fully furnished rooms to registered members. And it doesn’t stop there, BYPHS also have a scheme where residents are helped to continue in the education system or 24 are helped to get into employment.

The project also employs 5 staff that used to be on the housing scheme but have left to live successful lives in nursing, care or in further education. This allows an empathetic connection to be made with current residents and also proves that the scheme can lead to great outcomes.

The aim if the project is to allow these young people to develop independent skills, allowing them to then rent their own flat. Finding yourself to be in a position where you are left homeless can be as a result of various things, such as falling

Article written by Mithun Kerai

out with family, the result of drug use or something as simple as family members moving away to another country. One thing that remains the same through any situation is that you will probably feel lonely; BYPHS understand this and are dedicated to offering support according to your needs. “We may not be their family or their friends, but at the time we are all that they have” – Maura Jackson, Director of BYPHS. There’s a pretty strong link with homelessness and mental health issues. Anxiety, depression and insomnia are all

Maura Jackson, Director of BYPHS

issues that are common and difficult to live with. But with BYPHS’s strong links to the council and various charities, appropriate help is just around the corner. If you find yourself to be in this difficult position, seek help from the various organisations available. If under 18, contact the Leaving Care Team, based on Marsden Road on 01204 337376. If over 18 contact the Housing Advice Service on 01204 553900. Or if you feel more comfortable talking to BYPHS, call 01204 520183.

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STRUGGLE RISE OF FOOD BANKS

A lot of families on low income struggle to afford the cost of eating. Why? Recently, I spoke to the manager of The Well - a local food bank in Farnworth. She said "Benefit delays and benefit changes are the main reasons why people come to the food bank." Another major reason why people are struggling is due to low income. All these factors lead working class families into a crisis. The Government have introduced a Living Wage to help struggling families and manager Alex Malone believes 'it's a step in the right direction'. It has been estimated that by increasing the National Minimum Wage to a Living Wage some 4.8 million workers would see an extra £4bn in take home pay. However, Chancellor George Osborne has recently announced the government will be cutting benefits from £26,000 to £20,000 to save a report26 ed £20bn, which is to be introduced

Article written by Kasey Smith

A REAL

next April. This could affect more than 330,000 youngsters who are from low income families according to the government's statistics. On average 104 families use the food bank each month, making that over 1,000 families each year - and that's only in Farnworth. The numbers given three days emergency food to youngsters by Trussell Trust food banks for this year is 396,997, which is a rise of nearly 67,000 from last year. In 2012 only 46,018 young people used Trussell Trust food banks. However, at The Well, they have not seen a rise at all. "Our figures have stayed pretty steady and we've bucked the trend nationally." The news of the government's plans to cut benefits by £6,000 will be devastating for low income families and will surely draw even more people to food banks in the future. Will the government take action on the never ending rise in use of food banks or will it be left to the next government to sweep up the mess left behind?

Article written by Lydia German

It’s not been long since we got our results that supposedly ‘dictate our futures’ but we want to know, does education actually prepare us for the ‘working world’? When speaking to other young people, most said that we’re taught how to act in a job role, rather than how to apply for employment and do a specific job. Cameron, 17, said “showing obedience towards teachers prepares you for showing obedience to bosses and people of higher rank.” But in terms of the skills needed for a job, he doesn’t think education is enough. “You are taught about the subject you are studying for and that is it. No preparation for a lifetime of work whatsoever and you’re thrown into the deep end when you start your first job.” Others said education focuses too much on theory, rather than how to actually carry out the job. Curt, 17, said “lessons aim on the theoretical aspects of life, and you can’t get through life on theory only, you need practice and experience.” Ben, 18, agreed, stating “I feel like education is based on the theory of working and not the practicalities of working.” But most employers would say that education is there to provide the

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basics that’ll keep our options open. The training is where you’re supposed learn how to do the job, because there are so many jobs available that education can’t cover them all. On the other hand, Amber, 18, thinks that education actually should be more specific. “They explain that we need work experience to hopefully achieve a job, but they don’t explain how to get work experience, what we need to do, and don’t explain what work experience we need if we wanted a job say in films or TV.” But this information is available to us in most schools and colleges – they have resource centres where we can book an appointment with an advisor so that we can talk about options for the future. The Learning Resource Centre at Pendleton Sixth Form said “Every student is encouraged to book a careers meeting with a qualified advisor and make use of the careers information and resources. They can help you in every stage of your decision making, career choice and development.” Do you think school, college or university has really prepared you for the real world? Let us know @XplodeMag!

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The SEXY TRUTH Sexual health is a topic we always shy away from. I mean of course you would, it’s something that is private and only talked about amongst the bae’s. But it’s also a topic, which you should probably put a bit of thought into, and we mean proper thought not just that you put into PSCHEE recurring. From contraception to STI’s, from pregnancy to peer pressure, sex is pretty serious! Are you ready for sex?

Peer Pressure Probably one of the things that leads most people into having sex. It’s in the name really isn’t it? Your ‘peers’ (friends) forcing you into do something you don’t want to do. It may seem like half your friends are sexually active but that doesn’t 28 mean you need to be too. You may

be waiting for the right person or just don’t believe it’s the right time. And you should listen to yourself when it comes to decisions about sex, I mean you don’t let others make decisions about whether you’re hungry or not do you? Be confident to say no, there should be no regrets, no tears and no anxieties.

Contraception & STI’s A recent study found that the 16 -24 age group accounts for more than half of all newly diagnosed STI’s in the UK. 64% of people who have chlamydia were in this age group. That’s a pretty shocking figure. The major problem with STI’s is that you don’t always have symptoms to show them. This means you may not get treatment for them and you could pass them onto others. Using contraception can minimise the chances of your catching an STI greatly. The NHS and many others recommend

using a condom every time you have sex unless you are planning for a baby as it also protects you from unexpected pregnancy. If you believe you may have an STI you can get tested at a sexual health clinic such as those available at The Parallel or the Pikes Lane Health Centre. You can also ask your GP for advice. Emergency contraception is also available; you can see your GP or visit a sexual health clinic. Or you could go to a pharmacist and purchase it for a small fee.

Alcohol & Sex You have a few drinks and you loosen up a bit. Sex after drinking is common especially at parties. Alcohol affects your judgement about sex and you may be more open to it or make decisions such as having sex without a condom. It’s important that you don’t take rash decisions; staying around a friend is a good idea as they may be able to stop you from taking these rash decisions. Another thing to remember is to never leave your drink unattended, if you want to go to the toilet ask a trusted friend to keep an eye on it. Oh, and don’t take a drink off of someone who you don’t know, no matter how charming they may be! For more information about sexual health, go to: www.nhs.uk/livewell/sexualhealth By The Health Team in partnership 29 with the Public Health Department.

Happiness is the secret to all beauty‌ Article written by Lydia Edwards

As the world revolves and we coexist with that rotation, every emotion and agonising suffering of one person often remains unknown to the next person. In simple terms; often your next door neighbour or the kind old man who sits next to you on the bus are unaware of your suffering. So equally, this pain weighs like a heavy burden, weighing deeply like a bolder sitting in the pit of your stomach and as we hide that pain, it becomes a secret; and there is one thing that's is worse than keeping a secret and that is the regret of not living life to its upmost potential.

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However as a teen, young adult or aspiring entrepreneur, there is always that one thing pulling you down and you have to out-grow your goals before you have even begun to complete a few of the simple tasks. The tasks that enable you to take one step closer and complete one of the many milestones that lay on the rickety road that will one day lead you to being who you want to be. But as a human being, it is completely normal to be sidetracked and feel as though the difference between what exactly we want to happen in our minds and, realistically, what is going to happen in our lives is nothing at all. Truthfully, that is fine. More than fine, that is amazing. Wherever you are at this moment in time, whether you are squabbling with a sibling or resting peacefully in your cosy bed, it cannot be guaranteed that whatever you are doing is the correct thing to be doing at that point in your life, but a great rule to live by is that you are exactly where you are supposed to be.

Just because the likes of Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez rose to stardom before the first word tumbled from their mouths doesn't mean that the exact same expected of you. To achieve even so much as a decimal of the happiness that one should genuinely hold, you must be happy with who you are and where you are in your life, what you are accomplishing. Even if it’s just something as small as the eyeliner wing being exactly equal on the right eye as it is on the left eye. Take a break and complete a session of anxiety yoga, walk regularly and eat regularly too, connect with old friends and practice the art of random kindness and appreciation. You could read just one of the many books out there. That shine inside of you is still burning, it has just been quilted by the harsh fire-blanket that is today's society. There are many ways that the stereotypical grouping that all teenagers must be the same and have the same traits can be overcome. Realistically

physical attractiveness in which a person considered 'pretty' must act in some way and hold specific characteristics isn't accurate and thinking that way will get you nowhere. Happiness is the power behind your smile that will drive you everywhere you want to be eventually, the acceptance of who you are and the patience to wait for the good things is what helps the most too because people with weird and infectious personalities often make the best friends.

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Social Commerce is next to blow up Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook

Something to like! Soon, you’ll be able to shop on Facebook. Facebook are well and truly on a quest for world domination! They’re adding a new feature to their apps where you can shop! Businesses can show off their products they want you to buy. You’ll browse through them and get what you want! They’re making it easier to get in touch with businesses too – they’ve added new buttons like 'message me' 'contact us' and 'call me' just to make our lives that little bit easier!

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Article written by Kasey Smith

Article written by Saeed Atcha

Tinder's new 'Super Like' is pretty much what Carly Rae Jepsen's 'I Really Like You' was about! They've introduced this 'Super Like' where basically you can swipe up and 'star' someone you really reallyreallyreallyreally like and it'll notify that person! That then allows them to super-like you back! Before this new feature, you never saw if someone swiped right on you until you also swiped right on them! But the bad news, you'll only get one "super like" a day so don’t go all out on your first few swipes! According to Tinder's blog post, it'll be out "soon".

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Facts That Sound Too Crazy To Be True: The stickers that supermarkets use on fruit is completely edible. Even the glue is food grade. There is such a thing as poop transplant. April 11, 1954 is considered the most boring day of the 20th century because nothing significant happened. Graffiti is plural. Graffito is the singular form. The Pringles man’s name is actually “Julius”.

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Collectively, “Gangnam Style” has wasted over 15,400 years of humanity’s time on YouTube (since 2014). The Big Bang Theory was first proposed by a Catholic Priest. Cookie Monster’s real name is “Sid”. Movie trailers used to be shown after the movie, which is why they were called “trailers”. Sunflowers can be used to clean up nuclear waste.

By Shabih Syed

Q: What do you call a sleeping bull? A: A bulldozer! Q: What do you call a belt with a watch on it? A: A waist of time. Q: What season is it when you are on a trampoline? A: Spring time. Q: Where did the computer go to dance? A: To a disc-o. Q: What sound do porcupines make when they kiss? A: Ouch. Q: Where do snowmen keep their money? A: In snow banks. Q: What goes through towns, up & over hills, but doesn't move? A: The road!

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