The Stag - Issue 69

Newspaper of the students of the University of Surrey

Issue 69 – Monday 10th March 2014

Our Music Editor has a chat with dance-pop legend, Cascada on page 16

The Stag’s guide to the best biscuits to snack on while studying - Page 10

NEWS One in three strippers are funding studies A study has discovered unconventional methods of paying tuition fees... Page X OPINION & ANALYSIS Was reclassifying ketamine worth it? Now it’s a Class B drug, will it fix the social problems? Page 9 FEATURES Thriving under the influence Find some tips on how to make healthier decisions during nights out Page 11 SCIENCE & TECH Maths is beautiful Apparently, the brain sees as much beauty in maths as in art... Page 14 LITERATURE Lesbian Pulp Fiction The Literature Editor gives a quick insight into the literary genre... Page 20 SOCIETIES Beekeeping with Enactus Student enterprise society are helping communities in Ethiopia... Page 25

NEW UNION CEO APPOINTED

• Out of over sixty applicants, Interim CEO Alan • The search was conducted by external trustees, Sutherland has been selected Union staff and University staff
By Nicole Vassell, Editor

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he new Chief Executive Officer of University of Surrey Students’ Union has been chosen following an extensive search. Alan Sutherland, former Membership Services Director/Deputy CEO, and subsequently Interim CEO, was

successfully selected from over 60 applicants. From these 60, six candidates were interviewed by Hannah Waterhouse, Union Chair, Em Bollon, President, external trustees Barry Hitchcock and Harri ap Rees and Caroline Royle, HR & Staff Development Manager. Following this, the three

final shortlisted candidates went on to be interviewed by three groups representing student members; full and part time staff and the University, before the final decision was made on Monday 3rd March. In a statement from Union President, Em Bollon, Alan is described as having gained

“extensive experience” within the Union organization in terms of both membership and commercial areas: “During this time he has developed a keen understanding of the role of student unions for its members, stakeholders and external partners. He has managed a number of significant projects and changes the

Inside:

Election results

Top 4 TV Bromances

Sports results

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EDITORIAL

The Stag | 10th February 2014

[email protected]

An Ode To Lupita Nyong’o
By Nicole Vassell, Editor
Editor | Nicole Vassell [email protected] Editor-in-Chief |  Andy Smith [email protected] Deputy Editor (Head of Design)  |  Paul A Richmond [email protected] Design Team | Siobhan Harris, Sophia Field Deputy Editor (Marketing)  |  Matilda Tasker [email protected] Marketing Team | Vacant News Editor |  Shunayna Vaghela [email protected] News Team | Katie Sands Opinion and Analysis Editor | Sam West [email protected] Opinion & Analysis Team | Leo Blanchard, Marko Scepanovic, Ting Wei Features Editor  |  Rebekkah Hughes [email protected] Features Team  |  Ardy Cheung, Petra-Maria Ilieva, Saskia Parks, Jas Smith, Amy Vitoria, Alex Watts Science and Technology Editor  |  Siobhan Harris [email protected] Science and Technology Team  | Fahmid Chowdhury, Ben Hartfield, Daniel Robinson Dance and Theatre Editor  | Ambar Parker Moreno [email protected] Dance and Theatre Team | Paul A Richmond Film Editor  | Sophia Field [email protected] Film Team  |  Ankur Banerjee, Beth Goss Music Editor  |  Candice Ritchie [email protected] Music Team  |  James Campbell, Kyra Hanson Literature Editor  |  Shiri Shah [email protected] Literature Team  |  Joseph Harrison, Emma Hawken Societies Editor  | Alice Wilkinson [email protected] Sports Editor  |  Santiago Avilés [email protected] Sport Team  |  Phil Main, Adam Miller, Jake Simpson Web Editor  |  Alistair Walker [email protected] Copy Editors  |  Laura Ball, Oliver Gosling, Harriet Knight [email protected]

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very year, it seems as if someone new in Hollywood captures both the hearts of the public and the headlines of the tabloids for months on end. Last year saw Jennifer Lawrence shoot to fame due to a combination of strong performances (Silver Linings Playbook and The Hunger Games films) and a goofy personality. On behalf of International Women’s Day, which was on 8th March, I’d like to take the opportunity to highlight someone who is arguably the name of 2014 so far – and rightfully so. Born in Mexico and raised in Kenya, Lupita Nyong’o has been propelled to the height of popularity after playing the role of Patsey in Steve McQueen’s modern masterpiece, 12 Years a Slave. With the film and her performance having been nominated for a slew of awards, Nyong’o has quickly become the most anticipated feature on the red carpet. Her bold and colourful choices include the red caped Ralph Lauren dress worn to the Golden Globes, the turquoise jewelled-neck dress by Gucci that she wore to the Screen Actors’ Guild Awards and her BAFTAs emerald green dress by Christian Dior. Something that is particularly inspiring about her incredible rise to fame is the fact that she represents a type of beauty that is rarely seen in Western media. With her dark complexion and short, shaved, afro-textured hair, Nyong’o is far from the long-standing ideals of beauty that have dominated popular culture ever since its beginning. With fashion designers are clamouring to dress her, it excites me to see such diversity in the common perception of beauty. She herself is well aware of the unique platform she occupies: at a speech given at the 7th Annual Black Women in Hollywood luncheon, Nyong’o left her live and her global audience alike speechless, as she told of a time when she felt “unbeautiful” due to her complexion: “I too remember a time when I would turn on the TV and only see pale skin. I got

Nyong’o, pictured at the Mill Valley Film Festival in 2013 teased and taunted about my night shaded skin. And my one prayer to God, the miracle worker, was that I would wake up lighter skinned.” She went on to say that even though she’s glad that she can be an example for other young girls who are unable to recognise themselves in pop culture, feeling beautiful inside is most important. Besides her aesthetics and talent, her intelligent manner of speaking and insightful interviews make her a role model for many, regardless of skin colour. When she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress on 2nd March (wearing a gorgeous baby-blue ensemble from Prada), I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who rejoiced! She accepted the coveted accolade with grace and charm, leaving us with the message: “No matter where you’re from, your dreams are valid.” Though she is only at the beginning of her career, I have no doubt that Lupita Nyong’o will be spoken of for years to come.

Letter from the Editor

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The Stag is an editorially independent newspaper and is published by the University of Surrey Students’ Union. The views expressed in the paper are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the editorial team, the Students’ Union or the University of Surrey. Trinity Mirror (South) St. Albans Road, Watford WD24 7RG The Stag reserves the right to edit all submissions and the right to decide which articles are published.

ey everyone, Welcome to another issue of The Stag! Now, I’m normally a fan of March – to me it means Easter eggs, and the start of the countdown until my birthday (*cough* April 6th *cough*). Unfortunately, my impending dissertation has meant that life has recently consisted of little more than caffeinated drinks and Microsoft Word. Luckily, for those who have a little bit more space in their diaries for campus fun, there are lots of upcoming events that’ll make the new couple of weeks fabulous: The Sport Relief Mile will be held on Sunday 23rd March, and will see

students and Guildford residents run, walk, skip and ride around campus in aid of charity. This is always a great event to participate in and watch, so make sure to show your support! One World Week, previously known as iFestival, runs from 24th to 30th March and gives the entire university population the opportunity to experience the plethora of international cultures present here on campus - it’s sure to be unmissable. And of course, Varsity 2014 will see Team Surrey face Kingston University at Surrey Sports Park on April 2nd – look out for some more information in the next issue! But in the meantime, enjoy the semi-sunshine and keep working hard!

© Flickr: Steve Rhodes

The Stag | 10th March 2014

NEWS

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New Union CEO
Continued from page 1... organization has gone through over the past couple of years, including strategic planning, innovation and governance/charity status. “It is Alan’s view that his career has been shaped by the belief that the Students’ Union should embrace every opportunity to enhance its professional standards, practices and frameworks.” Speaking exclusively to The Stag, Alan said on his new role: “The Union was left in very good condition by my predecessor Bob, and I’m looking forward to taking the Union into the top ten.”

Surrey’s Night Masters

Surrey Decided
By Nicole Vassell, Editor

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fter a whirlwind final week of campaigning, Surrey has finally chosen their union representatives for the year 2014/2015. Beginning with Question Time held on Sunday 23rd, Monday 24th and Tuesday 25th February, many of the candidates took an opportunity to sell themselves to the student body by answering questions from chairs Charlie Eastaugh, Returning Officer and Alan Sutherland, recently-elected union CEO. With coverage from Stag Media, the hustings saw appearances from the likes of previous Sabbs Bakita Kasadha and Osama Salih, along with the NUS President Toni Pearce. All in all, Question Time was a great success, to

the extent that the hashtag #SurreyDecides trended nationally on Twitter! The elections came to a close on Friday 28th February, when crowds of supporters and voter gathered in Chancellors to hear announce the results announced in-person. For the first time in 16 years, the verdict for one of the positions was Re-Open Nominations as both candidates for Events and Trading officer failed to submit the budget forms by the extended deadline. As a result, a by-election will be held at a later time this semester. With a total turnout of 4790, this was the most voted-in elections in living memory. Congratulations to all elected candidates and to all who ran!

By Nicole Vassell, Editor and Matilda Tasker, Deputy Editor

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urrey’s Stag Hill campus was the host of the first Red Bull Night Master Event on Saturday 8th March. Jordan Fletcher and Aidan Lindsey-Wood, second-year Business Management students were the organisers of the £30,000 event: speaking to The Stag, the team described Night Master as “A UK competition organised by Red Bull, giving a student to imagine, create and host their perfect night. Over 300 entries were narrowed down to 10 finalists, and then it was down to getting the public to vote for the video entry!” Surrey’s winning entry ended up receiving thirteen thousand votes. Demand for entry into the main event and

after-party was high, with many students not being fortunate enough to receive a free ticket from the Red Bull website. Fletcher and Lindsey-Wood responded: “It’s amazing what coverage the event has had and hence such a great demand for main event tickets. Obviously, if we could have had greater numbers we would! 200 tickets sold out in 60 seconds for the after-party in Rubix and not even the main event. It’s insane!” At time of print, we are still anticipating the huge event that is sure to be one remembered for years to come. Look out for The Stag’s coverage in the next issue, released 24th March!

President: Maz Hussien VP Education: Matt Sadlers VP Welfare: Munya Mudarikiri VP Societies and ID: Mustie Smith VP Sports and Recreation: Dan Jacobs Union Chair: Simona Mariuta RAG Chair: Ruth Wyatt Postgraduate Development Officer: Richard Reece International Development Officer: Iggy ‘International’ Ethics and Environment Officer: Phillimon Seruwo Equality and Diversity Officer: Andile Sibanda Editor-in-Chief: Georgie Smith Community Officer: Katy Sawyer

By Nicole Vassell, Editor

Sound engineer wins big at Academy Awards

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urrey alumnus Christopher Benstead has been awarded an Oscar. The Tonmeister graduate won the Academy Award for Best Sound Mixing for his work on 2013 space thriller Gravity, directed by Alfonso Cuarón and starring Sandra Bullock. After also winning with his team (Skip Livesay, Niv Adiri, Chris Munro) at the BAFTA Awards in February, he attended the starstudded ceremony on March 2nd with his wife Bryony. This is clearly a great honour for Mr Benstead, as he tweeted “Wow, this is immense!!!” shortly after his win.

© Twitter: Chris Benstead

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NEWS

The Stag | 10th March 2014

[email protected]

Stripping to study
With tuition fees being higher than ever, some students are encited to fund their studies in unconventional ways
By Katie Sands, News Team

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new study from Leeds University has told that nearly a third of women working in strip clubs are students. The study pinpoints the incentives for strip-club work as the high cost of higher education, a lack of availability of loans and support for vocational courses and the flexibility of the work alongside academic demands. Sociologist Tella Sanders added that a lot of the dancers come from middle-class families, where the job isn’t a financial necessity. The increasing fear of debt post-graduation, rather than immediate financial worries, are viewed by some as a reason for this contradiction. An anonymous twenty-eight-year-old graduate from Oxford University told The Guardian she started lap-dancing as a student. She stated: “I’m not a brazen hussy or a bad person, I just don’t like borrowing money… When I was a student, money was an immediate problem and dancing offered an immediate solution. I didn’t want to ask for more handouts from my parents, and I was under a lot of

Volunteering – the key to development

LIFE AFTER SURREY

stress trying to pay the rent. I can’t speak for women in all clubs, but I’d much rather pay my own way.” The Leeds study picked up on the financial incentives of strip club workers, but also noted concerns from the employees of high levels of commission going to their managers, alongside fines for arriving late to work or chewing gum that could ruin the profits of a shift. The study only interviewed women in clubs were open access to the workers had been granted by management. Alumni volunteer Lewis Young shares his experiences as an open day ambassador

On Behalf of Robin Horsfall: Thank You
By Sam West, Opinion and Analysis Editor

© Flickr: jo.sau

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n Tuesday 19th February, a Surrey student, Robin Horsfall, gave a talk on university campus about his life. His story was about a young boy from a broken home, who joined the army at 15, became a paratrooper at 17, and a SAS soldier at the age of 21. He spoke about his involvement in the 1980 Iranian Embassy Crisis and the Falklands War in 1982, as well as countless other activities across the world. The talk was hugely insightful and painted a

stark portrait of a life very different to the normal student experience. It was attended by both students and non-students alike, with questions taken toward the end. Through donations, the talk raised £120 for Robin’s chosen charity, Julia’s House. This is a children’s hospice in Dorset, dedicated to helping life-limited children and their families through a traumatic experience. On behalf of Robin, this is a thank-you to all those who attended and those who gave to such a worthy cause.

Jim Met Dr Maggie
By Siobhan Harris, Science and Technology Editor im Meets, the popular event that sees Professor Jim Al-Khalili chat with scientists like David Attenborough and Brian Cox, has returned. Monday 3rd March saw Jim interview his first-ever woman guest, the inspirational Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock. Maggie is a space scientist who also presents BBC Four’s The Sky at Night after being inspired by the program as a child. The chat was informal and fun, allowing for her passion for space science to really come through. Maggie described her successes as having been led by her dream to investigate, and learn more about, space. From a young age she excelled in the sciences and went on to study physics at Imperial College London before doing a PhD in mechanical

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engineering. Since then, she has started her own company here in Guildford called Guildford Science Innovation Ltd., through which she conducts public engagement activities. She is a fantastic example of one of the first handful of women working in a male-dominated environment. While she wishes to break down the barriers that divide the genders in the scientific profession, she also stands to work towards a more scientifically knowledgeable society in general. It was an enjoyable evening with people from the local community as well as the university packed into the lecture theatre. People of all ages turned up to hear Jim and Maggie discuss our pressing questions about the universe, and life itself. Don’t miss out on the next Jim Meets!

ollowing on from my previous column on philanthropy and how our alumni help students financially I also wanted to share with you how alumni support Surrey students by donating another thing precious to them – time. The alumni and development office runs a volunteering programme which encourages Surrey graduates to get involved with the University by offering their time to help out with anything from being a mentor to supporting at events to being an international or open day ambassador. Volunteering has a really positive impact on the University and its students. It helps our alumni to stay connected with us and share valuable expertise and experiences. Our volunteers can be of any age. Lots of our more experienced alumni help current students but we also get support from our recent graduates who have the benefit of remembering clearly what it’s like to take the next steps after graduating. I worked at the latest open day in October where I met some of our alumni volunteers who were helping out as ambassadors. One of those volunteers was Lewis Young, a recent Law graduate. From talking to Lewis it was clear to see his passion for Surrey. Lewis told me how he’d always felt at home here and how being able to share his experiences with prospective students, knowing it would be of benefit to them, really meant something to him. I personally find, and I think many of you will agree, that helping someone out gives you a warm feeling inside, but there’s the added bonus that volunteering also benefits you individually. The proof is in the facts as a recent survey carried out by TimeBank (through Reed Executive) showed that volunteering can help boost your careers. 73% of employers said they would recruit a candidate with volunteering experience over one without - and it can also help you learn or develop a new skill.

So, if you’re a final-year student and are interested in volunteering once you have graduated, especially as an open day ambassador, please visit www.surrey.ac.uk/volunteering or contact my colleague Emma Pryke, our alumni volunteering an international officer at alumni. [email protected]

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NEWS

The Stag | 10th March 2014

[email protected]

£4.3m Lottery Grant for Amy Winehouse Foundation
By Siobhan Harris, Drugs Correspondent

CAREERS COLUMN

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he Amy Winehouse Foundation has joined forces with charity Addaction to collaborate on a fiveyear drink and drugs education project in secondary schools, which hopes to educate young people on the consequences of drugs and alcohol abuse. The drink and drugs scheme was set up by Mitch Winehouse, the father of the late Amy Winehouse, who died in July 2011 aged 27. The singer/songwriter’s long battle with alcohol and drugs addiction led to her death, although she made several trips to rehabilitation clinics. The project works by holding sessions that are run by 250 trained volunteers, who all have some extent of direct experience of substance misuse. As the saying goes, the best action comes from those with first-hand experience. Thanks to the funding they no longer have to wait, meaning that they can start educating young minds in Amy’s memory as soon as possible. The project was founded in order to prevent

© Flickr: Fionn Kidney

The singer tragically died in 2011 from alcohol poisoning problems, rather than solve the ones that exist. This preventative approach is both promising and innovative.

By Sarah Kendall, Hannah Roberts and Alex Tromp, Careers Ambassadors

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International Guitar Research Centre to launch at Surrey
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he 29th and 30th March sees the return of the Guildford Guitar Weekend with a glittering line up of events to inspire and engage both students and the local community. Surrey Music student and classical guitar player Octavius Longcroft-Wheaton explains how exciting the weekend will be: “This event provides an incredible opportunity to listen to and absorb a wide range of guitar repertoire and the contrasting interpretations of different performers. I have attended the event over the last few years and have never failed to come away without having listened to many new pieces I hadn’t heard before and start learning them.” This year’s event marks the launch of the International Guitar Research Centre (IGRC) at the University of Surrey, which aims to provide a nerve centre for all styles of guitar-based research. The IGRC is directed by Professor Steve Goss and Dr Milton Mermikides with legendry guitarist John Williams as its Honorary President. This is an exciting time for students as this launch now provides a wonderful opportunity for immersion into the most current and cutting edge research happening in the guitar from across the world. The weekend symposium will cover a wide range of lectures, papers, talks and live performances from many important international scholars and artists. Saturday 29th sees Professor Steve Goss interview John Williams about the IGRC’s current projects and his insight into the world of a world class performer.

ebruary has already come and gone, and we’re all thinking ‘where has the time gone?!’ We hope your courses are going well and you’re looking forward to some sunnier weather as much as we are! Even though the weather may have been all doom and gloom recently, it certainly isn’t here in the Careers Service! Did you know the University has an online job database where various employers advertise all sorts of jobs – from full and part time jobs to internships and graduate positions? Our vacancies database currently has more than 500 live vacancies and all you need to do is register. You can receive tailored job advertisements straight to your inbox. To register, sign up here; http://www.surrey. prospects.ac.uk/ We are continually putting on a variety of events throughout the semester and if you haven’t taken a look already, all events are available for booking on the Careers Website - http://www.surrey.ac.uk/careers/ whatson/ Book in advance to reserve your place! Some of the events which we currently have coming up include; - Mon 10th March - Mock Assessment Centre, led by IBM - Wed 12th March – Accessing the Hidden Jobs Market, led by the Careers Service - Thurs 13th March - I’d like to work in software development: presentation for Engineering and Technology students by FDM - Mon 17th March - Welcome to my world: I work in Marketing and Events, with IBM - Friday 21st March - CV Checks with Ernst and Young Remember, we’re open Monday – Friday 9-5pm and in order to avoid the disappointment of events getting full, book your place today.

Mindapples: Love Your Mind
By Laura Smythson, Lead Nurse and Deputy Head of Wellbeing Performances will come from the Seattle based guitarist Michael Partington and Xuefei Yang. Xuefei’s performance will include Benjamin Britten’s epic tribute to John Dowland ‘Nocturnal’ and Shuo Chang, a piece especially written for her by international composer Chen Yi.

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n February, ninety-nine students of the University of Surrey gave us a little taste of their Mindapples. What is a Mindapple, I hear you ask? Well, according to the mindapples.org website it is defined as:

Further details and tickets from: The Ivy Arts Centre (open 10am-6pm Mon-Fri) 01483 686876 or www.surrey.ac.uk/arts Tourist Information Centre, 155 High Street, Guildford Open 9.30am-5 pm Mon-Sat 01483 444334 or www.visitguildford.com

mindapple (mīnd-ăp´əl) • n. a day-to-day activity that is good for your mind

From talking to friends to taking the dog for a walk and everything in What five things do you do every between…students told us what they day, or regularly, to look after your mind? do to keep their minds healthy.

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OPINION & ANALYSIS

The Stag | 10th March 2014

[email protected]

Let’s Quietly Be Green
Sam West Opinion Editor

Opinion & Analysis
gas, and electricity which is mostly generated by fossil fuels. With current predictions, it is estimated that our oil reserves will be used up within 40 years. We should all be more resourceful, because once they are gone, they are gone for good. We shouldn’t overuse these non-renewable resources when usage can be reduced. These fossil fuels also cause high levels of pollution, such as vehicular emissions, with cities looking somewhat dirty, whether in the air, on the buildings, or the colour of the trees. Perhaps it would even be better to switch to renewable resources, which last forever and have less of an environmental impact. Deforestation has surged in recent years, with 4,500 acres of forest being burnt or cut down every hour. This is equivalent to 8,000 football pitches. Around half of the world’s tropical rainforests have already been cleared, with predictions that they will completely vanish within a hundred years. This doesn’t mean that deforestation only affects the likes of Brazil, the Congo and Indonesia, but has affected us in Britain too - we used to have much more woodland. Deforestation affects the natural beauty of our planet, which is something that should be cherished. These environmental impacts should make us greener. That doesn’t mean we should live in mud huts, stop using toilet roll, or abandon our electronics. It doesn’t even mean we should call for higher regulation and taxation, which limits our personal liberty. Although we can be really green if we want to, at the bare minimum, it means that we should be quietly green; more aware of our actions and less wasteful. This means recycling, switching lights off, and using less transportation, which are very practical steps for everyday life. Some may be reluctant to make a different since big companies abuse the environment substantially more. The best advice is to simply purchase elsewhere, by which a lack of business will force a particular company to either change its practices, or face closure. The power to make a difference is in your hands; in your home, in your consumer choices, and in your daily habits. Let’s quietly be green.

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owadays, ‘green’ is sometimes associated with militant demonstrations, crazy hippies, and demands for higher regulation and taxation. However, being green should not be any of these things. Instead, we can all be green, and should all be green; in a subtle, but also very effective, way. We can be green by switching lights off when we are not in a room. By recycling instead of throwing everything in a waste bin. By turning the heating off when we do not need it. By walking short distances, instead of over-relying on transportation. These are easy and simple steps we can all take. It is insane how lights are left on in completely unoccupied room. As well as households, shops, offices and universities are the biggest culprits of this. While there is a lack of scientific and social consensus over man-made climate change, there is huge consensus over other environmental issues. Pollution, deforestation and the depletion of fossil fuels are all undeniable facts. It are these issues that we should rally around, which are scientifically evident and of utmost importance. Pollution is widespread, affecting ourselves, animals, and the natural landscape itself. People who live in places with high air pollution are 20% more likely to die from lung cancer, compared to those who live in lower polluted areas. Additionally, Asthma is a huge problem, mostly developing in the young, who have weaker respiratory systems. The effect of pollution on animals is perhaps even bigger, directly killing millions upon millions each year, especially in the sea. Leatherback turtles have declined by over 60% in the past 20 years, confusing plastic bags for jellyfish, consuming them, in turn blocking their digestive systems. And in the US alone, 46% of lakes are too polluted for fishing, swimming, and living creatures. Fossil fuels have been consumed too much and too quickly; this includes coal, petroleum, natural

To Be More Inclusive In Order To Create More Achievement
Ting Wei examines what influences our votes, and if we can be unbias and objective.
brought us, especially in terms of lifestyle. The importance of seeing someone for his or her personality, pursuits, values and interests, rather than what he or she was born with (e.g. nationality, cultural background, physical or mental impairment), is of the utmost importance in life nowadays. We can, for instance, embrace the differences of sexual orientation, -ism’s and -ist’s, social class, and education levels in most countries, and in most contexts. But can we really be open-minded and nonjudgmental towards differences? But is cosmopolitanism a rosy picture? Well, we’ve seen global engagement such as G20 and APEC, international volunteering, and enjoyable group discussion in class! With the prerequisite of certain

Ting Wei

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wo smoke-free battles have happened recently; the Student’s Union elections on campus and my struggle to vote for candidates. For the latter, I asked myself, “Can you make your decisions regardless of relationships, nationalities and genders?” The answer my mind gave was only 90% positive. My main barrier was in the relationship aspect. You may identify it as the weakness, but it is very unlikely that I would vote for someone who I’d never spoken to, compared to someone who I had shared tears and joy with, unless of course an individual was exceptionally outstanding. And although I familiarised myself with candidates through their manifestos and through Question Time, I still tended to give my first vote to people I knew, especially when there was little difference between candidate’s personalities and ambitions. Another aspect worth discussing is the influence of cultural convergence that was imposed upon voters. It seems that during the campaign, some candidates drew particular attention to students who share the same cultural or national background. Clearly, some students prefer to vote for their compatriots, rather than taking into account other candidate’s commitment to benefit students, and exactly how they will improve student’s lives. The Right Honourable Lord Ashdown once said in a talk, “We are now interdependent. We are now interlocked, as nations, as individuals, in a way which has never been the case before… We are now deeply interconnected.” We have witnessed the dramatic change that globalisation has

Can you make your decisions regardless of your relationships, nationalities and your gender?
game rules, every participant cooperates well and makes contributions freely. Let’s cross our fingers that a quiet person will not be labelled anti-social, that a bisexual person will not be sneered at by homosexuals and heterosexuals alike, and that beliefs and religions will not be hated, with individuals not receiving threats from others. Although it is difficult in some cases, we always learn something from our enemies. Not to mention that there is no such a thing as an ‘enemy’ nowadays. As long as individuals and countries find a proper context with mutual benefits, perfect cooperation can be achieved. Although various cultures have different features and landscapes, it is we who decide how to build our world, and in an inclusive way.

Opinion & Analysis Editor: Sam West

The Stag | 10th March 2014

OPINION & ANALYSIS

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Reclassifying Ketamine Won’t Fix Our Broken System
Leo Blanchard

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n 13th February, Home Secretary Theresa May reclassified ketamine as a class B drug following the recommendations of the ACMD (the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs). This has been prompted by multiple widely-reported ketamine deaths, such as that of 18-year-old Ellie Rowe who died last year at BoomTown Fair after mixing the drug with alcohol. But making ketamine class B would have done nothing to prevent Ellie Rowe’s death. You might know of ketamine because of its original use as a horse tranquilliser, acting as a ‘dissociative anaesthetic’ that creates pleasurable feelings of detachment in the user. It’s popularly snorted as a white powder in clubs and at festivals, mostly by young people; it’s the sort of drug that gets pearl-clutching Daily Mail readers shaking their heads. According to the ACMD, their recommendation was a response to “new evidence of [ketamine’s] chronic toxicity to the bladder”, as well as the drug’s potential for negative short-term effects such as ‘k-holing’. “Frequent and heavy” use of ketamine is undeniably dangerous, but the safety of “frequent and heavy” use isn’t how we make drug laws; if it was, neknominate would be played in abandoned buildings and Nando’s would be bought in dark alleyways. The drug classification system in the United Kingdom works by assigning letters to certain drugs, with ‘C’ carrying the lowest penalties and ‘A’ carrying the highest. This might be workable if our classifications made the slightest bit of sense, but this is a system with

ecstasy in the same group as heroin, so it doesn’t do itself much justice. It’s attracted criticism ever since it came into place over 40 years ago, most publicly in 2009 when David Nutt, a member of the ACMD at the time, rightly questioned its effectiveness. The decision to fire Nutt shortly after this made it clear that the ACMD lacks legitimacy as a source of recommendations on government policy, existing instead to reflect the prejudices of our MPs. This makes it ineffective at minimising the harm some drugs can do, only inconveniencing a few young adults

...many illegal drugs are probably less harmful than their legal counterparts, like alcohol and tobacco.
bored of neknominate at the expense of billions of government pounds. Even if we ignore how much this is costing us at a time of austerity, the unregulated sale and lack of honest education about drugs like ketamine continues to put people like Ellie Rowe at risk. Our policy should be founded in open and informed discussion; this includes remembering that many illegal drugs are probably less harmful than their legal counterparts, like alcohol and tobacco. Effective drug policy is possible, but that means taking an evidencebased approach that gives serious thought to reducing the penalties attached to certain drugs. Realistically, changing ketamine from a ‘C’ to a ‘B’ won’t discourage anyone from taking it; the street form’s purity will sink instead and casual users will be put at greater risk. Our MPs need to start learning from countries like Portugal and look to more progressive drug policies that actually work.

Home Secretary Theresa May, who recently reclassified ketamine as a Class B drug.

Neknominations Are Out Of Control
Katie Sands

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eknominate is an internet phenomena that has spread like wildfire through university students’ social media. The premise of the game is to drink a pint or more of alcohol, or something revolting, then nominate three of your friends to do the same within 24 hours (these rules vary in different social circles). The nominees drink their pints whilst being filmed, and tag their nominations on Facebook. When the craze began I enjoyed watching my Facebook friends do comical videos, and shared in the spirit of Neknominate as a fun and trivial pass time. It’s such a shame that the competitive nature of Neknominations to one-up the person before you, has made it a dangerous and peer-pressured environment, rather than the laugh it was originally intended to be. On the 9th February, police and health groups issued warnings about the “highly dangerous practice”. Four people in Britain and Ireland have died in the past month in incidents related to Neknominate. The tragic death of Isaac Richardson, one of the four, was noted to have consumed for his Neknominate; a bottle of white wine, vodka, a quarter of a bottle of whisky and a can of lager into a one-and-a-half litre pitcher. His friends claimed that before the nomination, Richardson had said: “I want to outdo people; I want to do something that nobody has ever done.” This extreme example reveals the length that the seemingly harmless internet sensation has led to. Of course these instances are rare, but the tragedy of the death of a

young person should not be underestimated, especially when the incident was avoidable. The peer pressure to drink something even more disgusting and outrageous than the last person has turned the game into a dangerously competitive sport. Popular examples of what people put in their drinks contain items such as dog food, tuna and raw eggs. Then again, the craze may be seen as just an online representation of what British youths are doing when they go out drinking anyway. Instead of being in a club and having people yell ‘down it!’, we have moved that disconcerting tradition to the 21st century format of social media. It has even been put forward that the deaths from Neknominate are just part of a wider culture of binge drinking in the UK that kill thousands a year. Living in a digital age, the simple act of posting a video of yourself acting recklessly is also concerning when considering that a possible employer has the ability to look you up on Facebook, and see the video. A friend of mine studying medicine at the University of Leeds has also been warned off Neknominate when a rumour spread that the Medics Union were considering holding ‘Fitness to Practice’ hearings on trainee doctors who have done a Neknominate. Although this may only be a rumour, the obvious truth is that these Neknominate videos have the potential to haunt our social media, and make our ‘private’ life public. Neknominations started as a humorous craze that got a few laughs, but now the competitive element has turned ugly and dangerous. It’s time to put down the drink and sober up, and realise that competitive drinking and recording it, is probably not as great an idea as it seemed the night before.

Debating Society Column

Surrey v Kingston Debate
Marko Scepanovic Debating Society President

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he University of Surrey is currently ranked the 8th best university in the Guardian league tables. Our research in the fields of medicine and engineering are remarkable. And of course we batter our local rivals Kingston every year at Varsity! The successes of clubs and societies in competitions paints a good picture of how well a university is doing in bringing out the best in its students. This makes one upcoming event even more important; the very first Surrey v Kingston debating competition! Whilst varsity this year will be held on Wednesday 2nd April, the

debating competition will be held on Saturday 29th March. A victory over the Cougars on the Saturday would show that the University of Surrey is just as fantastic in arguing over the most controversial topics of the day, as it is at dominating in sports. This is a call to action! Let’s make sure that in 2015 we are not only bragging that we are aiming for a fifth consecutive win in sports, but also a second consecutive win in debating. If picking apart arguments made by Kingston students appeals to you, see the University of Surrey Debating Society Facebook page for more details!

10 FEATURES

The Stag | 10th March 2014

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Your Ultimate Guide to the Best Biscuits
by Rebekkah Hughes, Features Editor

Reader’s Digestive
they are. It has the right amount of chocolate for biscuit – well worth a try.

Features

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©Richard Cocks

have a housemate who LOVES biscuits. I’m not just talking ‘I’ll have a couple of Hobnobs and then one more for luck…’ No, I’m talking ‘I sat at the table with him in our kitchen and watched him quite happily devour an entire packet of Jammie Dodgers with one cup of tea in one sitting, right before my eyes’. I’m a little overwhelmed by it and I just can’t let it go. So, to try and find some closure on the subject of biscuits in my house, I’m compiling a guide to the best of them – with some help from a not-so-scientific question I posted on Facebook… 15. Unfortunately, I have to acknowledge Jaffa Cakes because apparently people like them, but they’re in last place. Personally, I dislike them with a rather intense passion: they’re not biscuits and they’re also quite disgusting, but nevertheless they’re enjoyed. This makes me sad, but there isn’t much I can do about it, just don’t ever mention it and we’ll pretend it never happened…

Lent: Chocolate Sundaes and Strength of Mind
by Ardy Cheung, Features Team

8. Viscount Biscuits
I absolutely adore these! They’re individually wrapped in green foil and are wonderfully minty. I find them totally moreish.

What Are You Giving Up This Lent?

7. Shortbread
Shortbread is delicious and super satisfying when homemade… but because homemade isn’t always an option, these often luxurious biscuits place about midway. Enough said.

6. Hobnobs
They have the texture and they have the variety, so apparently they have all the appeal, being described to me as “YUM”. Could you resist this Chocolate Coconut Milk Sundae?
©smiteme

14. Nice Biscuits
Essentially these coconutflavoured rectangles are a sugary sensation for some, but in my opinion, they’re nothing spectacular.
©seamlessgem

5. Party Rings
The most simple idea: thinly iced biscuits, and for some reason they are ridiculously addictive. If you buy a selection box, expect them to be gone in seconds.

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13. Ginger Nuts
These biscuits are not soft enough for some, but with their full gingery taste and crunch, they can be unexpectedly satisfying.

4. Custard Creams
According to one particular fan, these biscuits are “life itself”. Pretty high praise for a biscuit, don’t you reckon? These faithful little biccies won’t let you down and they’ll soon disappear if you leave them unattended. Guard them well, or just eat them all in one go – either will work fine.

12. Malted Milk
For something a little less sweet and a bit milkier, these are the biscuits for you: great with tea and not too dry either.

3. Oreos
For those of you that know me, Oreos are my revision food – especially in their miniature form. They’re yummy, a little bit different and absolutely scrumptious when dunked in milk (because they can on occasion be a little dry, but they’re still amazing!)

11. Bourbons
I had one response championing their corner with the comment: “Bourbons are beautiful <3”. This modest, chocolatey, simple snack will serve you well.

oday is the fifth day of Lent, and traditionally the time for giving up fatty foods or vices to remember Jesus’ 40 days in the desert where he resisted the Devil’s food and prayed. So, have you decided to give up anything for Lent? Although I do not come from a Christian background, I think that this can be an opportunity to set yourself a worthwhile goal or challenge to see if you can really carry it through. How often do we start something, for it to just go out the window (like that gym membership you only used once and that only proper meal you cooked at the start of semester)? We all have bad habits and eat bad food, so take on a Lent goal – it’s not too late to start now! Chocolate Sundays, not Chocolate Sundaes 40 days without chocolate? I swear that’s impossible! But we all know that over-indulgence of this processed sugary snack is no good to our health or waistlines. Skip white and milk chocolates as a way to cut down your sugary intake and just have a snack on Sundays – because they don’t count for Lent! Dark chocolate is a healthier pick as the higher amount of cocoa solids are

beneficial. It can improve blood flow to our brain, contains antioxidants which slows the signs of ageing and holds some important vitamins such as iron. I’m a dark-chocolate person, the darker the better, 70% cocoa and above is best. Twitter Detoxing (Try saying this, it sounds weird) Online social networks and our phones are the modern-day guilty pleasure because we are just so distracted by them! It also doesn’t help that the newsfeeds just extend and extend… Refuse your phone when on the train, during socials or meal times. You’ll actually realise that your friends are talking to you (unless they are on their phones too, in which case you sit and stare around awkwardly) or that your dinner actually tastes of something. Strength of Mind It’s not only about foods and vices such as smoking or alcohol. Set yourself any goal or challenge that you feel would make you a better person. For each day of Lent, snap an inspiring photo, write a random sentence, do 10 star jumps… whatever! It’s about sticking to it until the end and fulfilling a commitment.

©nickcummins

10. Rich Tea
Sometimes there is just nothing better to dunk in your tea. Just don’t go overboard with the dunking otherwise you’ll end up with that rather unappetising biscuit-tea mushy sediment that ruins the end of your drink.

2. Jammie Dodgers
You love them and they love you back with their little jam heart.

1. Digestives
Absolutely classic, and at the top of the pile, proves itself to be a very popular choice indeed. One comment I received couldn’t have put it better: “A standard digestive. Why? Because biscuits aren’t meant to be complicated.” They’re also pretty damn good in their chocolate form too.

9. Viennese Fingers
This probably isn’t one of the first biscuits that spring to mind when compiling a guide like this, but they’re here in my cupboard and I forgot how great

©Arlette

Features Editor: Rebekkah Hughes

The Stag | 10th March 2014

FEATURES

11

Thriving under the influence
by Petra-Maria Ilieva, Features Team

Cold Remedies
by Saskia Parks, Features Team

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e all know the story – you decide to meet some friends and have a few drinks, which turns into lots of drinking, dancing and messing around. This ends with a good amount of crisps, cake or chocolate, so that you can properly oversleep the morning after. The healthiest part of this recipe is the dancing. However, with a few tricks this night could turn into a much healthier and productive one: 1. Watch out for those calorie bombs – yes, we’re in England, but ciders have from 10 to 100 more calories than beer. And this would be fine if you were not interested in staying fit. But there is one drink that beats it all – wine (preferably red). A glass of it has a lot less calories, boosts our memory (doctors have proved it) and definitely makes the ladies look classy. Fit, healthy, smart and a bit dizzy – perfect! 2. Whichever drink you choose – drink lots of water, seriously! I know it might sound strange to have a beer AND water, but if you have more than one beer, it’s crucial! Specialists suggest drinking a glass of water with each alcoholic drink we have: but if you drink a good amount of it when you get back home, the dehydration can be overcome, and that hangover

won’t be quite so bad in the morning. Water, people! 3. Avoid, by any means, any kind of greasy pizza-burgerfried-thing you can think of. Yes, you can have a small amount of crisps. But keep it small. A good choice in this situation is to make yourself a nice healthy sandwich. It may sound like a lot of work, but it isn’t. Take a wholemeal slice of bread and put in some cheese, ham maybe, some lettuce, and if you really need something unhealthy – put in a bit of salad sauce and there you have a healthy, delicious midnight snack you won’t regret! 4. Stay fit. It sounds easy because it is. At the University of Surrey we have many sports you can join or simply go to the weekly yoga or dance classes – whatever would make you happy. And it’s not about losing weight; it’s about staying fit and healthy! A small daily exercise works as well (you can even practice in your room!) or try ice-skating or swimming at the Guildford Spectrum Leisure Complex. Last but certainly not least – we are not 16 anymore, have fun responsibly! Of course we can drink and go out whenever we want, but it’s the consequences we regret sometimes. Learn how to have fun in a healthier way and… don’t ever stop having fun!

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t seems that the season of illness is upon us... but this year instead of dosing myself up with Sudafed I have been attempting to eat and drink my way out of the common cold.

To remedy a scratchy throat I have been chain-drinking warm honey and lemon. When it got really bad I even added a splash of whiskey to soothe the pain! I personally hate whiskey but apparently if you water it down enough it becomes consumable and works instantly.

Hot Lemon and Honey
1-2 tbsp honey 2 tbsp lemon juice 1 cinnamon stick 1 shot whiskey (optional) Put all these ingredients into a mug, simply top up with hot water and stir with the cinnamon stick. You can also add cloves and some grated fresh ginger to help give your drink that authentic ‘spice cupboard in a mug’ flavour that really helps to ease a sore throat. Soups are also a comforting cure for the cold and here is a quick and easy recipe for your own warming chicken soup, courtesy of BBC food. This particular recipe serves six, so you can either share with your friends or freeze the leftovers ready for when you might need it next.

Easy Chicken Soup
55g butter 2 onions, peeled and sliced 2 celery sticks, finely chopped 2 carrots, peeled and finely diced 25g plain flour 1.2 litres chicken stock 450g cooked chicken, skinned and shredded 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley 1 garlic glove, peeled and chopped (optional) Salt and pepper to season First melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat and gently fry the onions, celery and carrots until they start to soften. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring the mixture to the boil, stirring as you go. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then reduce the heat and simmer the mixture for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the cooked chicken and heat through, again seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the parsley and top with your raw garlic to serve. The addition of raw garlic in this recipe gives it even more flu-fighting potential. A healthy dose of this soup followed by your warm honey and lemon drink will soon see you fighting fit and healthy once again, with no more excuses for missing lectures.

©I Woke Up Today

Carrot, celery, onion or even some cabbage to bulk out this delicious soup. This simple meal is definitely one to try!

©I Believe I Can Fry

12 FEATURES

The Stag | 10th March 2014

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Television Fanatic Spring is Here!
One Man’s Advice on What’s Hot to Watch Right Now
by Jas Smith, Features Team So winter is finally over (unless you’re a Game of Thrones fan) and spring is here! Unfortunately to us Brits, spring consists of a full day of sunshine and a few daffodils, meaning an excuse to drink a few ciders in the back garden as opposed to the kitchen. Nevertheless, spring is a brilliant season for motivation and optimism because ultimately, it means that summer is on the way! So I compiled a list of things to love (and hate) about spring: 1. Getting naked! On the plus side: the weather is getting warmer, meaning less clothing you have to lug around with you, and no more shivering at night when the heating is broken. The problem: it’s not all that hot in spring. Solution: bring a light jacket. 2. Outdoor sports are back with a vengeance. On the plus side: get a Frisbee and drag your housemates out of bed to have a run around in the sunshine. The problem: lectures don’t stop just because it’s sunny. Solution: study outside and relax in the sun whilst reading that thing you need to read for whatever… 3. Easter is coming! On the plus side: not only a month off from your studies, but also non-stop chocolate! Especially if you take advantage of Tesco’s 4 Easter eggs for £3. The problem: the returningto-university blues. Solution: enjoy your time off and eat all the chocolate whilst you can! 4. Flowers. On the plus side: everything starts to get pretty again and everyone likes flowers. The problem: you’re allergic to flowers. Solution: look, but don’t touch. 5. BBQs and drinks outside. On the plus side: any spot of sunshine is an excuse to whack out the BBQ and to chill out with your friends, have a few drinks and have a laugh. The problem: spring doesn’t last long enough. Solution: don’t panic! Summer is coming!

Highclere Castle is the film location for the successful series Downton Abbey. by Alex Watts, Features Team the situation with sarcasm. With blood, ships, crazy helmets, and the life of the famous Viking ‘Ragnar Lodbrok’, you get to watch the brilliance of Viking violence and pillaging of the show whilst pretending you’re learning history. The second season started February 27th, so catch up now! Number three, The Walking Dead, a postapocalyptic world where virus has struck causing all the dead to turn into flesh eating zombies. Four seasons of prosthetic dummies getting shot with guns, arrows, and stabbed with knives, this is the perfect drama to watch with friends weeping as the main characters narrowly avoid death in every episode. Season four is currently underway so this one’s a rather big catch up if you haven’t started yet! Number two, Orange Is the New Black, a comedy drama set in a women’s prison about an ex-lesbian, Piper who gets mixed up with drugs, marries Jim Levenstein from American Pie and ends up in jail. Following her sentence, Piper slowly adapts to life in prison and comes to terms with her not so perfect life as events tear it apart. Season two starts this summer! And finally, at number one, Game of Thrones. Oh my, if you haven’t watched it, do! Watch everyone you love die and everyone you hate succeed. How can this be I hear you ask? Well that’s the magic of the show. It’s cruel. Season four is out in April!

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f like me you are hungry for a good TV show, here are some awesome upcoming sequels to great TV shows that’ll get you hooked. Here are my top six current TV shows which if you haven’t watched yet, firstly shame on you, and secondly c’mon they’re awesome! At number six, Downton Abbey: an action packed adventure, residing around the Earl of Grantham (Hugh Bonneville) paying servants to tend to his every call. It is packed with… well many anticlimactic events which everyone makes a huge fuss over (SPOILER! MAY CONTAIN MAIDS IN THE DINING ROOM!) But in all seriousness, it’s bliss. Season five is out in September sadly, but there’s so much to look forward to while we wait. Number five, Bates Motel, the prequel series to the film Psycho follows a somewhat mother-infatuated teenager who loves nothing more than to ‘follow the rules’. If you’ve seen the film psycho, you’ll know that’s a lie. The second season started March 3rd so catch up before he repeats some of the crazy stuff we see in the show. Sorry you’ll have to watch to find out what I mean… Number four, Vikings, a romantic comedy about a group of men who love to sail. It’s not, but the title is so self-explanatory, I thought I would make light of

©zen whisk

The Café Alternative: Pay For Your Stay, Not Your Coffee
by Amy Vitoria, Features Team

Pay as you go cafés

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Sport Relief Mile - 23/3/14

ussian entrepreneur, Ivan Mitlin, opened the UK’s first pay-as-you-go café in Shoreditch, London in November 2013. The café, named Ziferblat (which translates into ‘clock face’), charges customers by the time spent in the establishment, rather than by items consumed. Customers pay 3p a minute to be in the café – with a maximum payment of £9 or 5 hours worth of time. This relieves the discomfort often felt by café-goers, who feel they have overstayed their welcome, abusing the free internet, whilst still clutching the coffee they bought an hour ago. The café works by guests taking an alarm clock from the cupboard as they enter, noting the time, and then clocking out at the end. This allows the customer to spend as much, or as little time as they want in the café, knowing they are literally paying for what they get. Mitlin describes the opening of the first café as being hectic. The crowds are growing busier and

busier each day, as more people learn of this alternative way of visiting a café. Ziferblat allows people to use the space in whatever way they need to, whether it is catching up with friends, drinking tea and coffee, or reading a book. There’s even a piano in the corner for those who want to brush up on their music skills! The usual crowd has been described as a mix of freelancers, students and friends having a chat, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. There is a kitchen with free tea, coffee and food, as well as guests being welcome to bring and prepare their own food. Miltin also comments on the politeness of Londoners using the café, as even though not obligatory, they queue to wash their own cups and plates, even offering to wash each other’s dishes. This creates a very social ambience, with all guests sharing the same space. This personal touch of the café creates a different and more relaxed experience, and with the success of this café, more and more are due to be popping up around the UK.

Features Editor: Rebekkah Hughes

The Stag | 10th March 2014

FEATURES

13

Refreshers Wall: The Student Planner
The New Website from Student Beans
by Rebekkah Hughes, Features Editor

“showcasing and celebrating culture across campus”

One World Week

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edicated student website Student Beans have created a new website: Refreshers Wall, The Student Planner. This new website brings together various offers and discounts for students as well as advice, stories and social media. It has a lay out similar to that of Windows 8 with the collage of boxes to select from. The website has a dedicated travel section with articles to inspire, advise and aid students seeking to organize and plan trips or experiences abroad. With offers, competitions, discounts and articles such as, ’14 Awesome Festivals You’ve Never Heard Of’, there is something for everyone to sink their teeth into when thinking about how and where they should travel. In celebration of the launch of this new student-oriented website, Student Beans asked students for their most extreme gap year and year abroad stories – and this is some of what they found… I lived in High School Musical for a year as a foreign exchange student at an all Girls' Private College in Memphis. No really... the genetics class flashmobbed the canteen one lunchtime, singing a song they had written about the options for lunch. There was dancing with lunch trays and even a solo from the class tutor! Ruth, University of Hull I went to Borneo and ate rat, squirrel and frog in the jungle. James, University of Aberdeen I had to eat iguana broth for breakfast after a night out in rural Mexico. I love iguanas and I was very hungover. Kat, Roehampton University

I went to the University of Granada, and after being in classes for 4 months, I found out 2 lessons before the exam that I had been going to the wrong class! Failed the class. Francesca, University of Leicester I spent 3 months working on farms in France and Italy where I planted about 1 billion onions, learnt to milk a goat, experienced several drunken car journeys driving literally on the side of a mountain, and hitchhiked with a couple and their (huge) dogs. Student at University of Liverpool I spent a semester working in France, and realised after 5 months that I'd been pronouncing a word wrong, instead replicating the noise that frogs make in French. Rachel, University of Sheffield Most unusual taxi journey in Ghana where a man in front of us stopped the taxi and bundled both himself and a live goat into the seat that was pretty random! Student at University of Birmingham In India I went to the Golden Temple in Amritsar and ended up being surrounded by Indian women and children who were talking to me and getting very excited. I had no idea what any of them were saying and after taking about 10 photos they waved and said bye. Bizarre. Verity, University of Manchester It’s evident that students can have some weird and wonderful experiences on gap years and years studying abroad, and if you’re part of the gang, at least you’ll have some pretty great stories to tell in hindsight!

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One World and NUS Extra flyer 2014.indd 1 by Fiona Buckland, International Societies Executive Officer

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t was only a year ago that the incredible International Festival exploded on the University of Surrey campus in a flurry of bright colours, exotic music, fantastic feasts and glamorous shows that got the whole University talking and begging for more. Well this year, on Monday 24th March, it’s back again as One World Week, showcasing and celebrating culture across campus for an entire week! For those of you who do not know what One World Week is, it is an entire week dedicated to celebrating and experiencing different cultures within the university through exciting events across campus and has been known to include events aimed at tantalising your taste buds, making you want to move those hips like Shakira, sing your heart out, cradling tropical critters and getting involved in societies you may never have even heard about or knew existed.

This year begins with One World Exhibition on Monday, where a variety of international societies display their dancing and cooking skills with a selection of stalls allowing students to take part in cultural activities such as henna-painting, palm-reading and even cradling adorable exotic animals. Do>More will be there with a stall all about volunteering abroad – an extremely rewarding experience and an opportunity to travel to different countries! Then for all of the sports fans, 6-a-side football challenges will have teams competing against each other to win prizes and trophies, as well as get a little bit of a sweat on! On Wednesday afternoon, be prepared to dance the bamba as Spanish Society will be holding an hour dance class in Rubix with a professional salsa teacher. For those of you interested

03/02/2014 14:32:36 in getting a dance on and twerking out, Afrofusion by ACS will be held on Tuesday, and Portuguese Society will be bringing the Carnival to the club on the Thursday with Rio Carnival Night! Samba and shimmies galore! Then there will be international film showings, fashion shows and finally the Surrey-famous One World Gala will be on Friday, showcasing all of the wonderful musical and cultural entertainment from across the globe by an array of extremely talented Surrey students, proud to share their culture with everyone! The entire week is guaranteed to be exciting, entertaining and unforgettable! Keep an eye out for programmes listing the entire range of events and look on the Union Facebook page for more information! As International Executive, I have had contact with the international societies on campus for almost two years and their events, their culture and their rich historical background still continues to amaze me. Each society is unique with its own individual style and can often pass under the radar of many students on campus who do not know much about them. Especially for those students feeling homesick or who are itching for hitching a ride to unchartered lands but want to avoid that one person who snores loudly on the plane or the 5am coffee to expel the jetlag, then One World Week brings a bit of that home to Surrey and invites all students, no matter of background, to dive into a whole new world and try something new. After all, that is what university is all about!

Week

14 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

The Stag | 10th March 2014

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Beauty in Mathematics

Science & Technology
Childhood Nightmares & Mental Health
By Siobhan Harris, Science & Technology Editor

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Euler’s Identity: “Like a Shakespearean sonnet that captures the very essence of love, or a painting that brings out the beauty of the human form that is far more than just skin deep, Euler’s equation reaches down into the very depths of existence.” - Keith Devlin, Stanford University Mathematics Professor By Daniel Robinson, Science & Technology Team

lowns, teeth falling out, being able to move but not speak. Nightmares are usually harmless, especially if you’re a child – they’re a common but ghastly part of growing up. Even us adults get them! However, a research team at the University of Warwick have suggested there may be a link between recurring nightmares and psychotic illness in children. The researchers warn that regular childhood nightmares may be an early warning of mental health problems to come in later years. The study, which was published by the journal Sleep, said persistent nightmares and night terrors (screaming, thrashing limbs) point to more serious problems than one-off nightmares. The study has been favoured by the child and adolescent mental health charity YoungMinds. It followed 6,800 people up to the age of 12, communicating with parents about their child’s sleep problems. At the end of the study, the children were assessed for psychotic experiences such as delusions and

hallucinations. It found that while most of the children had experienced some nightmares, 37% had had persistent problems over several years. The Warwick team found that 47 in every 1,000 children has some form of psychotic experience, but those having nightmares aged 12 were three-and-a-half times more likely to have mental health problems, and the risk doubled depending on whether or not they had regular night terrors too. The relationship between sleep problems and psychosis remains unclear, but one of the study’s professors says a regular routine and quality sleep are key to dealing with nightmares. Lucie Russell, of YoungMinds, says early intervention is crucial – that’s why childhood night terrors and nightmares should be prevented where possible. If anything at all can be done to prevent the thousands who suffer with mental illness then it should be, especially if it means tackling the problem early on in one’s life.

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rain scans have shown that mathematicians find preference and even beauty in mathematical equations. Researchers of neuroscience at University College London have conducted an experiment where a group of mathematicians were shown a selection of various equations, while scanners monitored their brain activity. The results show that the areas of the brain that were most active in this experiment are the very same involved when one sees the works of Shakespeare or Mozart; the medial orbito-frontal cortex. Whence the researchers have suggested that there may well be a neurobiological basis to beauty – that is, that beauty may be, in part, a construct of the brain with which we were born, as opposed to an abstract theory shaped by society. This runs in parallelism with the enduring debate as to whether we, as human minds, can truly evoke emotion. Do we form compassion, sadness or hatred subconsciously, or are we simply machines that churn out a deception of such? The equations used in the experiment were chosen because they had long been considered by the mathematical community to be “beautiful”, but there had been no concise definition of this term when it came to mathematics. For what is man-made beauty? When posed such a question, a world of artists invariably springs to mind – Da Vinci, Michelangelo, or even Led Zeppelin – the works of which are considered greats; beautiful in nigh-unanimity (although

incomparable to say the least). And it is due to this overwhelming majority of opinion that we do not question them. They become pillars of truth against which all else is scrutinised. But are these not temporary? Led Zeppelin formed in the late 60s; Michelangelo and Da Vinci were both born only in the 15th century; mathematics, however, was discovered thousands of years before that. Not invented. It is an unbounded, universal concept, about which it has been said that, over time, though our perceptions of all else will fade, mathematics will not diminish. Still, these share a common theme; that of popular culture. And as many students will tell you, mathematics is very much on the other end of the spectrum. But can it be beautiful? The equation that took top spot in the study – a no-brainer, apparently – was Euler’s Identity: e^iπ+1= 0 It is widely considered to be the most beautiful equation of all time. According to Prof David Percy, from the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications, “It is a real classic and you can do no better than that. It comprises the five most important mathematical constants [and] also comprises the three most basic arithmetic operations. Given that e, pi and i are incredibly complicated and seemingly unrelated numbers, it is amazing that they are linked by this concise formula.” So there is beauty after all.

Kepler Finds 715 New Planets
By Siobhan Harris, Science & Technology Editor

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ince 2009, NASA’s Kepler space telescope has sought to identify Earth-like planets. The team ploughing through data from the telescope have claimed to find 715 new planets. It’s an impressive number, but just how many orbit in a habitable zone? Apparently, 4. They orbit their host stars, like our Earth does, in a “habitable zone”: a region where water can maintain a liquid state. The planets are all in multi-planet systems. To the 715 planets, there are only 305 stars. Also, 95% are smaller than Neptune, which has a radius nearly 4 times that of Earth. Kepler remains too far away from its targets for a more detailed investigation to

take place but has confirmed the existence of 961 exoplanets: planets that orbit a star around the solar system. The sudden surge in new planet discoveries is due to the exploitation of a new statistical approach named “verification by multiplicity”. This recognises that if a star displays multiple dips in light, it must be planets that are responsible as it is very difficult for several stars to orbit each other and still maintain a stable configuration. It is a technique that was introduced for wholesale planet validation and has helped reinforce Kepler’s finding that small planets are extremely common in our galaxy.

©NASA Blueshift

Sci/Tech Editor: Siobhan Harris

The Stag | 10th March 2014

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

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Granny Homes To Become Grandad Homes? Maybe. Top in Tech
By Ben Hartfield, Science & Technology Team

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he current stereotypes of little old ladies knitting by the fire or being surrounded by cats are soon to be obsolete. In the past, many men have traditionally worked in hard labouring jobs with a greater risk of injury, and thousands of men are contracting cancer due to working with harmful asbestos. In addition to this, many young guys in the armed forces have given their lives to their country. There are many reasons why women live longer than men in 2014, but this is changing! The dramatic increase in health and safety, and the transition from traditional construction and manufacturing jobs to services, have reduced illness and injury among male workers, increasing their expected lifespan. This can only be good news. As a young man who grew up with a great-grandmother who lived to be 100 years old, I have always aspired to have a long and active life like her. However it is always assumed that men will die younger.

Thankfully, as a mathematics student the only injury I am susceptible to is a slight headache from continually banging my head against the wall when I come across the next disgusting set of formulae. There are more than 100 areas in England where male life expectancy is greater than female: the most extreme case is in Crawley, where men are expected to live to 96 and women to 83. The 2011 census showed that the number of people over 85 had risen by a quarter, to 1.25 million. It also showed that the number of men reaching this age increased twofold compared to women As you can see from the many numbers spewed out above, even the small improvements that happened when these 85 year olds were growing up are making a difference. I can only imagine during our lifetimes how the growth in medicine and welfare will affect our lifespan, and how many people will live to 100 years and beyond! As the second fattest nation in Europe

however, the UK could have a greatly divided life expectancy, with fit centenarians on one side and the obese on the other. As food prices inevitably rise leading to more processed cheap food, will this effectively cancel-out the improvements to healthcare on the less well-off and lead to a split society? Only time can tell but at least there will be less people widowed for a long period of time as life expectancy becomes more equal.

By Fahmid Chowdhury, Science & Technology Team
Galaxy S5 Revealed

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amsung have unveiled their latest flagship smartphone – the Galaxy S5. It doesn’t offer much in the way of revolutionary innovation but does add some intriguing features.

Japan Launches Next-Gen Weather Satellite

apan has launched a weather satellite which will enable it to gather unprecedented 3-D measurements of global rain and snowfall rates. This fourtonne spacecraft was jointly developed with the US.
UK Researchers Create Airborne PC Virus

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Top Ten Emerging Technologies That Will Reshape The Future
...According to the World Economic Forum.
Brain-computer interfaces: People with disabilities could soon operate wheelchairs using only their thoughts, just like it’s already possible to type via monitoring of the electrical activity in the brain. Mining metals from desalination brine: New chemical processes enable the mining of metals from waste water, or brine (Salt water). Nanostructured carbon composites: Prospect for huge energy savings in the form of carbon-fibre cars, which are stronger, easier to recycle, and as much as 40% lighter than older models. Grid-scale electricity storage: A new breakthrough is close that would allow the saving of surplus energy from fluctuating renewable sources such as sun and wind within the electricity grid. Body-adapted wearable electronics: Devices that could track information such as heart rate and stress levels, giving people real-time feedback about their health. Could be worn on the body, under the skin or embedded in clothes. Nanowire lithium-ion batteries: Silicon batteries could have a longer life, charge more quickly and hold up to three times the power of existing batteries. Screenless display: A 3D image projected into space could convey information that a 2D image presented on a screen cannot. Human microbiome therapeutics: Remember the Human Microbiome Project in 2012? Well, knowledge gained from that sees human microbiome technology as an important source of treatment for serious diseases as well as for improving health. RNA-based therapeutics: Like DNA, RNA plays a part in protein synthesis and the transmission of genetic information. Soon, a new generation of targeted, RNA-based drugs could be enabled in order to help find new treatments for cancer and infectious diseases. Quantified self (predictive analytics): Using data and specialised machine-learning algorithms, we can now build detailed and predictive models about people and their behaviours, which can help in areas such as urban planning and medical diagnosis.

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esearchers have been able to create a virus, named Chameleon, which spreads autonomously over Wi-Fi networks like an airborne disease. According to researchers, it moves from network to network via access points.

Google Helps Remove Congestion Charge Adverts

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ith the congestion charge being approximately £10, some people have been paying false charges presented by fraudsters. Google has been asked to remove the fraudulent adverts which aim to extract money from people.

Promising Mitochondrial Transfer Procedure For Prospective Mothers
By Siobhan Harris, Science & Technology Editor

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abies with DNA from three different people? Yes, and it could prevent the emergence of serious genetic diseases in children, such as mitochondrial disorder. Mitochondria are the minuscule biological batteries that power most cells in the body; so when they aren’t healthy, they can seriously damage the vital organs and tend to worsen with age. The controversial reproduction procedure, known as ‘mitochondrial transfer’, aims to prevent mothers from passing on serious genetic diseases to their children. Approximately 1 in 200 children born in the UK has some form of mitochondrial disorder. Scientists working on the technique said it offers hope for preventing lifethreatening diseases for which there are no cures. During the procedure, the nucleus is removed from an affected woman’s egg and transferred to a donor egg or

embryo that has healthy mitochondria. This means the baby will have DNA from its biological parents and also a female donor. While controversial, it wouldn’t influence the child’s physical appearance or personality in any way - only a fraction of a cell’s DNA is in mitochondria, and therefore only affects how the cells function. The child would still be the product of their biological mother and father. What’s more, the donors would remain anonymous according to the draft regulations, but could request details from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) regarding the number and sex of any children born from their mitochondrial DNA. The procedure has only been founded with the intention of giving women who carry severe mitochondrial disease the chance to have children

without passing on devastating genetic disorders, according to chief medical officer Dame Sally Davies. It has not yet been tested in humans, but tests in monkeys suggest that the procedure is safe. However, mitochondrial transfer is currently prohibited in Britain under laws that ban the placing of an egg or embryo into a woman if the DNA has been altered. Last summer, the HFEA published results of a national consultation that found broad public support for the procedure. The government have responded by announcing that they would allow clinics to offer the treatment if the regulations are finalised, debated and approved by parliament. The regulations are currently under a threemonth consultation by the Department of Health, after which they will be delivered to parliament for its final say.

©Thomas

16 MUSIC

The Stag | 10th March 2014

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Music An Interview with Cascada
By Candice Ritchie, Music Editor

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erman Eurodance act Cascada, consisting of singer Natalie Horler and DJ’s Manian and Yann Peifer, are now in their tenth year. And what a decade it’s been for the trio: from the release of numerous albums, including Acoustic, Christmas and Greatest Hits LPs, to representing Germany at the Eurovision Song Contest and winning a World Music Award. The group’s success is testament to their staying power in the industry which, as Natalie tells me, is rare for a dance act. Still touring, recording and releasing material, Cascada are not taking a break anytime soon, with new single ‘blink’ set to be booming out of our speakers sometime this month. So, when Natalie came to perform at the University of Surrey on Friday 22nd February, the opportunity to have a chat with the diva of dance herself was one I was not going to miss. Down to earth, glamorous and a little nervous as to how the audience of Rubix would react (she had no reason to be!), Natalie was a pleasure to meet… The Stag: Hi Natalie! Everyone is eagerly awaiting the release of your new single, ‘Blink’, when is it coming out?! Natalie: Ah, it’s a bit difficult to say, probably in March, but sometimes the singles will be released on different dates in different countries. Hopefully it’ll be just the one release date, but we’re not quite sure yet – hopefully soon, though! TS: Have you finished shooting the music video for it now? What can we expect to see? Natalie: Yes we have! It doesn’t have a particular story in this sense; it’s more of a visual thing. But we’ve gone for a different look for the last two videos – as time passes, you just have a different idea, or you tend to change it anyway… just wait and see, I guess! TS: What’s ‘blink’ about? Natalie: Erm… I didn’t write the song, so I’ve got to think about it *laughs*. It’s about not missing out on anything – something can happen in the blink of an eye and then it’s gone. TS: You’ve hinted that it will be an ‘exciting summer’ for Cascada – does that mean a fifth album is on the way? Natalie: There isn’t an album planned for release yet this year, but it doesn’t mean it won’t happen! We just released our acoustic album, so we’ve been focusing on that for a while. But generally, we’re always very busy, very lucky that we’re always on tour and doing shows. I’m really excited that we’ve been able to come to the UK again, finally! We’ve been playing a lot of universities and it’s always really exciting for us to come back.

TS: You represented Germany at the Eurovision Song Contest last year with ‘Glorious’ – what was that like? Natalie: Obviously the results weren’t great for Germany *laughs* but it was a brilliant week! The candidates stay a whole week in the host city, in this case Malmö, and you do lots of events, meet the other contestants, and of course loads of press - it was really exciting. I wouldn’t want to have missed that even if it did turn out the way it did. TS: So how did it come about? Natalie: Well they asked us if we wanted to compete for Germany, and we had to get through the national finals first – and we were lucky enough to win it! TS: Going back to your album ‘Acoustic Sessions’, what inspired you to re-record your songs with an acoustic sound? Natalie: We’ve always wanted to do that sort of thing. Yann, one of our producers, and I have always had a combined love for acoustic music. We’ve been doing dance for a long time and Cascada will always be a dance act, but we do have a different side that we let shine through once in a while, such as this, and we decided it was time to do an album full of that! It was a really nice thing for us to do. TS: Is that what made you alter your style slightly when ‘Evacuate the Dancefloor’ was released? Natalie: As time goes on and as music styles change, you evolve and adapt with that – we’ll always do dance, but you have to try and stick with the times, and we felt it was time to change it up a little bit – and I’m really glad we did, it was a success. TS: You’ve done quite a lot of covers across your albums, especially on ‘Perfect Day’ and ‘It’s Christmas Time’. Natalie: Gosh it’s been ages since I’ve thought about the Christmas album! Well I don’t see the Christmas album as classic covers; they’re all classic songs – and the classics are the best Christmas ones anyway! The good thing with this type of album is that you wouldn’t release a second or third one; because they’re all classic songs, you can put them on again every Christmas. TS: Was it important for you to put your own stamp on them? Natalie: Yeah, we try to put some typical Cascada in there as well to dance them up a little bit, but it was nice to do a jazz-y thing on it as well – my Dad played the trombone on two of the songs, so it was really special for me to have him do that. You put your own stamp on everything you sing as it’s the way you interpret what you sing.

Natalie Horler from Cascadea (left) with The Stag’s music editor Candice Ritche (right) TS: So how did you get into Eurodance? Your dad is a Jazz Musician – those are two completely different worlds of music! Natalie: It was more of a coincidence – I’d wanted to be a singer all my life, and after school when I met Yann and Manian (the two other members of Cascada), they were doing that type of music and I sort of slipped into it. I began recording with them and then that’s how the project of Cascada came about. It’s quite funny as I always wanted to be a soul singer! At the beginning I felt that it was perhaps not the type of music that I would have liked to do, but with time I began to identify with it. I love going out on stage and bobbing about with everyone, and it doesn’t mean it restricts you recording other styles later on, as we’ve shown. TS: What has been your greatest achievement in your career so far? (I list a number of the group’s achievements that could easily take the top spot) Natalie: All of those things are fabulous, but this is our tenth year! That’s probably my biggest achievement – we’ve managed to stay afloat for ten years! We’re still touring and people still sing our songs that were released all those years ago – that’s the biggest compliment you can show an artist, especially since there is an idea that dance acts don’t usually last as long. We’ve been extremely lucky!

Music Editor: Candice Ritchie

The Stag | 10th March 2014

MUSIC

17

The Jezabels - The Brink

Your Guide to Live Music in Guildford
By Kyra Hanson, Music Team fter three years of living in Guildford, nights out can get pretty repetitive. Guildford is a small town and with the closure of Dusk, Backline and Bar Med, choice is even more restricted, (not that I would have recommended any of those places to a Surrey Fresher). If you’re fed-up of

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rowdy Freshers at Rubix, extensive queuing for Tickled on a Tuesday night, or overpriced drinks at Casino then look no further. I have scoured Guildford for both established and up and coming live music events for March that will hopefully restore your faith in Guildford nightlife - and they’re mostly free too!

Tickled Ivory – Sunday sessions
WHAT? Open-mic night - Anyone is welcome to sign up and can be accompanied by Tickled’s very own house musicians. WHEN? Every Sunday from 9pm for 2 hours, Doors 8pm. COST? Free

The Kings Head – Acoustic night and open-mic night
WHAT? Gavin and his guitar providing you with chilled out, acoustic music. WHEN? Acoustic night every Tuesday, open-mic every Thursday, 8.30pm. COST? Free

The Royal Oak- Open-mic night and occasional live bands
WHEN? Open-mic the first Thursday of every month at 9pm. Bands at the weekend COST? Free (Check the pub’s Facebook page for news of the next band playing.)

Robin Hood
By James Campbell, Music Team ustralia’s latest pop outfit have returned with their follow up release, ‘The Brink’ – an album which professes to steer musical careers in a new direction and deliver soaring euphoria, but in reality is dangerously close to plunging listeners into the depths of despair through its banality. After the critical success of their first album ‘Prisoner’ in 2011, ‘The Brink’ should have been the release to usher in accolade after accolade for The Jezabels. However, the end result is the last served up slice of gloss pop cake which everyone no longer has the stamina to stomach. With a slick and stadium sounding production to its advantage, ‘The Brink’ has been well engineered. There’s a commanding soprano, courtesy of singer Hayley Mary, who huffs and puffs her way through an echo enriched blend of dynamic finesse, transporting us through the dark and murky quagmire of human emotion. Unfortunately, herein lies the rub; the vocals are almost too powerful and drown the array of instrumental nuance and composition apparent in the overall production. Dripping in clichés, vocals are rife with saccharine lyrics doused in pain, regret and anger, giving the impression that each track is stricken with a teenage tantrum, continuously stamping its foot and bawling its eyes out through the album’s full forty-five minute run time. Secondly, the musical formula for ‘The Brink’ becomes The Jezabel’s own Achilles heel. Keyboards fuse with U2 inspired guitars and scattered delay (although guitarist Samuel Lockwood doesn’t seem to be the beanie donning type) with done to death ricocheting reverb and headache inducing pounding drums. This is followed closely by slinking, serpentine melodies, which weave in and around the instruments in a way that appears enticing from the offset, but reveals an album which runs out of steam very quickly. The likes of La Roux, U2 and Florence and the Machine have already trod firmly in this pop realm and albeit with the best intentions, The Jezabels aren’t contributing anything new here, instead heralding song titles which are as lacklustre and lifeless as the song contents. Relentlessly one dimensional and comprising of ten almost identically sounding tracks, it’s a challenge to discover even a scintilla of individuality on this sophomore album from the quartet of self-coined “intensindie” pioneers - it probably would be more ‘intense’ watching paint dry than dancing to the vacuous dirge of guitar-pop in question. Check out current single ‘Look of Love’, for the best that the band’s trialled-and-tested disco pop formula has to offer. ‘The Brink’ is now available on ITunes. WHAT? Blues night WHEN? 14th March from 7pm COST? Free

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The Drummond – Blues Night & Buskathon
WHAT? If you are a Busker, can play an instrument, beat-box or sing then the Drummond is hosting a series of indoor Buskathons, with prizes to be won. WHEN? The next Blues night is in May (TBC) and Buskathons will take place every bank holiday Monday. COST? Free

Pews- Acoustic sessions
WHAT? Live acts followed by open-mic night. WHEN? The next night is the 20th March from 9pm. COST? Free

The Star Inn
WHAT? Fundraising Folk Evening with Chris Cleverley: an evening of folk and roots music arranged by Age UK Faversham. WHEN? Sat 8th March 7pm COST? £10

Jam Sandwich – Rock the Old Brewery store
WHAT? An electric mix of funky rock and rocky funk (their words, not mine) WHEN? 15th March 7pm COST? £10

Versus at the Star Inn
WHAT? Versus events are hosting a night at The Star Inn showcasing some of the most talented local rock bands. Check out the Facebook Page for details of the bands playing. https://www.facebook.com/ events/480495838722961/ WHEN? Sat 19th April 7pm COST? Tickets £5

Bar des Arts
WHAT? Throughout March, Bar des Arts are hosting a range of live music events from drag cabaret to live jazz bands. COST? Tickets from £5 Check their website for more details http://www.bardesarts.co.uk/events-calendar/ There’s always something going on at The Boileroom, check their website at http://www.theboileroom. net/listings/ to find out more.

18 FILM

The Stag | 10th March 2014

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Film Saving Mr Banks
By Beth Goss, Film Team

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’m going to start this review on a rather huge claim. ‘Saving Mr Banks’ was one of, if not the best film of last year. Among my friends, I am a self-confessed Disney lover and I admit that this was the first reason I was attracted to the film. For those who are unfamiliar with the premise, it is the story behind the filming of the Walt Disney version of Mary Poppins (1964) and the conflict between the author P.L Travers and Walt Disney’s vision of what the adaptation should be. However, it is so much more than a bumbling mockumentary about the making of a story that went on to shape many an opinion of who the beloved Mary Poppins is. The film explores the childhood of P.L Travers, and the way her relationship with her father shaped the Mary Poppins stories. It is this personal connection that causes P.L Travers, played by the incredible Emma Thompson, to go to great lengths to prevent what she sees as the destruction of her beloved characters. Having seen a documentary on the exact same process in January, I was in a unique position where I could compare the ‘truth’ of the film with the actual documented facts of P.L Travers life. The film accurately comments on Disney’s desperation to gain the rights to Mary Poppins, something that only happens because, ultimately, P.L Travers was running out of money. Though this film was charming in its portrayal of her, audiences should take this with a pinch of salt. By all accounts, she was a difficult person to get along with. She was a highly opinionated woman and knew what she wanted, she also didn’t like control to be taken away from her. Did she enjoy the Disneyfication of her beloved characters? Not one bit! The film however, goes out of its way to tug at the audience’s heartstrings! I am not too proud to say that on more than one occasion I had tears in my eyes watching Saving Mr Banks. The regular flashbacks from P.L Travers’ childhood and how it reflects in both elements of the book and her day-to-day life is smoothly done, with the audience never being left behind or confused as the film explores who Mr Banks is and who will save him. The writers of Saving Mr Banks may have actually been overly kind to P.L., going out of their way to make the audience relate to her and her struggles, and it damn well works! As a piece of drama, Saving Mr Banks wins on all levels, but it was equally as funny too, and I would happily go see it again. Just remember, Mary Poppins i s not the only thing being sugar coated in this film.

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can’t be the only one who runs to IMDb for support when choosing a film to watch. In an attempt to avoid wasting hours of my life watching terrible movies, checking out the rating it has received by our trusted peers and critics is essential in finding out the score. But do we all agree with these ratings?

IMDb Top 100 – Do You Agree?

#46 The Departed (2006) – IMDb rates 8.5

Interested in film?
Whether you prefer Cannes, Hollywood or just your local Odeon, we are looking for you! Get involved and become part of The Stag, just by reviewing releases new, old or obscure. Get in touch through: [email protected]

I’m a big fan of the gangster film subgenre in Hollywood, and The Departed is my perennial favourite – even over the epic The Godfather – because of the sheer ruthlessness of this Martin Scorcese film. Jack Nicholson is always eerie in every role he plays, to the extent you never know whether he’s playing a character…or just being himself. The scene where he brutally smashes open a plaster cast and then casually throws money down to get it treated, is an iconic moment in the Jack Nicholson approach to acting. What sets The Departed apart for me from other gangster films is the strong undercurrent of identity crisis throughout the film between Leonardo DiCaprio’s and Matt Damon’s characters. There’s often an element of character development in good gangster films, but none quite explore a character’s personal demons of identity in the same way. Another bonus in the film is its soundtrack, with classic rock tracks from Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, and The Dropkick Murphys. Classic rock is not a genre a particularly like in music, but in context of the film the tracks chosen fit in so well that when I listen to those tracks now, it always reminds me of The Departed. Fans of foreign cinema are also recommended to watch Infernal Affairs, the Hong Kong film The Departed is based on. One of the rare in occasions, in my opinion, where the Hollywood remake is actually better than its original counterpart. By Ankur Banerjee

Film Editor: Sophia Field

The Stag | 10th March 2014

FILM

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Oscars 2014 – That’s a wrap!
By Sophia Field

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ovie stars can finally exhale, slouch and hang up those bow ties and frocks for another year. It was an award season with many hightlights and worthy movies, but it all came to a close with the Oscars on Sunday 2nd March. Here are a few memorable moments if you couldn’t hack the time difference and stay up until 5am watching! John Travolta introducing Frozen’s Idina Menzel as 'Adele Dazeem'. This slight mistake lead the internet to explode in fits of giggles, there is even a name generator, so we can all find out what our Travolta name is! He couldn’t have got it more wrong. Poor old Jroh Tramalato. Ellen. She is the ultimate host. No offensive songs about boobs (we are looking at you Seth Macfarlane), no drawn out indulgent skits, just modest comedy and plenty of celebrity audience participation! Her celebrity selfie actually broke twitter, as well as the record for most retweets ever, and let’s not forget the pizza she ordered for Meryl Streep and Angelina Jolie to drip all over their frocks. She was fantastic.

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It is definitely fair to say that 12 Years a Slave cleaned up at this year’s award season, but a highlight was Lupita Nyong’o collecting her Oscar for Supporting Actress. She struck an emotional chord with everyone, 'And so I want to salute the spirit of Patsey for her guidance.’ She proved herself this year to certainly be one to watch!

Television Corner

Sherlock fans across the world are obsessed with this TV bromance. The distant brooding genius finding a companion in Watson is enough to warm the hearts of anyone. This bromance dates back to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original publications of Sherlock Holmes in 1887, but the BBC drama plays on the Johnlock bromance more than ever before. From saving the lives of one another to getting calculatedly drunk together, the relationship between them is fantastic. The love they share (especially by the end of the third season) is undeniable, with many fans taking it further to suggest a gay relationship between the pair. Warning, there is fan art online that you cannot unsee!

Sherlock & Dr. John Watson

Top Television Bromances
A classic bromance from an all time favourite, Friends. Joey and Chandler have provided so many laughs over the ten seasons that it would be impossible to name them all. Joey so often makes ridiculous comments that Chandler can poke fun at, but deep down, the two of them are the epitome of television bromance. Joey may have nearly drilled into Chandler’s head, ‘you get me you kill me!’, but they were best friends through and through (sorry Ross…) even discovering their paternal instincts together with baby duck and baby chick. And let’s not forget the one where they are bracelet buddies…

By Sophia Field

Joey & Chandler

‘John, I am a ridiculous man, redeemed only by the warmth and constancy of your friendship.’ - Sherlock

‘I’m gunna hug you!’ ‘you’re gunna hug me!’ … ‘hey do we do this too much?’ - Joey & Chandler

Turk & J.D

These loveable characters are famous for the ‘Guy Love’ that they share on Scrubs. They are so close that even Turk’s wife, Carla worries that they will run away together. Most of the episodes feature at least a hug, piggyback, chest bump or simultaneous dance, but most of all chocolate bear and vanilla bear stick by each other through thick and thin! This bromance may be a little more on the silly side, but deep down it is sincere and it certainly entertains. No wonder the show wasn’t as successful when this bromance featured less!! EAGLE!

Dr. House & Dr. Wilson

In a relationship that is vaguely based on the Sherlock/Watson connection, Dr. House and Wilson provide a huge amount of light relief for TV drama, House. Despite House’s insane behavior leaving Wilson so frequently infuriated, we love how much they love each other! Whether they are messing with each other, supporting each other, or just interfering, this TV bromance has the feel good factor. Not forgetting the hilarious episode where they prank each other. House puts Wilsons hand in hot water as he sleeps, and Wilson files House’s cane down so far it snaps midwalk. Comedy gold!

‘Turk, we’re not married!’ ‘Dude, we’re a little married’ ... ‘This is so our song (My Heart Will Go On plays)’ - House ‘Bros before hoes man’ - House ‘I know. I love it.’ - J.D & Turk

20 LITERATURE

The Stag | 10th March 2014

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Secondary School English Lesbian Pulp Fiction Literature Teaching T
By Shiri Shah, Literature Editor

Literature

From my observations and interactions with children [...] I’ve come up with a series of pros and cons about the way English Literature is taught.
By Emma Hawkin, Literature Team

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his semester I had the opportunity to take a teaching module, where once a week I go to a local secondary school and assist with teaching in the English department. This gave me the chance to see how current pupils between years 7 to 11 are taught. From my observations and interactions with children from different year groups during their English lessons, I’ve come up with a series of pros and cons about the way English Literature is taught. The first thing I have seen is the enthusiasm and passion that the teachers exhibit for their subject. This helps the pupils to develop a wider awareness of literary texts than they would get from home reading alone. The curriculum allows the pupils to study texts over a broad range of time periods as well as different forms of fiction such as plays, novels and poems. Furthermore, the study of, and discussion about literature gives pupils the ability to ask questions and express their own opinions. The children in older years especially seem to appreciate analysing and adopting new literary terminology and then using it in their responses to questions. I found this apparent when one pupil, when he put his hand up to make an observation, seemed very proud and as if he had learnt and achieved something. On the negative side, however, I have seen some draw backs of working to this syllabus, mainly in terms of the amount of creativity that the pupils

are allowed to articulate. The teaching format calls for both but seems to restrict the pupils from developing their own style of writing when it comes to being assessed. The children are told to follow a specific method which requires them to identify their: point, evidence, analyse and link (P.E.A.L). This layout of writing paragraphs may jog your memory to when you were at school, and remember having to do something similar! Although this system of structuring seemingly works for the lower ability pupils, who enjoy having a set format upon which to base their writing, the more able pupils are constricted. Even the teacher I was working with said that sadly when marking the pupils work, they have to rein in the students who write more sophisticatedly and to a higher level, because they aren’t following the set pattern by which they are expected to mark the work. This seems very contradictory as when you progress through your education, as other English Literature students will know, your own personal style of writing is what you are aiming for as a way to distinguish your writing. Overall I’m positive about how the pupils are taught English Literature, and despite this flaw in the curriculum, they are given the opportunity to express their creativity through extracurricular clubs. During my remaining time at the school, I will definitely be encouraging the pupils to continue studying English Literature, and who knows – some of them may end up at the University of Surrey in the future!

he term “pulp” derives from the cheap wood pulp paper the magazines were printed on, not to be confused with the “glossies” which were commonly considered slightly classier. Ragged edges and iconic art works are the things we associate pulp magazines with; now imagine them centred around lesbians. Lesbian pulp fiction is pretty much any mid-twentieth century paperback novel with overtly lesbian themes and content. The only reference people had to female homosexuality, lesbian pulp fiction was an important literature to have prior to the feminist movement. Stephanie Foote from the University of Illinois commented on the importance of lesbian pulp novels to the lesbian identity prior to feminism: "Pulps have been understood as signs of a secret history of readers, and they have been valued because they have been read. The more they are read, the more they are valued, and the more they are read, the closer the relationship between the very

act of circulation and reading and the construction of a lesbian community becomes...Characters use the reading of novels as a way to understand that they are not alone.” However, it can be argued that the model of lesbianism that has been created might not necessarily be a wholesome one. The female protagonist is often a young and beautiful victim to a brutish older woman, a predator, who is then rescued by a handsome young man. It comes as no surprise that the novels are often written by men whose target market are also men. Some people can see this as a type of pornography which puts the model of lesbianism in a negative light, something that is centred on men maintaining order. Some other examples can be seen in We Too Are Drifting and Pity For Women, where there are tortured situations and separation. Perhaps it’s not the emotional sides that matter, it may just be the sex that’s important, further condemning the way homosexuality is received in contemporary culture.

Literature Editor: Shiri Shah

The Stag | 10th March 2014

LITERATURE

21

Frankenstein – A Review Literary cocktails!
By Joseph Harrison, Literature Team

Getting the reference will be a touch fruitier.
By Shiri Shah, Literature Editor emester one is over, marks have been released so now we can do two things. Celebrate with cocktails because we’ve passed, or do the same because we’ve failed. Or not, because you don’t really like alcohol but you don’t mind having a conversation with someone who’s had a few. Literary cocktails are what you’re going to read about: cocktails with a literary twist. How postmodern. From “Bridget Jones’s Daiquiri” to “The Pitcher of Dorian Grey Goose,” these cocktails will be a giggle to read if you get the pun, and be fun to make. Plus you have snob rights if you drink them with your cultured friends. You might not have read “Romeo and Juliet” like you were supposed to for your seminar next week but if you drink “Romeo and Julep,” then it’s the same thing, you’ve done your job, literature undergrad! But by no means are the cocktails limited to literature students or that crowd, obviously. These drinks are cultural references that have been embedded into the fabric of our lives, meaning that they’re accessible for everyone. If drinks can take the mickey out of literature, then so can you! Recipes are found in the charmingly named book, “Tequila Mockingbird.” Written by Tim Federle, it can transform a night in or a party in under 30 pages with some lovely illustrations.

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mindless zombie-like figure, with a bolt through his neck, walking with his arms held forward. You probably recognise this as Frankenstein’s monster. Frankenstein: Or, the Modern Prometheus, first published anonymously in 1818, was the result of a nineteenth-century horror story writing competition. One cold and rainy evening in Geneva, in the summer of 1816, Mary Shelley, Lord Byron, John Polidori and Mary’s future husband, Percy Shelley, set themselves challenge of seeing who could write the best horror story. After days of trying to come up with a storyline, Mary had a dream about a scientist who created life. From this dream came Frankenstein. This novel is argued by many to be the first true science fiction story because unlike in earlier stories that were premised on fantastical elements, it tells the story of someone who achieves fantastical results based on scientific experiment. However, the image of Frankenstein’s creation as a mindless monster, made famous by film adaptations of the novel, is far removed from the original book. Mary Shelley’s ‘monster’ is actually very eloquent. After he has been shunned by his creator, Victor Frankenstein, he teaches himself how to read and write, by secretly observing some humans. When he bemoans to Victor that society will not accept him because of his monstrous appearance, he declares “If any being felt any emotions of benevolence towards me, I should return them an hundred and an

hundred fold (...) But I now indulge in dreams of bliss that cannot be realised” – not exactly a senseless statement. Equally, it is often said (by those who’ve read the book and by those who haven’t) that it is a warning against scientific ambition leading to ‘playing God’. But I’d say that this is an over-simplification. Although Frankenstein cannot face up to the ‘monster’ that he creates, so causing the monster to turn against him and his family, scientific learning and inquiry are portrayed very positively in Frankenstein. Victor’s father encourages his children to be inquiring and open-minded, while Victor says: “in a scientific pursuit there is a continual food for discovery and wonder”. Indeed, he goes on to say at the end: “I have myself been blasted in these hopes, yet another may succeed”. However, he does give the warning that people should not reach beyond what their “nature will allow”. The book’s not so much anti-science as ‘anti-irresponsibility’. Whatever the original message though, it has definitely left a strong cultural legacy. The word ‘Franken’, meaning ‘genetically engineered’ and often applied (in a sensationalist fashion) to GM food, has even made it into the dictionary. So, if you’ve never read the original book, I definitely recommend that you do so. You’ll be surprised by the contrasts (as well as some similarities) that is has with the Halloween, bolt-through-the-neck, image with which we’ve become familiar.

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22 DANCE & THEATRE

The Stag | 10th March 2014

Liza Liza Liza
A Dramatic Celebration of A Hollywood Icon from the Award-Wining Writer of Stepping Out

Dance & Theatre
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ello, my name is Ambar Parker Moreno. I enjoy food, music, theatre, dance and books, as most people do, but out of those, the ones I appreciate the most are probably dance and theatre. This is why I am the new editor for this section. It is also why I chose to do a degree in dance and revolve my entire life around this world. As doing a degree wasn’t enough, in second year I decided to join the Musical Theatre society, and I am bloody glad I did! Doing that gave me

Ambar Parker Moreno Dance & Theatre Editor
the chance to perform more than ever and get really involved in the theatre world as much as I am in the dance one. I am also treasurer for the CoppaFeel! Society, and a final year student, so let’s make this section rock and roll!

WALKING TALKING PUPPET COMES ALIVE IN THE MILL STUDIO
“There are two kinds of lies, lies with short legs and lies with long noses. Yours, just now, happen to have long noses...”
Thursday 20 – Saturday 22 March

The Adventures of Pinocchio
C
arlo Collodi’s story of the walking and talking puppet, The Adventures of Pinocchio comes to the Mill Studio from Thursday to Saturday, March 20 to 22 in the hands of the Yvonne Arnaud Youth Theatre group Act Three. Carved by old Gepetto, Pinocchio has a huge nose which grows whenever he tells a lie. Pinocchio is such a rascal that he gets into all sorts of trouble, to the great despair of his father. Caught up in one dangerous adventure after another, will Pinocchio ever learn to care for others and finally become a real boy? Director Lucy Betts explains: “It’s been exciting to capitalise on the Mill Studio setting and specifically its exposed brickwork; we’ve had great fun transforming the space to resemble an old puppetry theatre. “I’ve chosen to stage this production a commedia dell’arte style, so the troupe of actors – thirty performers aged 4 to 18 years old – remain on stage most of the time and we’ve incorporated lots of physical theatre and mask work, rather than puppetry, into the performance, as well as experimenting with shadow work and sound effects. “Directing such a diverse age group has been a brilliant experience. They are all at different performance levels so the youngest have thrived by learning from the older members of the group and in turn, they have enjoyed encouraging the younger ones in the company. It has created a lovely dynamic in the rehearsal room.” This production features new music, specifically written for this show by former YAYT member Esme Baker. The story was adapted for the stage by Andy Brereton, who was Lucy’s own Youth Theatre director many years ago! After recent successes including Alice the Musical, Fantastic Mr Fox, and last year’s sell out, Just So Stories, Act Three are excited to present one of the best-loved children's tales of all time. Tickets for The Adventures of Pinocchio are on sale now! You can book yours by calling the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre Box Office on (01483) 44 00 00 or by visiting www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk

Tuesday 25 – Saturday 29 March

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n a dramatic celebration, Liza Liza Liza turns back the years and peels off the veneer on one of Hollywood's most compelling living icons. The play comes to Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre from Tuesday to Saturday, March 25 to 29. The professional and private lives of Liza Minnelli have experienced dizzying highs and crashing lows, all ruthlessly captured and sold by the world's media. This incredible production sees three actors take on the role of Liza Minnelli at specific moments in her life. Playwright Richard Harris (Outside Edge, The Business of Murder) worked with Liza Minnelli in 1991 when she was cast in the film adaption of his award-winning play Stepping Out. In his new play, Harris unearths and examines the tremendous and tragic tale of Liza's journey. Playing the roles of the multiaward-winning performer, Laura Jane Cook plays Liza in her teenage

years, Sabrina Carter presents Liza at the height of her career and Felicity Duncan portrays present day Liza. Felicity Duncan is best known for portraying the role of Rosie in Mamma Mia! and appearing in the West End and touring production of Fiddler on the Roof. Sabrina Carter was most recently seen in the West End production of One Man, Two Guvnors playing the role of Christine. She has also appeared in The 39 Steps and Wicked. Laura Jane Cook performed in the Divas Unsung concert at the Leicester Square Theatre and the Les Misérables 25th Anniversary concert at the O2. Immerse yourself in Minnelli’s story during an evening of anecdotes, song, dance and Hollywood charm. Tickets for Liza Liza Liza are on sale now! You can book yours by calling the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre Box Office on (01483) 44 00 00 or by visiting the website at www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk

Dance & Theatre Editor: Ambar Parker Moreno

The Stag | 10th March 2014

DANCE & THEATRE

23

Reflections on the Composers & Choreographers Weekend
By Paul A Richmond, Deputy Editor / Head of Design

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very year in February the university’s music and dance departments collaborate in an event called the ‘Composer’s and Choreographer’s weekend’. The premise is simple; a group of dance and music students are left in a room on the Saturday morning, and over the next 2 days they work together to create a piece of music and dance which is performed on the Sunday night. Simple right? Wrong. I have taken part in the weekend as a musician in my first year and a composer in the next; but this year I decided to save

myself the strain and just watch instead. From my experience, the environment is a very fast-flowing and creative one, where ideas are thrown around like rice at a wedding. Though it can be a good laugh it can also be very stressful. You are constantly aware of the clock ticking down to the showcase. During the concert both choreographers and composers give a short talk to reflect on the creative process of their piece - and I always enjoy watching as they try to reconcile the piece’s use of colourful clothing, Christian iconography, jellyfishinspired movements and the theme of ‘our

inner child’, when I know from experience that the only link between them is that they were all thought up before that day’s first cup of coffee. This was my experience, so I decided not to take part, though I went along to the performance anyway out of curiosity, and within the first few minutes I was staggered at the pieces produced. Maybe I was too close to the process before to appreciate it, but this time – as a spectator – I was astounded by their quality, from their conception to execution, all in such a short space of time. Each performance was different, from the

action-packed ‘Hybrid’ with a score like something out of The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, ‘Stave’ with its looped and layered trombone ostinato, to the mesmerising ‘Celestial Bodies’ which reminded me of that part in 2001: a Space Odyssey where Bowman gets pulled into that light-tunnel; Flashing lights, epilepsy-inducing visuals, dancers running in circles, all set to a pulsing psychedelic soundscape - ineffable. The weekend is a great project to be a part of, and even if you don’t want to get involved I recommend you look out for this event - it’s not to be missed.

Images taken from ‘Celestial Bodies’ created by composer Tim Abbey and choreographer Rosa Manzi Reid. A video of this performance is available on Youtube.

© Tim Abbey

24 SOCIETIES

The Stag | 10th March 2014

[email protected]

Societies
CoppaFeel MEDISOC (Medical Engineering)
By Alex Watts, Societeis Team

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By Rachel Ryan, Socities Team

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n Wednesday 12 February 2014 a woman named Kris Hallenga decided that enough was enough with the #Neknominate phenomenon. With reports of deaths starting to rise in number it was time to take a stand and flip this life-threatening hashtag on its head. Cue, #Cheknominate. Kris is the founder of breast cancer awareness charity, CoppaFeel! who encourage young people across the country to check their boobs regularly to promote early detection of lumps and

bumps that aren’t normal in their own bodies. It’s really simple. 1. Grab your smart phone, webcam or camera. 2. Take a quick video of yourself checking your boobs 3. Nominate some of your friends to do the same. Sound easy enough? Go on, get involved! You know you want to! To find out more about the boob loving revolution, why not join your Uni Boob Team at Surrey on social media (www.facebook.com/ CoppaFeelUniS @UBTSurrey) or by emailing ussu.coppafeel@surrey. ac.uk. Let’s save lives, not risk them.

here is a common misconception among engineering degrees that the medical engineering course is thirty per cent colouring in. While it is partially true, when the day comes that planes and automobiles are the past and people are travelling in their iron man suits, who will be laughing? It will be the medical engineers. MediSoc is a new, not yet official society we

are trying to get ratified for Medical Engineers. To begin this process we need a united group of medical engineers and what better way to kick-start this budding society than a social? Our pub-crawl is taking place on Tuesday 12th March and is open to anyone interested in engineering or medicine. If you want to get involved, visit our page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ groups/305229292916726/

Concert Band & Gospel Choir
By Owen Ralph (Vice President, Concert Band)

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n a very special one-off performance, University of Surrey societies Concert Band and Gospel Choir are joining forces to put on a charity concert in University Hall. With pieces ranging from Lion King to Lady Gaga, there’s something for everyone in

this evening of popular tunes. A free concert with any donations going to charity, it’s worth a listen, so pop over to University Hall for a night of free entertainment. Join us on Thursday 13th March at 7.30pm in University Hall.

Musical Theatre Society

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he University of Surrey's Musical Theatre society are proud to present 'Oklahoma!' a classic musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein. The show will take place in the university hall, from the 19th-22nd March. There will be a 7.30pm performance each night, as well as a 2pm matinee on Saturday 22nd. Tickets are available to buy either from cast members and committee, or from the Union Shop. You can also reserve tickets for collection on

the door by messaging the USSU Musical Theatre Facebook page. There may be some tickets available on the night, but due to popular demand it is definitely advisable to purchase in advance (Adults-£12, concessions-£8, students-£5). Doors open half an hour before show time. Seats are not to be reserved, so arrive early to guarantee the best seats! Come along to support the MT Society. We hope to see you there!

Societies Editor: Alice Wilkinson

The Stag | 10th March 2014

SOCIETIES

25

Enactus

MADSoc

BeeKeeping By Mark Boateng, Societies Team

MADSoc’s weekly workshops
By Devon Ashley, Societies Team

An Enactus INTERNATIONAL Project
We have been working with a local charity who has managed to provide us with a possible location to set up the beekeeping. They will also be providing us with extra help for training purposes. We’re currently assessing product development plans and marketing ideas to implement once the Beekeeping business takes off. Our main focus is two-fold: raise high initial capital and assemble product recipes for shampoos, candles and soaps. An international project like this requires many dedicated members to push its presence as far as possible. Hard work? Yes. The rewards and pride that come with it? Absolutely priceless. Want to join this brand new international project? Get in touch with our project leader, Denis Sepelev: [email protected] Join us on our journey to #bethechange

Current Progress

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What is Beekeeping?
This project is about helping vulnerable people in Ethiopia by teaching them basic life and business skills in order to be entrepreneurial. We recognised that beekeeping was an area where we could pursue this – our aim is to run a successful beekeeping business alongside empowered Ethiopians with productions of soaps, candles and shampoos made from honey. We also aim to make sure this business can be run smoothly by the Ethiopians who will feel empowered enough to teach other residents with a lack of basic life skills.

hose of you who are veterans to MADSoc are probably very familiar with our weekly workshops – drama, musical theatre and creative writing – as a fun place to relax, chill out with friends and flex those performing muscles! To those of you who are not, however, allow me to explain. As already said, every week we run three workshops outside of class hours – our drama workshops are in TB06 on a Tuesday from 6:308pm, our musical theatre workshops (currently not running) run at the same time in TB10, and our creative writing workshops run on Wednesdays from 3pm-5:30 in 20AC03. All three workshops are geared towards everyone – whether or not you’ve already done some acting and writing and would like to do some more, or you’re completely new to it, we cater for all in an informal and relaxed environment. What to expect? In the drama workshops, we tend to start off with a few warm-up exercises to get everyone going, before moving onto the bulk of the workshop, which is usually focused around a particular theme or topic. For instance, previous workshops have been themed around characterisation, non-verbal communication

and a specialist improvisation workshop close to the 24 Hour Play! These workshops are run by our president Rob Stevenson, a Theatre Studies student, so he knows what he’s talking about! The drama workshops are a fantastic way to start getting involved with acting if you’ve never done it before, so if you’re even remotely interested, pop along! We’re always happy to welcome new people, regardless of previous experience. Our creative writing workshops have a similar sort of structure, with a few preliminary exercises to start off with and get those creative juices flowing, before launching into some bigger tasks to improve our skills and see what we come up with! Themes include narrative, characterisation, sketches and monologues, and every workshop is full of bright ideas, creativity, and a great deal of fun. These workshops are run by English Literature student Devon Ashley, who is also the society secretary. Again, they are perfect for every level of writing skill – all you need to bring along is something to write with, some creative energy and, of course, yourself! If you are at all interested in our workshops, either come along or drop us an email at ussu. [email protected] for more information!

wants to hear about

YOUR
Society

Send roughly 200 words to:

[email protected]
Tell us what’s been going on, what’s coming up, or what you do; and we’ll help spread the word.

Sport Editor: Santiago Avilés

The Stag | 10th March 2014

SPORT

27

Surrey Rowing

Surrey Judo

Neither rain, nor wind, nor flooding Surrey Competes in shall keep crews from training BUCS Judo in Sheffield
By Adam Miller, Sports Team

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he flooding along the Thames has forced a halt to training on the river, ultimately causing races such as Reading Head, BUCS Fours and Eights to be called off. Unfortunately, rowing is subject to the whims of nature and under no circumstances do we feel it’s unacceptable to place a crew in harm’s way. As a club, we train locally in partnership with the Molesey Boat Club. During the floods the water levels had risen considerably, up and into the boathouse. Fortunately no damaged was caused. We are proud that members of the club have volunteered helping the local community during the worst of the floods, both creating and distributing sandbags. Our thoughts are with those who have been affected by the floods. These horrible conditions have not however put a stop to the University of Surrey Boat Club’s training. All squads, from beginner to senior, have completed daily land sessions in the gym. Very few will contest the fact that our members are among the fittest individuals

in any club. What’s more, in order to get invaluable sessions in still water: USBC has made several trips each week to Dorney Lake, the site for the Kayak and Rowing events during the Olympic and Paralympic Games for London 2012. With the continuation of training, the club is predicting great things in spring when competitive racing commences once again. Upcoming events include Women’s Head of the River Race, Men’s HORR, and the seniors are off to Bruges, Belgium, to take part in the 20th Brugge Boat Race. It is fantastic that we can now enter crews into European events and promote the University outside of the UK. We are just over half way through the year and already the club has put in some amazing performances and has earned respect from other clubs and universities. On top of everything else, the club has also had success outside of rowing. Our 24-hour rowing fundraiser raised over £400 for the charity JDRF. This is something we are very proud of and we thank you for your generous donations.

By Phil Main, Sports Team

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ast weekend three fighters from Surrey participated in bucs judo in Sheffield. After a six hour journey we arrived in time for our evening weigh-in. We were all well within our weight classes and so went on a quest to find fried chicken and as many other pre-fight calories as we could consume. Next day was the day of the tournament; Mikey Barton and Marios Sarpetsas were first up both fighting in the brown belt and up under 81kg division. Mikey had a really tough draw coming against high graded opponents and unfortunately lost both of his fights. Marios won his first

fight as by pinning his opponent despite a hand injury. This was enough to get him through to the knock-out round despite losing the next fight. My pool was next; I was fighting in the under 73kg orange belt and up. I won my first fight fairly quickly by countering my opponents throw and then throwing him myself for a full score. I also lost my next fight but my win was enough to also put me through to the knockouts. We both lost our fights in the first round of the knockouts but it wasn’t all bad as we made it back to Surrey in time for Greek night. Consolation came to Mikey in his black belt grading the next day where he won four out of five of his fights and scored 40 points towards his black belt.

28 SPORT

The Stag | 10th March 2014

[email protected]

Sport
Why I still play rugby as a Sabb
James Lovell VP Sport & Recreatrion

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his year I have taken 6 Wednesday afternoons so far as Annual Leave to play Rugby for the University and I wanted to take an opportunity to explain this to those I am accountable to- you all, the students. Whilst I was a student I was heavily involved with the Rugby Club, spending 1 year as First Team Captain & 1 year as Chairman of the club. During this time there was a dramatic turn-around from my first year (where we lost every game) to my second year (unbeaten with cup & league double wins) to my final year as a student (finished 3rd in BUCS Tier 2). During my election campaign I was asked the question by a number of students: do I intend to continue playing rugby for Surrey whilst I am a sabbatical officer? I was asked this, not only by individual students but also at the Sports Standing question time, by other sports club members. My answer was, and still is, yes, as long as it does not interfere with my work. Rugby is my absolute passion and so important to me; hopefully I will always play (until I am too old!). I also believe I still have value to add to the team, with my experience and ability to play in a specialist position as a hooker.

This year Team Surrey set the ambitious target of reaching BUCS Top 40, an increase of 8 places from last year. To achieve this we have held Captains Training, Strength & Conditioning workshops and run awareness campaigns to ensure students understand how BUCS works and why it is so important. I have completely supported this campaign because Team Surrey has the potential and the ability to achieve this aim but it does take hard work. At Captains Training BUCS captains were informed how important it was to train hard, field their strongest team and put 100% in to every game, cup or league, to ensure we reached Top 40. I want to lead Team Surrey by example, by showing fellow students how important it is to train and play hard. By representing Team Surrey, I feel I am doing this. I hear from a number of students that time is a factor in how often they train, I wanted to show that you can work 40 hours a week and still train and play. I take part in 4 compulsory training sessions a week, before and after work, plus aim to go to the gym twice in my spare time. I balance this with coaching the Women’s Rugby team on a Monday evening, running touch rugby sessions and occasionally playing rugby on a Saturday. I believe I have value to add to the Rugby 1st Team, due to the position I play, and therefore value to add to Team Surrey.

Surrey Stingers

Success for American Football team
By Jake Simpson, Sports Team

Surrey Stingers Reach Play-Off
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s the week began the Surrey Stingers stood at 3 wins 2 losses. Being placed 4th in the South Coastal Conference meant a playoff place for Surrey – their first since 2001. Due to weather conditions, the Stingers were scheduled to play three games in a single week to end their season. Portsmouth was the first competitor on Sunday 16th, which was a one sided encounter. The game started well with Surrey conceding only 6 in the first half. However, the 2010 national champions proved too much for the Stingers who fell admirably 22-0. The next task was a Thursday night game against Southampton Solent. After falling to Portsmouth, Surrey stood at 3 wins to 3 losses and maintained their playoff hunt for a 4th place finish. A victory over Solent would guarantee the Stingers a playoff place. After a delay waiting for an ambulance, the game kicked off at 7.30pm. Under bright floodlights, Surrey's offence shone, the team opting for long drives, tiring Solent's defence out. In the 2nd quarter, an 8th minute 80 yard touchdown drive in Surrey’s favour started the scoring off at 6-0. Just before the half ended, an unrelenting attack produced yet another touchdown for the Stingers who ended the first half up 12-0.

Surrey's defence had been shutting down Solent's passing attack all game until Solent adjusted their game plan to utilise a quick pass system. Solent scored in the final quarter to bring the score up to a dangerous 12-6. After an injury to their starting quarterback, Surrey started to rely even more on the double headed running attack provided by David Izinyon and Edson Ndudzo. Both carried the team throughout the first half with support from a stellar offensive line. As always Vice President Izinyon made a long run which resulted in a touchdown. Solent retrieved the ball with 5 minutes remaining and quickly capitalised with both touchdown and 2 point conversation, bringing the score to a tense 18-14. After a failed onside kick attempt recovered by Surrey's Ed Farnfield, the Stingers took the ball knowing if they could convert a few Downs, the game would be theirs, as would the playoff! With a few hardnosed runs from Izinyon; the Stingers were able to run the clock out and finish triumphant. Their final game of the week against Oxford University Men’s 1st was awarded to Surrey due to a walkover. The Stingers now sit 4th in the South Coastal Conference with a playoff game against Kent, scheduled for March 9th.