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Month: September 2014

The Life of Leo Tolstoy

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in Books.

The 9th September marked the 186th anniversary of Russian author, philosopher and political thinker Leo Tolstoy’s birth. He is one of the most inspiring authors who ever lived. Virginia Woolf called him the greatest of all novelists; James Joyce remarked, “He is never dull, never stupid, never tired, never pedantic, never theatrical!” His work “The Kingdom of God is Within You” brought up the idea of pacifism that would have a heavy impact on Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.

Born into a family well known to Russian nobility, Tolstoy was the fourth of five children. He briefly attended Kazan University before dropping out and moving to various cities around Russia. In 1851, like his fellow contemporary Fyodor Dostoevsky, he suffered from running up major gambling debts and decided to join the army with one of his brothers. It was roughly at this point that he started to write.

His first piece of work “Childhood” would eventually become the first of a trilogy that explores a young person surfacing into the world and their role in it. It would be followed by “Boyhood” and “Youth”. In his later years Tolstoy would dismiss these works as “an awkward mixture of fact and fiction,” however it did earn him immediate acclaim from one of the prominent Russian writers of the time, Ivan Turgenev.

In 1862 Tolstoy married Sophia Behrs. The relationship would be later portrayed in “Anna Karenina” through the characters Levin and Kitty. The married couple would go on to have fourteen children; five would tragically die before reaching their 8th birthday.

In 1863 he began his most prestigious novel, “War and Peace”. The epic piece would take six years to finish and contain 1225 pages. It documents Napoleon’s invasion of Russia in the early 1800s as seen through the eyes of five Russian aristocratic families. Significantly the first edition is partially written in French but the majority in Russian. The dialogue is where most of the French is presented as it was considered more esteemed than Russian though critic Orlando Figes suggested in his New York Review of Books that Tolstoy used the French language to illustrate deceit and Russian to symbolise sincerity and honesty.

The book would later be included in countless lists as one of the greatest pieces of literature ever written. The American magazine Newsweek placed it at number one in their list of top 100 books. Critics praised Tolstoy’s objectivity in the novel with Ernest Hemmingway remarking, “no one could write about war better than Tolstoy did” and Isaak Babel going as far as saying that “if the world could write by itself, it would write like Tolstoy.”

He began his first proper work of fiction “Anna Karenina” in 1873, taking four years to complete. It is a story of a doomed love as the unhappily married titular character commences an affair with Count Vronsky. It was one of the first pieces of literature to use a stream of consciousness style, something that the likes of James Joyce and Virginia Woolf would later utilise. Like “War and Peace” the novel is highly regarded with Dostoevsky declaring it “flawless as a work of art”.

“Anna Karenina” had a profound effect on Tolstoy and he fell into an existential crisis, which he explained in his 1884 publication, “My Confession.” He converted to Christianity in 1878 in attempt to use faith to solve the problem of life’s meaninglessness. However, he soon discovered that all organised religion seemed to be corrupt and thus developed his own beliefs based upon Christianity. He outlined his Christian Anarchist beliefs in his 1894 piece “The Kingdom of God is Within You”. It was greatly influential for Mohandas Gandhi who said he was “overwhelmed” after reading it. The pair would exchange letters from 1908 until Tolstoy’s death two years later. Tolstoy would extend his Christian Anarchist beliefs by writing his own religious model gaining many followers. However this resulted in him being excommunicated from the Russian Orthodox Church.

Leo Tolstoy died aged 82 after suffering pneumonia. Thousands lined the street for his funeral, which only exemplifies what a prominent figure of Russian life the great writer was. His final burial place is by the “green stick” his brother told him about in his childhood.

No foiling around with Fencing

Written by Will Kelly on . Posted in Sport.

One of the University of Manchester’s newest of competitive teams, the fencing team, have proven to be no pushovers.

Entered into a national beginners’ competition, they certainly started off well with a number of fencers finishing in the last 16. To have such a great start was fantastic, but the team has rapidly built on this success with the women’s first and men’s second team working hard to finish second in their respective leagues. On the national front, the University of Manchester took the sport by storm with Indy Leclercq finishing third at the Uhlmann Trophy and Jennifer Schofield finishing second at the Leeds Open. Speaking to captain Matt Hunter, a 3rd year studying physics, he reveals that Jennifer had to beat Catriona Sibert to make it into the final: a fencer in the top 10 in the UK in the women’s foil.

Asked on the aims of the season, Matt appears determined to improve on what was already an impressive season and is looking to expand and incorporate as many new members as possible. Those interested should contact [email protected] or visit the University of Manchester Fresher’s Fair where they will be situated at stand 8. Despite the fantastic competitiveness the University has shown, Matt assures me that the club is very much open for new members of all abilities: “We take pride in being open to new members. The university fencing club is full of friendly, welcoming people who spend as much time in the pub as on the piste! It’s a great sport to take up, it’s fun, improves mental and physical agility and provides a great ‘alternative’ work out”, he said.

The University of Manchester do battle. Photo: Julian Wakefield

 

Check the Exec: Policies and Promises

Written by Haider Saleem on . Posted in Features.

Charlotte Cook – General Secretary

Coming into office for her second term where she first served as Community Officer, Charlotte smashed her opponents during the elections with 1206 votes, with the closest candidates at 365 votes and the rest lingering around the 300s.

Charlotte’s manifesto seems reasonable and she may not have much difficulty in implementing the majority of it. This is more likely as the Union’s budget is now in surplus and unlike last year’s General Sectary, her manifesto features no extravagant pledges (see last years discounted gig tickets).

Charlotte is currently in talks with the commercial team about how they can incorporate the ‘campus cash card’ proposed in her manifesto into the existing student card using the inbuilt technology. Charlotte described the progress so far as “really positive” and will be working out a timeline for moving forward with this project. The card is similar to the one that is available at Manchester Metropolitan University. The idea is to conveniently have everything on one card that can be used at shops around campus and incorporating reward points and top up features so even parents can add money to it.

To save money on food, Charlotte proposed having microwaves in the Union for students to heat their own food. Currently, Charlotte is developing a ‘microwave map’, mapping all the available and accessible microwaves on campus for students to look at. As well as this, talks regarding the third floor extension which is being built this year, Charlotte is hoping to get this incorporated into the planning as a space in the Union where students can heat their own food.

Her pledge for societies to be able to hire university rooms free of charge has already been implemented. Societies can now save huge amounts of money when holding events (see below).

Conor McGurran – Campaigns and Citizenship Officer

With a detailed manifesto, Conor will have a successful year if he is to achieve all of his aims. He has specific pledges regarding education, the campus, the Students’ Union and the NHS.

The pledge to lobby the University to reduce the amount it charges societies to hire lecture theatres is undergoing, and societies may be able to book University Place for free in the evenings in future, significantly increasing the space for societies and reducing their expenses.

Regarding lecture podcasting, Conor proposed a ‘points system’ in his manifesto as an incentive for students to still attend lectures, however this idea has seemed to collapsed and he has informed me this is unlikely to be happening any time soon, as it’s within the remit of the Education Officer. Compulsory podcasting seems to be heading in anyway, and we will have to wait and see if all courses will take it on. Conor would most likely to lobby those who have not taken it on after semester one.

Student apathy of the union has been an issue for many years. Clifford, Conor’s predecessor, had already established a student council which was on Conor’s manifesto. The council is made up of ‘various representatives’ of students groups and has places for elected students. It currently has little power. Conor is however putting his efforts towards the Students’ Union democracy review, where he is going to “completely change all of our democratic structures this year.” This is certainly something to look out for, as it could potentially be a huge transformation in the structure of the Union.

“Student Assembly, Student Council, Exec positions, rep positions, how we discuss policy, almost everything is up for consideration.”

Tessy Maritim – Diversity Officer

Tessy’s manifesto is made up of a broad ‘six point plan’ which includes policy ideas and pledges in various areas. Integration, of course, is one of them. This involves team building exercises at the start of the academic year to help bring people together. However, after research over the summer, Tessy has scrapped this idea and is planning on working with society heads. I can image Tessy will find it difficult to organise such events with all societies, as now there are over 350 societies registered with the Union. Tessy is also planning on launching an ‘International Olympics’ during Global Week.

Another point on Tessy’s manifesto was to work with country representatives to subsidies travel expenses for students. It’s hard to see how Tessy will achieve this policy this and how it is within her remit, however will have to wait and see.

Tessy also has the job of running the hugely successful TEDx event, and it will be interesting to see the individuals recruited to talk at the event. Plans to promote more diverse work opportunities are “still under way”, where Tessy called for more opportunities in exotic areas of the world such as Australia and South America. Regarding home country resits:

“I have had a few meetings with the university regarding home country resits and we are examining how the re-sit exam experience as a whole can be improved.”

Jessica Lishak – Women’s Officer

Jess has taken over the role of Women’s Officer from Tabz, who served two successful terms and backed Jess as a “powerful, positive voice” during the elections, leaving no competition for the other candidates.

This semester, Jess is looking to meet up with female students across campus and to fulfil some of her manifesto pledges which she has already started over the summer. Currently in development is an online tool for the MyManchester homepage and smartphone app for reporting and getting support on issues that students are facing, such as sexual harassment, which is likely to be launched and promoted in November. This will provide a direct link to the Union Advice Service who will deal with the complaint.

This semester Jess is also focusing on safety both on and off campus. Her biggest task is most likely taking the successful ‘We Get It’ campaign into an accreditation and training scheme for bars and clubs in Manchester. This also ties with her pledge to help students feel safer on a night out, for example, by always having women on duty. Being early days, this hasn’t started yet as Jess is currently waiting on getting collaboration with the Women’s Campaign and other students to further develop this. I can imagine it will be quite difficult to gain cooperation from venues around Manchester and it is unlikely that they will agree to always have a woman on the door, but we will find out in the near future. Indeed, Jess is aware of the task ahead:

“It will be a big project and also has to wait on a few internal developments of ‘We Get It’ within the union and the university.”

Another point in Jess’s manifesto was to launch ‘Reclaim the Night Bus’ – a spin-off from the ‘Reclaim the Night’ campaign. This will involve working with students, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) to improve safety on the buses and review how drivers deal with harassment and assault on their buses. Jess has set up an initial meeting with GMP and TfGM who both said they are interested to get involved.

Ellen McLaughlin – Community Officer

The ballot going into the fourth round made the Community Officer the closest run for office this year, and was secured by Ellen with 919 votes.

The most popular point Ellen’s manifesto was the promise to run a housing campaign, part of which would be the ‘Don’t Let Yet, Rent Right Campaign’. Ellen mentioned that:

“It is my priority to run a knowledge campaign to ensure students make informed decisions before signing a tenancy agreement.”

The campaign will be launching towards the end of October as it is a time when students begin looking for houses for the following year, which Charlotte of course far too early. Charlotte will also be releasing an in-depth guide to renting in the private sector as well as launching a highly visual ‘Don’t Let Yet’ campaign in halls and on campus. There will be a Halloween ‘House Of Horrors’ themed event and ‘Housing Week’ in the last week of January where the Students’ Union advice service will be offering pop up contract checking/advice sessions, along with various fun events on throughout the week.

Ellen will also oversee the launch of six elected Student Community Officers whose role it will be to organise events and run campaigns in the local community, as well as represent students at meetings with the council, university and local residents.

Ellen will also be working with the ‘Access All Areas’ coordinator on Widening Participation projects that focus on breaking down barriers to higher education for hard to reach groups.

Rosie Dammers – Wellbeing Officer

Rosie last year served as Education Officer, and this year will take the role of Wellbeing Officer, beating her opponents with an impressive 1525 votes. The only other real contender was Rowan with 749 votes. In contrast to Kazi, last year’s Wellbeing Officer, Rosie’s manifesto seems to have clear, sound policies which are probably down to her experience in office last year.

The main issue Rosie is concerned about is mental health, particularly the stigma surrounding it and giving students access to help when they need it. Kicking off a yearlong campaign, Rosie is planning a mental health awareness and action week, running in October. During the week, Rosie will work with volunteers encouraging pledges and participation and raising awareness of people’s own mental health.

By Christmas, Rosie has planned to have a written report on provision for students with mental health and use it to lobby the university to improve support services. Along with the report, Rosie has also aimed to have recruited and trained a number of students in mental health first aid so that they can be mentors to those in need. By then, The Union will have signed the Time to Change pledge, and will have trained staff in mental health first aid so they are properly equipped to help students.

Aside from the work on mental health, Rosie has been working with Sexpression to organise sexual health testing in halls, and has just started a piece of research on childcare provision (or lack of it) at the University. Rosie has also been working on a campaign to get students cycling called ‘Get On Your Bike’ – bike workshops and fairs should be coming in the near future.

Joel Smith – Activities & Development Officer

Joel has the responsibility of organising the three Pangaea Festivals and is very keen on making it bigger and better. This year he has managed to secure Mike Skinner and Tensnake as headlines for the first of the three Pangaeas.

Joel is also pushing to get more students involved in organising Pangaea and is looking to recruit volunteers for ‘Team Pangaea’, a group which will have massive input on the festive and direction. This could perhaps be the first of a big step into taking the festival to a higher level.  There will be a Pangaea warm up party as promised, happening on December 6th. Something else highlighted on his manifesto was adding an extra dome stage with projected visuals. He told me that this should “hopefully (subject to a sponsorship deal we are currently working on for January) tie in with the theme then” and is “90% sure we’ll be able to make this happen.”

The issue of why the Fuse FM is not played live around the Union is something which irritates all those who are involved within student media activities within the Union. Joel promised to make the most of student media in his manifesto, and told me that he is “working on Biko’s playing Fuse FM during the day and also ‘headline’ shows on Fuse FM being played in the Union bar 5-7pm.”

Bringing more “outside events”, the newly refurbished club academy is now open for anyone who wants to organise events. Joel believes that by second semester, there will be externally organised evening events to look forward too, in addition to Why Not Wednesdays. He told me “plans for WNW are also looking very fun, the staff team here are working really hard to make sure each Wednesday brings a completely new experience for students to come and enjoy, with money from every ticket going back into societies and future events.”

Joel is also working to improve the room booking system and create a society timetable so that it is easier for students to get involved with various activities going on at the Union. He mentioned:

“There’s great stuff happening all the time but if you aren’t in the right Facebook group or don’t catch an event poster you might miss out on these.”

Harriet Pugh – Education Officer

Harriet has worked on a range of her promises. The contest for Education Officer was a two horse race, with Harriet coming on top with 1709 votes. Backed by two of the Execs during the election, including Rosie who was the previous education office and now Wellbeing, there was little competition.

When running for office, Harriet said she is ‘passionate about education and it’s protection from marketisation’.

This year, Harriet told me that she will be “campaigning for free education, to improve access to postgraduate study, address the black students’ attainment gap, diversify curricula to include black, women and LGBTQ issues and working class material and deliver cooperative training for students to set up housing, knowledge and cooperatives.”

As well as this, Harriet is looking to train, support and coordinate course reps to run campaigns to improve the quality of teaching and learning. She will also try to get more student places on university decision-making committees to ensure that the student perspective is taken seriously in the definition of and solving of academic issues.

The Verdict so far:

Given that the Union is out of its financial troubles that they were in last year, there is a good chance that the exec will live up to their word and  fulfil their promises. Having said that, there are one or two pledges on the manifestos which there is already doubt towards, such as making travel cheaper for students. Two Exec members have already served a year; their experience was evident when I asked what they have done and plans for the future. For the new members of the Exec, they are certainly making positive changes to the union—from Pangaea to the structure of the Union

Album: Jungle – Jungle

Written by Dinesh Mattu on . Posted in Music.

Released July 14

XL Recordings

6/10

Emerging in the summer of 2013, shrouded in an aura of mystique, producers by the names of ‘J’ and ‘T’ garnered public attention through well choreographed and cleanly directed videos without revealing a lot much more than their collective’s name: Jungle. An outfit so obsessed with cleverly hiding themselves amongst the matrix of the internet, practically rendering themselves unsearchable, yet having the audacity to sell out shows across Europe and the US.

The buzz around these guys was intriguing. Promising singles and a bold name was all we had to go by until it came to ear that J and T were indeed Josh Lloyd-Watson and Tom McFarland, a production duo from West London. A music video for their single ‘The Heat’ hit the internet in mid-October; a rollerskating, tracksuit-laden duo was my first visual impression of these guys, smoothly cut and brilliantly scored, this production had a soulful and essential summertime feel, a track simply made to make you dance; just like the pair in the video (minus the green shellsuit, perhaps).

What followed in the coming months was more mystery and intrigue, further shows across the world revealed a little more about them, but not enough to figure them out completely. After supporting Haim on a handful of dates on the European leg of their ‘Days Are Gone’ tour, these guys were growing into one of the most talked about bands in Britain.

Fast-forward to summer 2014 and Jungle have put together an LP, filled with experimental percussion, airy falsetto and all manner of psychedelic melodies, echoing their early singles. Twinned with the visuals, this album is a respectful yet slightly progressive throwback to the essence of the 70s; a nice groovy dose of nostalgia filled with a few bird calls and strange rustlings; a disco in a rainforest, almost. There’s plenty of substance behind the bravado of the impeccably choreographed early videos of singles ‘Platoon,’ ‘The Heat’ and ‘Busy Earnin’’. Smooth bass lines and memorable choruses, flickering weird and wonderful noises, and digitally layered percussion leave a welcome impression on the audience.

The strange collection of tropical noises and mechanical beats throughout the album breathe a new life into ‘modern soul,’ most notably on the detached-feeling ‘Drops.’ Each finger click gives a measured pulse to the slow tempo, emulating dew dripping off the leaf of a melancholy plant into a dusky puddle. Surrounded with grand crescendos and intense synths, you’d be right to think that there’s a lot going on in this seemingly arbitrary song, almost too much for it to work. However, the melange is formulated, measured; in terms of production, it is one of the highlights of the album. It stands out because it is a little sorrowful, sitting more-or-less slap-bang in the middle of the record it gives a feeling of grief and dejection, to an otherwise lively album, “I’ve been loving you too long,” echo the two despondent voices.

The wistful theme continues in the final three tracks; ‘Son of a Gun,’ ‘Lucky I Got What I Want’ and ‘Lemonade Lake’. They give the climax an ambient but fairly solemn feel to what in most-part is an upbeat, dancefloor-ready summer album. The record melodically bobs along at a cruising pace quite often unknowingly becoming one big falsetto, the vocals becoming fairly repetitive by the end. It is undoubtedly crafted, and songs such as ‘Time’ have soundtracked summer barbeques and will accentuate DJ sets over the coming year, however it just isn’t authentic enough to be called an outright disco album, there’s something missing. It’s experimental, it’s funky, it is soul for the Disclosure generation. I find it a polished debut with some promising singles; the trouble is that these are mostly the singles we’ve already heard. Individually the songs excel, but on a whole the album falls a little short.

The duo exercise their production muscles on the latter songs especially, perhaps in order to give the listener a feel for their skills repertoire. Their detailed and artistic approach to the album is astute, even if the music does not completely fulfil my expectations. Jungle have cleverly managed to pick out a strategy in their album campaign, carefully selecting their most radio friendly singles to create visuals for, amassing around 5 million YouTube views in just under a year. Ultimately, both fans of electronic music and hardcore soul fans will pick it apart and detail all the shortfalls. What we’re left with is something in between, not popular enough to be Pop and not disco-y enough to be Disco. Having piqued our interest with their spectacular imagery, perhaps Dance is the next best box to put this record in. You may have to dig out your Run DMC shellsuits; after all, who wouldn’t want to imitate our b-boying friends on our summer dancefloors?

Number of Alumni Scholarships Reaches Record Levels

Written by Aidan Gregory on . Posted in News.

The number of students attending the university on alumni funded scholarships is greater than ever before.

The 2014/15 academic year will see around 700 students attending the university on either undergraduate or postgraduate scholarships, with many coming from backgrounds under represented at UK universities, or from the world’s poorest countries.

This represents a 15 per cent increase from last year.

Speaking to The Mancunion, Regular Giving Officer from the Division of Development and Alumini Relations, Emma Brownlow, explained that this is due to the department smashing its record for the number of individual donors.

The total donated by alumni since 2011 now stands at £1,375,713, of which £550,219 was given in the last academic year.

In the 2011/12 academic year there were 3380 individuals who donated to the University of Manchester. In 2013/14, there were 4600.

Many of the scholarships handed out by the university are given through the Manchester Access Programme—a scheme which targets disadvantaged students from Greater Manchester.

In the words of the division, the programme is “a structured scheme for local post-16 students who meet specific academic and background criteria.

“The aim of the programme is to support entry to Manchester, through a completion of work demonstrating specific knowledge and skills”.

On completion of the programme, students receive 40 UCAS points towards their offer from Manchester, and an annual scholarship once they register for a course at the university.

Sadia Sadik, second year Law, is one of the students who has received a scholarship.

In a statement to The Mancunion, she said, “Before enrolling onto Manchester Access Programme, I had considered attending university but I was not sure of whether I wanted to go.  However, after taking part in different scheme events, I was sure that going to university was right for me. My favourite part of the programme was the opportunity it provided to find out more about what university life is like. The programme made sure I knew what to expect and helped me to meet new people and make friends.

“I chose to study Law because I did well in it at A-level and also really enjoyed it whilst studying at college. My first year has gone mostly as I expected, although I have found the workload to be challenging at times. I look forward to continuing to do well and graduating with a good degree”.

Sadik added, “The scholarship has been a great help to me, as it has allowed me to comfortably cover costs, such as for travelling and books. Without it, I would be worrying about money, but my donor’s support means that I can concentrate on doing well in my studies.”

Alumni support does not just fund scholarships, but also world leading research projects at the university in areas such as medicine, development, and scientific research, and also funds many of the projects which can be seen going on around campus, such as the Eureka Challenge Event.

The newly refurbished Fuse FM studio has also been paid for with alumni donations, as well as the free water bottles given out to first year students in halls.

Alex Clark, Environmental Coordinator, said:

“Donor funds are invaluable for us to give every student living in halls of residence (9000 residents) their own reusable water bottle. We wanted to see whether this would be a success in order for us to continue the project every year from then on. Now in its 4th year, this project has been a huge success and has helped us encourage 9000 students each year to love tap water and reduce the dependence on plastic bottled water.”

If you are interested in becoming part of the student fundraising team in the division, you can find out more at your.manchester.ac.uk/student-caller.

Allen Hall to remain closed

Written by Jennifer Sterne on . Posted in News.

Allen Hall has been closed for the past two years following boiler failure and the discovery of asbestos in the building. For a third year, it has been decided that Allen Hall will again not be occupied by new students from the University of Manchester.

The 53 year old hall of residence is a traditional catered hall based on the Fallowfield campus. The University has said “traditional catered halls make a valuable contribution to the University in providing smaller communities with their own distinct character which continues to appeal to a number of students”

Daniel Mills, who lived at the halls between 2003-6 and is now a member of the Hall committee, has said that “Allen Hall has enjoyed a reputation as a thriving communal residence with a wonderful sense of community and identity.”

However Daniel Mills has also said, “owing to the apparent inertia of Accommodation management, the renovations needed to bring the hall back into student use have not been made”. Mills added that “The University of Manchester should treasure its more traditional halls of residence—instead of closing them down”.

A University spokesman has said, in response to these claims, that “the decision not to occupy Allen Hall was not a reflection on the rewarding community and social environment that students who stayed at Allen Hall experienced”.

Mills explained that he “understands removing asbestos from the hall will be an expensive and time-consuming undertaking.” However, “closing down the hall would be completely short-sighted, and makes a mockery of the University of Manchester’s claims to be committed to enhancing the lives of its students”.

The future use of Allen Hall is currently under review and it is anticipated by the University that this work will be completed in the next six months.

Festival: Garden

Written by Julia Gleeson on . Posted in Music.

1st – 10th July

Tisno, Croatia

In its penultimate year, the Garden Festival is certainly ready to go out with a bang in 2015. It isn’t surprising that Croatia’s popularity has increased dramatically in recent years—basking on the rich green jigsaw of Dalmatian coastline is a personal paradise for any holidaymaker. Throw in some lights and music and you have created a festival worth experiencing.

Situated just outside the small coastal town of Tisno, the secluded location of the Garden Festival gives the feeling of privileged exclusiveness for all in attendance. The small capacity of the festival allows you to get to personal grips with the site—a strong attachment is made with the stages in a short amount of time, and everyone around you seems like a long lost friend after a couple of days.

By day, the vibe is carefree and low key—sounds ranging from dreamy piano jazz to classic disco fill the air from the beach stage, creating a casual rhythm for your day to move by. By night, the festival slowly and smoothly transitions to the party that everyone has been gearing up for, and house and disco take over the stages.

The Garden Festival 2009

On the main stage, Greg Wilson’s set began at an unexpected slow pace, but it was soon apparent that the crowd were being taken on an emotional disco-fuelled rollercoaster, reaching its pinnacle during a passionate chorus of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Dreams’, and spirits were never higher during Inner City’s ‘Good Life’. Crazy P’s fantastic live set was received by a suitably energetic crowd, and Theo Parrish’s first performance with his live band for almost 10 years was something not to be missed.

As well as a host of intimate stages, the Garden Festival has an additional feature—Barbarella’s Discotheque, a unique open-plan after party venue, where you can get down long after the sun comes up. A memorable back-to-back set from Ben UFO and Midland featured, and later in the week Futureboogie left everyone feeling soulfully cleansed after dropping Joubert Singer’s ‘Stand On The Word’. With its attention to detail and uniquely personal setting, The Garden Festival makes you feel like an honoured guest every day of the week—a fantastic week with the perfect balance of holiday tranquillity and festival excitement.

The Freshers’ Drinks Guide

Written by Adam Fearn on . Posted in News.

Being a third year student at the university, I’ve had a bit of time to sample the best and worst of the cheap alcohol that Manchester has to offer. Here is my introduction to four of the drinks that you’ll become well acquainted with during your stay!

 

Sainbury’s Basics vodka (700ml) – £11, 37.5%

Serving itself as the staple alcohol within the students’ repertoire and coming in at a mere price of £11, Sainsbury’s Basic will serve as a faithful companion on your nights out if you can handle its sting (and its odd hand sanitizer-esque smell!). Versatile and reliable, this student favourite is guaranteed to get your night off to a fantastic—and incredibly drunken—start. Basics can combine with all sorts of mixers, from coke to fruit juices, allowing almost any drink in your fridge to be a viable addition.

Unlike most cheap vodka products and other spirits within the Sainbury’s own brand range, I have never woken up with (too bad of) a hangover from it. I also think it provides much less throat burn than two of its other main rivals around the student scene, Tesco’s Everyday vodka and Asda’s infamous Select Value range. Find it difficult to drink? If you aren’t able to tolerate its sharp taste, try leaving the bottle to chill for a while in the freezer before you drink it; you’ll find it goes down much easier. Also, always add good quality mixers to your vodka—it will improve the overall quality of your drink, making it much more palatable.

 

Crofters / Hawksridge Apple Cider (2L) – £2.09, 5%

It’s not Strongbow or Bulmers admittedly but, for the price, you can hardly go wrong with these ciders. You can purchase 2 litres of either Crofters or Hawksridge from Morrisons for £2.09, making them fantastic options for small social flat gatherings with a couple of friends. If that cider sounds a little upmarket for you, why not try one of the famous white ciders? A favourite among those who find their cider isn’t onion-based enough for them, White Ace and Frosty Jack’s are a go-to if you want a high-alcohol and somewhat bleach-like drink. 

 

Lambrini (750ml) – £1.95, 7.5%

So you’ve spent all of your money in the first week of term and are now struggling to fund your social life. You can’t afford Hardys or Echo Falls, and you can’t stomach another bottle of Blue Nun. Don’t worry – we’ve all been there. Half of the university experience is learning how to budget, which often means sacrificing quality for quantity. When the financial push turns to a shove, you sometimes have to lower your standards and turn to alcohol that’s a bit less classy. Costing only £1.95 per bottle (!), Lambrini may taste like vinegar, but you’re getting a lot of glasses to your pound. Marketed as bottle of wine instead of the Perry that it truly is, Lambrini has your alcohol needs covered in even the worst of financial circumstances. There are a number of different flavours to try, such as the peach, cherry and summer fruit variants, offering you a few different options to choose from.

 

Water (unlimited) – free, 0%

After all of the partying and drinking that you’ll be doing on freshers’ week, make sure you drink a few glasses of trusty water before you go to bed and as soon as you wake up. Completely free with an alcohol percentage of 0, it’s a perfect drink to help douse potential hangovers before they occur and shock your system back into sobriety.

 

They might not be young, they might not be pretty!

Written by Nicole Tamer on . Posted in Theatre.

A crowd of cheering women, a standing ovation and rumbling laughter throughout the performance spoke for themselves and created an enthusiastic atmosphere in the Manchester Opera House. Interestingly enough, the contrast between the posh venue and the stage transformed into a factory hall, combined with the strong northern accents of the actors made the play even more comical. The interaction between the actors and the audience was definitely a strong point and is generally crucial for film adaptations on stage. But is the performance comparable to the film success in 1997?

Yes and no; the film helped to make the live performance even better than those in the film. Thanks to the film, the performance seemed incredibly natural and the story evolved smoothly without a lot of unnecessary explanations. Furthermore, the audience anticipated certain scenes and characters and the actors played with their expectations. The play managed to make certain scenes even funnier because the story is about a live performance. Questions such as “who would pay to see a man getting naked?” were greeted with laughter.

Another aspect which the film couldn’t create as well was that the closeness to the actors on stage, which gave the play more vulnerability. Although the storyline seems simple at first—jobless steel workers stripping to earn money, it touches difficult topics and often coats them with black humour. Homosexuality, suicide and body issues are mentioned throughout the play, but masculine identity is the main struggle of the unemployed men. What are they worth if they no longer fulfil the role that society expects them to play? Do women still need men when they have their own jobs and test tube babies exist? The traditional gender roles are swapped in a refreshing portrayal where women are sexually confident and hold stronger positions than the male main characters. Brilliant writing is essential for a good performance and Simon Beaufoy, who won an Oscar for Slumdog Millionaire and wrote the screenplay for The Hunger Games, adapted his earlier Full Monty screenplay for the stage.

The masses of women. Photo: Nicole Tamer

Although the play offers the full package of humour, depth and promised male nudity, it only lasted for a month at the London West End, despite standing ovations, good reviews and winning the UK Theatre Awards.  Of course, Billy Elliot is also set in the North, but combined with dancing and singing it is more approachable than not-so-pretty men and identity crises. Seeing it in Manchester, it fitted well into the environment with the accents and the dark humour. The Manchester version also features well-known actors from Coronation Street, EastEnders and Hollyoaks Later, which makes it more likely to succeed. The buzzing atmosphere, good writing and the creativity of the stage design are certainly not to be missed. And will the actors do the complete Full Monty live on stage? Find out until September 20th at the Manchester Opera House.

Officer Training Corps On Campus

Written by Jason Herbert on . Posted in Societies.

There are a list of activities that are usually synonymous with a university student’s summer. For some university students, such as Ben Tong and Mahmoud El-Gindy, this list could be extended to include parachuting over Germany, running through the woods with a rifle on a military exercise, going on courses that can enhance your CV and a whole host of exciting endeavours – all while being paid. Ben and Mahmoud are both Officer Cadets with the Manchester And Salford Universities Officer Training Corps (MSUOTC), part of the North West Officers’ Training Regiment, an organisation that boasts around 300 students from across Manchester, Liverpool and Lancaster.

This summer, both Ben and Mahmoud went to Sennelager, one of the British Army bases in Germany, to throw themselves out of a plane for the hell of it (admittedly with a parachute attached). Usually, such a trip would be a once in a lifetime expense. Both of these gentlemen went for free along with 23 other Officer Cadets—and they can go again next year if they want. This week-long event, nicknamed “Ex LION LEAP” (the lion being the symbol of MSUOTC) is just one of many that the Universities Officer Training Corps organises for its Officer Cadets. Everybody has the chance to do many forms of “Adventurous Training” (AT) with the UOTC. On our annual camp we all enjoyed hill walking, rock climbing, squirrelling (similar to caving), kayaking and mountain biking.

If there’s something you want to do it is almost guaranteed that the staff at MSUOTC will be on hand to help get funding and organise all the things you’ll need, from transport to accommodation. As well as this, the UOTC helps those who wish to take part in more usual sports, with the unit competing in the annual Queens Cup competition at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst at football, rugby, hockey and netball. This can all be balanced with university studies—both Ben and Mahmoud went to Germany after their exams, Ben studying Geography at the University of Manchester and Mahmoud studying Contemporary Military and International History at the University of Salford. Not your average student’s summer.

AT is not the only pursuit that the UOTC has to offer. For all Officer Cadets, a form of military training (while maintaining a sense of fun and perspective) at weekends throughout the term is required. Don’t worry, the UOTC can’t send Ben and Mahmoud (or any of our other Officer Cadets) on military service as theyare classed as ‘Group B’ Staff, which is undeployable—but still paid. In fact, military service after your time at the UOTC is not mandatory, and many of the Cadets eventually join the Army with little to no initial intention of joining the Regular Army.

For those who are interested in the military life, the UOTC can help propel us through our careers, with Mahmoud returning to Germany this summer in order to complete the “Summer Leader” course, meaning that he is now only a 3 week course at Sandhurst away from commissioning as a Second Lieutenant with the Army Reserves. Whether it’s helping to understand the intense application forms, preparing us for selection or liaising with the unit we’re attempting to join, the staff at the UOTC will provide all the support we could hope for.

Alongside regular trips to the Curry Mile, our socials can range from running between pubs dressed as foxes, hounds or in tweed, through trips to the Dogs and several formal black tie dinners, including the annual Regimental Dinner, steeped in hundreds of years of British Army traditions and free wine. Our Commanding Officer, Colonel Hayman, once spoke to us about contrast, and it is never as obvious in life as it is with the UOTC. One night we were drinking wine at our dinner, then even more drinking together in the mess, everybody dressed in their finest black tie attire. Mere days later we were all in our uniforms, the dirt ground into the fabric and mud clinging to our clothes as we sprint across fields and through trees on exercise. The variety of our lives since joining the UOTC is staggering.

So as you can see, while our Officer Cadets may look like average students (and for most of their lives they are), their stories from their summers could not be more different from other peoples’. Anybody can enjoy the opportunities that the UOTC can offer, as we accept recruits in September every year.

Post provided by Manchester and Salford Universities Officer Training Corps.

Graphene sandwich could satisfy our hunger for designer materials

Written by Andy van den Bent-Kelly on . Posted in News, Science & Tech.

Scientists at The University of Manchester have discovered that sandwiching layers of graphene with hexagonal boron nitride could produce new designer materials which could potentially become the basis for new high-frequency electronic devices.

Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), also known as white graphene, is a member of a family of two-dimensional materials discovered following the isolation of graphene at The University of Manchester 10 years ago. Since that iconic discovery, researchers have been able to show that stacking various 2D materials into so-called heterostructures can produce perfect crystals, which could potentially be used in next generation transistors.

This most recent development has shown that the electronic behaviour of the heterostructures can be directly influenced by controlling the orientation of the crystalline layer within the stacks.

University of Manchester Nobel laureate Sir Kostya Novoselov headed the team of researchers responsible for this discovery, which also consisted of scientists from the University of Nottingham and Lancaster University, as well as other colleagues from as far afield as South Korea, Japan and Russia.

Two graphene electrodes were carefully aligned with a layer of hBN separating them. The team of researchers discovered that both electron energy and momentum were conserved. The findings, which were published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology, could potentially result in the creation of devices with ultra-high frequencies, such as electronic or photovoltaic sensors.

Professor Laurence Eaves, a joint academic at both The University of Manchester and The University of Nottingham, said: “This research arises from a beautiful combination of classical laws of motion and the quantum wave nature of electrons, which enables them to flow through barriers.

“We are optimistic that further improvements to the device design will lead to applications in high-frequency electronics.”

Lancaster University’s Professor Vladimir Falko added: “Our observation of tunnelling and negative differential conductance in devices made of multilayers of graphene and hexagonal boron nitride demonstrates potential that this system has for electronics applications.

“It is now up to material growers to find ways to produce such multilayer systems using growth techniques rather than mechanical transfer method used in this work.”

Private Education—worth the cash?

Written by Ashika Vijay on . Posted in Opinion.

Fees for private schools have doubled in the past 20 years and less than 10 per cent of students in the UK are privately educated. It is time to evaluate whether it’s really worth it. After moving to a co-educational state sixth form college from a private single-sex secondary school, I appreciate the value and I am aware of the flaws of private education.

There is a general impression that private school students are rich and snobby. Disappointingly however, private school doesn’t involve paper boat races with £20 notes, and there’s no Latin banter—at least not regularly. Nevertheless, you do become more disciplined knowing that your average day costs around £50, which is paid for by your generous hard-working parents.

Manners are also enforced and encouragements for good work ethic given. It can be argued that this should be parents’ responsibility, to teach their own children discipline from childhood and for everyone to be brought up equally with these essential etiquettes. The benefit from private education in this aspect is therefore unclear.

After an entrance exam, there are smaller, more specialised classes to stretch you further. Don’t forget there’s also cash splashed on the latest equipment, extra-curricular activities and arguably better teaching. In the end, you walk away with grades, which are not, however, guaranteed to be straight A*s. Yet parents are still willing to make the sacrifice. Good grades are more likely with a good learning environment but everyone is an individual—if you work, you get the grades; if you slack, then you don’t. It does question whether or not it’s worth it, because the playing field is level.

When a state schooled friend at college told me that her Physics teacher had left halfway through Year 10 I was shocked. Even if a replacement was found, such interruptions would slow down the course. We both still got top grades because she used the Internet to teach herself. Looking back, I did the same with other subjects, despite the fact that my parents still paid the school directly. Evidently, most of the money was being spent on teachers, however some would have been used for renovating the school buildings and for extra-curricular activities—including activities such as the Duke of Edinburgh award or orchestras where you can engage with a wider variety of people from your local community. Teaching is not the only thing you pay for; private education provides excellent extra-curricular activities.

Reputation is very important for educational institutions—uniform especially. Looking neat gives the impression that you are professional; in my opinion, however, freezing to death rather than wearing the wrong coloured coat for fear of retribution seems more childish than practical. So you have your school fees and an expensive uniform that is treated as if it were more important than actual education (it’s basically a BHS bulk buy with a fancy emblem stitched on that you will undoubtedly grow out of!) to bolster your school’s reputation. But reputation alone is not a reasonable excuse to pay for private education, especially in light of the other indicators to which I have pointed.

Private education used to be the guaranteed fast track to success but maybe it’s time we replaced fee-paying schools with grammar schools.

They give the same opportunity for pupils with high academic abilities to be stretched further, regardless of their parents’ wealth. There is an equal focus on discipline and range of extra-curricular activities without the colossal fees. Money is spent more accordingly in order to allow more students to attend university irrespective of background.

The real world is far from cosy. Being self-sufficient is a key skill learnt at sixth form and this is not enforced as well in private schools as it is in state schools.

In March 2014, I saw a BBC News headline, “State pupils do better at university than independent candidates who have achieved the same A-level grades.”

This suggests state educated students have greater independence and are more prepared for university. Other beneficial skills include budgeting, interacting with all divisions of society and being proactive in your own education.

You don’t have to be in a private sixth form to get the best A-level grades because you shouldn’t be relying on a teacher anyway.

The top universities have admitted giving more offers to state pupils than to the privately educated in order to fulfil equal opportunity policy. I believe this is sensible because it’s no one’s fault if their parents couldn’t afford it and this should never corrupt ambition. Equality of opportunity is not optional.

Since the tripling of tuition fees, there are now higher loans, better grants and more bursaries to increase support for poorer students. Paying for private school is no longer advantageous for educational attainment.

Nowadays your academic ability is not influenced as strongly by the type of education you receive. Teachers are increasingly encouraged to dedicate more time with students across the spectrum.

Moreover, since A-levels, and even GCSEs, rely upon your individual efforts, there are evidently students who still fail in private education and some who strive in state schools. We can say goodbye to private education as a guaranteed fast-track to success.

The value of private education has been falling every year, as education and opportunities improve for all. Parents though are still being duped into believing it is worth paying an arm and a leg for private education but they should keep their hands in their pockets—for its value is far exaggerated.

Societies At Pangaea

Written by Evie Hull on . Posted in Societies.

By now you’ve probably got your Pangaea tickets, are in the middle of sorting out a fantastic costume and have predrinks planned. It’s set to be a fantastic, varied night, with something for everyone to enjoy – and that means some of the societies on campus will be making an appearance!

The LGBTQ Society will be hosting a room for the fourth year running; you can find them in Room 3 on the top floor of the SU all evening with an irresistibly cheesy event. Committee member Monica Dhillon promises “wall-to-wall party tunes and classics that you’d normally be too embarrassed to play, as Pan-GAY-a returns as your premier dodgy teenage house party throwback that you hate yourself for loving.” Look out for them at the Freshers’ Fair on the 16th and 17th, and their other events through the first few weeks of term, including the annual Village Bar Crawl on the 19th and a Meet & Greet at Sidney Street Cafe on the 25th.

Save Our NHS will also be making one of their regularly scheduled appearances; they’ll be hosting the bar area and will be “giving out stickers, glitter and tattoos with the help of their now Pangaea-famous mascot Bevan the Bear”, in the words of member Emma Runswick. They’ll be available for a chat about what they do both at Pangaea and Freshers’ Fair; campaigning against cuts, closures and privatisation in the NHS, in addition to working with local groups on issues affecting the community and lobbying on international issues. They always welcome new members, and the society is open to everyone.

UoMDnB (Drum & Bass Society) and the Reggae Society will also be hosting areas at Pangaea; in Room 2 and at the Street Food Festival respectively. UoMDnB offers discounts on the main DnB, jungle and bass nights in Manchester and on the night will be hosting multiple DJs, as well as offering information on their society—and it’s totally free to join! The Reggae Society, formed in October 2013, are not only offering their signature mix of friendly community and reggae dance, but also the launch of the Sound System Co-Operative, a student-owned and maintained sound system available for use. They’ll be around all night with more information about upcoming events and membership.

So, rumble in the jungle on September 20th with all the fantastic societies the University of Manchester has to offer!

Spotlight: Women’s Campaign

Written by Evie Hull on . Posted in Societies.

Manchester Women’s Campaign kicks off again as term opens; running right through Freshers’ Week and culminating with a multi-society meeting, there is no shortage of ways to get involved with one of the biggest campaigns on campus.

With events ranging from The Riveters Feminist Collective’s body-positive tea party to the Black Women’s Forum to the ISOC Sisters’ bowling evening, and culminating with a multi-society meeting, there are events for all tastes. Open to all self-defining women, the final meeting will unite the different feminist societies in a space to outline plans and events from the year, meet new people and introduce long-running Women’s Campaign events, such as the annual Reclaim The Night event and volunteering at shelters.

Last year, the Women’s Campaign was involved in countless areas across the union, from implementing the ‘We Get It!’ zero-tolerance sexual harassment pledge, putting on the biggest ‘Reclaim The Night’ event in the UK (complete with huge afterparty!) and running panels on women in science and sport, as well as frequent trips, meetings and casual socials, making it a hugely diverse and inclusive area to get involved in.

Women’s Officer Jess Lishak says, “I’m really looking forward to seeing what the Women’s Campaign achieves this year, and seeing lots of new and old faces at the big Women’s Campaign welcome event on Thursday 25th! Whether you want to get involved with ‘Reclaim the Night’, a huge march against street harassment and violence against women in February, the ‘We Get It’ zero tolerance to sexual harassment campaign, tackling harassment and assault on the busses, or any of the social and informative events throughout the year, there is something for everyone!

“If you want to get involved in anything the Women’s Campaign is doing or create a new women’s society or event, just drop into the Student Voice office and say hi or email me at [email protected].”

The Women’s Campaign is comprised of Women For Women International, The Riveters Feminist Collective, ISOC Sisters, Women of LGBTQ, Women’s Interfaith Forum, Fempowerment, the Student Parent Support Group, Robogals and the No More Page 3 Campaign.

University climbs to 38th in Global Rankings

Written by Lauren Gorton on . Posted in News.

According to recently released academic rankings of world universities, the University of Manchester has risen in the international rankings to 38th in the world for 2014, a rise of three places globally, setting the University as seventh in Europe and fifth in the UK.

The rankings were compiled by Shanghai Jiao Tong University based upon the number of research papers published in leading journals, as well as the number of alumni and staff winning Nobel prizes and other academic achievements.

The University’s success has been largely associated with highly credited publications in nature and science, although Professor Luke Georghiou, Vice President of Research and Innovation has said that “credit belongs to all of those colleagues whose excellent research underpins our position.

“It is the University’s goal to be a world-leading institution. While all ranking systems have their faults, it is nonetheless pleasing to see our progress marked by this increase”.

However the Shanghai rankings are not connected to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings set to be published on October 1st and which at current for the 2013-2014 academic period ranks the University at 58th globally and 8th in the UK.

It’s Wednesday, Why Not!

Written by Jennifer Sterne on . Posted in News.

“Why Not Wednesdays” is the Students’ Unions new weekly student night. It will be launching on Wednesday 17th September from 23:00 – 03:00 with a UV Bouncy Castle Disco. The night will include giant bouncy castles, UV cannons, free glow bands and a few other surprises. Upcoming events include Two Door Cinema Club, an Oktoberfest special, a Tiki style Beach Party and many more acts performing across the year.

The Students’ Union has said that the idea behind the event is “to put the fun back into student club nights in Manchester”. Three rooms of music will make up the event ensuring there is something for everyone, from Ibiza cuts and remixes, anthemic indie and alternative rock tracks, to old school hip hop, disco and R&B. There will also be a range of drinks offers from £1.50.

The Union promises “loads of giveaways, big name acts and amazing themes with all the profit going back into supporting the Union to support you”. A competition within The Mancunion will also be run in the near future, with the chance to win four platinum passes, entitling you to free entry all year for the event.

Entrance for the night is £3.50 in advance or £4.50 on the door. The Union has also announced that the University of Manchester Student Union societies, halls of residences and sports teams are able to get special discount rates for their social events. They can even, if so inclined, sell the tickets and keep the difference to raise money for their society, team or hall.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.manchesterstudentsunion.com or from the Students’ Union Helpdesk. For more information see the Facebook page ‘Why not Wednesdays?’ or follow them on Twitter – @WhyNotWed.

Frustrating A-levels makes the prospect of university even better

Written by David Brierley on . Posted in Opinion.

At AS Level, I got a U in Critical Thinking.

I was later informed that this was because the exam board failed me on account of insulting them. This was funny at first, but later raised some more serious questions: had I said something that bad? Well, I didn’t think so at the time. I had mentioned that Standardised Testing wasn’t as effective as it was made out to be, and that the whole system of end-of-year exams placed extreme stress on students.

Yet these statements were considered to be either rude or at least subversive enough to add an extra, and somewhat less A shaped, vowel to my results sheet. The very idea that I would think that my A-levels weren’t actually that helpful was so awful that I had to have some kind of punishment. It was all very Ministry of Truth—George Orwell would have shuddered.

Now, I am proud of my A-levels nonetheless, but I will be the first to tell you that the system is inherently flawed.

For subjects such as Mathematics there is a right answer. Even still, the students at my school who studied Maths complained often and loudly. They were dropping marks for simply doing a sum in a way different to the question’s requirements—even if they came out with the correct final answer. Others would point out that they didn’t follow the instructions, and therefore didn’t show they knew the specific process required.

But that’s just it—it wasn’t so much that they were wrong, but that they didn’t follow the instructions.

Instructions are important, but what about the Arts? I shall use the example of English because I study it. We can all agree that an applicant suggesting that Romeo was a Martian is wrong—however had I stated that Romeo and Juliet is a terrible play with an incredibly weak female character, I think it unlikely that I would be attending university.

It’s only my opinion that Shakespeare’s tragic females are, overall, limp and plain characters compared to his comedies; because a relationship between a thirteen and a fifteen year old that lasted two weeks and left four people dead is not, for me, the makings of a great romance—more the front cover of the Daily Mail. Therein lies the problem. By having an opinion, by doing something differently—for the simple flaw of thinking in a way that isn’t defined by a mark scheme or a candidate number, a person becomes difficult to confine within an exam structure.

My Geography teacher always refused to grade me higher than a B because I didn’t work to the mark scheme. I ended up with 98%. My English teacher praised and challenged me to outdo myself. Yet, I only just managed the A that I needed: Why? The truth is, I don’t know—I felt both papers went equally well. If you asked the people who knew me for the last seven years, they would tell you that I’m good at English and absolutely nothing else. That’s not however what my results will tell you, they suggest Human Geography is an excellent career path and I should perhaps avoid thinking critically.

This is why I’m excited for University. More specifically I’m excited for my course because I finally, finally, get to be an individual. I can be the English Student who hates Romeo and Juliet. I can be the Metallica fan who can quote Wilde and Poe and Festus the Clown. I can be the guy who goes both to the Dojo and to Pride. I’ve still got exams to worry about, and coursework to hand in—but no longer do I have to fret if what I’m putting is correct to such an unwieldy set of criteria.

As I said, I’m proud of my A levels, and I’m not saying you shouldn’t be—you don’t need me to tell you that you worked your socks off to get them. To my fellow Freshers, I would say that they don’t show you who you are, and they don’t necessarily tell you how good you are at something; they sacrifice the freedom of expression of the brightest to keep it fair for those the current education system has already failed. There’s a world out there, free from A-Levels and standardised testing. Yours is filled with whatever you choose to make of it.

I (kind of) Woke Up Like This

Written by Nikki Patel on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Preparation is everything

Alcohol dehydrates everything, leaving your hair your skin and even your brain feeling shrivelled. Hydrate yourself from the inside-out with a fish-oil supplement. Trust me, you’ll feel a lot fresher the next morning and your skin will thank you for it.

 

Bun=Best Friend:

Sweaty roots and mangled tresses can be easily disguised with a messy top knot. Be sure to prep your locks with a texturizing powder and a scented hair mist to fake that freshly washed look come Monday morning. Redken Style Connection Powder Grip, packs a powerful volumising punch and lasts and lasts. Aquolina Pink Sugar Fragrance is spiked with candy scents and fruity flavours, masking the musty odours from last night’s smoking area.

 

Give the makeup a miss

Well, in a certain sense. Nothing gives away last night’s secrets more than a full face of foundation which on dehydrated skin can look cakey and discoloured. Instead target specific points of discolouration with Rosaliac CC Cream by La Roche Posay. Green tinted correctors such as this neutralize redness and yellow tints mask under eye bags. Finish with a light slick of hydrating BB cream such as Shiseido Perfect Hydrating BB Cream; it’ll sit much better than your regular foundation.

 

Shine bright like a diamond

Highlighting really is the pièce de résistance when you wake up feeling fuzzy. Just a few dabs blended along your cheekbones, down the bridge of your nose and in the centre of your forehead will add depth to your face and create a luminous effect. Combine this with a rosy cream blush such as Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge and for all anyone knew, you stayed in with your Kindle last night.

 

Sight for sore eyes

Friday’s smokey may have wowed at the time, but heavy eye makeup during the day will only highlight that you’ve had 2 hours sleep and you’re running on Red Bull. Utilise a beige liner along your lower water line to make your eyes appear wider and more awake. Sleeping with an extra pillow also helps to drain fluid from under your eyes, preventing puffiness. Though when you arrive home, pizza, not pillow height is probably the first thing on your mind!

From the Vault: Daniel Johnston – 1990

Written by Michael Crick on . Posted in Music.

Shimmy Disc

Released January, 1990

“What really moves us in music is the vital sign of a human hand, in all its unsteady and broken grace”, wrote Adam Gopnik in a New Yorker article last year. And indeed, great music is often founded on imperfection—the blemishes are the best moments. The subtle crack in Dylan’s voice in the final verse of “Only A Pawn in Their Game”. The moment halfway through the Velvet Underground’s “Ocean” where the beat briefly stutters. These hiccups, far from disrupting the music, inject the songs with a sense of humanity.

Daniel Johnston’s 1990 is full of these profound moments of imperfection. The instrumentation is sparse throughout, with Johnston alternating between the hammering of piano keys and the haphazard strumming of a barely tuned acoustic guitar.

These “flaws” highlight the singer’s troubled background. While battling schizophrenia and bipolar disorder—enduring multiple breakdowns, arrests, and spells in mental institutions—he found relief in making music.

Significant too is Johnston’s religious faith, highlighted by his lyrical obsession with Satan. This fixation on the Devil demonstrates the singer’s attempt to exorcise his demons, both psychological and spiritual, through artistic expression. Daniel Johnston expresses himself with the ragged intensity of a true believer.

This passion reaches its peak with “Don’t Play Cards with Satan”, which climaxes as the singer repeatedly screams “SATAN!” as though in the throes of glossolalic madness.

But, like the light at the end of the tunnel comes the album’s centrepiece, “True Love Will Find You in the End”. In this redemptive love song, Johnston’s strumming remains unsteady, but his voice, twisted with the agony of a sinner in the previous song, is now tender and angelic.

Johnston continues to take the role of the redeemer as the album closes with a collection of raspy live recordings. In a rendition of the hymn, “Careless Soul”, he sings through floods of tears like a weary prophet, swaying on a street corner, warning us that the end is nigh.

We’re then given a performance of “Funeral Home”, a morbid celebration of death which ends in an oddly triumphant sing-along, before the record comes to a close with a recording of another hymn, “Softly and Tenderly”, sung by an assembly of churchgoers. The melody drifts along predictable lines, in the way that hymns do. But again, it’s the imperfections – a reverberating cough, the distant cry of an infant – that make this piece such a moving finish to Johnston’s twisted masterpiece.

Review: Dogs ‘n’ Dough

Written by Elena Gibbs on . Posted in Food & Drink.

As promised, this hidden gem just off Albert Square offers just about every combination of pizza and hot dog a person could dream of.

This variation doesn’t stop at savoury; the highlight of our visit being perhaps the infamous “Dessert Pizza”. Not for the faint hearted, only a brave sweet-toothed human hoover would be able to order this to themselves.

It is not just a dessert, it’s a challenge of one’s digestive stamina and mental perseverance. It’s a test of personality, capacity, and one’s emotional and physical strength.

It’s also delicious.

Imagine the softest, freshest, perfectly chewy floury dough, smothered with a generous spoonful of Nutella and topped with 3 of your favourite childhood pick ‘n’ mix treats from honeycomb to Maltesers. Is your mouth watering yet?

Go there. Go there and order it now. Dessert food is best enjoyed when you’re really craving it. But be warned. You may think you have what it takes for the sacred Dessert Pizza, but I’ve been there. I’ve seen it. I’ve experienced it. I know what it can do to a person.

These matters aside, if you’re feeling slightly less dramatic, you could always share this pizza between 3, 4, 5, or maybe even 6. This pizza is an experience that should be had by all students in Manchester, and Dogs ‘n’ Dough is one of the only places that offers it.

Moving on from the convention overthrow of ‘Dessert Pizza’, D&D also serve some seriously tasty-looking savoury innovations, including ‘The Taco’ (nachos with all the trimmings, on a pizza) and ‘Italian Stallion’—a fresh hot dog topped with roasted peppers and wrapped in salami and mozzarella.

The theme of the underground restaurant/bar is a kind of upmarket American diner with swanky booths and dim lighting. The green interior is also reminiscent of an Irish bar which ties in nicely with the extensive cocktail and liquor menu.

But again beware, these bevvies are strong. Not your run of the mill, 2-for-1 “cocktails” that are really just three types of juice and a few shots of vodka, these are the real deal. I’m possibly still drunk.

We started, as recommended, with the two most popular: “Ron Burgundy” and “Lipstick Jungle”. Ron was a sweet, oaky & bold fellow spiked with smoky Laphroaig who my whisky-loving companion took a liking to. I was left to flirt with the strawberry-licious Lipstick Jungle who was really sweet, but a bit easy—I could see why she was a popular choice.

Still talking about cocktails. Voodoo was a hawaii-inspired pineapple-coconut-lime concoction which we coupled with Big Blind, a rather heavy milk and butterscotch mix that was for me a little overwhelming after the chocolate pizza. I think we’d chosen too many sweet options as the drinks became less enticing—another sugary one and it would have gotten sickly. However, as cocktails alone or with a meal I imagine the balance would be fine.

As we were craving something savoury, we fiendishly asked to go off-menu and get a Bloody Mary made to order. This was done with pleasure and we shared a deliciously spicy meal-in-a-glass B.M. topped with a cocktail stick kebab of cherry tomato, pickle and olive. Finally we risked the “Double Deuce”: Rum, citrus, orange and budweiser, proving my theory that alcohol on alcohol cancels out the taste. Cheeky vimto, am I right?

The staff were attentive, friendly and eager to engage in lighthearted conversation. Dessert pizza was the clear standout and I’d definitely visit again to partake in the savoury delights of Dogs ‘n’ Dough!

Dogs ‘n’ Dough,
Bow Lane,
Manchester
M2 4JW

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