FRESHERS COULD STILL - Seren - Bangor University

Freshers’ Issue 2006 

FRESHERS COULD STILL 

PAY TOP-UP FEES 

Freshers starting their university career 

at the University of Wales, Bangor this 

September could face paying topup 

fees from September 2007. A decision 

has not yet been reached, but the Welsh 

Assembly Government has passed it over to 

individual universities, who will be able to 

charge their students up to £3000 a year. 

This may well come as a surprise to new 

students, since Bangor has seen an increase 

of 6% in students applying this year, as 

Wales are not introducing top up fees for 

this academic year. 

Despite the increase in students at Bangor 

this year, it appears that very few freshers, 

It is estimated that 

the average student debt 

for those starting their 

degrees this year will be 

£15,000 

if any, will find themselves unhoused at 

the beginning of term. Usually, there are 

about twenty new students who are given 

temporary accommodation until a space 

opens up in halls of residence. This year, less 

students have applied to halls, meaning this 

measure shouldn’t be necessary. 

It is estimated that the average student 

debt for those starting their degrees this 

year will be £15,000 – a daunting prospect. 

This is expected to rise to £33,000 by 

2010. Have those in power forgotten that 

they did not have to pay fees for their 

university educations and that it is not 

just the individual who benefits from 

higher education. Society needs qualified 

professionals and the prospect of starting 

your working life in such debt may well put 

many people off going to university, as the 

price of a degree continues to rise. 

Emma Dodd 

Send us your Comments on this issue: 

editor@seren.bangor.ac.uk 

GLYN 

COMES 

TO BANGOR 

B 

ig Brother’s Glyn Wise has a 

place to study at Bangor next 

year. He prefaces this with 

an appearance at Amser/Time 

nightclub. Page 3 

In This Issue….. 

Glyn In Bangor 

The Rant 

Useful Information 

for Freshers 

News 

Agony Aunts 

Sport 

From Bangor To 

Bangor 

Film 

Soundtrack To The 

Summer 

Doc Spot 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Student Volunteering 

Bangor 

Puzzles 

Adventures From 

Across The Pond 

Music 

Map of Serendipity 

Travel 

The Great Orme 

One Minute Welsh

2 

CONTRIBUTORS 

Editor: Emma Dodd 

Mair and Bev 

Kevin Smith 

Caroline Alvarez 

Jennifer Stanley 

Dr Rashesh Mehta 

Sophie de l’Orme 

Chris Thomson 

Kirsten Buglass 

Catherine Humes 

Siobhan Catherine Holt 

Cat Prince 

Claire Mann 

Lynsey Reynolds 

Louisa Rae 

Lucy Digney 

Amy Garrett 

Spencer George 

Jack Peat 

Andy Redfearn 

Lexi Hindley 

Michael O’Rourke 

John Jackson 

Sophie Laine 

Sophie Williams 

Proof reader: Carolan 

Goggin 

Production Consultant: Dan 

Turner 

APOLOGIES 

Seren’s new editorial team would like 

to apologise to anyone who may have 

been offended by the article ‘The 

Following People are G*A*Y’ in the last issue 

of the previous academic year. The former 

editorial team did not intend to offend 

anyone and we hope that it was taken in the 

manner in which it was intended. 

SADNESS 

SEREN would like to express its deepest 

sadness at the news that three students 

linked to the University have died over 

the summer. Portuguese national and PhD 

student Vanessa Sequeira was murdered in 

Brazil whilst carrying out research in the 

country. School of Ocean Sciences graduate, 

George Price died when he fell from a cliff 

in Gower. It is believed he was out running 

at the time. And Gavin Winsborrow, who 

finished a PhD here 18 months ago, died in 

a canoeing accident. Our sympathies go out 

to their friends and families. 

Dear Reader, 

Welcome to the first edition of SEREN this academic year. Over the 

summer the editorship has been passed over to me and I would like 

to welcome all new students starting at Bangor for the first time, as 

well as the old students returning. This year, SEREN would like to be 

an even more integral part of student life here at Bangor. Because of 

this we intend to distribute as widely as possible (if you are reading 

this you may well have been targeted by one of our crack team of 

distributors, dressed in yellow) and to get as much input from the 

students as well…that means you! 

If you have anything you would like to be included in the paper, 

please don’t hesitate to get in touch with your ideas, articles or 

comments. Should you not see one of our crack team, you can 

always pick up your free copy in the Students’ Union or the library. 

I wish you all a happy year. 

Emma 


Specialists in party dresses & 

ball gowns 

For a look that speaks louder 

than words 

Seren - Freshers’ Issue 2006 

IS YOUR CV LACKING SOMETHING? 

SEREN will be holding democratic elections on Thursday 5 th 

October in the Committee Room (ground floor of the Union) at 

5.00pm 

Candidates will be asked to make a short speech and the 

opportunity will be given for people to ask them questions. 

Come along and stand for a position, or just vote. SEREN – your 

newspaper, your choice! 

For further information contact the Editor at editor@seren.bango 

r.ac.uk 

Why not become a sub editor? 

Film Editor 

Sports Editor 

Music Editor 

Treasurer 

Marketing and Sales 

Officer 

Web Designer 

Features Editor 

Travel Editor 

Books Editor 

Secretary 

Union Correspondent 

Fashion designers 

141 Station Road 

Deganwy 

Conwy 

Tel. 07919676186 

marion.venezia@gmail.com 

Appointments at university 

can be arranged 

CR

Treborth Botanic Garden is the only 

University Botanic Garden used for 

teaching remaining in Wales, and 

has recently come under threat by cost 

cutting plans from the University. Original 

plans were to turn off the heating for the 

glasshouses from September 1st and the two 

members of staff at the Garden were offered 

redeployment or early severance. A core 

collection of plants that are used for teaching 

were to be moved temporarily to the Pen Y 

Fridd research station and then finally to 

Henfaes; a far less convenient location. This 

plan has obvious flaws; moving an 18 foot 

palm tree is just not possible! 

The protests and letters in support for the 

Garden have shown the University officials 

that the students feel this is a vital teaching 

resource and an asset to the University. 

Many courses, not only Plant Biology, use 

Treborth for research and practical classes as 

it provides a variety of plants from different 

ecosystems of the world. This is one of the 

fundamental features of Treborth, allowing 

students to study plants from across the 

world all under one roof. 

The Curator, Nigel Brown has already 

been trying to compromise with the 

University by turning off the heating for one 

of the glasshouses in order to cut the heating 

costs. Further actions to cut costs such as 

installing insulation into the buildings will 

also be taken. Nigel Brown will be the only 

remaining member of staff at the Garden 

from September 22 nd as the Horticultural 

Technician’s post will have finished, 

although Estates staff will be periodically 

involved with outside maintenance. During 

term time, Nigel spends 80% of his time 

teaching, meaning the Garden will not 

have a full time member of staff, posing 

obvious problems to watering and general 

maintenance of the plant collections. 

Because Treborth will require additional 

help, the students have established the 

‘Students for Treborth Action Group’ 

(STAG). Those involved will have an 

opportunity to volunteer at the Garden once 

a week and to help keep up the records for 

the moths, plant collection, weather and 

other fauna. 

The moth records have been kept for 

over thirty years, providing a huge amount 

of data that can be used for student projects, 

particularly those related to climate change. 

Only a few weeks ago a very rare 

moth species, The Great Brocade from 

Scandinavia was caught by one of the many 

third year students conducting their project 

research at Treborth. 

Treborth has already started to generate 

some funding for the heating of the 

glasshouses: Botanical Beats, a music event 

held in the Garden, has helped to raise 

awareness of Treborth and some income. 

If anyone wants to get involved with 

the new exciting projects at Treborth then 

get in contact with the STAG Group or the 

Curator, Nigel Brown. 

Sophie Williams 


A FUTURE FOR TREBORTH 

EX BANGOR STUDENT 

AVOIDS JAIL 

Charles Greaves, a 19 year old student 

who was attending University of 

Wales, Bangor, received a suspended 

sentence at Caernarfon Crown Court on 

7 th September. Greaves, who was living in 

Emrys Evans had set up a camera in the 

showers in order to film female students as 

they were washing. He admitted six charges 

of voyeurism after images were found on his 

computer of three women he had filmed 

using a camera inside a shampoo bottle he 

had adapted especially. 

Greaves has avoided jail, but been given 

nine months’ youth custody, suspended for 

two years and will be on the sex offenders 

register for ten years. Greaves, originally 

from Shropshire, is no longer at University 

of Wales, Bangor and is said to be working 

as a chef. 


95p BEER IN UNION 

Changes in the Union over the 

summer have included the closure of 

the STA travel shop, with the space 

being taken up by The Muse Bookshop. 

The Muse are set to open a second branch 

of their bookshop on the ground floor, 

focussing mainly on academic books for the 

science departments. The shop will be open 

10am-4pm initially and will offer a choice 

of either student discount or vouchers to 

spend on drinks in the Belle Vue. With one 

free drink for every £15 spent in the shop, 

it adds a little silver lining to buying those 

text books. 

Other services, including the shop and 

laundrette, remain open, but the most 

exciting change for students all over Bangor 

is Academi’s decision to open during 

the daytime. With a special cheap drinks 

menu, offering Carling, Worthingtons and 

CREW 82 

Sam Burnett, University of Wales, 

Bangor Students’ Union’s very own 

President managed to upset Crew 

82, the beat boxing group who appeared 

at the Summer Ball. Sam, who was a little 

inebriated on the night in question, was 

sending live blogs from his mobile phone 

to his website. “Some tripe on stage doing 

VS 

Strongbow at 95p a pint (the cheapest in 

Bangor), Academi will be open from midday 

Wednesday to Saturday. These cheap prices 

are reflected right across the menu, so you 

don’t have an excuse to go anywhere else 

with drinks half price from 12 ‘til 3. 

Louisa Rae 

beat box. Kill me now.” Hilarious for most 

of his readers: not perhaps, for Crew 82, 

who were less pleased and responded 

to tell him so. Their unprintable replies 

can be viewed from his website at http: 

//samburnett.blogspot.com. 

Emma Dodd 

THE 

PRESIDENT 

The cactus house at Treborth 

Sophie, in the lab 

A WISE MOVE FOR BIG BROTHER’S GLYN 

If you were (un)lucky enough to catch this year’s series of Big Brother then you will have no doubt followed local Welsh boy Glyn Wise’s 

transformation from baby faced no-hoper to trendy runner-up. Many of you may also have caught Glyn’s mention of our fair ville as he 

talked about his plans to become Britain’s first Welsh Prime Minister (albeit only for one year). Well his first steps to national domination 

have been realised as he has recently been accepted into the University. 

Following confirmation of his A level results, Glyn has been accepted to study a BA (Hons) in Education. Speaking to The Sun he said, 

“I’m looking forward to going to go home to Wales. I don’t have ambitions to be famous. I just can’t wait to go to university in Bangor.” 

Throughout his BB stay, Glyn, from Blaenau Ffestiniog, remained thoroughly patriotic and received a personal thank you from the First 

Minister of Wales for his passion to keep the Welsh language alive. The University are also happy to have Glyn on their books. Head of 

Student Recruitment, Carys Roberts said: “We’re delighted that Glyn has got a place at Bangor University. He is amongst the many youngsters 

from Blaenau Ffestiniog that have taken part in the University’s Talent Opportunities Programme (TOP), which highlights what Higher 

Education has to offer. 

“Each year we organise visits and events for around 1,200 Year 9 and 10 school pupils from across North Wales, which gives them the 

opportunity to find out about university and what it’s all about, at a far younger age than usual. For instance Glyn would have come here 

for various visits- including a residential visit when he was in Year 10 - and he even features in the leaflet which we use to promote TOP to 

school pupils and their parents! 

“We’re pleased to see that Glyn - like many others who have taken part in TOP – has decided to make the most of the opportunities 

available at Bangor University by choosing a course here. On top of his academic achievements - which in addition to his A level results have 

included four ‘A’* and five ‘A’ grades in his GCSEs – he has a wealth of experience in community and voluntary work. 

“He has also taken the initiative in gaining valuable work experience relating to his chosen field of study.” 

From the moment Glyn entered the Big Brother house dressed as a lifeguard to when he left as a stylish celebrity he underwent a drastic 

change. He learnt how to boil an egg for the first time (god help his future housemates) and received a lap dance from “the most attractive 

person I’ve ever seen in my life” (really Glyn? Lea?). However, those eager to catch a glimpse of Wales’ hottest property since Sue Cook and 

the bloke who used to present ‘How 2’ may be sorely disappointed for Glyn has opted to take a gap year before enrolling next year. 

So Glyn fans throughout Bangor will have to wait another year to talk behind their hands and point across the street, whilst he gets more 

and more frustrated with his choice to enter that god-forsaken house in the first place. 

Glyn, will however, be appearing at Time on 26 th September – making porridge apparently! 

Chris Thomson 

3

4 

THE BLUDGEONER 

There’s something odd about what 

time does to the mind – there’s 

this disease, it makes you forget 

things, tinges memories with an acrid 

taste of something sweet. I believe they call 

it nostalgia. This is what has insidiously 

pervaded the student movement (if you 

can call it that these days) – the bizarre 

notion that the heady days of yore 

somehow involved students being… 

involved. It’s bollocks, to be honest – the 

Sixties weren’t golden years, we weren’t 

out en masse in the Seventies, and most 

students, including future political leaders, 

were stoned all throughout the Eighties. 

You have come to University dreaming 

of being an activist, fighting against the 

Man for the rights of the little people, but 

you were screwed from the start. This is in 

no small part due to the National Union of 

Students (NUS). 

The National Union of Students isn’t 

really the right name for it; it’s a Londoncentric 

haven for outcasts from all walks 

of university life who were too unpopular 

to make it in their own Students’ Unions 

and are grossly misrepresentative of the 

average student. It’s a bloated organisation 

keeling over under the weight of its own 

bombast and arrogance, being torn apart 

A 

proposal has been put forward to create a 200 turbine wind farm off the coast of 

Llandudno by NPower Renewables. The wind farm, which would be called Gwynt- 

Y-Mor has met with some opposition from local residents and the Save Our Scenery 

(SOS) action group. If it goes ahead, the farm will be 13-15 miles off the coast with a 

generating capacity of 750 megawatts. The wind farm would create 120 new jobs. 


by factions-within-a-faction and selfserving, 

snivelling runts who see it as a 

stepping stone to cushy positions within 

the Labour party. It’s a blundering drunk, a 

headless chicken being steered by staff that 

set the agenda and (pardon the stretching 

of a pun here) rule the roost. Collectivism 

is bandied around as the mot-du-jour, the 

meaning morphed into the mass rush to 

trample students underfoot. 

It’s a towering hypocrisy – giving with 

one hand and grasping with the other, they 

‘fight’ for free education on the one side 

and through the fabulous new NUS Extra 

card they take your money with the other. 

Ah, the NUS Extra. Quite where the 

‘Extra’ comes into it, no-one is certain. An 

Extra £10 you don’t need? Extra money 

to stop NUS going bankrupt? Don’t let 

any of the piss-poor marketing fool you, 

they aren’t doing you any favours with it. 

Time was you used to get a free discount 

card from the national union, but with a 

half-million pound overdraft and money 

leaking out of every orifice, something 

had to be done. No downsizing for NUS 

– the staff wouldn’t allow it. Why not 

create an Extra income stream, tap the 

Great Untapped? Jazz it up, a few shiny 

posters and the schmucks won’t notice the 

difference. There aren’t even any decent 

discounts on there – HMV? Topshop? All 

there before! 

NUS went bankrupt at the end of the 

Seventies, did them the world of good. And 

I’ll tell you what – the £40,000 that Bangor 

sends off each year with a wink and a smile 

would just about tip the balance. 

The Blugeoner lives in Surrey with his 

wife and three dogs! 

STORM SUFFER £1000 LOSS 

Storm FM are suffering the loss of one thousand pounds worth of equipment from their 

studio. The equipment has not been knowingly lent out and Storm’s manager does 

not know the whereabouts of it. The union are looking into the matter, which Storm 

can ill afford at a time when they are facing huge costs attached to the building of their new 

studio. 

Emma Dodd 

WANT TO WRITE FOR SEREN? 

email the editor at 


PROPOSED WINDFARM 


WREXHAM WORRIES 

As part of the University of Wales, Bangor, students in Wrexham are meant to enjoy 

the same facilities as the students in Bangor. These would include, as listed in the 

University prospectus, 24 hour library and computing facilities. We have never 

enjoyed these facilities, but we did have a small health library with very helpful staff, journals 

and computers that was open until 8pm Monday – Thursday, Friday until 4pm and half a 

day on Saturdays. Upon returning to my second year a few weeks ago, it was announced that 

the library would be closing at 5pm Mon – Friday and not opening at the weekend at all, as 

from the end of September. 

This announcement was made with no prior consultation with the students. On voicing 

our protests the decision was made for the changes to be implemented on the 18 th September 

instead. 

For the students in Wrexham, the reduction of the library hours is going to be a major 

hurdle which many will be unable to overcome. The students here are radiography and 

nursing students who, as part of their course, work in their respective hospitals 9am – 5pm. 

While working they still have assignments to do and research to carry out: this can only be 

achieved after work which means after 5pm. With no library access this will become very 

difficult. 

Many students here also rely on the library staff’s expertise and knowledge when 

researching an assignment. The reduction in library hours also means the loss of this expertise 

and knowledge as many of the library staff have found themselves without a job. It also leaves 

students without access to computers. This is occurring at a time when university libraries in 

Bangor are making an effort to open for longer periods of time, not shorter ones. 

Lynsey Reynolds 

LIGHTS OUT FOR PLAZA CINEMA 

Bangor has had a cinema only in 

name for a while, but now it doesn’t 

even have that. After all, any self 

respecting cinema buff had to make their 

way to Llandudno to watch the new releases. 

Now the Plaza has closed completely and 

the residents of Bangor are left without a 

cinema in the whole city. Surely a university 

town with over eight thousand students 

justifies a decent cinema and is an example 

of how an opportunity to make some decent 

profit has been lost. 

A 

my Wadge is a singer/ songwriter 

based in Wales. She has released 

two successful albums: ‘WOJ’ 

and ‘No Sudden Moves’. I first saw 

Amy perform a couple of years ago. 

Her bubbly personality and interaction 

with the audience created an amazing 

atmosphere. She stayed after the gig 

to meet fans and to sign CDs. 

I contacted Amy with regards to a 

song that I had heard her play, but 

couldn’t find on the album; it hadn’t 

been released yet. She emailed me 

back straight away, letting me know 

it would be on the new album ‘No 

Sudden Moves’, she even sorted out 

some free tickets for me to go to her 

next gig. 

As the coordinator of Nightline one 

of the main aims of the committee this 

year is to raise awareness and the 

profile of Nightline. What better way 

than a Nightline jingle to put on Storm 

FM! We approached Amy with this idea 

to see if she could give us any help. 

She will be recording a jingle for us. 

Bangor Nightline would like to say a 

big thank you to Amy. We look forward 

to seeing her perform in Bangor in the 

near future. For more information on 

Amy, visit: www.amywadge.com. For 

information on Nightline please visit 

Nightline@bangor.ac.uk. 

Sophie Laine 

For those not wanting to have to travel, 

Theatr Gwynedd screens some films, but 

generally not for a while after they have 

been released nationwide. These screenings 

are often very busy and tickets need to be 

booked in advance, but these days, it’s all 

we’ve got, as Bangor now doesn’t have a 

cinema at all. 


TYPICAL 

STUDENT 

WEEK 

Many people believe that there 

isn’t much to do because Bangor 

is quite a small town, but they 

couldn’t be more wrong! The Students’ 

Union has various themed events and the 

town has lots to offer. The key is learning 

what places you need to visit. 

So here is a quick guide to what’s hot to 

do in Bangor! 

On a Monday there is cheesy music at 

Time/Amser night club. The price is usually 

£1 to get in and you can dance the night 

away until 2am to the golden classics from 

the 60s, 70s and 80s. 

Once every month, usually on a Tuesday, 

there is stand up comedy at Academi in 

the Students’ Union. This is very popular 

because it isn’t on as regularly. I recommend 

arriving early if you want a seat. The comedy 

is very good and you do see about three 

comedians, so it is worth the money. 

If you prefer current bands then Trash on 

a Wednesday may be more your cup of tea. 

Trash takes place at Academi in the Students’ 

Union. Trash plays mostly Indie tracks, but 

there is a metal room as well, offering heavy 

rock. The cost is £3 to get in. 

On a Friday you can go shake some 

moves at Racubah with Salsa and Latin 

music, as well as reggae and funk. This is 

only on twice a month and is lots of fun. 

On a Saturday there is R’n’B night at 

Academi. If you would rather chill you 

could try Theatr Gwynedd which has a film 

organised every weekend. There is a cinema 

at Llandudno Junction, which has a better 

choice of films, and a Pizza Hut. You can 

get a train directly there from Bangor train 

station. 

On a Sunday, the place to be is the Greek 

Taverna near Morrisons. The Greek has a 

live band every Sunday evening. The drinks 

are a little expensive, but it is well worth it 

for the live music and atmosphere. 

Throughout the week the Octagon 

night club is open. They have various 

themed nights so look out for the flyers, but 

Wednesday is the classic ‘Occy’ night. 

There are plenty more pubs and bars 

open for business aound Bangor, so there is 

a lot to keep you busy. Enjoy! 


AMY WADGE FOR NIGHTLINE

BANGOR’S 

TOP FIVE: 

...things to do in Bangor 

that you may not have 

thought of. 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

Bangor Pier. Tea, scones and 

great scenery. 

Treborth Botanic Gardens. 

Access from behind ‘The 

Antelope’, next to the Menai 

Bridge. 

Climb Bangor Mountain. More 

of a hill, it has great views 

over Bangor. It’s situated 

behind the High Street. 

The terrace in front of 

Main Arts. Another good 

view (recommended by the 

President). 

The stone circle. In a field 

behind Hen Goleg. 

PAY DISPUTE 

RESOLVED 

Third years graduated on time this 

summer, after the NATFHE/AUT 

strike involving lecturers up and 

down the country was resolved. Fearing 

that they may not graduate on time, due 

to lecturers not marking exams and crucial 

coursework as part of their strike, the 

resolution was good news for all students. 

Emma Dodd 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A 

newly elected MP takes a seat in the 

House of Commons for their first 

Prime Minister’s Questions. In their 

excitement they turn to a fellow MP and 

proclaim, “Isn’t it great to finally be battling 

the old enemy!?” His fellow MP, a wise head 

who has been in Parliament for many a 

year, replies, “They are not the enemy, they 

are merely the opposition. The enemy sit all 

around you!” 

Tony Blair has been our Prime Minister 

for nearly a decade. His furrowed brow tells 

the story of a once enthusiastic politician 

beaten into submission not only by the 

voting public, whose trust he has seemingly 

betrayed, but by his fellow Labour 

parliamentarians. Colleagues who were so 

keen to see him elected in 2005 now want 

him packed up and ready to move out of 

Number 10 posthaste. 

They are right to call for the Prime 

Minister to resign and I support their calls 

for him to step down. Where we differ, 

though, is why we feel he should step aside. 

Unsurprisingly, Labour MPs want Blair 

to make way for Brown (or Johnson) to 

improve their chances of winning the next 


The Rant 

If a week is a long time in politics, try ten years. 

general election. I want Blair to step down 

because I feel he has failed this country. 

Take a look at his record as Prime 

Minister: after spending billions of pounds 

on trying to improve the health service 

there is little achievement to be seen for 

his largesse, due in no small measure 

to installing an army of mandarins, 

consultants, managers and accountants 

(each it would seem with their own ideas) 

and little of the investment going into the 

service itself. In 1997 Tony Blair claimed 

there were “24 hours to save the NHS.” Ten 

years on we find the NHS having to make 

mass redundancies and cut backs to keep 

within budget. 

His promise to improve the transport 

system has, as yet, failed to materialise. 

We are, under his control, witnessing a 

terrifying rise in crime. Of course, we are 

assailed with massaged statistics that try 

to convince us that the opposite is in fact 

the case. 

Because of the Schengen Agreement 

we have lowered our guard on border 

control; immigration under any title-legal, 

illegal, refugee status, political or economic 

STAGE CREW 

WANT TO 

RECRUIT YOU 

- has left us with unknown numbers (in 

millions) of refugees in our country. 

The sanctity of our green-belt 

countryside is now in peril due to the 

demand for housing, this while our own 

birth rate falls but our population grows. 

Whilst the success rate in GCSE and A- 

Level results continues to rise, so does the 

number of children playing truant in our 

schools. Intent on increasing the number 

of young people entering higher education, 

Labour has devalued degrees that we, the 

students, work so hard to achieve. Then, 

of course, there was the white lie over 

the introduction of top-up fees. All this 

from a man that emphasised “education, 

education, education.” 

The Prime Minister will boast about a 

“strong economy” and “low interest rates”, 

but this has only come about through mass 

borrowing which will inevitably be paid 

back through taxes, of which Labour has 

introduced over sixty-six. 

Then there is the issue of Iraq. Whether 

you were pro- or anti- the invasion of Iraq, 

the state of civil war that Iraq finds itself in 

is the result of a misguided, mismanaged 

5 

and ill-thought-out strategy. 

Britain is a subordinate to political 

correctness and the country is fast 

becoming a laughing stock. 

So what does our Prime Minister want 

in return for these failings? He wants 

a farewell tour! He wants us to line the 

streets, wave our Union Jacks and shout 

from the roof tops how grateful we are and 

how his legacy will be fondly remembered. 

Tony Blair shouldn’t go in a year. He 

should go now. But what does that leave us 

with? A dour Scotsman with no confidence; 

an Etonian with no policies; and a geriatric 

former Olympian with no charisma. 

Whatever happens over the next twelve 

months the political scene is going to 

change just like it did in 1997, only this 

time I hope it’s for the better. 

Spencer George 

Don’t agree with Spencer? Email the 

Editor with your opinion at editor@seren 

.bangor.ac.uk 

Stage crew is a fun loving society that gets invited to all the after show parties. Having 

assisted in so many ways last year, stage crew (Society of the Year 2005/6) is planning big 

stuff this year from LIVE events in the SU to helping out backstage at Time / Academi. 

And even stage management and lighting design for the SU clubs and societies. 

If you want to join sign up at the serendipity stand. 

Peter Banks, Stage Crew Chair

6 

MEET YOUR S.U. PRESIDENT 

Name: Samuel Peter Burnett, Esq. 

Position: President 

First memory of Bangor: 

The open day – it was sunny. Bangor sucks 

you in when it’s sunny; open days, freshers’ 

week – and then it rains the rest of the year. I 

remember thinking the train station was like 

something off Thomas the Tank Engine, out 

one tunnel and into another. 

Best memory of Bangor: 

The first half of 2006 was amazing! I’ve won 

the elections, got a 2:1, passed my driving 

test and bought a car within the space of 10 

weeks or so. 

Favourite place in Bangor: 

The patio behind Dylan’s in Main Arts – it’s 

such a wonderful view, every time I walk 

down there I have to stop for a few minutes 

and be all pensive, like. 

Are you most likely to be found in? 

The library; The pub; Or making the most 

of the great outdoors? 

I’m not a great drinker, and like I said – it’s 

always raining in Bangor, so it’ll have to be 

the library. 

Favourite book, film or song: 

I’m very forward-looking, I can’t spend 

too much time thinking about these things 

– I do love books and movies though, and 

STORM 87.7 FM, in case you are 

unaware, is Bangor’s student radio 

station. As a Standing Committee of 

the Students’ Union, it is run by students 

for the students. In the past the station has 

had quite a rocky time, not having a studio 

space of their own and having to share both 

time and space with educational activities in 

the Media Centre, meaning that a consistent 

broadcast was impossible. Not only that, the 

I 

t’s the start of a new academic 

year for one of Storm FM’s 

bubbliest and brightest DJs. 

Natalie Pierce-Jones (aka DJPJ) has 

worked for Bangor’s student radio 

station for the past year. I caught 

up with her and got the low-down on 

what she will be up to. 

Natalie, a second year originally 

from Chester, joined Storm FM back 

in September 2005. I discovered her 

real reason for signing up was that 

they were giving away lollipops at 

Serendipity! Her favourite moment 

from last year was when they sung 

live for all of Bangor, “Oh it was 

when we changed the words to 

‘Love Machine’ by Girls Aloud to ‘Luff 

Machine’ for my mate Jimmy Luff. 

Then my co-presenter and I sang it 

live on air!” 

Natalie is really passionate about 

Storm FM and truly believes that 

it offers the best in pop and rock. 

Last year she ran two shows: one 

was called ‘Something Borrowed, 

Something Blue’ where the listeners 

got a taste of both the old classics and 

my favourite tends to be whatever I last 

saw/read. 

What’s the most important thing you’ve 

learnt from being at Bangor? 

I’ve learned to make the most of 

opportunities that come my way; I don’t 

believe in luck. You can’t make something 

happen out of nothing, but you can 

capitalise on what’s there. Also to always 

equipment they relied upon was not theirs, 

which meant that when it failed they had to 

wait for University staff to carry out repairs, 

resulting in lengthy periods off air. 

But all that is old news. Things are 

about to change for the better! An old 

shower block in the basement of the 

Students’ Union building has been acquired 

and, after a summer transformation, is now 

Storm’s new home. 

brand new tracks from current bands. 

She hopes to carry the show’s success 

forward this year. Natalie, along with 

other DJs from Storm FM, could 

possibly be going on a trip to London 

very soon to the Student Radio 

Awards. The Student Radio Awards 


carry an umbrella. 

What do you see yourself doing in ten 

years’ time? 

I’d like to be a Perrier-winning comedian 

married to Natalie Portman and living in 

New York, but in reality I’ll probably end 

up doing something horribly boring and 

political, like running the Lib Dems, or 

something. 

NIGHTLINE - FRIENLY AND EFFICIENT INFORMATION PROVIDER 

You’re on a night out with all your mates, everyone is wasted apart from you, you are left 

with the job of getting them all home safely. Glanrafon hill would be a struggle, but you 

only have one taxi number and can’t get through. Everyone else around you is hammered 

and asking someone else would be more hassle than it’s worth. WOULD YOU THINK OF 

CALLING NIGHTLINE? Why not speak to a friendly student who has all the local taxi 

numbers? We provide a friendly and efficient service for all students and will be happy to 

help. 

The new facility consists of an office, 

a production room and a studio space and 

has cost in the region of £40,000. There is 

a 100mm depth of soundproofing on the 

studio walls ensuring protection from the 

surrounding area, and six computers in 

total, each using the latest software – (for 

those who know about these things) Adobe 

2.0 for production, BCX for play-out, and 

the DSPXtra audio processor – one of the 

INTERVIEW WITH DJ PJ OF STORM FM 

are run by none other than BBC Radio 

1. Many of Storm FM’s DJs are hoping 

for nominations and Natalie herself 

is entered into the Best Female 

category. “We think we are going to 

storm it- no pun intended.” 

Storm FM has provided Natalie 

with a clearer future, “I now have 

the belief that I might be able to do 

this as a job,” thinks Natalie. She 

didn’t think she would be able to be a 

professional DJ before she joined the 

team at Storm FM. Natalie’s advice 

for all new students is: “Join as many 

clubs and societies as you can, even if 

you don’t think you will enjoy it.” 

Finally, I quickly asked her to 

describe her show in just ten words: 

“Old and new mix with links to rival 

Chris Moyles!” Well, you can’t argue 

with that! 

Storm FM can be heard live and 

loud any day of the week on 87.7 

FM or over the Intranet from their 

website, http://www.stormfm.com 


NEW COMEDY 

SOCIETY 

Currently anonymous (this will be the first thing the Society shall do – come up 

with a name), The New Bangor Comedy Society is about to start its first year. 

The aim is to put on regular, original comedy nights throughout the year, 

written and performed by members of the Society, ranging from stand-up nights to 

improvisation nights to sketch nights to comic plays to… 

Well this is it, the beauty of a society like this is that comedy is a broad church, and 

it can be done in so many ways. As well as live comedy, the society hopes to set up good 

working relationships with SEREN and Storm FM. 

So if performing live comedy, as stand-up or in sketches, is something you’d really like 

to do, or try, then come along. And if it does not interest you, then there will still be a 

place in The New Bangor Comedy Society for you, as a writer, behind-the-scenes human, 

event organiser or even an accountant! 

If you have an active interest in the creative process of original comedy, or have an 

interest in it that you wish was active, then mosey over to Table 2 at Serendipity or e-mail 

Chris at: 

buhnenkomiker@hotmail.co.uk 

Come along if you have any ideas as to what sorts of things the Society can do on top 

of live comedy. 

The Society shall be wholly democratic, meaning anybody, no matter what their 

previous experience is, has a say. Let’s face it: nobody is going to be a pro - the Society 

exists because there is nowhere for non-established comics and comic writers to perform/ 

write. 

So I hope to see lots of people joining the Society. There really isn’t another one like 

this. 

Aiming for an informal atmosphere, let’s say the Belle Vue in Upper Bangor, Mondays 

at 8:00pm? 

WANT TO KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON 

IN YOUR UNION? 

Why not become a Course Rep or Independent Councillor? 

Every department is entitled to a representative, who can vote on their behalf at Council. 

Meetings are once every three weeks in the Council Chambers in Main Arts. 

Help influence your Union. Get involved. 

For more information email president@undeb.bangor.ac.uk 

A BRAND NEW STORM IS BREWING 

best around, I’m reliably informed. 

The new location has also ensured 24/7 

accessibility; in the past the only availability 

at the media centre studio was from 6pm 

through to 9am. Storm is now fully self 

dependant and can broadcast around the 

clock during term-time. 

The station currently consists of around 

30 members (after losing many of its 

dedicated 3rd year students to graduation 

last year) and is looking to recruit around 

another 70 members by Christmas. 

Membership is £5 and offers not only the 

opportunity to present, but also the chance 

to learn the ropes in marketing, production, 

IT, music-reviewing and radio journalism. 

This year’s national Student Radio 

Association nominations party is, for the 

first time, to be held in Bangor on 12 th 

October. Storm are hoping to pick up at 

least one nomination after entering several 

categories. The awards themselves are held 

in London and are sponsored by the BBC, 

so it’s a huge event. In the past two years the 

station has been nominated for three awards: 

Best Station Sound (2004), Best Newcomer 

(current Station Manager Spencer George, 

2005) and Best Female (Emma Gascoigne, 

2005 – who now presents on local station 

Coast FM!). 

The original aim was for Storm FM to be 

on air by Freshers’ Week this year; however, 

due to delays in the construction work 

for the new studio, this has been pushed 

back slightly. The new aim is to be on air 

later in October and fortunately, this now 

means that the new 1 st year members can be 

involved in the relaunch. 

So, with a brand new studio and station 

logo, a very dedicated team of members, 

and (I can exclusively reveal) a major 

sponsorship deal with ‘Neuadd Willis, 

Student Accommodation for 2006/07’, the 

future of Bangor student radio looks both 

bright and Stormy! 

If anyone is interested in becoming a 

member of Storm FM they should see the 

stall at Serendipity, contact the Station 

Manager, Spencer George, via the Storm 

FM intranet board (or find other contacts 

at www.stormfm.com) or through the CSO 

Carolan Goggin at the Students’ Union. 

John Jackson

THE GREAT ORME 

Greetings students. My name is 

Sophie Hanna Faith de l’Orme. 

I am not claiming to be a health 

and beauty expert in any way, bear with me 

and yes that is my real name, nice ring to it, 

wouldn’t you say? 

Firstly I come from Brighton, where I 

witness some serious fashion followers. Take 

for example, a hypothetical person from my 

summer job, in a retail shop. It’s a very hot, 

humid day, and the fashion of the moment 

is tights under short skirts and shorts. 

Would you? Even when it’s 30 degrees plus 

outside? Yes, if you are a fashion follower 

to a ‘T’ and believe you are a true summer 

goddess, nothing, above all comfort should 

stand in your way. The realms of ‘real’ beauty 

are upon us: hair extensions, two inch false 

nails, tan bed addiction and not forgetting 

skin tight, black, cut off at the ankle tights 

(excuse slight rant, these tights do come in 

varying colours). 

Back to us mere mortal students, who 

don’t aim for the celebrity lifestyle (WAG 

NIGHTLINE WANTS TO LISTEN 

How many people do you know who 

have the time and patience to listen 

to you with undivided attention? 

Even your best friends may struggle to 

find the time or to actively listen. To listen 

actively and effectively is a hard skill to 

wannabes), but of course want to look 

presentable. 

Hair is important, and as I discovered on 

a student budget, it doesn’t always include 

£60 plus trips to the salon for those must 

have highlights. In summer, with the heat, 

beach, sea and humidity the effects can 

equal ‘a knotted mass’. 

A suggestion: Superdrug offer different 

hair rescue treatment sachets - smooth 

onto your hair, leave for a desired time and 

rinse. I personally like the *Aussie 3 minute 

Miracle Reconstructor for 99p. To me it’s 

like a deep conditioning treatment without 

the salon price tag. It smells ‘healthy’ and as 

it contains Australian Balm Mint, it must 

nourish. Take a bath (unless you live in the 

south and have a water shortage), relax and 

leave the hair mask on. After all it was our 

‘Summer Holiday’, we have ample time to 

treat ourselves, and look ravishing for our 

university return, or start if you’re a fresher. 

Beach hair is always top in the summer 

months according to every glossy. Ditch 

obtain. To listen and to empathize with a 

person is mentally draining and requires a 

lot of concentration. 

A Nightliner is specifically trained how 

to listen. The training is intense and many 

people don’t realise how difficult it is. 

DOC SPOT 

I 

n a new environment, there are all sorts 

of new experiences to be sampled, but 

there are many sources of potential stress 

as well. Let us look at the university-related 

student problems and lifestyle and how to 

deal with it… 

ALCOHOL 

Despite being part of our culture, alcohol 

is a dangerous drug with powerful effects 

on both mind and brain. Drinking can be 

extremely pleasurable and, in moderation, 

may even have health benefits. Although 

alcohol initially helps with relaxation and 

acts as a mood-enhancer, it is ultimately 

a depressant; so a heavy night drinking is 

likely to leave you feeling worse rather than 

better. 

The recommended number of alcohol 

units is 14 per week for women and 21 for 

men, but almost 65% of students exceed 

these limits. Alcohol’s ability to help you 

to relax, to reduce tension and to remove 

inhibitions lends itself to avoiding some 

difficult situations. Drinking may give you a 

relaxed sense of community, but habit may 

make it hard to relax without it. 

HOMESICKNESS 

Beginning life at university naturally 

generates both excitement and anxiety. For 

some, the apprehension is quickly overcome 

as they adapt to a new environment; for 

others the transition takes longer and 

sometimes emerges as homesickness. 

Those who experience homesickness 

might notice an increase in depressed 

feelings, anxiety, obsessive thoughts and 

minor physical ailments. You are not immune 

just because you’ve successfully experienced 

leaving home before. Vulnerability to feeling 

homesick is affected by: 

- Distance from home 

-Expectation of university not being met 

- Contrast in lifestyle 

- Worries about parents, partner or 

children at home. 

What should be done in such cases? 

- Believe in yourself and understand it is 

just a phase 

- Join societies, involve yourself in 

activities and make friends. 

- Familiarise yourself with the Students’ 

Union as they’ll also be able to help. 

- Talk to the Welfare Officer, a close 

friend or your personal tutor. 

- Always try to keep yourself engaged in 

work or other activities. 

- You can always call home! 


the straighteners, just for a while. Try the 

scrunch and go method, adding some serum 

to tame the frizz, or perfectly Garnier Fructis 

Style Beach Look Spray (£2.99) - all in the 

title really. But if like me, your hair still looks 

like a wild mane, put it up in a loose bun, 

or part some of it off your face with a clip: 

flowery or not, depending on your style. 

If you can’t part with your straighteners 

then use a protective heat spray to lessen the 

damage. There are many different varieties 

on the market. (e.g. Schwarzkopf Pro.Styling 

Heat Protection Straightening Spray, £2.99). 

Useless fact, the ingredients can resist heat 

up to 200 degrees. 

OK, we are now entering the ‘autumn 

months’, due to slight climate changes the 

cold shouldn’t hit us yet. Though slight 

warning to all southerners entering the 

haven of Bangor: rain, yes it will come and 

pour. Invest in stylish Wellingtons: they 

are in fashion, and if you have been lucky 

enough to have been to a festival, they 

certainly will get more wear now. 

Nightline has volunteers who are ready to 

listen from 8pm to 8am every night during 

term time; they will listen for as long as you 

need them to. Our non judgmental and 

active listeners are there for you on 01248 

362121. 

nawdd nos 

nightline 

01248 362121 

01248 362121 

EXERCISES 

- Just 15-20 minutes of activity three 

times per week will increase your fitness 

level. 

- Exercise and sports help you relax and 

sleep better. The brain releases endorphins 

that make you less tired. 

- It is never too late to start exercises, 

start off with a few minutes and gradually 

increase it. 

- Aerobic exercises and a low fat diet can 

help you to lose weight and make you more 

active. 

SMOKING 

When we hear the term ’smoking’, most 

of us only think of cigarettes. But what 

about the smoke from marijuana? Did you 

know that ‘weed’ contains some of the same 

cancer-causing compounds as tobacco, 

sometimes in higher concentrations? 

Smoking is the most common cause 

of lung cancer, but is also a leading cause 

of cancer of the mouth, throat, bladder, 

pancreas, and kidneys. It is particularly 

harmful to young people because the body is 

still growing and changing, and it can cause 

life-threatening diseases such as chronic 

bronchitis, heart disease, and strokes. 

How can you find the symptoms? 

Style: I’m no fashion icon. Be yourself, 

tap into the individual spark that each of 

us has and come December, when we are up 

to our eyeballs in work and revision, what 

we look like will be the least of our worries. 

But for those sweet ‘trash’ and ‘cheesy’ pop 

nights a bit of glamour and pout is needed. 

(freshers, you will soon become accustomed 

to our ways and Mike’s Bites). 

Adios, Aufwiedersehn, laters, see ya …… 

…. ‘til the next ‘Health and Beauty’ article. 

P.S. Men: you too should make an effort. 

Wash and deo, simple and effective xx 

WAG = wives and girlfriends / tabloid 

jargon, i.e. footballers other halves 

By the way, after I wrote this, in 

GLAMOUR ‘Product of the year Survey’ 

2006, more than 12,500 consumers chose 

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Frizz Remedy as 

the number one frizz product (don’t clap, 

yes perhaps I am the expert?) X 

There are the usual points to 

remember, but watch out for other 

things. Knowing a couple of people 

who did get their drinks spiked last year, 

I’d say the main thing to remember is to be 

aware of who’s around you. It may not be 

the company you keep, but the company 

you don’t want to keep. 

It’s OK to keep your drink in front of 

you, but cover it – especially at the bar 

when you might look away to talk to a 

group of friends. It’s a bit harder with 

drinks in glasses, but there’s no excuse not 

to have your back covered with bottles. You 

can cover the top with your thumb or you 

can buy special plugs from supermarkets 

that mean drink can come out but nothing 

can get in your bottle. 

The main points to remember though 

are: 

Sometimes it's tough to tell. But there are 

signs: 

- Wheezing 

- Coughing 

- Bad breath 

- Yellow-stained teeth and fingers 

- Frequent colds 

- Decreased senses of smell & taste 

- Problems remembering what they 

recently said or did 

- Difficulty keeping up with sports and 

athletic activities 

- Bleeding gums 

- Frequent mouth sores 

Smoking can actually increase feelings 

of stress and nervousness. Use drug-free 

strategies to calm your nerves like exercise 

and talking to your friends. 

STRESS 

Stress can be positive or negative 

depending upon how we respond to 

pressure and situations. Remember ‘without 

stress there is no life’. Everyone gets stressed 

at some time in his/her life. Managing stress 

is very important. What we need is to look 

at it as a combination of disciplines; time 

management and relaxation techniques 

have been effective in handling stressful 

situations ranging from life-threatening 

Sophie de l’Orme 

SAFE DRINKING 

o It’s easy to just leave someone with 

your drink while you go to the toilet, 

but finish it before you go. They may be 

trustworthy but from experience I find 

people don’t watch your drink properly or 

they just pop it behind them. 

o Don’t accept drinks from strangers 

unless you see it being made or opened 

– that’s the way to make friends without 

being too rude. 

o Try to judge who you could trust 

to look after you when you’re out or if 

something happened. 

o If you feel funny – even if you’ve 

drunk too much – stay with your friends 

(that includes going to the toilet). 


illnesses to submission of assignments 

on time. Always think positive. Thinking 

positively helps reduce certain amounts of 

stress. 

You can be in control! 

Remember - Stress is a fact of life – it 

need not be a way of life! 

Dr Rashesh Mehta 

For queries e-mail the Doctor: 

health4u_78@yahoo.com. 

7 

Health 

Sophie talks health and beauty tips

8 

Travel 

CZECH 

WITH A 

YORKSHIRE 

ACCENT 

Were you aware that the 

temperature in Prague reaches 

37 degrees? No? Neither were 

we, will teach us to do our research better in 

future though, won’t it? 

Having explained to my mother that 

she couldn’t find her luggage because she 

was stood by the luggage carousel from the 

Luton flight and she had in fact flown from 

Leeds/Bradford we went through arrivals to 

find our tour guide. We were enthusiastically 

greeted by a vertically challenged Geordie 

man, who we later learned had been doing 

the job for 30 years. It showed with his well 

weathered and heavily suntanned face and 

once our eclectic tour group was assembled 

we boarded the coach, driven by a Czech 

driver. Our destination was a bright blue 

communist tower block hotel, called the 

‘Hotel Duo’ because, surprisingly, there were 

2 tower blocks. How very inventive! 

Our walking tour began at Prague Castle, 

on route to which we passed various bridges 

including the famous Charles Bridge; a 

miniature version of the Eiffel Tower (looks 

more like a large TV aerial); and a giant 

metronome (I don’t know why either). 

Prague Castle is the largest medieval castle 

complex in Europe and it shows. It comprises 

of the Saint Vitus Cathedral, several palaces, 

museums, galleries and St Georges basilica. 

The cathedral is the most impressive of these 

buildings; an extremely large gothic building 

with incredible stain glass windows made up 

from tiny pieces of coloured glass. The effect 

with the light shining through was amazing. 

In the cathedral there is the tomb of Duke 

Wenceslas, aka “Good King Wenceslas” from 

the Christmas Carol. The cathedral was very 

crowded, everyone desperate to look at the 

tomb. Now being British we had formed an 

orderly queue, only to be pushed out of the 

way by some Europeans. Not one to be outdone 

I decided to follow suit and managed 

to get a good look. There isn’t exactly much 

to see, but it was worth it to see where a real 

life Christmas carol character was buried. 

Next I’m going to find the statue of Rudolph 

the red nose reindeer. 

Three countries in one day should be 

So what did I make of a country 

famous for a spotted dog and an ER 

doctor? Quite a lot actually. With 

Croatia’s extensive coastline and over a 

thousand islands, it is a beautiful country 

with a lot to offer. Each island has its own 

identity and travelling between them is 

relatively easy, with an efficient system 

of ferries and catamarans. From the large 

Istrian peninsula at the top, down to the 

famous walled city of Dubrovnik at the 

bottom, the waters of Croatia are varying 

shades of turquoise and blue, but always 

crystal clear. 

A favourite getaway for both Italians and 

Germans due to its close proximity with 

both, Croatia remains relatively untouched 

by the British tourist trade (although I did 

meet a car full of Bangor graduates at one 

point!) I managed to live on a budget of 

£20 a day quite easily, although having 

a tent did help. The tent also meant that 

enough for anyone. 

Leaving the Czech 

Republic at stupid 

o’clock that morning 

we were on route for 

Budapest. As this is 

quite an extensive 

journey we had a 

lengthily lunch break 

in Slovakia. Bratislava 

became capital of 

Slovakia when the 

country separated 

from the Czech Republic in 1992. A town 

not quite designed to be a capital but they 

were giving it a good go. Our tour guide 

advised us to look at the sky and by our feet, 

and he was right to. There were small bronze 

statues dotted around. The most memorable 

Three countries in one day 

should be enough for anyone. 

being a man emerging from a manhole in 

the floor, mainly for the fact that I nearly 

fell over it! 

A very beautiful city, much of it not built 

within the last 200 years, so the architecture 

was remarkable. Much more preferable 

than the concrete jungles we are used to 

in modern capital cities. Apart from the 

architecture there isn’t really that much to 

see in Bratislava, so off we went towards 

Budapest. Staring out my window (there 

really isn’t anything else to do on a coach) 

I was startled how much the landscape 

looked like Italy: fields of sunflowers and 

terracotta roofed houses, which is surprising 

considering how far Hungary is from Italy, 

geographically speaking. 

Spending a Euro 

If you need a pee in Europe you are 

expected to pay. Now not having any Euros 

on me and being desperate to relieve myself 

of the facilities, I decided I would sneak in 

behind the line of people who were actually 

paying to use the loo. Anyone who has tried 

to use public toilets in a foreign country will 

I could stay in some really small and 

beautiful places where camping was the 

only form of accommodation on offer. 

Lots of Croats offer rooms in their houses 

to travellers during the summer months. In 

some places these are snapped up quickly, 

in others you will see people standing with 

signs offering ‘sobe, zimmer, rooms’, where 

the bus or ferry gets in. These generally cost 

between £10-15. 

The food in Croatia is very much 

influenced by Italy, which lies just across 

the sea, so lots of pizza and pasta. Croatia 

has several national beers and alcohol 

remains inexpensive. In some places it is 

cheaper to indulge in a beer than a coke- 

what a shame! The word to know is ‘pivo’ 

(beer) and even though most Croats speak 

English, German and Italian quite fluently, 

it is always appreciated if you have a go at 

their language, even if it resembles no other 

you’ve tried to learn before and appears to 


know that it is the life’s work of the toilet 

attendant to make you pay, and get very 

angry if you don’t. I think I got away with it. 

It’s a sad day when going to the toilet could 

cause an international incident! 

Now, whether or not we were influenced 

by the outstanding hotel in Budapest 

(air conditioning!) I’m unsure but it was 

definitely my favourite of the 3 cities. The 

city straddles a gentle curve in the Danube 

and it’s definitely the most beautiful. The 

hotel itself was situated on Margaret’s Island 

in the middle of the Danube. The island 

is primarily used as a leisure island, so is 

very green and encircled by trees and, well, 

joggers. 

Our tour was very insightful, despite the 

fact that our tour guide was Mary Poppins, 

wearing a hat with Budapest emblazoned 

across it. We toured the beautiful palaces and 

went around the markets: however the most 

memorable part of my stay in Budapest was 

the Hungarian Folk evening. As much as I 

like to embrace other cultures, this evening 

was made a lot more entertaining by the free 

wine. Their traditional dancing comprised 

of lots of high pitched screaming, thigh 

slapping and stamping. Ah well when in 

Budapest… 

Out of the two, Budapest would be the 

city I would visit again. Nothing against 

Prague but when you can be identified as 

being Northern by a random Hungarian 

who stops you in the street it can’t be a bad 

thing. 

Cat Prince 

1001 DALMATIANS 

have something against vowels! 

Working from the top to the bottom 

was a great way of travelling through 

Dalmatia and it seemed that each place I 

got to was more beautiful than the last. 

This culminated with Dubrovnik, its 

complete set of walls encircling the old 

town, with its beautiful stone buildings 

and terracotta tiles. A walk around the 

walls gives a great view of the city and out 

to sea. Croatia has recovered most quickly 

out of all the former Yugoslav countries, as 

its tourist industry has always been healthy. 

Dubrovnik itself took a lot of destruction, 

but has been restored fully. The entire 

coastline is free of shelled buildings, a 

reminder of the past war that can be seen 

in other places in the region. 

Emma Dodd 

FROM 

BANGOR 

TO BANGOR 

Hello my name is Lucy. I’m 

currently studying my second 

year in English literature at the 

University of Maine, Bangor, USA! Every 

issue I shall give you an update of my 

experiences as an exchange student. 

I have now been in the USA a week 

and what a week it has been. To anyone 

thinking of doing an exchange I would 

say to definitely go for it- let’s face it if 

you have had the delightful pleasure of 

staying in Emrys Evans you can handle 

anything the world has to throw at you. 

But be prepared: although I brought tea 

bags I forgot the kettle. Little did I realise 

that in Maine electric kettles are a rarity- 

panic not, fortunately I have found one! 

There have been several culture shocks 

this week, the most shocking by far 

is breakfast: sausages and bacon are 

served-perfectly normal you say, but 

wait...Americans put lashings of syrup 

over it! I too recoiled in horror. This meat 

and sweet combo is one custom I refuse 

to try: it’s plain madness! 

The wardens are super happy hyper 

people who seem never to have a frown. 

Yes, this is refreshing but also slightly 

scary when they rush up to you with 

their beaming white smile gaily chanting 

‘A Hearty Maine Hello to You’. I later 

discovered the protocol for this is to 

reply ‘and A Hearty Maine Hello to You 

too’, not just stand there dumbfounded, 

laughing at the loons! 

On a brighter note the campus and 

university facilities are amazing, you 

couldn’t ask for better, and with the prices 

American students pay you shouldn’t 

expect any less (fear not for all of you 

who are interested, exchange students 

pay UK fees so there is no excuse not to 

leave Wales for a semester 

or two!) The campus 

is immaculate and the 

landscape is beautiful. 

It is surreal and it 

is like all the trashy 

cheesy movies, which 

is great as the laughter 

is endless! I’ve been 

made to feel welcome 

and I have my tea-what more 

do I need! Until next issue, bye! 

Lucy Digney 

ADVENTURES 

FROM 

ACROSS 

THE POND 

Well I’d better start by 

introducing myself! I have 

just finished my first year 

here at Bangor, and am leaving our lovely 

university to go and study for a year in 

America. Shock horror! Leaving Bangor? 

Why would anyone wish to do such a 

thing? Well, I am not entirely sure myself. 

I have loved my first year here, but when 

the opportunity arose to study across the 

pond, I decided to go for it. It all began 

one rainy day (well here that doesn’t really 

narrow it down) in November. 

My tutor mentioned that the exchange 

program is open to all University 

of Wales, Bangor students, with the 

exception of a few courses. My course 

(Ocean Science) allows their students to 

study their second year in Oregon State 

University. This does not add an extra 

year onto the course, it just means the 

third year is worth 100% of your degree. 

Yikes! So in December, I picked up an 

application form and applied. There are 

a few conditions that you have to fill: you 

have to get a minimum of 60% overall in 

your first year, and you also have to pass 

an interview that takes place around April. 

Should all that be successful, you are 

released! You then get the joy of applying 

for an American visa. That is quite a long 

and complicated process, and requires a 

trip to the American Embassy in London, 

which has a huge police presence and 

armed guards! However, I think it will 

be well worth it. Of course I am writing 

this before I have actually left... so next 

month’s article will probably tell whether 

or not this was a good idea… 

Amy Garrett 

Fellow exchange student from Bangor, Phil in Maine

Dear Bev and Mair 

I came back to Bangor yesterday only to find that the property I had rented with my friends 

was a complete wreck! The landlord had promised when we signed the contract that he would 

be re-decorating, cleaning and replacing bedding and the bathroom by the 1 st of September 

2006. The property was a bit of a dive when we signed the contract (there was damp in some 

of the rooms, the bathroom was totally disgusting, there was a crack in the sink and there was 

no hot water for the shower and black mould on the silicone surrounding the shower base, the 

mattresses in some of the bedrooms didn’t have fire retardant labels and some were stained), 

but we trusted the landlord as he seemed like a good bloke. 

My mother cried when she saw the condition of the property and my parents pleaded for me to 

go home with them, eventually I persuaded them that I had to stay, they agreed provided that 

they pay for me to stay at a bed and breakfast. I am grateful to my parents for paying for the 

B&B but I can’t stay there indefinitely. What can I do, where can I stay? 

Dear M 


Agony Aunts 

Thanks - M, Bangor 

How awful for you and your housemates, have you spoken to your landlord? 

One of the first things to do is to get as much photographic evidence as you can and compile a detailed list of all things 

that you believe need to be repaired or replaced. 

Contact the Students Union Advice Centre – they will be able to help you ascertain what repairs are emergencies – Fire 

Safety etc. 

You can try and negotiate amicably with your landlord, put all requests in writing and keep a copy – there are certain 

repairs that they have a legal duty to carry out. Check your contract; are there any specific details of repairs or 

replacements that your landlord has agreed to do? 

If the property is in poor condition your landlord may be breaking the tenancy agreement by failing to carry out 

repairs. This means that you would be able to walk away from the property without any obligation to pay rent. 

You also have the right to request that the local authority visits the property; they have a duty to take action against 

private landlords. 

On a final note keep all receipts for the B&B, as you can claim against the landlord for these costs. 

Yours Truly 

Bev and Mair 

Hi Bev and Mair 

My student loan hasn’t been 

paid into my bank account, 

I’m broke! My Mum is on 

Income Support and can’t 

help me financially. Please 

help me! 

Thanks - L, Bangor 

Dear L 

Come down to the Students Union 

Advice Centre, we will call your Local 

Education Authority or the Student 

Loan Company on your behalf to 

ascertain why there is a delay in 

your Student Loan payment. We will 

also contact any departments within 

the University to advise them of the 

situation and make arrangements for 

payments to be deferred until your 

Student Loan arrives enabling you to 

continue with your studies. 

Dependant on your accommodation 

status we can contact your landlord or 

the university halls or finance office. 

We can also contact your bank to 

negotiate an overdraft facility. 

Yours Truly 

Bev and Mair 

Dear Agony Aunt 

 

 

 

 

at 

BELLE VUE 

Holyhead Road, Upper Bangor 

01248 364439 

• Fine Traditional Ales 

• Homecooked Foods 

• Guest Ales 

• Pool Room & Beer Garden 

• Quiz Night Sunday 8.00pm 

 

 

9 

I’m at the end of my tether, the people on my 

floor have been partying on and off all week, 

myself and my friend Kate have been woken up 

several times after 11.00 pm most nights, our 

studies are being disrupted, by slamming doors, 

people running along corridors, loud music and 

shouting. We are trying to study for our exams. 

Please help us! 

Thanks - J, Bangor 

Dear J 

The people on your floor seem to be very inconsiderate, I 

suggest you try the following: 

o Speak to flat mates 

o Inform Wardens 

o Complain to Halls Staff 

o Call Security 

o Call to see a Student Advisor at the S.U. Welfare Office 

o Keep a diary of events 

Try and keep things on a friendly basis to begin with, speak 

to the flatmates concerned, explaining how their partying is 

affecting you. If you feel that this is not working inform the 

wardens of the situation or as a last resort call out Security. 

‘The University will treat noise made between the hours 

of 11.00pm and 7.00am as serious noise nuisance. Serious or 

persistent may lead to disciplinary action, and they give grounds 

for the University to terminate the Residence Agreement.’ 

Keep a diary of all events, as this would be invaluable if the 

situation goes to a disciplinary. The Advice Centre can offer 

representation should a disciplinary be required. 

Yours Truly 

Bev and Mair 

UWB Halls of Residence Handbook 2005/06

10 


BODYROCKERS ROCKED THE BALL 

The Bodyrockers most definitely stole the show at this year’s 

Summer Ball. Partly due to the fact that the other main act 

(a certain Fat Man Scoop) was held up in Amsterdam with 

no visa to perform in the UK, the Bodyrockers were the stars of the 

night. They presented a testosterone fuelled show, with ‘I Like The 

Way You Move’ being the ultimate highlight. 

There was a good selection of music on offer, with marquees set up 

outside and classical musicians playing near reception. The Summer Ball 

provides a great opportunity to see all your mates dressed up and looking 

respectable for one night of the year. Main Arts is a great venue for it and my 

personal favourite part is the quad. Opened especially and decked out with a 

large mirror ball and dimly lit, it’s a must see. 

Respect goes out to all those who lasted until 6am, I personally was not 

one of them! Unfortunately, Mike’s Bites best intentions to serve the ballweary 

revellers on their way home at the early hours of the morning were 

blighted by the fact that they did not have a licence to serve at such an hour, so 

the police put a stop to it. Disappointing for a certain editor-elect, who had to 

return home and make her own fry up with supplies from the Late Stop


ONE MINUTE WELSH 

 

ALLPORT & PICKFORD 

OPTICIANS 

 

 

 

BENCH 

 

 

 

 

 

Welcom to Seren’s quick 

lesson in Welsh to help 

you get through Freshers’ 

week. For each phrase we’ve also 

explained how to pronounce it in 

brackets. 

Lexi Hindley 

 

 

 

 

11

12 

Seren - Freshers’ Issue 2006

FIND YOUR FIRE HERE! 

How would you like a role in a big independent film to be made in Bangor? Find Your Fire’ is 

an unpretentious comedy with a beating heart that will make you laugh, make you cry and 

jump for joy as insurmountable odds are triumphed over. What more could you want? Oh 

yes, you will also be paid for dressing up and pretending to be somebody else. Pre-production is in 

progress & casting dates/venues are, as the Voice of the Trailer never seems to say these days, “coming 

soon.” 

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 

– DEAD MAN’S CHEST 

For anyone who enjoyed the first instalment of ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’, the second film would be 

high on their list of films to watch. Unfortunately, Johnny Depp’s inspired campness degenerates 

into pure silliness and the film is simply too long. By the end, it has lost all semblance of plot, 

leaving the viewer confused and me personally wishing they had not made a second. Admittedly, the 

effects were good, but call me old fashioned, but a film cannot rely on this alone. 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13 

SUPERMAN RETURNS TO 

A CHANGED WORLD 

This summer saw the return of the original superhero to our cinema screens. The new millennium heralded an explosion of comic 

book movies as we looked to pencil-and-ink-and-colour mythology in these uncertain times. All these adaptations seemed to be preoccupied 

with finding the gritty realism in the world of their protagonists. We seemed so entertained with masking our own modern 

fears that there can be no doubt Batman’s po-faced vengeance, the X-Men’s impossible introspection and even Spider-Man’s sympathetic 

teen-angst was a hard pill for kids to swallow. 

Superman’s return with his heady palette of red, yellow and blue should have an awareness of his own absurdity and supply a shameless 

sugar-rush of compassionate superheroism. The first and best action sequence involving a malfunctioning space/aircraft had the right 

dramatic sense of peril to help triumph over the ludicrousness of the set-up - neatly capped with a one-liner which makes the Son of Krypton 

look like he enjoys what he does. From then on, a conventional journey of acceptance begins after discovering that the love of his life Lois 

Lane has a family of her own. Meanwhile, Lex Luthor hatches a fiendish real estate plot. 

There were two things which I baulked at: the first upon contemplation; the second came like a bolt from the blue. The collateral damage 

in last year’s summer blockbuster Batman Begins was a major distraction, in effect painting the Dark Knight as a glorified psychopath. 

Although not immediately obvious, while casually strolling towards a real nasty pumping rounds from heavy artillery, bullets bounce off 

the Man of Steel in every direction when he could have ended the violence faster than a speeding proverbial (and just where did those plane 

wings land?). The most distressing thing is when soon-to-be-Superkid abruptly kills a thug with a piano. It was meant to be a stark realisation 

that this small child is destined to fight evil, but left me feeling empty. This moment of madness suggested that Superman Returns is another 

tragic sign of the times - the boy had the power to immobilise the thug without murdering him, so are we meant to believe that compassion 

is a weakness? 

On the acting front, the supporting cast is solid considering they are nothing more than a bunch of caricatures. Brandon Routh is 

dependable in the title role, Kate Bosworth is an amiable love interest albeit too juvenile to convince as a jaded journalist, and Kevin Spacey 

brings a knowing comical flavour to his familiar ‘cerebral antagonist with a god complex’ routine which made him a household name in the 

Nineties. On the whole, Superman Returns is a watchable, surprisingly morally dubious blockbuster but as a celebration of envelope-pushing 

special effects, $250 million says you can’t find a better example this year. 

Kevin Smith 

Film

14 

Music 

Muse – Black Holes 

and Revelations 

So what’s the next step for 

the band that has everything? 

Already established household 

names thanks to three of the most 

ingenious albums released in recent 

years; headlining Glastonbury and 

Reading & Leeds; have a modern 

day guitar legend in the form of 

Mathew Bellamy. Well you release 

a Blair and Bush bashing, postapocalyptic 

album featuring alien 

invasions, black holes and the 

possible inhabitants of Mars. Of 

course. 

While the songs are still Muse 

through and through, their sound 

has evolved and may surprise some 

with the increased use of synths 

and guitar effects masterfully 

interwoven by Mr Bellamy and 

Co. The ‘80s electronic sound 

has clearly influenced the making 

of the album, with Queen and 

Depeche Mode both obvious 

inspirations. Album highlight ‘Map 

of the Problematique’ and new live 

favourite ‘Knights of Cydonia’ are 

perfect examples of how the band 

have taken their sound to a whole 

new level, the latter in particular 

almost verging on prog-epic status. 

However, that’s not to say that 

it is an experimental album; the 

songs feel textured and wonderfully 

constructed, with Matt’s vocals 

used as an additional instrument 

more than ever. For the less 

adventurous, fair-weather Muse 

fan, the radio friendly ‘Starlight’ 

and catchy-as-hell lead single 

‘Supermassive Black Hole’ briefly 

bring you back down to earth from 

the cosmic journey the rest of the 

album embarks upon. 

Despite the other worldly subject 

matter and fashionable political 

edge, the Devon trio have produced 

an album that somehow builds upon 

their previous efforts and looks set 

to cement their place as one of the 

biggest and most important bands 

in the world. 

Chris Thomson 

Razorlight 

– Razorlight 

The trousers are tighter, the hair is 

bigger and the egos have reached 

gargantuan proportions; just three 

reasons why Razorlight are fast becoming 

the band that everyone loves to hate. But 

if you look past pompous frontman Johnny 

Borrell and focus on what he does rather 

than what he says, then you might find 

yourself giving them a little more love than 

hate. 

If their 2004 debut ‘Up All Night’ was the 

raucous rock ‘n’ roll night before, then their 

eponymous follow up is most definitely the 

hazy morning after. Although still distinctly 

Razorlight, the majority of the tracks are 

notably down-tempo, something that may 

disappoint those who are looking for the 

oomph provided by the band’s previous 

efforts. Despite this, there is no denying their 

ability to write catchy pop tunes; the band’s 

keep-it-simple attitude shows through on 

almost every track, including future singa-long 

classic ‘America’ and first single ‘In 

The Morning.’ However, this also leads to 

the album becoming somewhat predictable 

and lacking in imagination. Songs such as 

‘Hold On’ and ‘Los Angeles Waltz’ verge on 

the mundane and considering there are only 

a measly ten tracks, the album starts to look 

a little sparse. 

Standout tracks ‘Pop Song 2006’ and 

‘Back To The Start’ are more of what we 

have come to expect from the band, but 

unfortunately these moments are too few 

and far between and the album falls just 

short of the high expectations set of the 

group. Whilst by no means a bad album, 

there is not enough here to keep you coming 

back time after time, and as is usually the 

case, you’ll much prefer to remember the 

rock ‘n’ roll night before than the hazy 

morning after. 

Chris Thomson 

Want to write a 

review? SEREN 

gets sent 

loads of CDs, 

it could 

be you 

reviewing 

them. Get 

in touch 

with the 

editor for more 

details. 


Red Hot 

Chili 

Peppers 

Stadium 

Arcadium 

Returning from a four year hiatus, the 

now-approaching middle aged funk 

rockers have taken a massive risk 

in releasing their ninth studio album over 

two discs. A move that would have seen 

many bands tossed to the bottom of the 

bargain bin, the atrociously titled ‘Stadium 

Arcadium’ documents the range of styles 

the band have developed over their twenty 

plus year career. Combining the bombastic 

basslines of their earlier work with the 

layered guitar melodies of their more recent 

efforts, the band have clearly adopted the ‘if 

it ain’t broke’ mindset and you are unlikely 

to find anything you haven’t heard before. 

Tracks such as ‘Charlie’ wouldn’t sound out 

of place on 1991’s ‘Blood Sugar Sex Magik’ 

whilst others such as ‘Wet Sand’ and the 

album’s title track could easily have been 

plucked straight from 2002’s ‘By The Way.’ 

Nevertheless, despite the sense of déjà 

vu, it is as solid an album as any RHCP fan 

could have hoped for and sees guitarist John 

Frusciante unleashed in a way as yet unseen 

outside of his solo work. His mesmerising 

signature licks are now coupled with the 

speaker-busting solos that were sorely 

lacking from the band’s previous record and 

complement bassist Flea’s funk-infused lines 

perfectly. Being a double album it was to be 

expected that not all the tracks were gong 

to stand up to highlights such as singles 

‘Dani California’ and ‘Tell Me Baby’, and 

this shows in the half a dozen numbers that 

would probably have been best saved for the 

inevitable forthcoming B-sides album. As 

fun-sized frontman Anthony Keidis should 

know, size doesn’t matter and as with most 

double albums, ‘Stadium Arcadium’ could 

probably have been cut down to a single 

album with every track as a standout. 

However, as it stands, the band have created 

an album that is universally accessible, from 

hardcore Pepper-ites to fresh faced Red 

Hot wannabees wondering what all this 

California nonsense is all about. 

Chris Thomson 

Lily Allen – 

Alright Still 

Foul-mouthed Mockney Lily Allen 

has been branded the freshest thing 

in music at the moment. As to 

whether those accolades have come from 

The Guardian or The Times is unclear but 

the ‘female Mike Skinner’ is undoubtedly 

causing a stir. Comparisons with the 

Streets’ frontman are inevitable with her 

self-penned commentary of growing up 

in today’s society, but unfortunately it is 

more akin to The Streets’ more recent work, 

devoid of the edgy lyrics and beats that 

peppered their debut. 

While the subject matter will ring 

true with many, Lily’s lyrics are nothing 

we haven’t heard before from the likes 

of Mr Skinner himself and even fellow 

wippersnappers The Arctic Monkeys, and 

lack the astute rhymes and rhythms of these 

artists. “She looks in her bag, takes out a fag, 

tries to get away from the guy on a blag”. 

Inspired? Unsure as to whether it wants to 

reject or embrace the ‘chav culture’ most of 

the songs relate to, the album tries to be too 

clever for its own good and ends up verging 

on the immature. ‘Not Big’ is an example of 

this; no prizes for guessing what it’s about. 

No doubt by now, the single ‘Smile’ has 

been burned into your skull by its incessant 

airplay and whether you loved or hated it, 

will dictate how you view the album. Most 

of the tracks continue in the same vain, 

fusing elements of hip-hop, R’n’B and even 

the odd chord of ska, see ‘Friend Of Mine’ 

for evidence of this. 

The more interesting songs, ‘Friday 

Night’ and ‘Take What You Take’ are not 

enough to save the album, but do get your 

head nodding. While ‘Knock ‘em Out’ and 

‘Alfie’ are at the other end of the spectrum, 

and makes you wonder exactly how much 

talent is needed to secure a recording 

contract nowadays. Although younger 

teenage girls are likely to lap this up, 

anyone wanting slightly more substance to 

their music should steer clear of the hype 

and stick to those who have done it all 

before, but better. 

Chris Thomson 

Keane - Under 

The Iron Sea 

Keane’s latest release, ‘Under the 

Iron Sea’ is the second album from 

the Sussex three piece. After a 

hugely successful first album, the pressures 

of touring and a follow up album clearly 

affected and inspired them. ‘Under the Iron 

Sea’ reveals an emotional wreck beneath 

what seemed to be the calm, collected 

exterior of a band so often compared to 

the likes of Coldplay. A definite shift from 

the happy pop melodies of songs such as 

‘Somewhere only we know’ and ‘This is the 

last time’ from the first album, here we see a 

darker side to the trio. 

The track entitled ‘Atlantic’ begins with a 

sixty five second instrumental of keyboard 

and out of sync drumming, before the 

dulcet tones of Tom Chaplin’s voice even 

begin and further into the album another 

instrumental ‘Under the iron sea’ again sees 

striking keyboard playing from the band 

proving that even without guitars they can 

create epic sounding music. The first single 

from the album ‘Is it any wonder’ mixes U2style 

keyboard riffs with lyrics such as ‘Is it 

any wonder I’m tired? Is it any wonder that 

I feel uptight?’ that reveal the band to be less 

of the happy boys they were made out to be. 

Other lyrics such as ‘Do I seem too eager to 

please you now? from the track ‘Leaving so 

soon?’ show the band to be slightly more 

bitter about life and the virtues of fame. 

Still, even through the darker lyrics 

and the impressive instrumentals the all 

important sing-a-long songs still remain 

for the summer festivals and gigs. ‘Nothing 

in my way‘ and ‘Crystal ball’ have catchy 

melodies and memorable lyrics which 

should keep fans that prefer the original 

Keane sound happy. ‘Under the Iron Sea’ 

is excellent, showing a more distinct sound 

for the band that steps away from the 

clichés that they were often criticised for 

in the beginning. A combination of their 

new sound integrated with hints of the old 

should mean yet another successful album 

for the band who hopefully will continue 

onto bigger and even better things. 

Kirsten Buglass

I 

first heard, ‘Upside Down’ by Jack Johnson on Radio 1 just 

after I got home for the summer. The excitement of the end of 

exams and the Summer Ball had died down with everyone’s 

hangover next day and then it was time to go home. I sat on the 

sofa and switched on the radio, the sun was shining brightly and all 

was well. The summer had begun and then this song came on. An 

immediate chill factor was added to the mood which took effect every 

time it was played. 

I can’t say that this song stirs up any great memories, it just puts a 

smile on my face and makes me think of the sun (that at this moment 

has chosen to make a brief appearance). 


My song of this summer had to 

be ‘One’ by U2 featuring Mary 

J. Blidge. This song reminds me 

of when I was flying home from Rome. My 

friend Katy and I had gone to the City for a 

four day holiday. We had heard the song a few 

times whilst we were in Rome and then on the 

plane back we were bored and so decided to 

mime along to the song on Katy’s ipod! It was 

really funny and we even got some strange 

looks from a couple nearby! 

Catherine Humes 

I 

have been to Lourdes twice before, and 

this year was my third year. In Lourdes 

we help the doctors and nurses by 

looking after the elderly and sick pilgrims. 

This year in Lourdes we sang a lot because 

we were on a coach for hours on end. For 

example, one priest can take any hymn and 

change the words so it’s about someone you 

know! It’s very amusing! On the final night at 

our fancy dress party we all had a sing-a-long 

where we changed the words to names of 

people we actually know. 

The song of the summer besides the hymn 

‘dance then where ever you may be’ has to be 

‘In the morning’ by Razorlight. It was played 

nearly every day by my friends on the floor 

below and we could hear it as clear as a bell a 

floor up. This year in Lourdes was a lot of fun 

and I got a badge for my service. I was very 

proud and thoroughly enjoyed it! 


The song that epitomises summer 2006 for me is ‘National Express’ 

by Divine Comedy. This is mainly because the song is centred around 

coach journeys and seeing as though I spent 2 weeks of my summer on 

a coach it seemed rather fitting. The lyrics about how every area of human life 

are on board are so true. Our coach ranged from me, the 19 year old student, 

to the 82 year old elderly man falling asleep at every opportunity. I also like the 

Ska-esque beat to the song it makes it sound very happy and summery and not 

too serious. In summer you need a song that makes you smile and you can dance 

around like an idiot to with your friends and have fun. 

Cat Prince 


15 

When at the start of the summer I heard JK and Joel announce that they wanted to get one of my 

favourite songs re-released to be Radio One’s summer anthem I was a little unhappy to think of 

it being played to death on the stations playlist, but it actually had a very understated release and 

in my opinion wasn’t played enough! 

Israel Kamakawiwo Ole’ was the definitive Hawaiian musician of the nineties until his death in 1997. 

‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ is his most well known song, taken from his album Facing Future, released 

in 1993. It is a beautiful acoustic track, which has been featured in several films, television programs, and 

commercials. Relying simply on his tender voice it seamlessly and effortlessly intertwines the poignant lyrics 

of the songs ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ from the The Wizard of Oz and ‘What a Wonderful World’ made 

famous by Louis Armstrong. The only accompaniment to his voice is the gentle strumming of his ukulele, 

allowing the song, though profoundly simple, to sound strikingly beautiful. The whole feel of the song 

transports me to one of the many lazy, warm summer days we had this year as Israel sings of rainbows and 

blue skies. It cannot help but make you feel summery, completely chilled out and just that little bit happier! 

Claire Mann 

Which songs epitomise Summer 

2006 for you? These are ours... 

SOUNDTRACK TO 

THE SUMMER `06 

Muse – Supermassive Black Hole. Yes, 

it sounds like Britney Spears mixed 

with the Scissor Sisters and nothing 

like Muse, but it’s catchy! With a killer riff that 

makes it impossible not to nod your head, the 

song is the perfect accompaniment to those long 

summer days and chilled out evenings with your 

friends. To top it all off, seeing Muse perform the 

track while closing the Leeds Festival was a special 

moment and cemented the track as my song of the 

summer. 

Chris Thomson 

The day before I go to see the best band in the world, a band I’ve loved since I was small, a band that contains my Heros and 

I’m sick. I show up at the pub I worked at this summer and within an hour I’m making trips to the toilets; some times while 

I’m halfway through pouring a pint. This pattern continues through the night and the next day. I’m feeling extremely sorry 

for myself. The doors open at 6 and the Chili’s are on at half 8. My little sister wants to get in the queue at 11ish almost as soon as we’ve 

arrived. No chance. I have to sleep. I emerge from slumber to get into the line at about 4. Everyone there is buzzing. I’m sat on the floor 

head in hands. I’m super annoyed at this. Sick before the gig of a lifetime. 

The doors open and it’s better than any medicine and I soon forget all my woes as the atmosphere builds. We are right at the front 

and I soon realize the Red Hot Chili Peppers will be less than six feet from me! The adrenaline thunders through my veins as John and 

Flea come on and jam followed by Chad and then Anthony. It was their last UK date of the Stadium Arcadium tour and they were on 

fire. Almost every song was linked with a funky jam or ripping solo by Flea and John, who did several of his own solo songs. They played 

every song I could have hoped for and loads of the better tracks off Stadium. The encore was Under the Bridge and Give It Away! This 

gig and the subsequent repetition of all my Chili’s CDs has been the sound track to this summer. 

Luke Wilsher 

My soundtrack to Summer 2006 has got to be ‘I Like The Way You Move’ by The 

BodyRockers. I was in the front row at the Summer Ball, where they put on a very good 

show. From then on, my summer was scattered with fragments of it. The famous chorus 

was used in an advert and every time I heard it, I was reminded of boogeying in Bangor. I heard it 

emanating out of a VW camper van, which was selling pasties on the Sunday at T in the Park, just as 

it started to rain and everyone ran towards the covered stages. I also heard it in a restaurant on top 

of a hill on the island of Krk in Croatia, so I think I can safely say that ‘I Like The Way You Move’ 

got just about everywhere in summer ’06. 

Emma Dodd

16 

27 

28 

11 

12 

1 

2 


SERENDIPITY MAP ‘06 

1 Art 

2 Comedy 

3 BUFFS 

4 Biscuit Appreciation 

5 Animal Welfare 

6 Photography 

7 Young Fabians 

8 Plaid Cymru 

9 Liberal Democrats 

10 Conservative Future 

11 Labour Students 

12 Amnesty 

13 Geography Society 

14 Forestry Society 

15 Arcanii 

16 Law 

17 Chartered Institute of 

Marketeers 

18 Ecological Society 

19 Rostra 

20 SODA 

21 BEDS 

22 Stage Crew 

23 Debating 

24 Earth Religions 

25 CCUSA 

25 Meningitis Trust 

26 Music Society 

27 Revelation Rock Gospel Choir 

28 Orange 

29 Endsleigh Insurance 

30 Lloyds TSB 

31 Japanese Society 

32 Hellenic Society 

25 

26 

29 

30 

33 Indian Society 

34 Chinese Society 

35 Malaysian Society 

36 Abbey Road Centre 

37 Barnardos 

38 Consumer Support Network 

39 Speculative Analysis 

40 Hendre Hall 

41 Chubbs 

42 The Muse 

43 Prestige Mobility 

44 Traveline Cymru 

45 Arriva 

46 Nice ‘n’ Naughty 

47 British Red Cross 

48 Wales University Officer 

Training Corps 

49 Islamic Society 

50 Christian Union 

51 Bangor Congregation of 

Jehovah’s Witnesses 

52 Y Galeri 

53 NUS Wales 

54 NUS Wales Women’s Officer 

55 Welfare Campaigns 

Committee 

56 Nightline 

57 Advice Centre 

58 Anglican Chaplaincy 

59 Samaritans 

49 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

50 

51 

52 

7 

8 

9 

10 

31 32 33 34 35 

3 

4 

5 

6 

60 UWB Pride 

61 Students With Disabilities 

Officer 

62 Dyslexia Unit 

63 Library Service 

64 Partneriaeth Amgylcheddol 

65 Research Students’ Forum 

Social Club 

65 Laptop World 

66 National Blood Service 

67 NHS Family Planning 

Services 

68 UMCB 

69 Cymdeithas Llywelyn 

70 Cymdeithas Yr Iaith Gymraeg 

71 Storm FM 

72 SEREN 

73 Treborth 

74 Centre for Careers & 

Opportunities 

75 Student Volunteering Bangor 

76 Cotswold Outdoor 

77 Endeavour Society 

78 North Wales Police 

79 Subway 

80 Rugby League 

81 Men’s Football 

82 Women’s Football 

48 

69 

70 

71 

72 

73 

74 

75 

62 

61 

60 

59 

45 

42 

38 

36 

54 

47 

43 

41 

40 

56 

55 

53 

46 

44 

39 

37 

57 

58 

68 

108–117 

63 

67 

64 

66 

65 

118–125 

126–130 

83 Men’s Hockey 

84 Women’s Hockey 

85 Women’s Basketball 

86 Men’s Basketball 

87 Women’s Rugby 

88 Men’s Rugby 

89 Netball 

90 Volleyball 

91 Badminton 

91b Theatr Gwynedd 

91c O2 

92 Lacrosse 

93 Tennis 

94 Maes Glas 

95 Ki-Aikido 

96 Judo 

97 Golf 

98 Dance 

99 Archery 

100 Athletics 

101 Riding 

102 Swimming 

103 Trampoline 

98 

97 

99 

101 

100 

76 

94 

95 

96 

77 

102 

91 

92 

93 

78 

103 104 

90 

79 

89 

81 

80 

82 

88 

87 

83 

105 106 

85 

84 

86 

107 

104 Squash 

105 Christians In Sport 

106 AU Sponsor 

107 Gymnastics 

108 Canoe Polo 

109 Surf 

110 Windsurf 

111 Canoe 

112 Rowing 

113 Octopush 

114 Mountain Walking 

115 BUMS 

116 BUGS 

117 Snowsports 

118 BWRPS 

119 LINKS -- St John Ambulance 

120 BASTARDS 

121 SOVA 

122 Duke of Edinburgh 

123 Tarot 

124 Students’ Union main stall 

125 Students’ Union main stall 

126 Sub Aqua 

127 Ultimate Frisbee 

128 Sailing 

129 Fencing 

130 Barbecue


MIXING IT MALIBU STYLE IN IBIZA 

Ibiza. Founded by the Carthaginians in 

645bc and believed to be a magic isle 

blessed by the Gods and predicted by 

Nostradamus to be the Earth’s final refuge 

when nuclear disaster wipes out most of 

life. Invaded by not only the Greeks but the 

Romans, Byzantine empire, the Catalans 

and most recently, British Clubbers. But I’m 

not here to sample the clubbing, I’m one of 

the lucky souls whisked off to sample the 

delights of the Malibu Soundclash event 

which hits Bangor on Monday 23 rd October. 

We are whisked off to the Villa Can 

Plana just North of Ibiza town. Its only 

significance according to that oracle of 

Knowledge Wikipedia, being that it’s a short 

walk from the two citadels of joy/despair 

(dependant on your musical orientation) 

the Amnesia and Privilege nightclubs. 

For the record Amnesia looks like a 

cowshed and Privilege like some crazy 

Eden experiment gone slightly askew. 

The Villa itself is perched on a mountain 

overlooking the Ibizan countryside, and, 

most importantly for us weary travellers, 

has a magnificent swimming pool which is 

where we spend most of the day, sunning 

ourselves, avoiding the wasps (they seem 

to have a foot fetish) and enjoying 

the wonderful hospitality of the 

Making Wave’s PR team, 

who have even supplied 

us with beach towels and 

mirrored aviators 

which come 

in very 

handy 

on our quick trip to Benirras Beach. 

Things kick off properly when the sun 

sets and we get our first taste of the Malibu 

Soundclash and a taster of what to expect 

in October. On the decks we have DJ Dub 

and DJ Kojak competing for our love and 

adulation. The idea being that the DJs play 

back to back while you cheer what you like 

and I guess boo what you don’t, with the DJ 

getting most of the cheers continuing for the 

rest of the night. Not sure what happens if 

they’re both rocking the place, quick game 

of paper, scissors, stone perhaps. 

DJ Dub has been on the London dance 

scene for over a decade and seems to have 

been a very b u s y 

b o y 

indeed. DJ, promoter, producer, journalist 

and an online tutor in the art of mixing. 

DJ Kojak (bald head but sadly no lollypop) 

starting spinning records at the tender age 

of eleven (he’s now twenty five) and has 

spent the subsequent years honing his skills 

at clubs, parties and festivals up and down 

the UK. He is one half of the production 

duo Infinate Potential, releasing two EPs on 

Catskills Records and garnered praise from 

the likes of DJ Yoda, Morcheeba and The 

Nextman. 

So as our DJs mix their eclectic tastes 

together (Stevie Wonder to The Neptunes, 

Prince to Timbaland, from Dizzee Rascal to 

Louis Armstrong and R Kelly to The Kaiser 

Chiefs, although lovers of 60s70s80s90s 

don’t despair, DJ Dub has a box full of 

cheese that’d make even DJ Andy B 

blush) the good people of making 

waves cater to all our Malibu 

needs, fixing us up with 

Malibu & Cranberry, the new 

“classic” way to drink Malibu. 

Malibu and coke, the more 

traditional, old skool way. Malibu 

and pineapple, very good for sore 

throats I’m told. This might also be 

a good time to mention that 

Pernod Ricard (they own 

Malibu) in no way 

promote binge 

drinking and 

fully support the 

 

 

 

 

DJing and drinking is what Ibiza is famous for 

drinkaware.co.uk campaign and my 

inevitable hangover is no ones fault but my 

own. Having said that, even the food doesn’t 

escape the Malibu treatment. Not only do 

we have Malibu BBQ sauce, we have Malibu 

rice to go with our jerk chicken and even 

Malibu vegetable and halum kebabs. 

After the feasting its time for us to 

sample another integral part of the 

Malibu Soundclash, the “Bring Your Own 

Soundsystem” (which will be held in the 

Curved Lounge) which gives us mere 

mortals the chance to get up on the 

decks and either kick ass or crash and 

burn, making a fool out of yourself for 

the enjoyment of your friends. You’ll get 

to choose from the Malibu Soundclash’s 

extensive selection of vinyl, CDs and mp3s 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

17 

or if you’re into your avant-garde post 

rock or you don’t think they’ll have that 

particular Serge Santiago re-mix you’ve 

always wanted to play out then bring your 

own! And regardless of how you entertain 

the crowd, be it great tunes or just plain old 

comedy you’re likely to get a lovely prize, 

a choice of Ltd edition T-Shirts, bags and 

aviator sunglasses. 

Now while none of us had the technical 

ability to play alongside the likes of Dub and 

Kojak it has been a lot of fun and certainly 

not something you want to miss out on 

come October, although you won’t have the 

sunshine or for that matter the swimming 

pool… 

Michael O’Rourke

18 

PUZZLEs, 

osers & 

roblems 

Sudoku Traditional 

1 4 6 8 7 

7 4 

8 1 2 

5 2 

4 6 1 7 3 

2 3 

9 5 4 

8 5 

4 1 7 8 9 

Standard Sudoku - each row, column 

and 3x3 square must contain the 

numbers from 1-9, only once each. 

FIGUREative 

You are standing outside 

a room with a door 

that is closed. On the 

wall next to the door 

are 3 light switches - 2 

of them are duds, and 

the other one controls 

the light in the room. 

Your task is to work out 

which of the 3 switches 

controls the light inside 

the room. You can 

switch all 3 switches 

PRIZE-CROSSWORD 

1 2 3 4 5 

7 8 

9 10 11 

12 13 14 15 

16 17 

18 

on and off as many 

times as you like, but 

as soon as you open 

the door you can’t try 

again - you must know 

which switch controls 

the light! 

NB: The door fits 

snugly inside the frame 

so there are no gaps 

around it where you 

could possibly see light 

escaping. 


Wordoku “Bangor Uni” 

B N I G 

U I 

N R U B A 

G R N 

R B U A O I 

O I N 

O N G R B 

R N 

A I O N 

Same rules, but the letters from 

“BANGOR UNI” are in place of 1-9. 

Note though that there are 2 ‘N’s! 

6 

A 

B 

C 

enCRYPTive 

ACROSS:- DOWN:- 

1 A real male political 

goose (10) 

7 Former name of 

Halifax building society 

(5) 

8 As above (5) 

9 Michelle & Halle were 

this type of woman (3) 

10 Branded protection (5) 

12 Fatigued (5) 

15 A 3-way junction or a 

plastic peg (3) 

16 Dr Banner 

experienced these 

when green (5) 

17 With a black mask but 

not Robin (5) 

18 The political Joe 

Bloggs (5,5) 

E-mail answers for Sudoku, Wordoku & 

Crossword to editor@seren.bangor.ac.uk or cut 

this out and hand it in at the Students’ Union 

reception, marked “Seren”. Don’t forget to put 

your name, tel no. and Uni e-mail address with 

your completed entry! 

inQUIZitive 

1. How many carats is 

pure gold? 

2. What is the fastest 

bird on land? 

3. How is a celestial 

visible light spectrum 

more commonly known? 

4. Which sport 

originated in Holland, 

was popularised by the 

Scottish and, in recent 

times, has dominated 

Canada? 

5. Who was behind 

the breakfast cereal 

revolution of 1906? 

6. Which extraordinary 

book did Ford Prefect 

own? 

7. What is the colloquial 

term for a medical 

computer that uses Axial 

Tomography? 

8. In which cartoon 

is the town of Bikini 

Bottom? 

9. In which 1995 

film did Bruce Willis 

star with Brad Pitt & 

Christopher Plummer? 

10. What were the 

names of The Three 

Musketeers? 

1 Pandas (6,4) 

2 Observable (5) 

3 _____ about - Slang: 

“acted stupidly” (5) 

4 Serpentine 

arithmetician (5) 

5 Abbreviated removal 

of poison (5) 

6 Canine constabulary 

(6,4) 

11 To put into service or 

action (3) 

12 Kellogg’s Tony (5) 

13 Thank you very very 

very very much! (5) 

14 An absent bovine 

male taking 40 winks 

(5) 

15 The human trunk (5) 

B 

C 

D 

A 

IMAGEinative 

EXPOSEitive 

FIGUREative: 

You switch the 1st switch on, wait 30 

mins and then switch it off again. You 

then switch on the 2nd switch, leave it 

on and then open the door. 

If the 1st switch controlled the light 

then the light would be off but the 

bulb would be hot. If it was the 2nd 

the light would be on, and if it was the 

3rd it would be off, but cold! 

enCRYPTtive: 

A. Safety in numbers; B. Shadow 

Cabinet; C. 24 hours. 

inQUIZitive: 

1. 24; 2. Ostrich; 3. Rainbow; 4. 

Curling; 5. William Kellogg; 6. The 

Hitch-Hiker’s Guide To The Galaxy; 

7. CAT Scanner; 8. SpongeBob 

Squarepants; 9. Twelve Monkeys; 10. 

Porthos, Athos & Aramis. 

IMAGEinative: 

A. Sophie Ellis Bextor; B. John 

Barrowman; C. Maggot - Goldie 

Lookin’ Chain; D. Shane Ritchie.

AU TASTER SESSIONS 

When and where have-a-go sessions are being held. Why not try something 

completely new? These sessions are designed to let you get a feel for a club 

without having to join immediately. 

CLUB DAY + DATE TIME VENUE 

Archery Wednesday 27/9 

Friday 29/9 

Sunday 1/10 


Bangor has often being accredited 

for the variety of activities it offers. 

Its rustic surroundings make it 

perfect for all those open- air people, and 

its modern facilities also make room for 

those who prefer to stay inside. If you have 

an interest, you are sure to pursue it here, if 

not, then this is the time to find one! 

With the town backing onto Snowdonia 

and facing the Menai Strait, Bangor holds 

the time honoured stereotype of being 

a very ‘outdoor’ kind of place. The clubs 

and the societies that represent the Bangor 

students also have a good reputation for 

taking full advantage of it. The Bangor 

Mountaineering and Walking Club spend 

most weekends in the wilderness of the 

Welsh valleys, and is idyllic for anyone 

who wishes to enjoy a not too strenuous 

experience of our surroundings. We also 

have the long established Sailing Club, 

as well as the Rowing Club, both taking 

advantage of the Menai Strait. There are 

some fine sea conditions for the Surf Club 

and the Windsurfing Club to enjoy, as well 

as rivers that are enjoyed by the Canoe Club, 

AU Club of the Year (2003/4) 

More recently, it has been Bangor’s 

indoor facilities that have really perked 

up its sporting life. The development 

of the Ffriddoedd site has brought fine 

new developments in the indoor arena, 

including a new gym, 2 sports halls, squash 

courts, astro turf football courts and many 

other fine facilities all designed to encourage 

the development of indoor games and 

activities. We have both large and successful 

badminton and basketball teams, as well as 

a netball team and a newly formed squash 

team. We also make good use of the new 

astro turf pitches. A new 7-A- Side league 

is now played every Sunday. It is a great 

chance to play regular sport, as well as a 

chance to make your potential shown to 

the university team. The hockey team also 

enjoys the facilities, and being one of the 

largest teams in the universities also offers 

many opportunities to those interested in 

the sport. 

We also of course, take pride in our 

more traditional sports (this is Wales after 

all!). The football and rugby teams have 

been a big part of the Bangor sport scene 

for many years. The rugby union side has 

been in existence since the university was 

established, and this year they are planning 

to run a team in the BUSA university league 

and run a combined team in the Welsh 

league. The football team will as always run 

three teams: 1sts in Gwynedd, 2nds and 3rds 

in the Sunday league. The newly established 

rugby league side was the most successful 

19 

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE 

and most improved team last year, (Team of 

the Year 2005-06) their achievements have 

been phenomenal in relation to the short 

time they have being in existence, and they 

will be hoping to prolong this success. 

Other new sports have attracted much 

attention recently: canoe polo; ultimate 

frisbee; octopush; and archery have all 

grabbed the attention of many students 

looking for something a little different. 

The Athletics Club, Cheerleading Club, 

Dance Club and Fencing Club have all also 

gained a lot of interest and again add to 

the ever- growing variety that the Athletic 

Union offers. Other clubs include Gaelic 

football, golf, gymnastics, judo, ki- aikido, 

riding, snowsports, swimming, tennis and 

volleyball. 

All clubs will be at the freshers’ fair, 

Serendipity from the 27 th - 28 th . We encourage 

all students to at least try something. The 

clubs offer not only a chance to participate 

in the sports but also to meet new people 

and bond with new groups; social agendas 

can be found high up on many clubs lists. 

In order to participate in sports clubs 

at Bangor, it is important to obtain an AU 

card, from the Students’ Union, which acts 

as insurance. Get yours for £10. 

Jack Peat 

GRADUATES TRAVEL 1/4 THE EARTH IN £50 CAR 

It is a custom for many graduates to do 

something wild with their last bit of 

freedom before they head into the real 

world. Some visit other countries, some 

work in other countries, some pub crawl 

every town in Britain, and some drive from 

Scarborough to Mongolia in a 977 pink 

Fiat Panda. 

Described as ‘doing something mad 

for a good cause’, John Everitt (formally 

of Bangor University) and Guy Wilson 

(Loughborough) decided to head east 

and take part in the Mongol Rally to raise 

money for the charity Livestock for life. The 

Mongol rally is an 8000 mile race across a 

quarter of the earth’s surface in cars that 

most people wouldn’t consider reliant 

enough to take them to the supermarket. 

The rally requires you to cross 2 deserts and 

5 mountain ranges with no support crew, 

roads running from bad to none existent, 

and all of this with an engine of no more 

8 – 10pm 

8 – 10pm 

9 – 12pm 

Normal Sp. Hall 



Athletics Thursday 28/9 5 – 6:30pm Treborth Track 

Badminton Sunday 1/10 2 – 5pm Main Hall 

Basketball Saturday 30/9 2 – 4pm Main Hall 

BUMS TBC TBC TBC 

Cricket TBC TBC TBC 

Fencing Tuesday 26/9 

Wednesday 27/9 

Saturday 30/9 

Football Men Wednesday 27/9 

Friday 29/9 

Saturday 30/9 

8 – 10pm 

8 – 10pm 

2 – 4pm 

12 – 2pm 

12 – 2pm 

2 – 5pm 

Normal Gym 1 

Normal Gym 1 

Normal Gym 1 

Maes Pitch 1 + 2 

Maes Pitch 1 + 2 

Treborth 

Football Women Saturday 30/9 2 – 4pm Synthetic 

Gaelic Football Men’s 

+ Women’s 

Gymnastics Monday 25/9 

Thursday 28/9 

Saturday 30/9 

Hockey Men Thursday 28/9 

Friday29/9 

Hockey Women Friday 29/9 

Saturday 30/9 

Sunday 1/10 

Judo Tuesday 26/9 

Thursday 28/9 

Ki-Aikido Wednesday 27/9 

Friday 29/9 

Sunday 1/10 

Mountain Walking Saturday 30/9 

Sunday 1/10 

TBC TBC TBC 

8 – 10pm 

6 – 8pm 

3 – 5pm 

1 - 3pm 

2 - 4pm 

12 -2pm 

11 -2pm 

1 -3pm 

8 – 10pm 

8 – 10pm 

8 – 10pm 

8 – 10pm 

10 – 12pm 

9 - 5pm 

9 - 5pm 

Gymnastics Hall 



Synthetic 

Synthetic 

Synthetic 

Synthetic 

Synthetic 

Normal Gym 2 

Normal Gym 2 

Normal Gym 2 

Normal Gym 2 

Normal Gym 2 

Students’ Union 

Students’ Union 

Netball Thursday 28/9 11 - 1pm Main Hall 

Rowing TBC 

Rugby Men Thursday 28/9 

Saturday 30/9 

Rugby Women Friday 29/9 

Saturday 30/9 

Rugby League Friday 29/9 

Sunday 1/10 

6 – 8pm 

2 - 4pm 

2 - 4pm 

12 - 2pm 

12 – 2pm 

2 – 4pm 

Treborth 

Treborth 

Treborth 

Treborth 

Treborth 

Treborth 

Squash TBC TBC TBC 

Tae Kwon Do TBC TBC TBC 

Tennis TBC TBC TBC 

Thai Kick Boxing TBC TBC TBC 

Trampolining Wednesday 27/9 

Thursday 28/9 

Sunday 1/10 

Ultimate Frisbee Friday 29/9 

Saturday 30/9 

4 – 6pm 

2 – 4pm 

2 – 5pm 

7 – 8pm 

2 – 4pm 

1⁄2 New Hall 





than 1 litre. A challenge indeed! 

But this was a challenge that seemed to 

appeal to the two boys from Yorkshire, who 

later would look back on the adventure with 

fond memories of a quite memorable trip. 

You would have expected many 

problems and difficulties, but these seemed 

to be few and far between, and any that 

did occur were handled with the outgoing 

confidence you would need for this type of 

journey. The team overcame problems with 

the foreign police for example by “playing 

the dumb card” when they were looking for 

bribes, “and just ignoring everything that 

they say and repeat London to Mongolia 

over and over again they get bored and 

wave you on.” Problems with the car were 

soon solved, and preparation for any faults 

was evident as the team enjoyed a relatively 

smooth ride. 

It is left then for only fond memories 

of their trip, John Everitt describes how 

Hi everybody, my name is Andy (or Frodo) and I am your Athletic Union President. First 

I’d like to welcome back all the returning students and offer a special welcome to those 

students who are starting their courses here in Bangor. Here in the Athletic Union we 

coordinate in excess of 40 sports clubs that are affiliated to the AU. We have teams competing weekly; 

on Wednesdays in BUSA (British Universities Sports Association) and at weekends in local leagues as 

well as many clubs holding activities in their own disciplines throughout the week. 

Due to our fantastic location here on the North Wales coast we offer a wide variety of sport ranging 

from Surfing to Snowsports, Canoeing to Cricket and Hockey to Octopush. We are also affiliated not 

just to BUSA but also UWAU (Universities in Wales Athletic Union) and this means we also compete 

with other universities in Wales giving you even more chance to compete for your university. There 

are few better ways to meet new people, improve your health and fitness and thoroughly enjoy 

yourself than to take part in sport by joining the AU clubs. You will have the opportunity to meet 

all the clubs and chat with them during Serendipity, our fresher’s fair on 27th and 28th September 

in Academi. We also have a full list of clubs as well as details of how to contact them on our website 

www.undeb.bangor.ac.uk/au 

This coming year is going to be a difficult time for sport in Bangor. With the University’s 

development up on the Ffriddoedd site and the Estates strategy involving the area where the Students’ Union is, we are likely to lose yet more 

valuable facilities for playing and storage. Throughout the year I will be fighting to get sporting provisions increased and prevent the further 

loss of facilities. I will require your help; whether it is through petitions, letters or demonstrations, so we can stand united for sport and make 

people realise that these facilities are invaluable to us. 

Finally I wish you all the best and hope you enjoy your time studying here, take advantage of what the Athletic Union has to offer and get 

involved. If you have any questions or would like more information please get in contact with me. You can phone me on 01248 388003, email 

frodo@undeb.bangor.ac.uk or just drop into my office on the 3rd floor of the students union. 

Thank you 

Andy Redfearn, Athletic Union President 

the locals “had nothing to give yet gave 

everything,” and how “this was true 

throughout all of the countries that we 

visited”. He also recollects on a fond 

memory of a night with an Uzbeki family. 

“When we awoke they had breakfast waiting 

for us. We got up and started eating trying 

to explain in sign language that we were 

heading to a city called Osh today. We kept 

on saying Osh and more and more food 

kept coming, the more we tried to explain 

that we were full and needed to get to Osh 

the more food kept coming after we had 

been eating this poor family out of house 

and home from 8 in the morning to 2 in the 

afternoon (the families kids were climbing 

trees to get us more food) We realized that 

we were actually heading towards Ush and 

the Uzbeki word for food is Osh!” 

The team was one of only 75 cars (out of 

160) to finish the rally. 

Sport

FRESHERS COULD STILL - Seren - Bangor University

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