Issue 43 - University of Surrey's Student Union

18 FEATURES
The Stag | 6 th March 2012 features@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Taking the Leap!
By Becky Powell and Nicole Vassell,
Features Team
2012 is a leap year, meaning that
last week Wednesday we had
an extra date – 29 th February. This
is to keep our calendar aligned
with the revolutions of the earth
around the sun. *Fun fact* - if we
didn’t have leap years, we would
have missed around 24 days in
every 100 years!
However, another reason
why this day is special is that it
is traditionally the one specific
date where it is ‘acceptable’
for women to propose to their
significant others. Of course,
there is nothing that legally
restricts women from asking, but
it is generally assumed that if a
heterosexual couple get married,
it’s the man’s job to pop the
proverbial question. There are a
number of stories as to why this
practice came about: ‘St Bridget’s
complaint’ tells of how St Bridget
complained to St Patrick that
it was unfair that women were
not allowed to propose to men
as they took too long – so as a
compromise, St Patrick allowed
women to pop the question once
every four years, on February’s
extra day. In 1288 a law was then
passed, allowing women this one
day to propose to men. In both
circumstances it was considered
only fair that if the women were
rejected they were entitled to
compensation, usually a few
pairs of silk gloves to hide their
lack of wedding ring!
Jewellers such as H Samuel
endorsed the 29 th February
tradition last week, through
offers on men’s rings in their
‘Take the Leap’ promotion, and
even by running a competition
to win money towards a wedding
if you propose in the store.
For most women reading this
article, the prospect of marriage
isn’t something that’s in the
foreseeable future. However,
when – or if – you find yourself in
a situation where you want your
better half to ‘put a ring on it’,
how many of you would consider
popping the question yourself –
regardless of the date?
In this day and age, women
should be able to propose without
a stigma attached. But in practice,
many are still dismissive of the
idea. For example, the modernday
classic TV show Friends shows
the character of Phoebe deeming
the act of a woman proposing ‘a
little desperate’ – though that
episode dates from 2004, this
view hasn’t shifted much. Blog
writers on bridewillsurvive.
co.uk say: “There are so many
women in our world today who
want equal opportunities up
until the point of proposal where
they expect the knight in shining
armour to come sweep them off
their feet”. Maybe it’s because we
want the surprise of being asked
or we feel we would miss out on
getting an engagement ring, or
even because we don’t want the
pressure – what if he says no?!
In a marriage, husbands
and wives are considered equal
partners, so why should it matter
who asks who? The fact that you
both agree to spend the rest of
your lives together should be
more than enough, and make the
dilemma of how you get engaged,
trivial. So ladies, when the time
comes, if it feels right, don’t be
afraid to take the leap!
What do your taste buds say about you?
By Sophie Vickery, Features Team
Many first dates are spent over dinner at a restaurant
where nervous couples make light conversation
and try to get to know their new acquaintance,
assessing if they would like to spend more time with
them and potentially build a relationship.
But did you know that there may be a much easier
way to quickly gauge someone’s character without the
daunting task of having to make conversation and
asking appropriate questions? Hirsch, a psychiatrist
and neurologist, discusses that certain foods reflect
different characters in his book, ‘What’s Your Food
Sign? How To Use Food Clues To Find Lasting Love’. So,
what do your food choices say about you?
Hirsch articulates that those who choose nutty
foods have a reliable character, especially in emergency
situations. Meanwhile, those opting for fruity flavours
and are understood to be mentally strong. If chocolate
desserts or chocolate bars fill your cupboards, Hirsch
would equate this with the need for a mood booster.
He says that people craving dark chocolate are ‘social
butterflies’ and the ‘life of the party’, while those
desiring milk chocolate tend to be more ‘introspective
and quiet’.
There are many who would admit to having a sweet
tooth, often opting for sugary treats over savoury
snacks and dishes. Research indicates this ignorance
of cheese or salt and embracement of sweets and
chocolate reflects those looking to ‘walk on the wild
side’, living a carefree lifestyle with ‘few regrets’!
For those who prefer savoury choices such as meats,
cheese and nuts, Hirsch would expect to find spotless
homes and clutter free desks because cheese lovers are
‘fussy about cleanliness’!
Of course, these findings are rather contentious,
but the next time you are on a first date, contemplating
the menu, or are among friends and family at a buffet,
be aware that your choices could be revealing deep
psychological insights into your character!
Let’s hope your tastebuds aren’t as coourful as these
Y’know what really grinds my gears?
Not having
anything to
write about
© OakleyOriginals
“Down on your knees, woman.”
© popster
By Bakita Kasadha, Editor in Chief
I
’m just too damn happy! Things
are going alright at the moment
and it’s making this article hard to
write. I think writing my Grind My
Gears (GMGs) is starting to grind
my gears. Yeah I know - then I
should just stop, right? The thing is,
it’s become my ‘thing’ now, I guess.
Seeing as this is my third year of
writing it, I have to keep this going
until I graduate and partly to spite
the other people who want to take
it over (I’ll explain later on).
I’m beginning to run out of
ideas - I’ve moaned about being
short; recycling in Guildford; girls
(I still need to do a follow up about
the boys); I’ve moaned about you
and I’ve complained about me. Now
I fear that people just see me as the
short girl that has nothing better
to do with her time than rant.
As I previously mentioned, I
can’t stop because other people
want my column and I don’t trust
them with it. I’ve been messaged by
some students asking if they could
take it over. Osama hijacked one
of my GMGs and Dave Halls keeps
badgering me - he wants his turn. I
feel like I’m slowly but surely losing
it (the column, not my mind). How
long can I hold him off if I’ve now
openly admitted that I can’t think
of any new topics?
I wanted to write a GMGs
about racism, which I promise
you would’ve been funny and not
that offensive (and if it had been,
the offence felt would have been
lessened by the comic relief) but
certain members of the Union were
a little concerned. I’m still thinking
of a way to get around it - watch
this space.
So I’ve basically filled my
column and told you nothing.
I don’t know if that’s a sign of
brilliance or if I’ve just wasted your
time. By the way (unrelated note)
I know that in another rant I said
that I can’t use semi-colons, I did
actually mean it. I’ve just realised
that most other people don’t know
how to use them either, so I’m safe.
I’m not a moany mare all
the time; it’s just that I’m rather
content at the moment and it’s
ruining the moaning vibe and it
just really grinds my gears!