Issue 51 - University of Surrey's Student Union

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Features Editor: Ellis Taylor | Copy Editor: Tessa MorganThe Stag | Wednesday 14 th November 2012FEATURES 15CAREERSStreet eats in TaipeiBy John Watkins, Director of Careers ServiceThe first of the Semester’sEmployability Forums revealedsome interesting and variedpractices amongst a range ofgraduate recruiters. In a ‘QuestionTime’ style format students wereable to pose searching questionson the current market and heardinsights on the aspects that makea difference in the recruitmentprocess.All of the employers wereconsistent in their view thatapplications and cvs need a‘narrative’. They defined this termas equivalent to a story in whichthe applicant is the main characterand can demonstrate their journeyto the point of putting themselvesforward for a particular job.The skillset required bythe different employers, whichincluded a small market researchcompany, and larger engineering,financial, technology andeducational organisations, wereunderstandably varied. Thishighlights the importance ofthorough research before applyingto identify the priorities thatmatter most. Amongst thosesingled out as most critical wereacademic achievement, workethic, commercial awareness andcustomer service.The panel also differed ontheir attitude to social media.Half explicitly noted that theyavoid looking at any social mediapresence of candidates. The otherhalf indicated that they alwayslook at Facebook and LinkedIn tosee how those applying representthemselves online. There are clearlyopportunities here to impress witha professional image conducive tothe company, as well as dangersfrom failing to recognise the publicnature of profiles and the widevariety of stakeholders with access.One cautionary tale was told of theapplicant whose past involvementin the adult entertainmentindustry was graphically availableto a wide public audience includinghis prospective employers who,on discovery, decided againstproceeding with a job offer!The next forum takes placeon 15th November on the topicof business and commercialawareness – one of those vitalemployability skills.The last few weeks has alsoseen prizes awarded by employersas part of their sessions, including aKindle and an I-pad. In addition, theCareers Service also identified twostudents of the month for Octoberfor outstanding commitment todeveloping their employability –finalist, Annabel Barnard, whois studying Physics, and BusinessManagement second year, ChandniKapoor.By Ankur Banerjee, Features TeamThe first thing that hit me whenI walked through the streets ofTaipei, the capital of Taiwan, is theutter lack of tourists. Even in theoff-chance that I did spot a fellowtourist in regulation backpackand-cameraattire, what mademe particularly self-consciousis that I was the onlybrown face in sight,throughout my trip. Icertainly got stared at –a lot – especially whenI attempted to speakto locals in (broken)Chinese.My reason forwandering throughTaipei was to samplethe street cuisineof the Shilin NightMarket, considered tobe one of the best inAsia. Every evening,dozens of hawker carts spring upamong makeshift stalls sellingeverything from pirated DVDs tohipster clothes which stretchesout for kilometres. The smell offood wafting from the carts is soheady that you can smell it evencrossing a busy intersection,pushed along by a crowd of peopleequally eager to grab dinner.Street cuisine may conjureimages of cheap hotdogs orkebabs, but that’s not what’s onoffer. Most dishes are offered inportions on skewers, each portioncosting a fraction of a dollar,with the implicit expectationthat patron will be hopping fromcart-to-cart to eat what catchestheir fancy. Sausages covered ina fried potato coating similar tohash browns; watermelon chunksglazed in hardened sugar syrupwith ants stuck on them (reallycrunchy and sweet – loved it!);jellyfish with tofu in oyster sauce;warm and crispy fried doughsticks filled with custard and icecream; barbecued stingrays; softflat buns sprinkled generouslywith ground pepper – there is suchan incredible variety of innovativefood that I wholeheartedly agreewhy Taipei is famous for this, andI found myself craving for more.Part of the charm is theatmosphere of the night marketsthemselves. Popular hawker stallsprominently display pictures oflocal celebrities who frequentthem. Someone tries to sell youtoy helicopters while you fumblethrough change for a snack, whileoff to one side you can hear peoplefiring airguns at balloons to trywin Angry Birds stuffed toys. If allthis gets too much, you can alwayssit down at one of streetsiderestaurants instead to savourcrispy pork noodles in chickenbroth with jasmine tea.What’s Hot: Bubbletea. Bubble tea is milkytea, often infused withfruit or other flavours,with ‘bubbles’ or ‘pearls’made of tapioca balls ina jelly-like consistency.This drink was inventedin Taiwan – so even ifyou have tasted thiselsewhere, you musttry it in its birthplace– and is now massivelypopular throughoutEast Asia. It’s incrediblyfun to slurp up the ‘pearls’through the fat straws providedwith your glass.What’s Not: Frog eggs. Youwill see signs for these every fewhawker stalls, but they aren’tactual eggs from frogs. I was sorelydisappointed. ‘Frog eggs’ is simplya term the hawkers in Taipei seemto have settled upon, for somebizarre reason, for grass jelly – adessert popular throughout muchof East Asia made by boiling mintleaf stalks and starch into a jelly.Surrey student crowned Miss UK Nepal 2012Surrey student Parika Ale talks to Hiba Khan about her experience in Miss UK Nepal 2012By Hiba Khan, Features TeamLast year the Nepalese societywon the award for BestInternational Society, and a fewweeks ago, one of our Nepalesestudents won First Runner Up ofMiss UK Nepal 2012. So who is she?I caught up with Parika Ale, FirstRunner Up of the Miss UK Nepal2012 on campus to find out!So Parika Congratulations! Howdoes it feel to be the First Runner Upof Miss UK Nepal 2012?Thank you! It’s such an amazingfeeling. For me, winning FirstRunner up wasn’t just about thetitle, it was more about fulfillingthe expectations of my family andfriends. I’m so grateful that theybelieved in me and supported methroughout the whole process. Itwas so overwhelming when I wonthe title.How did you have to preparefor the Miss UK Nepal 2012 beautycontest?It was really hard because wehad to train every day for threeweeks 11am-6pm straight. Trainingincluded public speaking, catwalkpractice and talent practice.I actually ended up gettingblisters on my feet because I waswalking in heels so often. Therewas a great emphasis on publicspeaking because the way each ofus portrayed ourselves was veryimportant. It was essential that wedidn’t show that we were nervouson stage and were diplomatic aboutwhat we said.You also won Miss Talent in thecompetition. What did you dance toand why do you think you won?That was THE award I wasactually aiming to get. It meanta lot to me to win Miss Talent. Iwas confident because I workedextremely hard and I have beenperforming for many years; I kepttelling myself that I could do it. Itwas really tough because the othernine contestants were so talented,and many people chose to dancefor the talent section. I danced to“K bhul bhayo priya” which is asemi-Classical Nepalese song.What impact has being at theUniversity of Surrey had on you?Education is a really bigpart of your life. You learn, youget involved in extracurricularactivities and you socialise. TheUniversity of Surrey is a wonderfulplace to be! I’ve been inspired byso many people here, the studentsare always doing something! I wasthe Events Co-ordinator for theNepalese Society at Surrey lastyear which really helped me withmy interpersonal skills. It helpedbuild my confidence and allowedme to see things from differentperspectives. I think these skillshelped me a lot when I entered theMiss UK Nepal competition.What are your plans for thefuture?In Nepal there are some issuesregarding access to clean water andI want to change that. I really wantto improve the water sanitationquality in Nepal and I feel that myuniversity degree will enable me todo so. When I finish my ChemicalEngineering degree at Surrey thefirst thing I will do is go out thereand complete this project. MissUK Nepal 2012 gave me the rightplatform to do this. This title hasexposed me to sponsors and hasallowed my voice to be heard.
16 FEATURESThe Stag | Wednesday 14 th November 2012 features@thestagsurrey.co.ukPlacement to final yearBy Lasika Jayamaha, Features TeamAfter living and working inLondon for a year, life backat Surrey was never going to bethe same. All my course matesand peers would have graduated,clubs and societies would havenew members and I would besurrounded by faces I wouldhardly recognise. Towards the endof my placement, I was not sureif I was looking forward to beingback at university and spending aflexible routine or if I preferred theorganised lifestyle of working 9-5.However, at the end of the year,I was knackered living the busycity life that the real world had instore for us and somewhere deepdown I was thankful at the thoughtof returning to university with itspeaceful surroundings.It is the strangest feeling beingback at university, especially afterspending a year on placement andearning a good salary. The biggestfear I had was, ‘what if I didn’tknow anyone?’, ‘I will have to getused to budgeting my financesand spending less’ and I will haveconcentrate on the pressures thatfinal year has in store for us’.Twelve months on placementflew quicker than I imagined. Justas much as I had enjoyed working,it was time to resume student lifewith assignments, labs, examsand dissertation so I could finallygraduate, the main reason I cameto university for.I had visited Guildford and thecampus and kept in touch with afew friends so it was not the endof the world. I was familiar withthe new library, amigos and thebookshop that had since relocated.During the first few weeks Ibumped into many a known facesand re-joined the various societyand volunteering activities that Ihad been a part of prior to going onplacement. Getting involved withfresher’s moving in and welcomeweek was also a great opportunityto meet new people and made mefeel at home. After a few weeksit seemed that I hadn’t really leftand I am really looking forward toenjoying my final year at Surrey!‘Keep Searching’: A Night at Student AlphaTrouble sleeping?By Sophie Vickery, Features TeamOne in ten can’t dropoff to sleep at night,while many struggleto stay asleep andfrequently wake up andthen struggle to dropback off. For students,insomnia is a commonproblem. Noisy Rubixand strange beds (thereis no bed as comfortableas the one at home)are likely causes. But,insomnia can alsodevelop followinganxiety and depression,often suffered bystudents facingimminent deadlines,exam stress or homesickness.Typical student habits can alsobe blamed as irregular sleeproutines, late night eating,smoking and alcohol all increasethe chances of disturbed sleep.The University of Coloradofound that 69.7% of students whofound it difficult to fall asleepalso had lower grades and 72.7%who had trouble to fall back tosleep upon waking during thenight, struggled to concentratethroughout the day.Fortunately, a few simplelifestyle changes can help reduceinsomnia, without medication.A regular sleep pattern isrecommended, with 8 hoursof sleep each night. Ensurethe bed is comfortableand is kept as a sleepingenvironment, rather thana sofa or kitchen table! It isimportant to let the brainunwind prior to sleeping, solate night revision should beavoided and replaced withrelaxation time by takinga warm shower, watchingtelevision or reading.Alcohol, heavy meals, sugarand caffeine should also beavoided late at night. Finally,for those with frustratinglyactive minds, pen and paperare bedside necessities toallow lists of jobs and ideas toescape the mind, leaving roomfor sweet dreams. Meanwhile, forthose enduring hours of constanttossing and turning, hide theclock and forget the fact that it isonly two hours until lecture.Surrey, Sex and ShamblesBy Tom Gouldinghad come to the Student AlphaI meeting at St Saviour’s Church,Guildford, armed only with a leafletprovided by the Surrey ChristianUnion and an insatiable desire torelieve my curiosity.As a confirmed but nonpracticingChristian, like millionsof people around the world I havespent most of my life strugglingwith the concept of faith. Why arewe here? Where are we going? Isthere an afterlife? If such questionshave confounded the best mindssince the dawn of time, then Iwas unlikely to find the answersnursing a beer outside the Students’Union on a Friday night.For ten years, the StudentAlpha course has promoted itselfas a place to “relax, share yourthoughts and explore the meaningof life”. In other words, it is aseven-week introductory courseto Christianity, which strives tooffer young people and studentsan essential grasp of the religionwithin the limits of a universitysemester.Upon arriving at St Saviour’s,I’m directed to a table whereAssociate Rector Tom Darwent andhis wife Kate are discussing theplan for the evening.Tom has been rector for 20months and explains that he triesto accommodate young peoplealongside the more traditionalservices, a consideration thatis reflected in the estimated 80people who attend Student Alphaat the church each week. Ofthese, just under half are regularchurchgoers. “It’s a very laid backatmosphere here,” he tells me.“After we’ve eaten I’ll give a shorttalk about this week’s subject andthen we’ll all discuss it within ourindividual tables.”I look around. In place of a pulpitthere is a well-lit sofa. Instead of anorgan comes the sound of Mumford& Sons wafting across the room. Itis a million miles from the archaicdescriptions of fire-and-brimstonethat have come to plague theChurch’s image.I find myself talking to asecond year Law undergraduatecalled Luke, a member of theSurrey Christian Union who foundhis faith at the age of fifteen. Iask him how someone with suchentrenched beliefs could benefitfrom a beginners’ course likeStudent Alpha.“I’ve brought friends to thesemeetings, so it’s partly on theirbehalf,” he says, “But it’s also justto meet people who want to learnmore about the Christian faith.”The week’s talk, entitled‘How Did Jesus Die?’ is brief,with Tom drawing on vox popsand contemporary analogiesto illustrate the significance ofChrist’s sacrifice.As he sits back down, asustained silence fills our table.Questions for the discussion havealready been anticipated, typed upon worksheets in front of us. Theatmosphere is reminiscent of a Year9 R.E lesson. “What is your reactionto the crucifixion?” Tom asks,trying to prompt conversation.“Ouch”, a girl across the tableremarks.There are more questions,followed by more awkwardshuffling. Unsurprisingly, it is Lukewho often fills the silences.As people began to trickle out,I reflected on the evening. I foundmyself praising St Saviour’s effortsto rejuvenate the Church for a newgeneration of followers, a bold stepthat many parishes have so farneglected.Yet I also found the conceptof Student Alpha condescending,and a little misleading. For allits hashtags and informalities,the bullet-point questions andregimented script ironicallystifled some of the freethinkingexploration it strived so hard tosupport.I might not have found what Iwas looking for, but looking around,it was strangely comforting torealise that I wasn’t alone. Beforeleaving St Saviour’s, I decided toask a group of ACM students whythey had come along.“Us?” they looked at me,quizzically, “We’re just here for thefree food.”By Tom Greenaway, Features TeamArguments. However muchwe like to think we’rethese reasonable amicablepeople, we often find ourselvesin unavoidable arguments;forced to deal with people weotherwise would not, such isuniversity life. This past weekI’ve single-handedly managedto piss off someone from everyfacet of my life, work colleagues,course piers, family membersand friends of friends. You knowwhen you’re just having one ofthose weeks where nothing goesyour way (world’s smallest violinplaying in the background). Buthey there’s always a silver-lining,at least these stories (hopefully)keep you entertained! Let’s startwhere most of my shambolic talesbegin shall we, you guessed it,Brighton. So I went down to visitmy best mate for her birthday, asyou do, bought her flowers andchocolates so constantly got the‘aww, you’re such a good friend’comment, and the ever-so cringe‘why are all the best guys gay?’,but I digress, as the evening wenton everything seemed to be asuccess, I even managed not topull any of my friends (result!)but in steps psycho housemate.You know those people whoappear to be pretty standard andjust blend in to the background,but underneath that smiley ifnot dull exterior lies some batshitcray demon. Instead oftelling her housemate to turn themusic down, she locked herselfin her room, shut the door andthreatened to call the police ifpeople didn’t leave; c’mon girlsI know (at least I’ve heard) youalways have that ‘time of themonth’ but seriously?!?! Anywayssometimes you crazy girls cementmy happy position as a flaminghomosexual; I can assure you Iam hormonal and temperamentalenough for two people (thisprobably has something to dowith my being in love withsomeone very straight laced andstable).On a completely unrelatednote I need all your help. Youknow when you have an extremelyhorrendous habit that you justcan’t break? Well I’ve taken towinking at people and it’s just notok. I have the uncanny abilityto look like a 12 year old boyand a pervert at the same time,so winking is an absolute no go.If any of you catch me doing itaround campus – whether I knowyou or not – please tell me, I needto nip this in the bud, who winksin this day and age?!?! Also Teaseis coming up in the next few daysthen I’ll be in Brighton againsoon so be sure to read up on allthe latest horrendous tales. Yourshambolic friend, T.
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Page 4 and 5: 4 NEWSThe Stag | Wednesday 14 th No
Page 6 and 7: 6 UNIONThe Stag | Wednesday 14 th N
Page 8 and 9: 8 OPINION & ANALYSIS The Stag | Wed
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Page 15 and 16: 10 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY The Stag |
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Page 19 and 20: Lit Editor: Emily Smart | Copy Edit
Page 21 and 22: Channies Xmas 6 Sheet 2012.indd 110
Page 23 and 24: EY eek 2012nd contribution of peopl
Page 25 and 26: Music Editor: Becky Worley | Copy E
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Page 39 and 40: Societies Editor: Shalini Thondraye
Page 42 and 43: 42 SPORTThe Stag | Wednesday 14 th
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