Student Life September 2019

STUDENT LIFE IS PROUD TO BE SHORTLISTED IN THREE CATEGORIES
AT THE BUSINESS & COMMUNITIES AWARDS 2019
SEPTEMBER 2019
STUDENT Life
Lifestyle Magazine by Students, for Students
PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY
COVER IMAGE BY
TSHEQUA WILLIAMS
Don’t miss a single issue... subscribe online at www.student-life.co

6 ENTERTAINMENT
Top tunes, movies,
gaming and reviews
16 ART
Poems, short stories
and book reviews
23 FASHION
Fashion for the
new season
29 BEAUTY
Skincare routines and
sustainable beauty
35 TRAVEL
Two students share
their experiences
37 MY PLANET
Looking at
environmental issues
39 SEXUAL HEALTH
Sexual health week ‘19
and period poverty
41 CAREERS
Be a part of our
new project
43 MENTAL HEALTH
This month’s Mental
Health section
60 PHYSICAL HEALTH
Blood pressure, sepsis
and #GUGO
64 WHAT THE FOOD
Foodie diary dates,
Honey + Harvey review
66 MY LIFE & LGBT
Dear past me, advice
for freshers, studying
LGBTQ’s and Pride
74 TECH
Back to school tech
77 MY MONEY
Learn how to budget
Editor’s
WORD
Welcome September,
you’ve come around quick!
I can’t believe we are
already in September and
at the start of a new school year! It’s crazy to think
how quickly time flies but I hope you have all had
summers full of fun, laughter and adventures.
At Student Life, while we have had a break from
visiting schools, we have been just as busy; planning
our new workshops, working on a new film project
and also training up Mental Health Ambassadors
(plus much more)!
Once again, we have a packed magazine for you this
month with plenty of articles about getting ready
to head back to school, college or University. From
Fashion and beauty tutorials, to words of advice
to Freshers from students who have been in those
shoes. We also have featured some great articles
about back to school technology and advice on how
to manage your money as a new student so there
should be something for everyone.
Also, hear from two students who we sent to
Sundown Festival and were lucky enough to head
backstage to interview a special guest! Find out what
they thought on pages 10-13.
I hope you enjoy this
month’s publication
and as always, if you’d
like to get involved,
contact me with the
details below!
Best wishes,
Rachel
Director of Editorial
Contact us
01473 35 35 12
rachel@student-life.co
www.student-life.co
@studentlifesuffolk
@studentlifesuffolk
@studentlifesuffolk

MEET OUR CO-EDITORS
Our magazine wouldn’t be possible without our Co-ed’s, get in contact
if you are interested in joining the team – rachel@student-life.co
ENTERTAINMENT CO-EDITOR LOUISE DICKMAN
Hi, I’m Louise, your entertainment co-editor. I also occasionally write
for the mental health section in the magazine. I am really passionate
about gaming and I plan to expand and make the section as
interesting as possible!
ART CO-EDITOR KAY SABERTON
I’m Kay, your Art co-editor! In the upcoming months the section will be
introducing more artwork and creative pieces. Creativity is vital to us
as, ‘To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make
your soul grow. So do it’ – Kurt Vonnegut.
FASHION CO-EDITOR TSHEQUA WILLIAMS
I’m Tshequa, Fashion co-editor alongside Pam. I’m doing
A Levels and aspire to have a career in journalism/media in the future
so I’m grateful for the opportunities I get working with Student Life.
BEAUTY CO-EDITOR LIBBY DAWSON
m Libby, an English Literature and Media Communications graduate,
working with Student Life to gain experience in Marketing, Business
Development, Social Media Management and now, work in Editorial!
It is a great platform to be involved in.
TRAVEL CO-EDITOR CAMELIA ATOMEI
My name is Camelia and I am studying at University of Suffolk.
I started getting involved with Student Life because I wanted to get to
know more people, be more confident, but mostly because I felt that
university experience is also about what I do outside classes.
PHYSICAL HEALTH CO-EDITOR LOUISA SADLER
Hi, I’m Louisa. I am the co-editor of Physical Health and an English
student at University of Suffolk. I am really interested in Publishing as
a career and I’m thankful to Student Life for allowing me to join the
co-editing team.
TECH & MY MONEY CO-EDITOR JOSHUA HODGKIN
Hello! I’m Joshua, co-editor for Tech and My Money. I also write for
the Mental Health and other sections. I think it’s important for money
issues to be talked about, and I want to talk about how cool tech is!

WHY NOT
GET INVOLVED?
We’re looking for:
WRITERS
PHOTOGRAPHERS
DESIGNERS
BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT TEAM
MYSTERY SHOPPERS
& REVIEWERS
DISTRIBUTORS
“Since working
with Student Life I have
gained both confidence
and knowledge within the
business and journalism
sectors.”
“My roles at
Student Life have
shaped my leadership
and decision making
skills.”
Take the first step,
email us to find out more
info@student-life.co
4 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

STUDENT Life
NEWS
Since we last updated you, things have been very busy at Student Life!
We are excited to share with you some of the projects we are working
on and ones that are coming up in the following months!
Self-Harm Project
Throughout August we have been on set
filming for our newest short film which
will be raising awareness of self-harm.
Filming is nearly complete and we are
really pleased with all the hard work of
everyone involved.
Mental Health
First Aid
In preparation for the launch
of our Mental Health Ambassador
Programme and our branch Training for Life,
Rachel and Joshua have now also completed
their instructor training for the youth course
via Mental Health First Aid England.
We now have four in-house instructors
(both adult and youth) and we have just held
our first youth course! Congratulations to
our first cohort of Youth Mental Health First
Aiders! For more info on courses,
email: richard@student-life.co
Fundraising Skydive
We would like to highlight the
bravery of Louise Richardson
and her friend Georgia Lucy Otto,
who have been raising money
for Student Life by completing a
skydive! On the 30th August, they
jumped 13,000 feet out of a plane
to fundraise for our Mental health
Ambassador Programme. Thank
you and well done!
New Schools
September will be a busy month as we go back into schools to present to new
year groups and launch our Mental Health Ambassador programme. As well as
our onboarding presentation, we will also be sharing our anti-bullying assembly
‘Speak Up, Speak Out’. In addition, we will also be travelling to Kent to present
Student Life and our presentations. We are very excited to share what we do with
the students of Kent and to welcome even more new schools to Student Life!
5 • NEWS • STUDENT LIFE

ENTERTAINMENT
CO-EDITOR LOUISE DICKMAN
SONGS OF
THE SUMMER
WRITTEN BY RAHUL ANEESH
It’s that time of year where music fans from across the world select their favourite
songs of the summer. Here is a list of mine; there may be a few songs not many of
you have heard of but it’s good to bring something new to the table.
10 SMOKEPURRP – REPEAT
This song has a happy and powerful
beat that has plenty of colour. Also, I
like the way Smokepurrp says some
of the lines in a comedic tone. I just
purely listen to this song when I’m
having a good time, which is another
reason why it’s a part of this list.
9 YUNGBLUD – LONER
Probably the least rap focused song on
this list but it still has plenty of pleasure to
offer during the course of its runtime. It’s
essentially a song about how he wants to get
over certain people and I can relate to this
stuff. Like a lot of summer songs, it’s got that
ideal motivation to have fun in the sun.
8 LIL NAS X – RODEO FEAT. CARDI B
This was my favourite song of the “7” EP in my opinion and he is known for his unique
combination of country and trap. I love this track because it has those country rap
elements displayed brilliantly. I also love the auto-tune vocals Lil Nas uses and Cardi B’s
savage verse. I also love the western vibe this track gives off perfectly. I’d recommend
this song if you’re planning on having a party across the beach.
6 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

7 RICH BRIAN – KIDS
This is one of the more unknown tracks
on this list; Rich Brian is a rapper from
Indonesia who I replay often. This is
supposed to be a motivating song and
even Brian himself stated, “To me, ‘Kids’
is an anthem… a victory song” and I can
see where he is coming from. I would
recommend this song for the summer for
two things; when you finish your GCSE’s or
when you simply have fun in the sun.
5 RICO NASTY – ROOF
This is a really energetic song with a
quick paced guitar hook. There are
some pretty creative and funny lines
on this track. This is also coupled
with an excellent flow and charisma.
The chorus also adds catchiness.
After all Energy = Good Song For The
Summer.
3 JUICE WRLD – FAST
In this song, Juice WRLD opts for softer
singing as well as a summery guitar
instrumental which sounds like something
off a Disneyland Paris advert. Seriously,
whenever I hear this song, I imagine myself
on a rollercoaster. I mean, certain people
often spend their summer in theme parks
so that’s why it’s high on this list.
6 AJ TRACEY – NECKLACE
FEAT. JAY CRITCH
This track features a more melodic sound
from UK rapper AJ Tracey and I like the
acoustic guitars in the background. Also,
the song is insanely catchy and has a
beautiful and positive vibe to the track.
It sounds like a mainstream US hip hop
track due to the fact Jay Critch is on this
track and he’s American. Another track you
could consider on your playlist.
4 LIL SKIES – BREATHE
This is my favourite song of his album
Shelby because it sounds notably different
to the other songs because of the aquatic
vibe and how beautifully the hook is autotune
sung. I could imagine myself listening
to this song while swimming along the
beach waters or having a pool party with
my friends. I just purely like the melody of
this song which is a perfect melody for my
favourite season.
2 DENZEL CURRY – RICKY
Denzel really does have consistency on
his side. This song has a motivational
and inspiring message about Denzel’s
family and explains his lifestyle and his
influences. This was described by Genius
as “energetic” and they’re not wrong. The
production is lively and exotic coupled with
crazy rapping and flows. This is a wellcrafted
and skilled summer banger
of mine.
1 TYLER THE CREATOR – I THINK
This has to be number one because it’s got a blissful production which builds up to a fun
atmosphere and discusses the themes of love. I also like how Tyler maintains this lush
production with a really strong verse. This is also my favourite song from my favourite
album of 2019 so far which is Igor. This really is one great song.
7 • ENTERTAINMENT • STUDENT LIFE

GUITAR
AN ADVENTURE JOURNEY
BY CAMELIA ATOMEI
Having a hobby helps people relax and get
through bad moments easier. A few years
ago, I was given a guitar and I can say it was
one of the best things that happened to me as
I was going through my parent’s death and I
felt that everything was falling apart.
In the beginning, I did not know what to do
with it, how to play or how to hold it properly.
It started as a way of doing something
different and then it became a passion, a way
to focus my energy and my motivation on
learning how to play that chord and so on.
Until 2 years ago I used to play everywhere, in
front of my friends, at different scout events
but I had a break since I came to the UK as
I did not manage to buy one. Things have
changed now that I own one, and since I’ve
restarted playing again, I feel more relaxed
than ever.
Even if I have a bad day at work
or I miss home I will get with my
guitar and after a few songs, I
realise how far I got and that
there are still so many things to
discover and to learn.
If you are a new player, I would recommend
filling yourself up with lots of patience as it
can take quite a long time until you will get
that chord as you want, but you will as it is all
about practice. Try to master simple chords
first and then find songs that have them. The
feeling of being successful after mastering a
song is amazing, it makes you want to practice
more and learn more complicated songs.
For me having a guitar now is an excellent
way of spending my time. Wherever I go I
tend to take it with me and make memories
as they are the best way of reminding myself
of a specific place.
If you ever wanted to have a guitar, I would
recommend it. It will make you feel more
responsible as you have to invest time and
effort, but it is totally worth it. Having an
instrument as a passion will have an impact
on our development, makes us listen more to
the music and to the others.
8 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

NETFLIX BINGE
BY EMILY HUNT
So, I’m sure over the summer most of
us have watched a bit too much Netflix,
but why not? So, I’m going to talk about
which series and films are worth watching.
First, I have recently been addicted to
“Line of Duty” (rated 15). It’s your typical
crime-solving series, but better. Basically,
it follows DS Steve Arnott and DS Kate
Fleming who are part of anti-corruption
unit 12 in the police force that tries to
solve some intense crimes. From strange
murders to kidnappings, it covers it all.
The first 4 seasons are on Netflix, and
the 5th season is on BBC iPlayer. I would
rate this a 5 out of 5 stars because I feel
like most people would enjoy this, and
be as addicted as I was (seriously, it got
unhealthy).
Next, I came across a film called “A Simple
Favour” (rated 15). Initially, the film came
out at the end of last year and was only
recently released on Netflix. Starring Blake
IMAGES BY EMILY HUNT
Lively and Anna Kendrick,
it’s a gripping film about a widowed,
middle-class mum, called Stephanie, who
befriends a glamorous, rich woman, called
Emily, who works in the inner city. But
when Emily disappears and Stephanie is
stuck with her child, she goes to her blog
subscribers for help to find Emily. It is quite
an intense film, but it is definitely worth
the watch. I would rate this film 4 out of 5
and I really enjoyed watching it.
Lastly, last year I discovered a series
called Dynasty (rated 15). Dynasty follows
two of America’s wealthiest families, the
Carringtons and the Colbys, as they feud
for control over money and even their
own children. The whole series is seen
mainly through the Carrington’s daughter,
Fallon, while she tries to take over her
father’s company, Carrington Atlantic.
Dynasty doesn’t only follow the glamorous
life of the 2 richest families in America,
it also exposes the dark side of corrupt
businessmen involved in the oil industry.
The second season was released recently,
but in my opinion, the first is better than
the second season. Overall, I would rate
this series a 4 out of 5, because I think it
can be very tense so especially fun
to watch.
9 PB • • ENTERTAINMENT MARCH 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

SUNDOWN
FESTIVAL
MY OWN
EXPERIENCE
BY AMY CURTIS
I was one of the students selected to
attend Sundown and interview artists on
behalf of Student Life. I couldn’t believe I
had been chosen at first. Nerves quickly
set in when we had to begin to prepare for
interviews and we learnt that we will be in
the photo pits taking the pictures for the
articles.
There were two huge highlights of my day.
The first was that I got to interview Maleek
Berry and Sammy Porter. The second was
being in the photo pits. Tinie Tempah was
on stage singing Miami 2 Ibiza and there I
was, at the front, capturing the moment.
It has been my dream to be able to review
festivals for quite a few years now. I
always imagined myself behind the scenes
interviewing artists and trying to get the
scoop first. When I finished University, I
set up my own online music magazine.
However, taking such a huge step after
finishing a degree was very difficult and
eventually, I decided I needed to have a
break before taking such large steps in my
journalism career.
When given this opportunity, I knew the
time was right to start writing again. It
was truly a dream come true and I am
so grateful to Student Life for choosing
me and enabling me to have my second
chance at music journalism. It’s now given
me the push to get back to developing my
dreams.
10 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

MALEEK BERRY
We spoke to Maleek
Berry after his
performance about
his experiences as
a student and his
upcoming releases.
Maleek is a London
based artist and
producer who has just released his
new singles Turn Me On and Flashy. He
studied Computer Science at University
after deciding that he wanted to study
something challenging. When asked about
this huge changeover from computer
science to Music producing, Maleek
explained that he had started producing
when he was 14 and was always working
in the industry. It was only once he was at
university that he started to learn how to
play the piano from YouTube video’s and
then it began to get more serious from
there.
This is the first time that Maleek has
performed at a show like this and people
like Kanye West and Pharrell Williams
are his inspiration to help him continue
with his dream. At times, it has been
difficult to do this especially when he
was transitioning from a producer to an
artist. Originally, he was met with a lot of
resistance and told to keep producing but
that hasn’t stopped him and it’s taken off
from there.
When asked, Maleek’s advice to any
students is to “Write down all your goals so
that you can dream it into existence and
manifest it.” I don’t think we could have
said it better ourselves. We will be eagerly
waiting for the next single or potentially an
album by Maleek soon.
SAMMY PORTER
After studying Engineering at University,
Sammy Porter quickly realised that DJing
was the job for him. He first became
interested in DJing when he was working
at a bar and the DJ didn’t turn up so he
decided to take over the decks himself.
Sammy has been working in Ibiza for
a few years now and had many stories
to share about his experiences in this
party destination. The most memorable
is when he was asked to DJ at a club
called High in a toilet. He turned down
this offer as he didn’t believe that it
would take off. It is now a massive
DJ opportunity in Ibiza and this is an
opportunity he sadly regretted not
taking up on. It goes to show that it
is always worth experimenting with
abstract ideas.
Whilst the festival season may be over,
the party season continues in Ibiza with
Sammy booked to DJ at Eden and Ocean
Beach. Admittedly, the best place he’s
played is Ushuaia which is the biggest
beach club in Ibiza.
We asked Sammy what the best advice
would be to give to students or aspiring
musicians. He advised that production is
now really important and if you can’t get
booked then the best thing you can do
is to put your own night on.
Working with Liz Dawson, Sammy
released his track Talking Like Friends
in February. He revealed that we should
expect a new track hopefully by the end
of the month and that it will be featuring
one of the artists that was at Sundown
over the weekend. We will be sure to
keep our ears open for it!
11 PB •• ENTERTAINMENT MARCH 2019 •• STUDENT LIFE LIFE

THE SUNDOWN FESTIVAL 2019
BY PHOEBE CHEUNG
I was lucky enough to have
the opportunity to go to
the festival Sundown which
took place in Norwich and
be part of the media team,
allowing access to be part
of the photo press an also
getting the opportunity to
interview artists backstage
and in the artist area.
The festival included more
than one performance
area. There was the
mainstage where the main
artists would play, then
there were other areas
where other artists would
play which provided the
festival with all different
styles of music for
everyone to enjoy.
Clothing stalls were
provided with festival
themed clothing and
some more suitable and
comfortable attire such
as hoodies or ponchos.
There were a variety of
different rides, and stalls
for air brush tattoos, and
accessories stands with
bucket hats, bum bags,
handmade bracelets, face
paint and glitter and all fun
things to spice up people’s
festival looks.
I am current a year 12
student studying media
studies, film studies and
drama for A levels. I’ve
always had an eye for
photography however
never had an experience
to go and try it out
professionally and also it
isn’t offered where I am
studying and now I that
I’ve had that experience,
I want to explore it more.
This experience is definitely
something I would take
on in a heartbeat if given
it again. If not for Student
Life and this opportunity
I would’ve just left
photography.
12 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

I, Phoebe Cheung, was sent to the music
festival Sundown which took place in
Norwich, where I interviewed 19-yearold
Jordan Phillips who studied at Access
Creative college. The college helped guide
him in the right direction of becoming a
musician and arranged opportunities such
as playing in the VIP area at Sundown
2019. Jordan currently has one song out on
Spotify called “I wish you darling” which he
spent a lot of time working on. The song is
about someone he went to primary school
with and was close with all the way to
college and hasn’t heard from them since
and is wishing her the best with what she
is doing in life. Jordan is currently working
on producing more music.
What got you into your career?
“I never really did music when I was
younger, I would take acting and stuff like
that. When I was 14 I got into Ed Sheeran,
you know like it always does with guitar
boys and so after seeing one of his gigs,
I really wanted to get into something
like that and so I picked up my sisters Ex
boyfriends guitar and I started playing and
singing.
What is your creative process like?
“with me I normally just pick up my guitar
and start strumming and playing around
with different notes and words just come
out and I think the words just follow the
tune and the mood.
What was your first big gig?
“My first proper gig was when I flew out to
the Channel Islands and it was a festival
and I think it was a big one as I was on a
plane and I thought this is mad! And the
college gave me the opportunity to do this”
Is there anyone who you would like to
collaborate with?
“I would like to collaborate with Post
Malone, I think that would be so sick as
he’s such an amazing artist, but we
will see...”
What is your advice for someone wanting
to get into the music industry?
“Well I never took music in high school,
and so what really helped me was going
to music college as it helped me to have a
better understanding of the industry and
how to write music”
13 • ENTERTAINMENT • STUDENT LIFE

GAMING
ADDICTION
BY LOUISE DICKMAN
Gaming addiction has been featured quite
a bit in the news recently and is becoming
an increasing issue, especially among
young people. To the point where there are
specialist clinics in countries around the
world which help treat gaming addicts. Only
recently was ‘Gaming Disorder’ considered
an official diagnosis and mental health issue.
This is happening to many gamers for
several reasons. When playing video games,
such a large amount of dopamine (the
‘happy’ chemical) is released. So, if you’re
feeling good for all the hours you game for,
of course you are going to want to keep doing
it! What doesn’t help either, is how quickly
time passes when gaming. There have been
many times I have thought I had only been
about 30-40 minutes playing, when really,
I have checked the time and it has been
about 2 hours. It is such a huge distraction,
especially if you have a lot of stressful
things going on.
Here’s a few tips that
I stick to myself, to help
make sure gaming doesn’t
take over:
Set an exact time each day which
you can dedicate to gaming. Make
sure it isn’t too long and perhaps
try to plan it for nearer the end of
the day when everything necessary
has been done.
Take regular breaks! As you may
have noticed at the start of most
games, they advise you to take
a break every hour for about 15
minutes. There are many physical
side effects of gaming, e.g. nausea,
headaches, that could perhaps be
controlled just by taking a short
break and walking around, maybe
get a drink/snack too.
Don’t limit yourself to just one
hobby, being gaming. Perhaps find
something more outdoor based,
and something that also gets you
socialising with friends/family.
It can start to get easy to cancel
plans to play your new favourite
game if you’re not careful!
Many people appear to develop
a gaming addiction due to other
problems in their life. For me
personally, it has and still is an
escape for when life is stressful
and making me feel rubbish. Even
though it’s hard, try to tackle, if
there is one, the issue at hand. Try
not to avoid it by using all your
spare time on gaming as in the
long run, it isn’t effective.
14 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

GAMING WITH LOUISA SADLER
REMASTERED GAMES
SPYRO AND TOMB RAIDER
Remastered games have become a popular
category within the gaming industry over
the past few years with beloved childhood
classics being given new generation
graphics. This area of gaming is something
I’ve been interested in for a while, so I
thought I would share my experience of
remastered games; specifically, Spyro and
Tomb Raider.
When the latest Tomb Raider remaster was
announced, I was initially against it as the
trilogy of games on the PlayStation 2 (Tomb
Raider: Legend, Tomb Raider: Anniversary
and Tomb Raider: Underworld) was my
favourite generation of Lara Croft. At the
time, I didn’t want another remaster, but
another game released that followed on
from Tomb Raider: Underworld. It took a
while before the recent remaster was
something I wanted to play. It wasn’t until
I watched my sister play the game that I
realised I wanted to explore it for myself.
When I started playing the 2013 Tomb
Raider my opinion completely changed.
I really liked the origin story arc this
remaster went with; it added a refreshing
stance to her story as she wasn’t the
‘Tomb Raider’ we all know and love but
a uni graduate following in her father’s
footsteps. This allowed for more character
development in the later games especially
in Shadow of the Tomb Raider which for me
made the latest series more exciting
to play.
In terms of the Spyro remaster, I had a
completely different reaction. As soon
as it was announced, I couldn’t wait to
play it as it was one of the first games I
ever played. Playing the game and seeing
how the developers transformed bland,
basic worlds into detailed immersive
worlds was jaw dropping. I felt I was being
transported back to my childhood but
at the same time was exploring a brandnew
game. I couldn’t stop playing the first
game, making sure I completed each level
100% before I moved onto the next one;
I wanted to complete the game as much
as possible. It even reminded me of how
much I hated the flying levels, they are
such a nightmare to complete! Although
that might be because I’m not the most
experienced gamer. Despite my hate for
the flying levels, I really enjoy the Spyro
remaster.
15 • ENTERTAINMENT • STUDENT LIFE

ART
CO-EDITOR
KAY SABERTON
SUNSHINE
POEM BY LUCY TATE
One day you found me.
Lying in wait for you,
A frightened little flower,
too afraid of the world to bloom.
Too afraid to grow.
I thought that you were just a boy,
And I was just a girl,
But that wasn’t true at all, was it?
Sunshine pours out of you
As easy as it is to breathe.
So you shone.
And I bloomed.
The world is no match for us now.
16 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

MATILDA
THE MUSICAL
REVIEW BY HARRIET RACKHAM
On the evening of Thursday 18th July, I
saw Matilda the Musical at the Theatre
Royal in Norwich. This was a present for
my birthday and I was excited for the
performance.
I read the book Matilda when I was a
child and remember feeling enchanted
into another world with a character who
enjoyed reading books just as much as I
did growing up. As a young girl growing up
and learning life lessons, it was important
to have a person, despite being fictional, to
relate to.
Matilda the Musical is perfect for anyone
who wants to relive their youth. The show
was colourful and lively with wonderful
songs that will make your heart content.
The memorable song “When I Grow Up”,
sang by the kids, signifies how children
perceive adulthood. The young actors in
the performance were incredibly talented
throughout and it is clear that they will
continue to strive within theatre.
The film of Matilda also makes me feel
nostalgic and I vividly remember the
chocolate cake scene with the character
Bruce Bogtrotter. In the musical, this scene
is re-enacted flawlessly and, in my opinion,
was one of the best scenes because of how
entertaining it is.
There wasn’t much I disliked, I thought
it was acted splendidly and most of the
set design was magical too, especially the
song sequence with the swings. However,
I did think the show could have explored
Matilda’s powers further as this was only
exposed in one short scene, compared
to the film which highlighted her special
abilities in several different scenes.
Additionally, the set design could have
featured the chokey, Mrs Trunchbull’s
malicious method of discipline, as it
was mentioned throughout the act on
numerous occasions.
Elliot Harper who portrayed Mrs
Trunchbull was just as terrifying as the
Mrs Trunchbull in both the film and book.
Harper’s astonishing performance of
Trunchbull was an integral part of the
overall ambiance.
Matilda was on tour at Norwich Theatre
Royal until Saturday the 17th August. It
continues to run at Cambridge Theatre
throughout September, I encourage any
musical lover to definitely go and see it.
Overall, I think Matilda the musical is a
wonderful fun-filled show for everyone to
enjoy and would truly make anyone feel
young again.
17 • ART• STUDENT LIFE

10 AWESOME
WRITING PROMPTS
BY KAY SABERTON
‘The scariest moment is always just before you start’
STEPHEN KING
Hi folks, your Art co-editor here.
Welcome to September, a time where
many of you may be returning to school.
Maybe you’ve lost inspiration and
motivation to write? If so, read on and
digest the following writing prompts that
I hope will spark your imagination.
1. You are granted one superpower. What is the power and what do you do with it?
2. Write a story about the discovery of your own tombstone.
3. Create a word that doesn’t exist. Then define it.
4. Write a eulogy for a famous fictional character.
5. A man discovers that any machine he touches comes to life.
6. Write a story about a lost cat. No word can be repeated more than once.
7. You discover the diary of the President of the United States of America.
8. Write about the real reason people have freckles.
9. You’ve woken up in a body that is not yours.
10. Write about the thing that was worth selling your soul for.
18 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

From Page to Screen
BY ROSIE WEDGE
READING LIST
‘The book was better.’ I feel like that is something of a mantra in my life. There is no
doubt that all of us at some point in our lives have either told someone about how
much better the book a film was based on was, or we’ve heard it thrown at us when
trying to gush about how much we loved a movie. Whilst this is of course a subjective
topic, it’s hard to argue against the fact that books are often far richer, as they have
more space to flesh out the plot and characters, which often results in the movies
chopping scenes, or even characters out. Today, the majority of young people prefer to
watch a movie, understandably, as we are often sick and tired of reading after a day
of classwork. However, if you are keen to read more, I’ve come up with an awesome
selection of books that have had movies based on them. I reckon you will really enjoy
these if you’re also a fan of the film adaptation!
HARRY POTTER 1-7
by J.K.Rowkling
How could I not include this series?!
Seriously, how? This series is already
a classic and features one of the most
complex storylines I’ve ever read,
rife with joy, sadness, heartache,
love, grief, and friendship. We’re all
familiar with the story of the series’
namesake, and if you loved the
beautiful richness of the films, then
you have another thing coming with
the books!
TAMING OF THE SHREW
by William Shakespeare
STARTER FOR TEN
by David Nicholls
We all remember that quirky early 2000s
film, set in the 80s, starring James McAvoy
and Benedict Cumberbatch, right? If you
loved this movie (which I highly recommend
you watch if you haven’t already) for its witty
humour and pinpoint representations of the
chaos that is young love, then you will adore
the book. This book genuinely makes me
laugh out loud, and the protagonist Brian’s
narration is so goofy and clumsy, I guarantee
he’ll earn a place in your heart.
Many people don’t realise that the super-popular 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) is actually
a modernised retelling of this Shakespearean classic. Yep, that’s right, the Heath Ledger
film that won all our hearts is actually based on Shakespeare! Whilst I personally don’t
recommend reading the play without seeing the film as the play is very bizarrely written and
hard to follow in printed format, if you familiarise yourself with the glorious film adaptation,
then you’ll be sure to get a kick out of this classic tale.
19 • AUGUST 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

READING LIST
SIMON VS. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA
by Becky Albertalli
Whilst I wasn’t the biggest fan of the film adaptation titled
Love, Simon, the book the film was based on was great. This
is an incredibly heart-warming LGBT and coming-of-age tale
that deals with so many dramas of teenage life, as well as
the main protagonist’s struggle with coming-out before he
intended, when his online romance is hijacked. Although the
book is Albertalli’s debut, and so not the most incredibly written
book, the characters will capture your heart, and makes for a
thoroughly entertaining read.
IT
by Stephen King
For all you horror lovers,
I couldn’t leave out this
novel. This is inarguably
one of my favourite epic
tales, and I’m a huge
fan of both the modern
adaptation (big hype
for part 2!), and the TV
mini-series starring Tim
Curry. I understand that
this is a very intimidating
book, with a whopping
1479 pages, but it is
worth every moment
you put into it. The book
has far more social
commentary than the
films ever touched upon,
and the elaborate nature
of Pennywise’s origins is
incredibly alluring. More
so, you’ll finally learn the
meaning of the iconic
line “Beep Beep, Richie!”
that everyone knows,
but no one seems to
understand!
If you’re someone who
perhaps struggles to
find the enthusiasm to
read, then starting with
books that inspired your
favourite films can be a
great starting point, as it
makes the plot easier to
follow, and the characters
easier to visualise!
20 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

SHORT STORY
BUSY
BY LUCA BERNSTEIN
Rain trickles down the windows. The kind
of drizzle you get in England. Not enough
for you to get wet, but enough to be
exciting. My head turns back towards the
board. Mr McKinney drones on about why
everyone should care about how rivers are
formed. Words drop in and out. Erosion,
pebbles, banks. Quick glance at the clock.
Still 25 minutes to go. I should have been
making notes for the past half hour, but
I’ll catch up later. That leaves me with 25
minutes to go.
There must be something fun to do. The
silence limits me. If I was to stack glue
sticks or click a pen, he would hear me.
I glance at the clock. Two more minutes
have passed. I let out a sigh. I stare at Mr
McKinney. I wonder what decisions led him
to this moment in his life. What decisions
have led him to this? At what part did he
decide, I’m going to be a teacher and teach
Geography here, in a stuffy classroom
in the middle of nowhere. I’m reminded
of just how warm it is in here. The
weatherman said it would be mild today.
Yeah, right. The heat makes the chairs
even worse. A deep blue appearance
disguises the stiffness of the chair itself.
Rigid. You don’t realise until you are in
one these lessons. I wonder what other
things I haven’t noticed. Like how loud
the breathing is of the baboon next to
me. He’s a big lad and he also looks as if
he would want to be anywhere but here
as well. There is a constant drone of the
fan in the corner. Its blades rotating like
every other fan ever made. As if hearing
me, Mr McKinney moves to switch off
the fan. Great, now we really will boil to
death. I adjust my posture and my seating
position. It’s a miracle he hasn’t noticed all
the slacking I’ve been doing. My heart is
just not in it lately. But I said that 6 months
ago and I thought it would be sorted by
now. No, I can’t think about this. I mustn’t. I
glance at the clock again, only five minutes
have passed.
21 • ART • STUDENT LIFE

STUDENT Life
SHORT STORY
COMPETITION 2019
CALLING ALL WRITERS!
Do you enjoy short
stories? Fancy having
a go at writing one?
Student Life welcome
your short stories in any
fictional genre and on
any subject; stories with
compelling characters,
sparkling dialogue and
strong, original voices.
The competition will run
from September 1st to
December 31st.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:
The competition is FREE to enter
but is limited to one entry per
student. Word limit: 1,000 words
maximum (no minimum).
Title not included.
PRIZES:
Shortlisted entries will receive
tickets to Student Life’s Winter
Ball in February (along with a
+1) where the winner will be
announced. First place will
receive £100 and a certificate
of achievement.
Please email your entry
and any questions to:
kay@student-life.co
Happy writing and good luck!
22 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

FASHION
EDITOR PAM DAVIS
CO-EDITOR TSHEQUA WILLIAMS
STEPPING INTO
AUTUMN/WINTER 2019
BY PAM DAVIS FROM ‘FASHION CANDY STYLE’
How to wear next season right now.
I love the summer, however I look forward to a new season of autumn/winter fashion.
Outside it might be summery still but inside the shops, it’s beginning to look a lot like
autumn. Some of us will be craving a wardrobe refresh and slightly confused as to
how to transition our wardrobes - you just need to be a bit fashion savvy. Summer
isn’t over just yet but with cosy yarns and stylish coats beginning to fill the shop
floors, our desire for autumn/winter fashion is becoming more difficult to resist.
In the fashion world, August marks the onset of autumn. So while temperatures in the
UK continue to hover around the mid-20s, our favourite shops are already preparing
for the brisk months ahead. If you find yourself yearning to splash your cash on some
new-season garb, the good news is that there are plenty of ways to get your coldweather
fashion fix while simultaneously staying cool.
23 • FASHION• • STUDENT LIFE

The trick here is to embrace the
notoriously tricky transitional period and
invest in autumn/winter trends that will
work both now and as the golden autumn
leaves begin to fall. Autumn/winter has a
way of sneaking up, just as you’re enjoying
those last beach days and poolside chill
sessions - suddenly, the frantic search for
a cute winter jacket or pair of snow boots
leads to some regrettable last-minute
purchases.
Snap out of summer mode for a brief
minute and brush up on the fall 2019
fashion trends. Start adding these pieces
to your wish list and you’ll be ahead of the
game when September comes around.
For 2019, the autumn/winter catwalk
shows presented a vast array of trends
that can be sported ahead of the new
season’s arrival, from the return of punkinspired
plaid and puffer coats to fresh and
exciting colour combinations. I don’t think
I have ever seen so many trends! Although
at least we have a varied, vast diverse
range of trends to suit everyone’s style –
if you are a minimalist there is so much to
love, if you are a maximalist this is a great
time for you too! Nevertheless, if they’re
totally new or tried and tested, the sheer
number of trends that emerge at once
means updating your wardrobe can be a
real head-spinner.
I’ve rounded up my pick of the best
autumn/winter 2019 trends that you can
wear now, safe in the knowledge that they
are not going out of style anytime soon.
TOP COLOURS
GREEN
Olive is a slightly austere
take on the colour green
since it brings to mind
military fatigues. In the fall/
winter 2019 colour trends,
this shade works almost
like a neutral and is utterly
wearable for just about
anyone.
BLUES
Galaxy Blue is a royal shade
that one can easily get lost
in, as it is reminiscent of the
greater galaxy or perhaps
the deep ocean. It is the
perfect primary colour and
works well with the fall
2019 trends.
RED
Wine tones are perfect for
the cooler season as they
add depth and richness to
a look without clashing with
the colder weather.
BROWN
Hazel - a mellow brown
that has a hint of peach.
This colour is especially
lovely in earth-toned colour
schemes, combined with
either darker browns or
lighter beiges.
PURPLES
Purple is an understated
colour that is not too dark
or light and leans just
slightly towards a cool tone.
It’s a wonderful accent to
all of the blues that made it
on the runways this season,
but it could also be paired
with yellows and neutrals.
Don’t forget the yellows,
mustards, neon and frosted
greys to put into the mix.
24 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

TOP TRENDS
FOR WOMEN
Puffed Sleeves
Baggy Trousers
Capes
Asymmetrical
necklines
Shackets
(shirt/jacket)
Supersized Bags
Waist Belts
Slouched Boots
TOP TRENDS
FOR MEN
Checked Outerwear
Printed Shirts
Monochrome
Colour pop layers
Light wash denim
Hoodies
Oversized Scarves
Suede Boots
Embrace the Autumn/
Winter trend and stay
stylish and warm!
Pam x
25 • FASHION• STUDENT LIFE

SELF-EXPRESSION
BY MOLLY PEARCE
When I used to hear the word ‘fashion’,
I would find myself feeling burrowed
existential dread and shivering at the
thought of my personal style (if you could
call it that) not coinciding with what I had
been sold the concept of ‘fashion’ was, for
example, Regina George from Mean Girls
or Cher Horowitz from Clueless. I thought
that if I didn’t wear pink on Wednesdays
my life as I knew it would crumble at my
feet and I would suffer lifelong, damaging
verbal abuse as a direct result. Needless
to say, I was quite wrong. It turns out
mid-1990’s and early 2000’s style isn’t for
almost everyone on the planet and the
concept of ‘fashion’ is merely correlational
with self-expression.
There is no good or bad – only
what is trendy at the current
moment and wearing said trends
or not wearing them does not
diminish your style in any way.
The media has taught us that fashion
works in complex ways. Whilst allowing us
to embrace any aspect of clothing that may
visually appeal to us, it has simultaneously
negatively impacted the way we view
different styles, enforcing stereotypes and
stylistic boundaries. It is, in my opinion,
a way of telling people exactly who they
should be and how they should dress.
Whilst there is undoubtedly a greater
acceptance of the variety of stylistic
personalities, the media
teaches us to attach labels
to the people who express
them. For example, thanks to
TV such as ‘The Big Lebowski’
and ‘That 70’s Show’, we
have inadvertently created a
stereotype that anyone who
dresses like the characters
in the TV show or movie
(baggy jeans and jumpers),
should mirror the ‘stoner’ personality
we are shown. Similarly, characters such
as Negasonic Teenage Warhead from
Deadpool 2, Allison Reynolds from ‘The
Breakfast Club’ or Wednesday Addams
from ‘The Addams Family’ enforce the
stereotype that all moody and emotionally
damaged teenagers should dress in black
attire from head to foot. These are not
healthy stereotypes to be advertising
in the fashion world when we consider
that people may wear black because it’s
slimming or complements their skin tone
or may wear baggy clothes because they’re
comfortable and hide insecurities.
Whilst it is important to showcase a
variety of different fashion statements
within the media, thus opening our eyes
to the realms of style and its creative
possibilities, it is also just as important
to challenge these stereotypes in order
to prove a point that fashion is fluid and
should not be simply associated with a
few personality traits.
26 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

With such a gigantic range of choice in the
fashion world, style is a highly variable
idea and people shouldn’t feel as though
they have to stick to a certain ‘genre’, as
it were. On the other hand, some people
feel safe knowing they can place their style
in a certain category, potentially giving
much-needed order amongst the everyday
chaos of life. People should be given the
choice between sticking to a certain type
of fashion or disregarding it all completely
and wearing anything they please. Both
are just as valid, and luckily, we are moving
towards a society that doesn’t place so
much emphasis on the boundaries of
fashion itself.
With such an increasing amount of
information being gained about the
detrimental impact of fast fashion on the
environment, it doesn’t feel right to be
writing an article about personal style
without mentioning environmentally
conscious means of purchasing clothing.
Personally, about 2/3 of my wardrobe
was bought second hand. I spend a lot
of time on websites such as Depop and
eBay, as well as in charity shops in my
local area. Purchasing items second hand
diminishes some of the guilt I feel when
buying something from Primark or H&M,
and whilst the companies themselves are
supposedly changing the environmental
impact of their products, and not to
mention the unethical human cost, it is
nonetheless hugely, hugely damaging,
and not enough is being done. I’d
encourage buying things second hand to
lessen your footprint or buying items that
are high in quality and will last.
‘Fashion’ as a creative concept no longer
scares me. As I’ve grown up, I’ve learnt to
wear whatever I think I should wear that
day and to care less about what others
may think. Clothing is an incredible facet
of self-expression but also doesn’t need
to be thought about too deeply. The
message here is just to wear whatever
you want.
27 • FASHION • STUDENT LIFE

BREAKING FREE FROM
YOUR SCHOOL UNIFORM
BY TSHEQUA WILLIAMS
As you make the transition between high
school and most sixth form/colleges, you
are confronted with a new rule that you
probably haven’t faced before – not having
to wear a uniform. You are finally given
the freedom that you always wanted. Even
if this seems like a wonderful concept at
first, for some, the pressure of suddenly
having to find outfits every day can be
very daunting. In order to try and make
the transition as stress-free for you as
possible, I’ve listed some advice to guide
you through.
DON’T OVERTHINK IT
Try not to think too much about what
other people think. Although your
instant thought may be that you will
be judged for every fashion decision
you make, people don’t take as much
notice as you think they will. The
primary aim of attending college is to
learn, not to compete in who dresses
the best.
EXPERIMENT & FIND YOURSELF
Use this opportunity to experiment with
different styles to find what you feel
comfortable and confident wearing. As
you will realise, everybody has their own
personal style that varies from day to day.
You don’t have to dress a certain way to
fit in and soon you won’t think twice about
just throwing on the most casual outfits
each day.
DON’T OVERSPEND
Don’t feel pressured to buy branded
clothes or to constantly buy new clothes.
While it is probably a good idea to invest
in a few basic pieces that you can create
many outfits from, there is no need to
constantly buy new clothes.
REPEAT OUTFITS
People often worry about trying not
to repeat outfits. However, unless
you have an endless flow of cash, it
is unrealistic to achieve a new outfit
every time. I’m certain that most
people don’t realise if you wear an
outfit multiple times.
STICK TO THE RULES
As well as being a liberating freedom,
no uniform also comes with the rule of
dressing appropriately as if you were in
‘a workplace environment’. Most schools
don’t expect you to dress super smartly,
but it is important to follow the rules and
ensure that your outfits are suitable for
school.
EMBRACE THE FREEDOM
Most importantly, have fun and stay
true to yourself!
28 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

BEAUTY
CO-EDITOR LIBBY DAWSON
SUPPORTED BY
SKINCARE
BY ELENA HARRIS
It is important to remember that all skin is different, and there is no
“cookie-cutter perfect skin”. It’s very rare to have perfect skin, and what
we might consider to be bad skin, is most likely completely Normal! A
misconception of having bad skin is when people assume that they’re
eating badly or are dirty. Because of this people can then over wash their
faces, making the situation worse. As someone who gets spots on their
forehead and chin, I find it very frustrating when I have to cover it up with
concealer to then only get more spots from the makeup; therefore, I am
going to share the products that I use which help reduce my spots and
help to make my skin feel refreshed.
29 • BEAUTY • STUDENT LIFE

‘Simple Moisturising facial wash’, can get
rid of most of your makeup and doesn’t
contain any harsh chemicals, in fact it’s
a 100% soap free foam and has pro-
Vitamin B, Vitamin E and Bisabolol. You
simply apply the product directly onto
your face and wash it off with water. It is
very kind to sensitive skin and lasts me a
while. It retails at around £2.33-£3.49 for
150ml at Boots.
When I wake up in the morning, I usually
get puffy and dark circles under my eyes,
so I bought ‘Superdrug Naturally Radiant
Brightening Eye cream’ 15ml. I started to
massage it under my eyes before I went
to bed and then again when I woke up.
Since using the product,, I have noticed
a slight difference; my eyes are definitely
less puffy and much smoother. After four
weeks my dark circles were minimised.
This retails at around £2.97 in Superdrug.
‘Nivea refreshing toner’, 200ml,
is perfect if you want to hydrate
your skin.
Using a cotton pad, I apply it all over
my face and neck; I use this daily.
Once finished, it leaves my face feeling
refreshed and toned. You can purchase
it from Tesco for about £3.00.
IMAGE CREDIT ELENA HARRIS
Once in while I do like to treat myself to
a good face mask. One that I particularly
love and I believe works for me is the
‘L’Oréal Paris pure clay detox mask’.
It has black charcoal in, which draws
impurities out from your skin. After use,
I’ve noticed that my skin feels a lot more
luminous! If interested, you can buy it
from Superdrug for £7.99 for the 50ml.
30 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

SUSTAINABLE BEAUTY
BY LIBBY DAWSON
I am attempting to be an advocate of
ethical and sustainable beauty, and I
have been for a while. It is really difficult
to stray from your favourite brands and
beauty products, but it is so so important
to support these sustainable and ethical
brands, not only for them, but also for the
good of the environment and the animals.
Finding brands that are cruelty free,
organic and natural, vegan, palm oil free,
AND use thoughtful packaging in order
to prevent waste, is a lot easier said than
done. It may be easy to find cruelty free
products, but that doesn’t mean they
don’t use palm oil or animal products in
their formulas. Similarly, a brand might be
vegan, but still test on animals; there is a
lot to think about.
Because of this, it makes it so much easier
to go back to your trusty MAC lipstick or
Maybelline Fit Me Foundation, but it is so
important to remember the implications
of the plastic containers, microbeads and
harmful chemicals within formulas.
FACT: Microbeads are a type of
microplastic; a small plastic particle
that is less than 5mm in diameter.
They do not dissolve and once
rinsed down the sink, they live in our
rivers, lakes and oceans for decades;
harming fish and other wildlife.
FACT: There are as many as 330,000
microbeads washed down the drain
per 200ml bottle of face wash!
It is really difficult to find brands
that meet all or most of the criteria,
however, I’ve done the work for you
and I’ve decided to list some of my
favourites that either meet all of the
criteria, or are working towards it!
Anastasia Beverly Hills
Angel Face – the UK’S first zero waste
makeup brand!
Axiology – an amazing vegan lipstick
brand that donates a percentage
of their profits to PETA and the
Orangutan Foundation International.
bareMinerals
Dirty Hippie Cosmetics
EcoTools
ELF Cosmetics
Glossier
31 • BEAUTY • STUDENT LIFE

An easy way to approach this is to
remember: if the brand sells their
products in China, it is likely that
they aren’t going to fit within the
criteria. Animal testing is mandatory
for foreign cosmetics! To make it
a bit easier, I’ve also compiled a
list, with information taken from
PETA, revealing the worst brands
for animal testing and unethical
production.
Benefit
Clinique
Estee Lauder
L’Oréal
MAC
Make Up Forever
Maybelline
Kat Von D
Lush – remember that all their
products are not vegan!
Marc Jacobs Beauty – but be careful,
Marc Jacobs Fragrances are not ethical;
they’re owned
MUA
Natural Collection
NYX Cosmetics – they are vegan but
it is important to note that they are
currently owned by L’Oréal, a large
corporation STILL testing on animals!
Peace With The Wild
Revolution – they do not test on
animals but remember that not all of
their products are vegan!
The Body Shop
NARS – people think they’re
cruelty free, but unfortunately
they’ve recently updated their
animal testing policy to reflect
their decision to join the Chinese
market!
OPI
Rimmel London
Victoria’s Secret
It is sad to know that some of
your favourite and biggest brands
have such harmful effects on the
environment and the animals, but it’s
vital that we continue to stress the
importance of vegan formulations
and organic ingredients! It is all
about research, and it is changes
such as these that are really going to
help the sustainability of our planet!
32 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

BACK TO SCHOOL TUTORIAL
BY HOLLY GARDNER
I’m going to be giving you
a very basic everyday
makeup tutorial. This is a
simple look that I love and
believe anyone can do; it
is particularly great for an
easy ‘back to school’ look!
The first step I do before
applying any makeup is
hydrate my face. I used the
PS ‘Gentle Hydrating Mist’,
this is very affordable and
adds the perfect amount
of moisture. I then prime
my face with the Smashbox
‘Photo Finish Foundation
Primer’.
Next, I apply my
foundation. I use the
Revolution ‘Conceal &
Define Foundation’ in the
shade FO.6. This is my go
to as it offers a lightweight
yet buildable coverage.
To blend this in I use my
DUcare foundation brush
and my beauty blender to
remove any harsh lines.
I then conceal and cream
contour and I use products
from very affordable
brands such as the PS
‘Liquid Concealer’ in the
shade light. I blend this
into my foundation with
my beauty blender. For my
cream contour I use the PS
‘Contour Stick’ in the shade
caramel which I blend in
with my contour brush.
I then bake my face with
the PS ‘Loose Mineral
Powder’ which I think is
great for oily skin! Again
this is a very affordable
product. I also use my
Morphe ‘Pressed Powder’ in
the shade filter#2.
IMAGE CREDIT
HOLLY GARDNER
After I have baked my face I
then used my ‘Blush Dream
Palette’ by Revolution to
give my cheeks a natural
colour. I then bronze using
the ‘Coco Contour’ by Two
Faced and highlight using
the ‘Blush Dream Palette’ – I
love a glowy look.
I then use the ‘3 in 1 PS
Brow Pencil’ and the NYX
‘Tame & Frame Brow
33 • BEAUTY • STUDENT LIFE

Pomade’ to fill in and
sharpen my brows.
As you can see, I did choose
to put on some ‘SO SU
HOLLY’ lashes however, you
can do this look without
lashes and just mascara
(I recommend the Benefit
‘They’re Real Lengthening
Mascara’) and it would look
just as fab!
I have also decided to
pair this look with the
‘Androgyny Lip Shade’ by
Jeffree Star, but you can
pair this basic look with any
lip shade you want, or a
simple gloss if you’re going
into school or college.
Finally, I use my favourite
‘Setting Spray’ by the brand
MARK by Avon. It allows me
to set my makeup in place
without drying up my skin.
That’s it! I hope you
try this simple, easy
and affordable makeup
look and if you want to
see any more that
I have created, check
out my Instagram
@hollymaries_beauty
MAKE-UP DUPES BY HOLLY GARDNER
I’m going to share some of my favourite
affordable makeup and dupes – hopefully
I can help you save money and give you
advice on the best ones to buy!
If you are a bit unsure of what a dupe
entails, here is a quick explanation: dupes
are cheaper products that are compared
to more expensive products. They might
be in similar style bottles, have similar
formulation, or similar colours like
foundations and lipsticks.
Not every drug store brand is suitable for
everyone, they could be hit or miss. But I
have recently come across brands such
as Primark (PS) and Revolution which I
now use a lot in my daily makeup routine.
These cheaper alternatives really know
how to give the more expensive brands
some competition, as these dupes have
produced high pigment products as well
as luxury, creative packaging for a fraction
of the price!
One example of my favourite dupes,
has to be my now go to foundations, the
Revolution ‘Conceal & Define’ and the
PS ‘My Perfect Colour Foundation’. The PS
product has a high level of coverage and
is massively durable; it is also only £5. It is
an exact dupe for the Estee Lauder ‘Double
Wear’ foundation, therefore saving you £30!
Another dupe you can try is the ‘3 in 1
Brow Precision Pencil’ by Primark which
costs only £2.50. It has the eyebrow brush,
the powder and the pencil. When compared
to a high end product such as the Anastasia
‘Brow Wiz’ which only has a pencil and a
brush, (also costing £23), you could easily
save £20.50 on this dupe and get an extra
product!
Is it just me that struggles to find an
affordable good quality setting powder?
That was until I came across this amazing
dupe. Instead of paying £36 for a setting
powder by Makeup Forever, the Maybelline
‘Master Fix’ for £8.99 is exactly the same!
If you buy this high quality dupe you
could save up to £27! Save your pennies
guys and gals, high street brands are
looking to be serious competitors to the
high end brands!
34 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

TRAVEL
CO-EDITOR CAMELIA ATOMEI
SIREN FESTIVAL
BY CAMELIA ATOMEI
The environmental issue is a subject
that should concern everyone due to the
fact that only by discussing the problems
and taking precautions will manage to
have an impact on saving it. Being part of
the young trustee of the library we had
the opportunity to go to a festival called
Siren Festival in Aldeburgh, which has the
environment as their primary concern.
The moment we got there, the volunteers
greeted us and introduced us to what
was happening. From different talks to
small experiments, the atmosphere was
incredible. The rooms where the magic
was happening were decorated in ocean
colours and they had big balloons shaped
as different ocean creatures; from dolphins
to octopus’, squid and whales.
We listened to talks about the three most
frequent waste products that humans
produce, then we experimented with small
projects to discover how life underwater
is and which species have more advanced
hearing than humans.
They were based in 3 different areas; the
beach is one of them. Here they had s
small cabin where you could hear stories
and other interesting information about
the environment. It was my favourite part
as they had like a postcard office where you
could write a card to thank someone, or to
express feelings, concerns and the moment
I finished my card I felt more like I was freer,
and I enjoyed all process.
All area was full of people who were enjoying
the festival and were so determinate in
trying to create the environment a cleaner
place. Being for the first time in this area
I had a few moments on the beach, just
listening to the water as it was so calm, it
was giving me such a good vibe.
Being there made me realize that I should be
more careful, that the change comes from
us as it is up to our choices to change the
way we do things for the environment to be
cleaner.
I was brought up with the idea that everyone
needs to take care of the environment, but I
never thought it can have such an impact of
we do not do so. From now on I will be more
careful about how and where I throw away
the waste as this festival opened my eyes
about it.
35 • TRAVEL • STUDENT LIFE

TRAVELS WITH A CAMERA
BY JAKE TODD
I recently got the chance to go back to my
hometown of Basingstoke before travelling
to Macclesfield as part of my dad’s job, on
my trip I made a little photography album
of the trip to share with you.
1 This was taken in Macclesfield as I went
for a little adventure. I had taken nearly
3 attempts at the picture and even got
shouted at by an old lady as she walked
past. I obviously apologised and deleted the
photo. This photo was awkward as it was on
an overcast day but I rarely go anywhere up
north so I had to take my chances.
3 This was captured just
as we passed the M6 toll
stations. To take this I had
to move myself to the
right so I could get the
cyclist in the centre of the
image which was really
uncomfortable and as we
were travelling at such a
great speed in the van I
knew I had to make it count.
2 This was taken at a services
just out past the historic town
of Newbury. As Basingstoke is
nearly 4 hours from Macclesfield
we had to leave early at around
half 5 in the morning. As we
stopped for a coffee and a bacon
roll (I bloody love coffee haha) I
took the opportunity to capture
this beauty.
36 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

MY PLANET
CO-EDITOR RACHEL MITCHELL
THE IMPORTANCE OF NATIVE SPECIES
BY THOMAS HEATHWAITE
One of the biggest ways to attract
pollinators, and therefore other
organisms higher up in the food web
(such as garden birds, songbirds and
birds of prey) is to plant native plants.
Furthermore, with this increase in
diversity of organisms; comes an increase
in diversity of plants.
Native plants are plants that originated
in England; they were not bred for us
by horticulturalists, or imported from
another country. Examples include
lavender, heather, cornflower, and
crocus. Any native plant will attract
more pollinators than non-native (with
purple attracting the most, due to
some pollinators seeing in ultraviolet),
regardless of colour. Remember, use a
variety of shades, sizes, colours and vary
the time flowers flower to attract the
most pollinators.
If you plant non-native plants, they are
likely to be not as effective as native
plants in attracting pollinators to your
garden. Some studies suggest, that
certain non-native plants attract no
pollinators. Pollinators may have no
food, leading to their decline and thus
impacting the rest of the food web.
This distinction between native and nonnative
plants is fundamentally important
if we are going to be able to support
and reverse the decline of pollinators.
Studies suggest that “based on the areas
they occupy, one-third of wild bee and
hoverfly species declined between 1980
and 2013”.
If this decline continues, then it will have
social, environmental and economic
consequences for all of us. Social,
because each 3rd mouthful is estimated
to be reliant on pollinators. For example,
all of the Big Mac ingredients require
pollination (except for the two beef
patties and bun).
Bees alone, economically “pollinate 70
of the around 100 crop species that feed
90% of the world”, according to the BBC.
Environmentally, because without
pollinators the rest of the food web for
which pollinators support will decline
including biodiversity of bird and plants
species. Most of all, some suggest that
without pollinators, then we will die, too.
Losing our pollinators will be the gateway
to losing our flavours of our diet, other
organisms reliant on pollinators in the
food web and possibly endanger our
survival. Planting native plants can help
to reverse this reality and will make your
garden a gateway to saving this crisis!
37 • MY PLANET • STUDENT LIFE

FAST FASHION
BY LIBBY DAWSON
“Globally, we now consume about 80
billion new pieces of clothing every
year—400% more than we were
consuming just two decades ago.”
THE GREEN HUB ONLINE
It is crazy to think about the damage that
our appetite for constant clothing can
have on the environment and the future
of our planet. It’s so easy to scroll through
our favourite brands, add to basket and
apple pay our way into a new wardrobe,
without recognising the negative impact
that it is having. But our cultural attitudes
need to change; I’m going to share some
of my favourite brands that produce items
of clothing ethically, or brands that are
changing to become more sustainable.
Tide + Seek is a brand that can be found
on Instagram and ASOS. They make
swimwear made from REPREVE fabric; a
polyester fibre that is made from 100%
recycled plastic bottles, reducing the
amount of plastic that ends up in landfill.
Their products are also chlorine resistant
with a UV protection factor of 50.
Brands such as Pretty Little Thing and
Nasty Gal have recently launched ranges
of clothing made by unwanted, worn out
materials; giving them a second chance
to be made into new styles. Both of
these brands also encourage buyers to
take a more sustainable approach when
discarding old clothes by using the reGAIN
app. I think it’s great that popular brands
such as these are beginning to sell items of
clothing that are fashionable,
whilst also being good for the environment.
I just wish there was more of them!
ASOS has also been recognised for
becoming more ethical with their Eco Edit
growing massively since the launch in 2015.
By stocking brands such as Tide + Seek and
launching an underwear range made from
plastic bottles and old fishing nets, it is
clear to see the brand taking a more active
approach to meeting a more sustainable
criteria. They also pride themselves on
producing most of their swimwear from
sustainable fabric made with recycled yarn!
TALA is a new brand that I LOVE. It creates
on trend, affordable, high performance
activewear that aims to be 100% upcycled
and honest! All of their packaging is
recyclable and the tags are made from
100% plantable paper which will grow into
plants if you look after them!
Understanding and recognising ethical
brands makes it a lot easier for you to not
only look great, but also feel good about
your purchases. It is important to take
action and ultimately make a difference
to the future we live in, and supporting
sustainable brands is one way that we
can do so.
38 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

SEXUAL HEALTH
CO-EDITOR RACHEL MITCHELL
SEXUAL HEALTH WEEK
BY RACHEL MITCHELL
Sexual Health Week 2019 is the week
commencing the 16 September, through
til the 22nd. This week is usually hosted
by FPA, however this year Brook, a
company who specialises in providing
wellbeing and sexual health support for
young people, has taken the reins.
The theme for the week is about
inclusivity and more specifically,
‘Relationships, sex and disability’ and
Brook aims to explore conversations
surrounding these topics with the hope
of normalising it. Brook state that ‘sex
and disability simply isn’t talked about
enough and this means that lots of young
people are missing out on valuable
education, information and support’.
Research by the learning disability charity
Mencap shows that people with learning
disabilities face multiple barriers when it
comes to sex and relationships, including
a lack of education. In addition, teachers
also face barriers, with many not feeling
like they are being equipped with the
knowledge on how to support young
people with disabilities.
If you’re interested in supporting
Brook’s sexual health week campaign,
then you can head to their website for
more information and resources
(www.brook.org.uk).
On Monday 16 September,
their website will go live with a number
of useful tools and content for Sexual
Health Week including:
Resources and activities for
professionals who work with special
educational needs young people
Guides co-produced with Mencap
which aim to support healthcare
professionals, parents and carers
Free home STI sampling kits for
people with disabilities that have been
provided in conjunction with Fettle and
Enhance the UK
Films which explore topics such as
sex and disability
10 British Sign Language films about
sex and relationships (relaunch)
To follow the conversation on social
media, use the hashtag #SHW19. There
are also a number of posters and social
media banners available to download.
If you have an experience you’d like to
share or a topic relating to sexual health
that you’d like to write about, get in
touch with us at Student Life!
39 • SEXUAL HEALTH • STUDENT LIFE

PERIOD POVERTY
BY RACHEL MITCHELL
If you type into Google
the words ‘Period
Poverty’, you’ll return
about 175,000,000 results.
Granted, not all of them
will be relevant but you’ll
find loads that are.
It’s a subject matter that’s
been in and out of the
press over the last few
years but what exactly is it?
According to Action Aid,
period poverty affects
women and girls all over
the world where they are
denied their rights to
sanitary products, safe,
hygienic spaces in which
to use them and the right
to manage menstruation
without shame or stigma.
Helen Russell, the Feed
the Minds’ Regional
Development and
Community Engagement
Coordinator in Scotland
writes, “The stigma
and taboo surrounding
menstruation has been
rife worldwide for
centuries, with girls
and women being told
that they are ‘unclean’,
‘dirty’ or made to feel
shame for this perfectly
natural bodily function”
(feedtheminds.org).
So, what does that look like in the UK?
The Facts (source: freeperiods.org)
1 in 10 girls can’t afford to buy menstrual products
(Plan International UK)
Over 137,700 children in the UK have missed school
because of period poverty
68% said they felt less able to pay attention in class at
school or college while menstruating
Menstrual products cost more than £18,000 in a
women’s life (£13 every month)
40% of girls in the UK have used toilet roll because they
couldn’t afford menstrual products
A survey of more than 1000 girls found nearly half were
embarrassed by their period and many were afraid to
ask for help because of the stigma
What can be done?
A number of charities, organisations and educational settings
have launched campaigns to provide free sanitary products
into schools. In addition, the government announced in March
2019 their pledge to invest £2million in international aid to
fund projects around the world.
There are a number of campaigns currently tackling period
poverty including:
Girl Guiding – girlguiding.org.uk
Bloody Good Period – bloodygoodperiod.com
Action Aid – actionaid.org.uk
The ‘Proud, Period!’ campaign – Felixstowe Academy
The Pride and Periods scheme – Suffolk Libraries
Always – always.co.uk
The Red Box Project – redboxproject.org
For more information on local campaigns near you,
contact us at Student Life!
40 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

CAREERS
SUPPORTED BY
WORK EXPERIENCE
BY RICHARD STEWART
Welcome to our ground-breaking work
experience platform ‘EXPERIENCE WORK’
41 • CAREERS • STUDENT LIFE

Create your personal profile
Choose your available times
Choose your preferred
industries
We are supported by some
of the most well known
businesses in the region:
View matched work
experience opportunities
ALL YEAR ROUND
Fantastic isn’t it? And we
haven’t even added any
colour/design yet!!
If you would like to get
involved with this project,
please email
rachel@student-life.co
Suffolk
Our ‘Experience Work’
platform will revolutionise
the way that you experience
the workplace.
42 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

SUPPORTED BY
MENTAL
HEALTH
SUPPORTED BY
Suffolk
MENTAL HEALTH EDITOR
LEANNE ARNOLD
MENTAL HEALTH DIFFICULTIES ARE LIKE WEEDS IN YOUR GARDEN
We can spend so much time ignoring the issue that the root spreads.
Digging deeper identifies the root; removing the root, removes the problem.

45 TIPS & ADVICE
Leanne answers
your questions
46 REACHING OUT
Make sure you have
a strong support
network
47 SELF CARE
Rachel talks about how
baking can help with
your mental wellbeing
48 WORLD SUICIDE
PREVENTION DAY
#WSPD details
49 GETTING
THE CHOP!
Leanne gets a hair cut!
50 DR KATE SPEAKS
What to do if you are
feeling unfulfilled in
the workplace.
52 MENTAL HEALTH
AND SPORT
Depression in Athletes
53 SELF-HARM
What impact does it
have and what support
is available?
53 MH PODCASTS
Joshua reviews what
you can listen to
59 CONTACTS
You are not alone –
speak to someone if
you are struggling
Editor’s
WORD
Hello everyone!
I do hope you all enjoyed your summer holidays;
we were gifted with some lovely weather! Back to
the grind now though, in returning to school and
university.
I am interested in hearing your opinions on the
design of the mental health section; what are your
thoughts? It would be great if you could email me
with these along with any ideas or suggestions!
Thank you!
This month we are featuring articles on the
correlation between music and mental health,
suicide awareness, the correlation between mental
health and sport, and self-harm. Some of these
articles may be triggering for you, please do not
hesitate to contact myself or any other member of
the team for support. Alternatively, you can access
any of the services provided at the end of the mental
health section.
Take care and try to enjoy your return to education
– for some this may be
beneficial for their
mental health. It isn’t
very well known, but
routine can be a
good healer.
Leanne
xo
Contact us
01473 35 35 12
leanne@student-life.co
www.student-life.co
@studentlifeips
@studentlifeips
@studentlifeips
44 • SEPTEMBER FEBRUARY 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

& with Leanne xo
TIPS ADVICE
Q: How do you know if a relationship with someone is toxic
and bad for your mental health?
A: This is difficult to answer because it
isn’t always something that you are able
to spot. I think noticing changes in your
mood and emotional wellbeing is key
and understanding when these came
about and what time of the day. Is it a
reoccurring theme that your emotional
wellbeing is affected after seeing this
person, or before perhaps? How exactly
is it that you are feeling? Does this person
make you feel anxious? Depressed? Or do
they encourage you to act in a way which is
unhealthy for your mental health.
It’s sometimes difficult for us to recognise
a decline in our mental health, so talking to
others about it may help. Although we may
not properly recognise that the person is
bad for us, we may have an inclination.
Others will be able to spot signs and
changes in behaviours that we can’t
ourselves. So reach out to your friends
and relatives and have a chat with them, it
doesn’t need to be based on ‘is my mental
health affected negatively by this person’
it can be something as simple as ‘what do
you think of...’ or ‘have I changed recently?’.
Good luck with this! I think we as human
beings always have a slight whisper of
when something isn’t quite right, and if we
don’t, someone else will.
IF THIS ARTICLE HAS BROUGHT UP ANY EMOTIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE
TO DISCUSS, PLEASE REFER TO OUR CONTACT LIST AT THE END OF THIS SECTION

REACHING OUT
One of my biggest support networks for
mental health has been my family. From late
night conversations with my Mum, to heartto-hearts
with my Dad, or advice from my
older siblings, and what I have learnt from
all of these interactions, is the importance
of communication and emotional honesty.
Being away from home to study however,
has shaken that particular network as it
doesn’t always feel possible to properly
express what’s wrong in a text or call late at
night. The physical distance especially, adds
an extra layer of difficulty to comforting
each other.
In order to combat this, I have tried to
develop new support networks. Which has
been a bit of challenge for me complicated
by social anxiety. This anxiety can make
reaching out somewhat difficult as I
sometimes just don’t know what to say or
the best way to put it. However, I’ve muddled
through all of this and managed to make
friends anyway, and by challenging myself,
this has gradually gotten better.
When I was defeated and at my lowest,
wanting nothing more than to just give
up and go home, I saw the true value of
BY GRACE SMITH
these relationships when I reached out and
communicated these fears. While I was
worried that I was overburdening others,
I received nothing but support, and after
exchanging stories and advice about what
they had overcome and how they did it, I felt
ready to fight again and complete my studies.
The best piece of advice I received however,
which gave me the motivation to continue,
was to compare myself to the
past me. That instead of comparing myself
against others’ accomplishments, I should
stop and see how far I’ve come, and that
particular piece of advice meant more to me
in that moment than I can express now.
I’ve found that in order to
maintain a good sense of mental
wellbeing, it is important to be
self-aware and reflective.
I try to do this by keeping a diary/journal to
track my thoughts if I’ve had a particularly
good or bad experience. Because it’s good to
read back and see how I’ve developed as a
person, as well as have a bit of a laugh at my
own expense over some of the silly things I’ve
written when I was in a particular mood.
46 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

SELF CARE: BAKING
BY RACHEL MITCHELL
I hold my hands up… visually, my baking doesn’t always look amazing (see
images) but baking is something that I enjoy, when I have the time to dedicate.
I much prefer to bake over cooking, mainly because I can take my time and
I’m not being pressured to feed a hungry family.
Baking is one of those things you’re forced
into during school in Food Technology and
for some it can be seen to be a bit of a doss
lesson. However, if you pay close attention,
you’ll find that these lessons are equipping
you with valuable life skills both in theory
and practice. I’ll never forget my lessons
baking scones and rock cakes!
My favourite treat to bake is a lemon drizzle
cake. It doesn’t require much effort, but
the results are so worth it! I’ve got a loaf
tin which I use, and this is a perfect size,
allowing my hubby and I two or three slices
each (not usually in one sitting!). In fact, the
loaf tin is so useful, that’s how I made Logan’s
first birthday cake. I couldn’t find my circular
tins, so a last-minute change of plan, meant
that I was able to make-shift a ‘1’ for him. The
overall look of the cake is my favourite part
and I have a variety of different cutting tools
and shape cutters which can be a lot of fun
to play around with. In this instance, I really
wasn’t prepared for the shape of the cake and
my icing struggled to completely cover the
‘1’. Therefore, I had to try and improvise with
what I had, cutting out flowers to hide the
patches. It kind of worked out okay though
as my theme was ‘In the Night Garden’, so
the flowers were on trend. Still, the taste
of the cake is what really mattered, and it
was received very well by my family at the
birthday party.
The cake itself was lemon flavoured and was
covered in a vanilla buttercream (pre-made
by Betty Crocker!). I highly recommend these
products if you are short on time or want a
quick fix and they are affordable too. They
are available in a variety of flavours and
products and if you’re sneaky, no one would
know you used them!
47 • AUGUST 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

WORLD SUICIDE
PREVENTION DAY
Why?
Every year suicide is amongst the top
20 leading causes of death, globally, for
people of all ages. This in seconds is one
completed suicide every 40 seconds.
Each suicide equates to approximately 135
affected, which amounts to 108 million
people per year.
And for every completed suicide,
approximately 25 people make an attempt
or have serious thoughts about suicide.
So why? Well, suicide can affect us all. It is
misunderstood, and in order for the world
to be a safer and more supportive place
we need to pull together to understand
how to spot the signs of suicide and how to
help those feeling this way.
Self-help
Help for coping right now:
Try focusing on today, the next half hour
Stay away from drugs and alcohol
Get yourself to a safe place
Be around others
Do something you enjoy
Worried about someone else?
If you are concerned about someone
else, try and open up a conversation
with them. Don’t be shy about discussing
suicide, being open about it removes the
taboo associated with it
Listen to them. Don’t push your opinions
onto them
Make sure they know you care,
that they aren’t alone
Offer reassurance that they won’t feel
this way forever
Offer resources for professional help
Offer support in accessing professional
help
This world suicide prevention day is
about encouraging the global community
to engage with each other and to join
together to spread awareness of suicide
prevention.
If you are feeling suicidal and are
feeling unsafe, call a helpline:
Samaritans – 116 123 (24/7)
Campaign Against Living Miserably
(CALM – for men)
5pm to midnight every day – 0800
58 58 58
Papyrus – under 35’s
M-F 10am-10pm, S-S 2pm-10pm –
0800 068 41 41
Childline – under 19’s
#WSPD
Tuesday 10 September 2019
0800 1111 (this number won’t show
on your phone bill)
If you are feeling that your life is in danger
or if you have seriously harmed yourself
call 999 for an ambulance or go to A&E.
Suicide is something we must
talk about more openly,
freely, and without fear.
Leanne xo
48 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

GETTING THE CHOP!
BY LEANNE ARNOLD
So recently I
went and got
my hair cut… in
a hairdressers…
a proper
hairdressers!
This may seem
like child’s play to many of you, but I don’t
make it a regular trip as I often have my
hair cut and then leave it to grow out. So,
going for the first time in a very long time
was actually quite anxiety provoking.
I decided to have my hair cut from very
long to pretty short; like that wasn’t anxiety
provoking enough… I had to deal with the
social anxiety battle that was raging in my
mind too.
never been the ‘popular’ person, so I’ve
always felt uneasy in situations like that.
I think what I need to take from this is that
I need to push myself more, I felt proud
of myself, even though I was then onto
battling the adjustment of the haircut!
I need to not pay so much attention to
stereotypes – although this is something
I pride myself on, I do believe that if you
see something enough it almost becomes
embedded into you.
Anyway, I just wanted to say THANK YOU to
the hairdresser that made my experience
a comfortable, safe, and enjoyable one. I
hope they see this, even if they don’t know
who they are.
I was encouraged by friends and reassured
too, but that only gave me a small amount
of confidence. In my head I kept telling
myself ‘people do this all the time’,
‘children go and get their hair done, if they
can so can you’.
It seems almost daft writing this now,
especially after going and experiencing it. It
was fine. I was okay. I actually enjoyed the
experience. The hairdressers that I went
to were very welcoming, the particular
hairdresser I had was lovely. I felt at ease
and I felt comfortable. She was very chatty,
and I got a head massage and cuppa!
I think the reason why I was so nervous
was because of the stereotypical
hairdressers you see in soaps; bitchy,
selective, and super judgemental. I’ve
49 • AUGUST 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

DR KATE BLACKFORD SPEAKS:
Feeling unfulfilled at work
BY DR KATE BLACKFORD
Starting a new job – especially if
it is the first step in your career –
is an exciting prospect. But what
do you do if you find your new
job unfulfilling?
Feeling unfulfilled at work can leave
you feeling depressed, fatigued and
listless. Starting any new job brings with
it expectations of what we will be doing
and the positive impact we can have,
but getting there and feeling like we are
drowning in pointless tasks, endless to do
lists and meeting after meeting can have
a negative impact on our mental health.
Ultimately, in whatever form, we all crave
a sense of meaning in what we do at work.
Our brains release endorphins when we
feel that we have achieved something
and we are able to be more creative and
more productive when we are in a good
place mentally. Thankfully, there are thing
s you can do to get out of the rut. Firstly,
you need to ask yourself some difficult
questions:
1. If you feel able to, speak to your
boss about what you can do to feel
more fulfilled.
It may not be possible to change your
duties in your current organisation / role,
but it is always worth exploring first if you
feel able to have this conversation with
your boss or HR department.
2. Why were you attracted to the job /
company in the first place?
Were you really searching for your ideal
job, or did you just end up accepting
something so you would be able to pay the
bills? It is much harder to change career
later in life, when you have more financial
commitments, so if you fear you may
have jumped in on the first thing you were
offered, take a step back and rethink what
it is you really want to do and why.
50 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

4. What is it that you really value?
It is easy to get caught up in the values of
others and lose touch with what it is that
you really value as you try to keep up with
colleagues. Take a step back and think
about what really matters to you. When
you are working to your values you will feel
fulfilled. This may mean taking a pay cut (at
least in the short term) as you refocus, but
will lead to a happier life
long term.
3. Are there elements of your work that
do make you feel fulfilled?
If there are elements you enjoy, this can be
a clue as to the direction you may wish to
pursue more directly. Is there another job
(in your current organisation, or elsewhere)
that would offer more of the things you
enjoy doing? Or is there a theme you
notice that might direct you towards a
different career that would enable you to
do similar things more?
5. Once you have established what it is
you really aspire to, figure out what you
need to do to achieve a job that offers
that.
Research what it is (qualifications,
experience etc…) you need to move
towards your goal and then make a plan as
to how you achieve that. Even if you have
to stick where you are for a while to get
yourself in the position to make the jump,
you will feel better knowing that you are
taking positive steps towards your goal.
Most important of all is to respect yourself
enough to ask the questions and do the
work so that you have a plan to get you
where you need to be. It can be easy to
just coast because you feel unfulfilled, but
action is the only way out!
IF THIS ARTICLE HAS BROUGHT UP ANY EMOTIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE
TO DISCUSS, PLEASE REFER TO OUR CONTACT LIST AT THE END OF THIS SECTION

DEPRESSION IN CELEBRITIES
ATHLETES
BY RUBY WARREN
Fame and money unfortunately can’t stop
depression and mental health issues, in
some cases it can make it worse. Lots of
celebrities have committed suicide from
being unhappy in how they look, feel, how
much money they own and/or how good they
are. For example, a lacrosse player, Nathaniel
Cowsert committed suicide in January 2018,
his parents spoke in an interview a year later,
and said he always wrestled with anxiety and
unfortunately, he thought he wasn’t good
enough. “He was always so kind. He was just
great to be around. He was a light; Jeremy
was always happy.” Although everyone loved
him, he obviously couldn’t take failure.
This is a very sad but truthful story, which
happens when brilliant stars get injured or
fail/lose. Many celebrities have opened up to
anxiety and depression. Dwayne Johnson has
opened up to having depression, he said: “I
found that with depression one of the most
important things you could realize is that
you’re not alone. You’re not the first to go
through it… I wish I had someone at that time
who could just pull me aside and [say], ‘Hey,
it’s going to be okay.’”
A third of women athletes, suffer with
depression: Serena Williams says ‘’I
definitely have not been happy, especially
when I had that second (foot) surgery, I was
definitely depressed. I cried all the time. I
was miserable to be around.’’ “Not only was
I accepting some tough personal stuff, but
I just was in a funk. Mostly, I felt like I was
not a good mom.” “I work a lot, I train, and
I’m trying to be the best athlete I can be,”
Williams wrote in her post. “However, that
means although I have been with her every
day of her life, I’m not around as much as I
would like to be. Most of you moms deal with
the same thing. Whether stay-at-home or
working, finding that balance with kids is a
true art. You are the true heroes. I’m here to
say: if you are having a rough day or week —
it’s ok — I am, too!!!”
“You can’t do it alone,”
So, it’s very important to realise that even the
best of the best suffer just as much, or maybe
more than not famous people, because of the
pressure from society, as if they need to be
the best!
52 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

SELF-HARM AND ITS IMPACT
BY CHARLY SHORE
Self-harm has a massive
impact on not only the
person doing it, but also the
people who look after them.
It can be draining, upsetting
and sometimes make you
feel quite useless because
you might feel like you can’t
do anything to help. Because
of this, we need to look after
ourselves, especially, because
if we aren’t looking after
ourselves then there’s no way
we can look after someone
else. Though, having said
this, it is very important to
remember that it is not your
responsibility to make sure
they are safe, and you should
always tell someone else if
you are worried about their
safety.
It’s very easy to fall into a
cycle of guilt when caring for
someone who self-harms,
because when they self-harm
you might feel like you failed
them, and you should have
tried to stop them more.
This is not the case however,
because it is never your
fault, it is not your sole
responsibility to keep them
safe, and you are already
doing really well trying to
help, so you should not put
any more pressure onto
yourself.
Are you a person
caring for someone
who self-harms but
doesn’t know where
to even start?
Yeah, that was me a while
ago, in a way: it still is.
Self-harm is a difficult
subject for any of us to
talk about, especially
those caring for people
who self-harm, so what
should you actually do?
One thing I found always
helped my friend was to
give them an open space
to talk about it when they
were ready to, and not
force them into talking
about what happened.
The most important thing
I have learned while
caring for someone who
self-harms is that there is
a very fine line between
looking out for them,
and making sure that
they are safe; and being
controlling, pushy and
overprotective because of
your anxiety about them
and their safety.
IF THIS ARTICLE HAS BROUGHT UP ANY EMOTIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE
TO DISCUSS, PLEASE REFER TO OUR CONTACT LIST AT THE END OF THIS SECTION

SELF-HARM SUPPORT
BY LEANNE ARNOLD
Self-harm affects millions of people worldwide and is largely prevalent in Suffolk with
higher than average statistics. Unfortunately self-harm is still a ‘taboo’ subject which
carries much weight when the word is used. I think, like suicide, self-harm is something
people are afraid to speak about with fear from ‘planting ideas’ or ‘reinforcing selfharming
feelings’. However, this is not the case. By speaking about self-harm we are
slowly creating a safe environment for those people to come forward and discuss how
they are feeling. In order to provide the best support we need to be comfortable in
discussing self-harm as to ensure the person
feels safe and understood.
But how do we support someone who
is self-harming?
Do not be judgemental
Offer your support; make sure they
know you are there for them
Do not treat them as a ‘self-harmer’ they
are still a whole person
Remind them of their self-worth
Offer to help find extra support
Reassure them that they aren’t alone
Be honest – this person has confided in
you and you should return the honesty
How do I get help if I am self-harming?
Reaching out – discussing your self-harm
with someone can trigger a feeling of
relief and reduce worries and fears.
You can reach out without parting with
information you are uncomfortable with
sharing
Reaching out – if you feel uncomfortable
reaching out to family members, friends,
GP or tutors you can always call the
Samaritans who can offer advice and
support via the phone (please see our
contacts list at the end of this section)
Self-help – there are many ways you
are able to help yourself if the above
methods aren’t suitable for you:
Learning to recognise patterns can
enable you to break the self-harm
cycle by putting in other coping
strategies before the urge to self-harm
becomes unmanageable – keeping
a diary is a great way to understand
your patterns better
Identify distractions that work for you
– you can create a table of distractions
which you can refer to when you are
feeling the urge to self-harm
Delaying self-harm: waiting minutes
before acting on your urges shows you
that you are able to delay your selfharming.
Practicing this allows you to
build up the delay time resulting in a
better grip on your self-harm
54 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

How do I get help whilst supporting
someone who is self-harming?
Firstly you have to ensure you are
looking after your own wellbeing – keeping
boundaries allows you to support this
person with reducing the impact it can
have on you
Reach out – you can discuss the support
you are providing whilst still maintaining
the confidentiality you may have promised
the person who is self-harming. It is
important to discuss any impacts you are
experiencing.
MENTAL HEALTH PODCASTS
BY JOSHUA HODGKIN
There are so many mental health resources
available to young people. There are
books, websites, videos, TV programmes…
but there’s one thing which we’ve never
covered at Student Life: podcasts and radio
programmes.
Listening means you’re able to do a couple
of unique things, you can close your eyes
and fully immerse yourself, or you can
continue doing other things whilst you listen.
This makes it a very versatile medium for
getting advice on any issues you may be
experiencing.
One programme I’ve found incredibly
useful is BBC Radio 1’s Life Hacks, starring
Cel Spellman and Katie Thistleton. It’s live
on Sundays from 4pm to 6pm. The show
has a resident GP, Dr Radha, who provides
professional advice on callers’ issues. When
I first heard the show, I couldn’t believe I
hadn’t found it before! It’s aimed at school,
sixth form, college and uni students and
covers a variety of topics, including revision,
exam stress, mental health conditions, selfharm,
relationships, and advice relating to
day-to-day life. I’ve found the show incredibly
helpful, and I’ve even featured on it as a
revision coach through the BBC’s Mindset
campaign.
I don’t think there’s another medium to
touch radio in terms of convenience and
accessibility. It’s on the BBC, so there’s no
advertisements or distractions! The show also
plays music just like any other radio show, of
course. It’s really nice to have the discussions
about important topics followed by a musical
interlude to allow you to think about what’s
been said. This means that whilst the advice
is incredibly useful, it’s also not too hardhitting
or intense. Big topics can be discussed
in a way which doesn’t feel too overwhelming.
Plus, Cel and Katie have very friendly voices,
you feel that they could be a friend! In short,
the show is super enjoyable.
I would recommend that
anybody our age listens to
the show.
It creates a safe space for mental health
to be discussed and, just like Student Life,
you can ask your questions anonymously.
You can get professional advice on what
you’re struggling with, making it a really
important platform for those of us who want
to get a professional opinion, but live with
problems with their confidence or mental
health! Tune in every Sunday or listen on
BBC Sounds!
IF THIS ARTICLE HAS BROUGHT UP ANY EMOTIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE
TO DISCUSS, PLEASE REFER TO OUR CONTACT LIST AT THE END OF THIS SECTION

UFFORD PARK
BY JOSIE HOPPS – HR/H&S/DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
I have been with Ufford Park since 2007.
Every year I choose a focus or project to
promote or champion. This year I decided
to look at how we as a company can
address the serious matters of mental
health within the work place.
I have a connection with this topic as I have
had close friends and family suffer from
mental health issues and I have watched
how it can destroy people’s lives, and it has
unfortunately become extremely common.
Mental health is more accepted now than
ever but I still don’t feel people realise the
importance of it.
We spend most of our lives at work, eight
hours a day, five days a week. Even more
in some cases therefore being able to
be open about your mental health in the
working environment is important, but not
everyone feels that they can.
I want my colleagues to be able to talk to
either myself or one of our champions. I
aim to train staff to be able to spot people
– colleagues and others from outside the
business – who may be struggling with
mental health issues and offer to help.
We all have times when we feel down,
stressed or frightened. Most of the time
those feelings pass, but sometimes they
develop into a mental health problem like
anxiety or depression, which can impact
on our daily lives. For some people, mental
health problems become complex, and
require support and treatment for life.
Factors like poverty, genetics, childhood
trauma, discrimination, or ongoing physical
illness make it more likely that we will
develop mental health problems, but
mental health problems can happen to
anybody.
Your mental health doesn’t always stay the
same. It can fluctuate as circumstances
change and as you move through different
stages in your life.
When we feel distressed, we need a
compassionate, human response. The
earlier we are able to recognise when
something isn’t quite right, the earlier we
can get support.
Good mental health at work and good
management go hand in hand and there
is strong evidence that workplaces with
high levels of mental wellbeing are more
productive. Addressing wellbeing at work
increases productivity by as much as 12%.
56 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

Ufford Park values mental health
and wellbeing as core assets of our
organisation and we are:
Committed to developing an
approach to mental health at work
that protects and improves mental
health for everyone, whilst supporting
those people who experience
distress by designating champions,
and ensuring senior leaders and
middle managers are responsible
for implementing mental health
programmes.
Committed to reviewing the way we
do business to ensure our everyday
working culture is as mentally healthy
as possible. Make evidence based
mental health promotion tools like
exercise available to all staff.
Regular staff surveys to build data
about staff mental health, using
findings to plan and deliver action and
inform workplace policies. Recognise
and celebrate the impact of existing
employee benefits and our corporate
socially responsible activities on the
mental health and wellbeing of staff.
We support the development of
compassionate and effective line
management relationships and we:
Provide opportunities for managers
and staff to attend relevant training to
support staff living with mental health
problems and the wellbeing of all staff
more widely.
Provide proactive support for
staff line-managing people with
mental health problems, including
access to HR and, where necessary,
occupational health services.
Recognise that line managers and staff
who have personal lived experience
of mental health problems are a
unique asset to a company and
value the diversity and transferable
skills that lived experience of mental
health problems bring and support
disclosure.
Give people positive reasons to
disclose by establishing a culture that
values authenticity and openness –
this will be led from the top of the
organisation.
trainingforlife.org.uk
Student Life is delighted to be extending our
relationship with Ufford Park, by partnering
with the hotel and spa in providing Mental
Health in the Workplace training via our
training arm – Training For Life – later this year.
IF THIS ARTICLE HAS BROUGHT UP ANY EMOTIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE
TO DISCUSS, PLEASE REFER TO OUR CONTACT LIST AT THE END OF THIS SECTION

#SUSO
SPEAK UP, SPEAK OUT!
WHAT’S GWARNIN
BY LEANNE ARNOLD
Exciting times ahead as we enter the new
school year! After being super busy with the
Speak Up, Speak Out #SUSO campaign we
are finally in a position to start delivering
our anti-bullying workshop in schools
across the county.
We hope that the impact of this campaign
will bring people together to help support
one another, and help people recognise
better if there is any bullying
occurring around them.
Bullying can be an extremely hard thing
to cope with, and we want to help put a
stop to it!
So, keep your ears and eyes open for
what’s coming up next.
Take care,
Leanne xo
58 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

CONTACTS
IN
AN EMERGENCY PHONE 999
FOR NON-EMERGENCY MEDICAL
PROBLEMS CALL NHS 111
We offer a safe place for you to talk
any time you like, in your own way,
about whatever’s getting to you.
116 123
www.samaritans.org
For confidential suicide
prevention advice contact
0800 068 4141
www.papyrus-uk.org
Run by people with experience
of living with anxiety, stress or
anxiety-based depression
03444 775 774
www.anxietyuk.org.uk
0800 58 58 58
www.thecalmzone.net
Advice, guidance and
practical support
01473 252607
www.4yp.org.uk
We’ve got lots of advice about
looking after yourself
0800 1111
www.childline.org.uk
Supporting and empowering
women who have suffered or are
at risk of suffering domestic abuse
01473 228270
www.lighthousewa.org.uk
0300 111 6000
www.suffolkmind.org.uk
Improving teenage mental health
by stemming commonly occurring
MH issues at an early stage
www.stem4.org.uk
Support for survivors of childhood
sexual abuse
07765 052282
survivorsintransition.co.uk
Providing a wide range of health
and wellbeing services
www.turning-point.co.uk
Whether you’re stressed, anxious,
low or depressed, we can help
0300 123 1503
www.wellbeingnands.co.uk
Arts in mental health
and wellbeing
www.insideout
community.com
A National Self-Help Organisation
helping people cope with their
depression.
www.depressionuk.org
Advice, information and guidance
to those affected by low mood,
depression and suicidal thinking.
www.studentsagainst
depression.org

PHYSICAL
HEALTH
CO-EDITOR LOUISA SADLER
BLOOD PRESSURE
AWARENESS WEEK
BY LOUISA SADLER
A health awareness week which I think
needs to be talked about more is Blood
Pressure Awareness Week, 10th – 16th
September (Know Your Numbers Week).
We should all know what blood pressure
is, what it should be if we are healthy and
the health risks if we have high blood
pressure, but how much do we actually
know about our blood pressure?
Let’s start with the numbers. The top
number on the reading is our pressure
when the heart is pushing blood around
our body and the bottom number is our
pressure when our heart is relaxed.
Know Your Numbers Week focuses on
making people aware of the risks high
blood pressure carries and encourages
people to get their blood pressure
checked. Now don’t freak out if you
have your blood pressure checked and
it is high, it takes multiple readings
of it being consistently high before
you are diagnosed with high blood
pressure. The health risks of high blood
pressure commonly are heart attack,
heart disease and strokes and these are
increased only when you have had high
blood pressure over a long period of
time and left untreated. Another thing to
be aware of is that high blood pressure
usually has no symptoms hence why it is
sometimes called ‘the silent killer’. As well
as high blood pressure, being aware of low
blood pressure I feel is just as important.
Now having low blood pressure doesn’t
carry the increased risk of heart related
problems like high blood pressure but can
affect your health. As someone with low
blood pressure, I know the side effects I
suffer with and to combat them, I keep
a fizzy drink with me at all times as well
as some mints. This probably isn’t the
healthiest method, but it works for me.
Find more information at http://www.
bloodpressureuk.org/microsites/kyn/
Home/AboutKYN – if you want to share
your own blood pressure stories email me
at louisa@student-life.co and your article
could feature in next month’s publication!
60 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

SUMMER ACTIVITIES
BY CAMELIA ATOMEI
With Summer coming to an end, I started
wondering if I had managed to exercise as
much as I wanted to. From the beginning of
the season, I told myself that eating healthy
and exercising will help me improve my
physical condition.
This is easier said than done due to having
an evening job which provides me with a free
meal. I was trying to be more confident in
wearing shorts and smaller sizes. So, I told
myself that eating late will have to become
just a time to time thing instead of a regular
habit. I started doing some activities every
other day in order to have some summer
activities and improve my physical health.
Going to the gym and swimming
were my main activities for
almost an entire month. I was
very frequent at the gym for at
least an hour.
My body really felt the difference and I could
see how my muscles changed because of the
workout. However, as the summer continued,
I realised I am more of an outdoor person
as I like to explore. I decided to give up the
membership at the gym and started going in
the park to run and do some exercises with
a jump rope. Doing this, I believe it will help
me gain more confidence in myself and my
goal is to work harder and harder.
Being active for me means a lot, it gives
me a positive vibe and makes me feel more
comfortable within myself. My new challenge
is to take it to the next level and have a meal
plan to see how it will help me be healthier
and combine it with the park exercises and
see how it goes.
All of this requires either to be very confident
in accomplishing this or to do it with a friend
so that when one is feeling low the other
one can contribute to raising morale and
motivation.
I would definitely recommend starting to
be more active, especially during summer
holidays due to having lots of free time. Plus,
we all need a break from the usual activities
in order to recharge our energy and be able
to start school and work full of excitement
and dedication.
61 • PHYSICAL HEALTH • STUDENT LIFE

SEPSIS AWARENESS
BY RACHEL MITCHELL
September marks Sepsis awareness month
and supporters are encouraged to join in
and raise awareness. So, what is Sepsis?
The NHS website states that Sepsis is life
threatening and hard to spot. However,
there are a number of symptoms and signs
to look out for.
In a baby or young child, these include:
Blue, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue
Being sleepier than normal or difficult
to wake
Difficulty breathing, breathlessness or
breathing very fast
In addition, an older child or adult,
symptoms may present as following:
Acting confused, slurred speech or not
making sense
If someone presents with any of the
symptoms listed, it is advised to call
999 or head straight to A&E.
While these are just some of what you
can look out for, it’s important to reiterate
the point that sepsis may be hard to spot.
To back this up, my own experience was
just that. One evening, I suddenly started
to experience severe abdominal pains,
around 6pm to be exact. I couldn’t eat the
dinner that my husband had prepared
for me and I also started to feel very
nauseous. What followed was an evening
of sickness and just generally feeling awful.
I took myself to bed but the pain continued
throughout the night, getting worse and
worse that no position was comfortable or
bearable. I have a condition called Crohn’s
Disease which can mean that abdominal
pain is common, but this was so much
worse. I don’t know how, but I got through
the night and by the morning, I was on
the phone to 111 for advice. Long story
short, they eventually advised that I went
to A&E and despite my reluctance, it’s a
good job I did. After some x-rays and scans
and lots of morphine, I was taken to a
surgical ward, where within minutes I was
told that my scan showed a perforated
bowel and sepsis. The surgeon explained
that they were going to have to operate
immediately, otherwise my chance of
survival was getting less and less. It was a
very scary time for me and my family. The
operation went ahead and saved my life.
Despite some complications that followed,
I’m very fortunate to get to A&E when I did.
Sepsis can be deadly and I’m thankful to be
alive to raise awareness.
62 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

GET UP, GET OUT
#GUGO
BY LOUISA SADLER
With the new school year
beginning to get underway, there
may be less time to get up and
get out and enjoy what nature has
to offer. However that shouldn’t
put you off trying! Getting up and
out is so important whether it’s
for your physical health or mental
health or even if you want to have
a break from everything for a
while. This is why I am promoting
our #GUGO Campaign to
encourage you guys to find some
time to get up and get out in any
way, shape or form. You can go
to the park with your friends, the
seaside or even to your own back
garden; it doesn’t matter where
you go as long as you #GUGO
You can even share your #GUGO
experiences here at Student Life
by sending in your experiences
in an article that will feature in
the magazine! You can email me
at louisa@student-life.co with
all your #GUGO experiences,
questions or even your own
#GUGO challenges! Don’t be
afraid to get up and get out and
explore the amazing benefits that
nature has to offer you!
63 • PHYSICAL HEALTH • STUDENT LIFE

WTF
WHAT THE FOOD
CO-EDITOR RACHEL MITCHELL
FOODIE DIARY DATES
BY RACHEL MITCHELL
As Summer draws to a close, so do most of the summery outdoor food and drink
festivals in Suffolk. It’s not all doom and gloom though as there are still a number of
events on til the end of October to enjoy before the cold creeps in! From experience,
the Octoberfest is a particularly enjoyable event to attend, with the opportunity to
wear traditional clothing (lederhosen and dirndls) and take part in traditional singing
and table dancing, all while eating Bratwursts and drinking out of beer steins!
Such fun!
September – October 2019
1 Big Multicultural Festival, Alexandra Park, Ipswich ....................1 Sept 2019
Art Eat Festival, Ipswich Waterfront ...............................21-22 Sept 2019
Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival, Snape Maltings .................28-29 Sept 2019
Ipswich Octoberfest, Ipswich Town Hall ..............................1-5 Oct 2019
Film Feast Suffolk, The Riverside, The Galley & The Table, Woodbridge ...4-6 Oct 2019
Framlingham Sausagefest, Framlingham ..............................13 Oct 2019
64 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

HONEY & HARVEY
REVIEW
BY APRIL GANT
If you’re on the hunt for an independent
yet Instagramable café that serves the
most delicious food and tasty drinks,
then Honey & Harvey is the place to go.
Since opening their doors to the people
of Woodbridge and beyond in 2011, the
independent café has expanded with
another premise in Melton and there
is even talk of expanding further afield.
The mix of industrial and shabby chic
interior makes it perfect for a catch up
with friends that can make it onto your
Instagram or the perfect setting to get
some much needed work done with
Wifi available and comfy chairs.
Even on a rainy summer day in August,
it was bustling with groups of friends,
families and couples of all ages. The
queue was nearly out the door but
that didn’t slow down the excellent
and speedy service that was received.
Serving food from breakfast to lunch,
Honey & Harvey caters for any time
of the day where you feel the urge to
settle down to shelter from the rain
or relax in their back garden in the
sun. Be sure to follow them on their
social pages too as there is always
announcements of special evening
events that aren’t to be missed.
For me the stand out items from
the café is always going to be the
homemade selection of cakes and
pastries that are always on offer on the
front counter. Most cater for those with
dietary needs such as gluten free, vegan and
lactose free clearly marked before ordering.
It is priced reasonably for an occasional
treat that you’ll be wanting to come back for
again and again. At £2.50 per cake it is very
much justified with the rich taste and quality
ingredients. Another notable mention is the
hot and cold drink selection with a classic latte
being my favourite choice. The well rounded
and warm coffee mixed with the creamy milk
makes for the perfect pick me up.
If you’re looking for something a little more
filling, there is a great selection of healthy hot
food available ranging from sandwiches to
salads with a twist. The smell alone from the
street when walking past of the food cooking
will entice you no doubt.
For all the trips you’ll end up making, you’ll be
able to collect loyalty stamps towards a sweet
treat of your choice.
SERVICE:
FOOD:
VALUE:
APRIL GANT
65 • WHAT THE FOOD • STUDENT LIFE

MY LIFE
CO-EDITOR RACHEL MITCHELL
DEAR PAST ME
BY THOMAS HEATHWAITE
Hi, I’m Thomas Heathwaite, you may
know me from my articles covering
environmental issues and nature
gardening. Now I’ve finished A levels,
I thought it would be interesting
to see what I would have done in
hindsight…
Why did I overwork? You should
know not to from Y11 and yet you
make the same mistake in Y12 and
Y13. Did I learn? Nope. Then you
wonder why you have mental break
downs with the constant stress.
Please reader… don’t overwork and
listen to your body, if you do, your
mental health and physical health
will be better and you’ll focus better.
I wish I spent significantly more
time playing with my sister,
Charlotte, who shares a deeply
special relationship with me and has
helped me through good and bad.
Kids at that age grow so fast, and yet
I only realise how much I cherish her
post A levels. Looking back, I wish
when I spent time with her during A
levels, that I did not find it a burden
and was not constantly thinking “I’ve
got X, Y and Z still to do”. I should
have seen it as a break, but no I did
not. Why not, (if only I knew…).
Future You
66 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

COMPLETING
KIND ACTIONS
BY THOMAS HEATHWAITE
How do you make the world kinder and a
happier place? You start by using your voice,
waiting to be let out in every one of us to
complete kind actions! Start small, turn the
dislikes of that moment in to a like. Messy
room? Reorganise it! Messy beach? Tidy it!
Parents busy? Offer to help cook! These kind
actions will multiply to make the
world kinder.
A kind action could be to tidy your bedroom,
by setting a particular area to do each day as
your goal. This will both make your parents
happier and it will mean that you will be
able to concentrate better and think better
(remember that old saying “a tidy room = a
tidy mind and a cluttered room = a cluttered
mind”?). In terms of organisation, tidying up
can help you become better organised so that
you don’t keep missing homework or spend
endless time trying to find something, or,
worse still, having to re-do a piece of work,
only to find another week later… Certainly, I
know if I had been more organised during
Y13, it would have been better and made me
more productive.
The kitchen might be another
area; you could tidy, reorganise or offer
to cook; reducing chores for parents and it
will help you develop life skills. Moreover,
you could reorganise one of the cupboards
and see what is out of date (helping you to
reduce food waste over time through better
organisation). Both are kind actions which
will benefit your parents and yourself.
Kind actions don’t just have to be exclusively
for the house you live in but also could
extend to doing a litter pick (either
individually or in a group) and this will not
only benefit you, but also the environment
(as the litter won’t infiltrate into the sea and
be ingested by marine life) but will also help
to make the place feel cleaner, more relaxing
and more welcoming. Just make sure before
doing a litter pick that you investigate your
local council website on how to advise them
that you’re doing one, and let the relevant
authority know. (For more information on
this, see a future article where I will talk
about litter picking in more detail).
If we all start doing kind actions, then we
will continue to make this world a nicer, and
happier place to live in.
67 • MY LIFE • STUDENT LIFE

Dear Fresher
TOP 5 THINGS THAT
I’VE LEARNT AS A STUDENT:
BY LUCY TATE
As a first year student living away from home
for the first time, this new “student lifestyle”
came as quite a big shock to me as I moved into
a state of independence. A lot of things that I
thought I’d be on top of really threw me off, and
some of the things I’ve learnt came in handy
quite quickly. Here’s my top 5 things that I’ve
learnt as a student:
2 SHOPPING TRIPS
As somebody that can’t drive, I’ve found
that doing a weekly food shop was a huge
inconvenience to me. I didn’t have any
friends that drove so I started off carrying
all of my bags up a hill, or resorting to
the bus - either way, it killed my arms and
made shopping trips more of a workout.
If I couldn’t get a friend to drive me, then
I found it really easy to use a suitcase for
all of my shopping. Yes, a suitcase. I may
have looked a bit odd packing my meat
and veg into a suitcase, but it made it ten
times easier to wheel it all back in one go.
If you don’t mind seeming strange at the
local Aldi, then it is definitely an energy
saving trick.
1 THE IMPORTANCE OF BUDGETING
Everybody knows that students are skint –
I have definitely found myself paying with
pennies on multiple occasions. The most
valuable lesson I’ve learnt so far is that it
is incredibly important to set yourself a
weekly budget, whether that means getting
a prepaid budget card, planning out
weekly expenses, or just keeping a keen
eye on your finances, I can’t stress the
value of this enough!
3 DEALING WITH CHORES
As somebody that snacks constantly
throughout the day, I have a lot of dirty
dishes. It’s just a few plates, I thought
to myself, but believe me, the stack
gets bigger and bigger, until you’re
lost in a mountain of old dishes and
dirty laundry. Though it may seem like
a hassle at the time, I’ve found that
just doing my damn chores is vital to
keeping myself in a decent work and
living environment, not to mention all
the space it saved in my room.
68 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

4 DEALING WITH FLATMATES
I’ve been fairly lucky with my set of flatmates this year, but some people aren’t as lucky.
If you’re stuck with a messy flatmate that doesn’t do their dishes, or plays loud music,
or won’t take out the bins then believe me, it’s better to talk about it. Leaving your issues
aside and not bringing them up is a big mistake! Even if it’s just a note on the fridge,
it is always better to confront your flatmates, or you’ll be suffering in silence for the
remainder of your time there.
5 COOKING SKILLS
I’m no Gordon Ramsey, I can
tell you that straight off the bat,
but it really helped me to know
even a few basic dishes before
I went to living on my own.
Seeing some of my friends eating
microwave meals and enough
chicken nuggets to put McDonalds
to shame really stressed the
importance of having a small
repertoire, even if it is mostly
spaghetti bolognese, or macaroni
and cheese. Having a set meal
plan for the week helped me to
cut down on food expenses but if
there’s one thing that I can tell you
about university living, it is this:
pasta is a godsend.
So those are the hard lessons that I’ve had to
learn from my first year of living the low budget,
independent student life. Though it’s been weird
and I’ve had to adapt quite quickly, it has also
been full of fun, new experiences,
I’m sure I’ve still got a lot to learn!
Lucy x
69 • MY LIFE • STUDENT LIFE

STATIONERY HAUL
BY LOUISA SADLER
With my final year at university starting
soon, I thought I would share some of my
stationery haul of 2019. I went for a theme
this year based on my new found love for
pastels and marble effect products. I just find
products like these really pretty and want
to buy every product in these collections.
So, here is a small round up of some of the
stationery I have bought this summer.
2019–2020 Academic Diary
This was my first purchase as I knew I was
going to need a diary to help me keep track
of deadlines and appointments over the
academic year. My memory hasn’t been the
greatest recently either so having a diary will
help me enormously. I really like the marble
pattern and the fact that it is hardback is
also positive as that diary will constantly be
transported to uni and back.
Stabilo Pastel Highlighters
I absolutely LOVE these! I started using them
in my second year and became a fan after
my first use. The colours are really pretty
on paper and I find my highlighted notes
easier to read compared to using normal
Stabilo highlighters. The 8 pack I think is a
really good purchase as it gives you two spare
colours so if you use one of these two colours
more than the others you have spares. My
favourite colours are the yellow, pink and
purple.
Marble Pencil Case
I really like this pencil case. It’s not too big
or small, it fits everything in that I will be
using so I don’t have to worry about getting
another pencil case. Now that sounds like
I take a lot to uni but when you add page
markers and post-it-notes in with the pens
and highlighters, the pencil case gets fuller
quicker. I’m tempted to get another one in
case I damage my current one because of
how much I like it.
So that’s some of the stationery that I bought
for my final year of uni. The products in this
article are some of my favourites out of all
the stationery that I have bought this summer
(of which the rest are mostly notebooks and
post-it-notes). These products can be found
at WHSmith (online and instore) if you too
like the look of them.
70 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

IMAGE BY ROSIE WEDGE
STUDYING
BY ROSIE WEDGE
Sometimes, the
temptation to check
our phones during
studying sessions is
very over-powering.
We hear a notification
come through,
and that one little
notification leads to
an hour of scrolling
through social media,
wasting valuable
studying time.
The obvious answer of
course is to switch your
phone off. However, this
isn’t always doable. Many
of us utilise features on our
phones such as our planner,
stopwatch, or OneDrive
to aid our studying and
therefore getting rid of our
phones can be a hindrance.
Although, there are ways
around these things!
Firstly, I highly recommend
investing in a small desk
alarm clock, if your watch
doesn’t have an alarm
feature. They can be
purchased for as little as £5
at places such as B&M, and
eliminate the need for the
stopwatch feature on our
phones. They are super easy
to use, and will get you more
in-tune to quickly reading
clocks and calculating how
much time you have left, like
you will need to do in the
exam hall, as opposed to the
phone alarm telling you how
much longer you have left.
Next, most of us will have
some paper, a diary/notepad,
or sticky notes laying around
the house that we can plan
our revision out on. I know
it’s better to not waste paper,
and try to plan our study
sessions on our phones,
however if this is often your
procrastination downfall,
then using a couple of sheets
won’t hurt! Or even better,
get hold of a whiteboard for
£3-5 in The Works, that can
be used again and again!
Finally, accessing our files
is the hardest part to avoid,
as laptops and PCs will
have access to social media.
You can always load all the
files, then disconnect from
the internet, and use your
new found procrastinationresistance
to avoid
reconnecting! Ultimately,
there is only so much you
can do before you need to
just really push yourself to
knuckle down and avoid
distractions. It’s tough at
first, but the more you do
it, the easier it gets to resist,
and the more rewarding the
outcome will be!
71 • MY LIFE • STUDENT LIFE

LGBT
CO-EDITOR LEANNE ARNOLD
LGBTQ’s
BY JOSHUA HODGKIN
Hey guys! I hope you’ve had a wonderful summer. There were so many pride events
across the UK in August, in addition to events such as DragWorld in London. I really
hope you had a fabulous time if you did go to any! September is of course back to
school/uni time. Often, this time of year, is one surrounded by mixed feelings: people
are either very excited or feeling very alone and confused. This month, I want to, as
always, help you to feel comfortable with yourself going into the new year. Here’s
some myth-busting Q&A for you!
My friends are making jokes about me
being gay. I don’t feel comfortable at
school with them. What do you suggest?
The first thing I’d say is that they are clearly not
your friends if they feel okay with treating you
like this. It may feel hard to shun them if they
have been there for you in the past, or you’ve
had fun together, but no good friend will make
fun of you and mean it.
I know it’s hard, but I would sit them down and
tell them you don’t feel okay with being mocked
for who you are. If you don’t feel comfortable
face-to-face, send them a message to explain
how you feel. Remember, you have no right to
be bullied for any part of you, and that includes
your sexuality. If it comes to it, you are well
within your rights to speak to a support worker
in your school, they can definitely help you when
it comes to this kind of thing. They can speak to
the student and try to put an end to the bullying
if it really does get that far.
I just came out to my
parents – I wish I had done
it sooner!
That’s wonderful! I can
understand completely that
it was hard to come out – it
takes a lot of courage. Many
people, just like you, often
feel that coming out to their
parents was nowhere near as
monumentally difficult as they
initially thought. Parents are very
often just wanting their children
to be happy. If happiness for
you means that you’re happy
with your partner, then that’s
beautiful.
As always, if you have any
questions, email me at
joshua@student-life.co;
otherwise I hope back to
school is wonderful for you!
Josh x
72 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

PRIDE EVENTS
BY LEANNE ARNOLD
So, September brings us to our last month of 2019 (that I’m aware of!) which
holds events to support and celebrate all things LGBT Pride!
I hope you have all had a fantastic PRIDE 2019, I know I did!
PLEASE SEE THE EVENTS BELOW FOR SEPTEMBER:
Channel Islands Pride 07/09/2019
Derbyshire Pride 07/09/2019
Totnes Pride 07/09/2019
Eastleigh Pride 07/09/2019
Gloucestershire Pride 14/09/2019
Milton Keynes Pride 14/09/2019
Pride at the Seaside
(Merseyside) 14/09/2019
Rhondda Pride 14/09/2019
Basildon Pride 14/09/2019
Keighley Pride 14/09/2019
Bolton Pride 21/09/2019
Barry Pride 21/09/2019
Dundee Pride 21/09/2019
Cumbria Pride 28/09/2019
Lincoln Pride 28/09/2019
Preston Pride 28/09/2019
Sunderland Pride 29/09/2019
73 73 • MY LGBT LIFE • STUDENT LIFE

TECH
CO-EDITOR JOSHUA HODGKIN
COOKERS
BY JACK MACEY
Likely sitting in the corner of your kitchen
is a box which, upon the pressing of some
buttons and turning of dials, possesses
the capability to produce hot food. For
many people, this will be where their
half-baked knowledge of ovens will
stop. However, this month, we grilled
Ashley from Hughes Electrical so we
could provide a buffet of information on
marinating technology in cookers.
Perhaps the most distinguishing
feature between ovens and other home
appliances is the level of variation across
different models stemming from the
fundamental choice of freestanding
or integrated. As is typical with all
appliances: the higher the cost, the better
the quality. The variables when it comes
to ovens are the width (either 50, 55 or
60cm), the number of cavities and their
type (where you cook food), the type of
hob and their material and the overall
build quality.
The cheapest range available would
be 50cm wide with a steel plated hob,
enamel-lined, single cavity oven, which
would cost between £8-£10 per month
on rental through Hughes, making it a
perfect choice for someone without much
space and who doesn’t want
to burn a hole in their pocket.
As you progress towards the 60cm
ranges, single cavity ovens upgrade to
either double cavity – where a grill is in
the top compartment with a standard
fan-assisted oven below – or a combined
oven, which features both a grill and
convection oven (top) and fan-assisted
oven (bottom). The highest ranges of
ovens are multifunctional, allowing the
user to control the direction of cooking,
from either top, bottom or either side,
along with the simultaneous use of the
grill, perfect for if you need some worldclass
baking or the perfect pizza.
There are three types of hob: steel plated
(which waste a lot of energy because
the heat doesn’t dissipate very quickly
after use), ceramic (cool down a little
more quickly and heat up quicker than
steel) and induction. These enable energy
efficiency to be maintained as heat is only
transferred when the metal pans are in
contact with the hob. Further features
such as a touch screen or even a dial that
you can take on and off the hob to control
it are also becoming more common,
making your life a piece of cake!
74 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

iPHONE v ANDROID in 201 9
BY HANNAH HOWARD & JOSHUA HODGKIN
I, like many teenagers, use my phone a lot.
I have the iPhone XR and although it is the
newest version of the iPhone they are all
very much alike, which I think is part of the
appeal of an iPhone. My favourite features
of my phone would have to be the large
screen, as I watch a lot of YouTube videos
comfortably.
I love how my phone can unlock only using
my face, I was very sceptical about this
feature however it actually works really
well! I always found it so annoying to have
to type in my password every time I go on
my phone but now all I have to do is pick it
up and it is already unlocked.
I would completely recommend the iPhone
XR because although it is more expensive
than some other phones it is completely
worth the price, it has a large screen,
amazing camera and all iPhones in my
opinion are really easy to use, there’s a
reason why Apple has sold over 1.3 billion
iPhones since the launch in 2007.
Hannah
I am an iPhone user. However, I can
definitely see the appeal of Android,
the phones have really cool features
and there’s a wide variety of handsets
and brands to choose from.
The Samsung Galaxy S10 (and Plus) are
arguably the best phones around at
the moment, with their huge batteries,
options for up to 1 terabyte of storage
and the gorgeous 6.4” Super AMOLED
display. What’s more, the fingerprint
sensor is embedded into the display,
meaning that you can press anywhere
on the screen to securely unlock your
mobile.
Whilst the S10 Plus is expensive at
around £800, Android phones are
hands-down the best choice when
you’re budget-conscious. Devices like
the Huawei P Smart, Honor 10 Lite and
Moto G7 are fast, modern and can all
be had for south of £200.
The Honor 10 Lite is designed for
young people, with its 24 megapixel
camera (whilst megapixels are far from
the most important consideration, they
do tell you a lot) front facing camera
for selfies.
However, do bear in mind that phones
from Huawei and Honor are under
scrutiny at the moment, and Google is
reluctant to provide updates to them.
Watch this space so you don’t
end up with a dud.
Josh
75 • TECH • STUDENT LIFE

TECH
BY JOSHUA HODGKIN
So, it’s time to go back to school, or maybe
you’re starting college/sixth form for the
first time, or even university! If there’s
one thing that’s for certain, it’s that you’re
going to need to be prepared to study hard.
Technology, however, can make this so much
easier. Whilst schools tend to be pretty
inflexible about what you can and can’t bring
in, that shouldn’t stop you from getting your
tech on at home!
My number one recommendation is to
consider what laptop you have, and if it’s
doing the job for you. When it comes to
selecting a new laptop, there’s a number of
things you’ll need to consider.
Firstly, what will you use it for? If you’re doing
a creative subject, such as Music Technology,
Photography, Film or Media, you will need
something a lot more powerful than someone
doing English, Psychology or History, for
example. The one thing I would say is to treat
a good laptop as an investment in
yourself and your education. It’s a big
expense but take it this way: buying a £250
laptop will slow down super quickly with
heavy use, and you may need to replace it a
year later. Upping that spend to £500 will get
you something sleeker, better made, faster
and more future-proofed.
If you’re travelling a lot with your laptop,
you’re probably going to want to have a 13”
screen. Laptops tend to come in three main
sizes, 11”, 13” and 15” (with the odd 17”
model around, which I’d avoid if possible).
In my opinion, 11” is just too small. 15”
is great if you’re at a desk mostly, and
you’re travelling by car with the computer
occasionally. However, if you’re doing a lot of
travel by bus, train, or by foot, or are moving
around campus/school often, the smaller size
will obviously come with a smaller mass. That
few hundred grams makes a huge difference
on the day to day.
76 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • STUDENT LIFE

If you’re doing a subject which will
require lots of intensive creative work, like
photography, I’d be inclined to go for a
MacBook Pro or a MacBook Air. The price
tag is very high, starting in the £800-900
range and easily reaching the £1500s for
a top model. However, like I said earlier, I
tend to see the purchase of a good laptop
as an investment in yourself – if you’ve got
the money saved, I’d certainly consider it.
Don’t forget that some laptops are
available on a trade-in scheme! Many
electronics retailers will allow you to
bring in old kit, and get a saving off the
new items you buy. This saving can even
get up to £200 for some machines, so it’s
certainly worth looking into.
There’s other tech that you’ll also need.
I’ll bet you never thought of needing
internet security! Trust me, it’s a really
important consideration. Imagine a virus
finding its way onto your computer, your
hard work could be destroyed!
Firstly, check with your parents, as it’s
quite possible you get a package thrown in
with your home internet. If that option is
out of the window, I’d recommend paying
monthly or annually for a package. If you
buy one from an electrical retailer, it’ll be
outdated before too long, putting you at
risk. However, paying a subscription allows
your software to be updated with how to
fix all the newest threats. I’d recommend
McAfee, they tend to have the most solid
software. However, there are some free
options available too!
What else should you get? Exercise is really
useful for maintaining healthy mental and
physical wellbeing. Do you know what can
help to motivate you and stay on top of
your exercise? A fitness tracker! There are
obviously a multitude of options dependant
on your budget.
My choice was around £30 from Amazon,
it comes in various guises but the one
I have is called the Delvfire Pulse HR. It
tracks steps, heart rate and even shows
you notifications from your phone!
Models from Garmin and Fitbit offer more
functions for a bit more money, starting at
around £50-60 and going up to £200. You
can even push the boat right out and get an
Apple Watch, if you’re feeling flush.
Any questions, just pop me an email
to joshua@student-life.co and I’ll try
my best to help! Best of luck with
wherever you’re going this year!
77 • TECH • STUDENT LIFE

MY MONEY
CO-EDITOR JOSHUA HODGKIN
STOP
I KNOW BUDGETING SOUNDS BORING
BUT YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW TO DO IT!
BY JOSHUA HODGKIN
So, you’re about to go to uni. I think I
know what else this means: there’s a good
chance you’re new to this money thing.
While you have experience of having
money, spending it (and maybe saving
it), you probably don’t have experience of
managing an income, your bills and all that
good stuff. I’ve got your back though, as
today, I’m going to give you some advice
on how to manage your money and not
fritter it all away.
When your student finance only comes in
once every three months, you’re going to
need to resist a lot of temptation.
Take the money aside that you’ve got for
any deposit on accommodation you may
have, and then divide the rest by three. Put
2/3 of that money straight into a savings
account, preferably with a different bank
to your current account so that you’re not
tempted to transfer it (out of sight, out of
mind), and leave it there. Every month,
transfer 1/3 of it out. This way, you won’t
find it as easy to spend your money on
alcohol and meals out. A pint at ‘spoons
may seem cheap, but it’s not when you
go every single day! Only in the event of a
catastrophic emergency do you transfer
any of that money out. And a catastrophe
is not that the ASOS sale is about to end.
You’re going to need a budget, and a
comprehensive one at that. Get a piece
of paper and write down how much
money you have to play with at the top,
and everything you’re going to spend
on bills below. That’s your rent, your
utilities if not included with your student
accommodation, food, your mobile
phone bill, bus/train/tube fares, petrol or
anything else associated with your car. It’s
even things like magazine subscriptions,
subscriptions to online services like Spotify,
Netflix and Amazon Prime, and also any
subscription boxes you might use like
Harry’s for shaving!
Now take away everything you’ve spent. If
your money left over is negative, perhaps
it’s time to cut down. If it’s positive,
whatever is left over is yours to save, buy
books, enjoy yourself!
78 • SEPTEMBER 78 •TECH • 2019 STUDENT • STUDENT LIFE LIFE

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