U ni V erse FREE Volume 23, Issue 2 15 October 2014 The Is Freshers all it’s hyped up to be? YES REBECCA HARDING | UniVerse News • Features • Health • Sport • New accommodaon on College Lane Campus | Page 3 Interview with student volunteer group Mankind Mission | Page 13 How to beat the dreaded Freshers’ Flu | Page 16 Freshers’ Sports Fair with Herts’ Athlec Union | Page 18 NO One of the biggest ‘draws’ of Freshers’ Week for a lot of people, is that loads of great bands play at the Forum, but this happens all year! (That being said, if your favourite artists are performing, it is an amazing opportunity to see them without spending loads!) For a lot of people university is their first time living away from home and this often means not really being sure how to handle money. It’s easy to go crazy during freshers’, especially with a student loan. This is great fun but may mean you suffer for the next couple of months when you’ve spent all your money (cont. pg2) Students, staff and members of Trident Media in The Forum Hertfordshire Beth James | Contributor Freshers’ Week is perhaps the one week a year it’s considered socially acceptable to go out 10 nights in a row and eat your body weight in greasy, fatty food. Who wouldn’t want to make the most of that? Ok, so Freshers’ Week isn’t everyone’s Jaeger bomb, but there are plenty of Hertfordshire students who feel that Freshers’ lives up to its hype and has earned its fun “best years of your life” reputation. has earned its fun “best years of your life” reputation. It’s not just first years that look forward to the week, students of any year and age take the opportunity to get involved in events. Older students can even become Freshers Angels who are there to help freshers to settle in and have a good time. Second year Computer Science student, Simon Brewer, said: “I like the fact the Forum gets big acts, such as Chase & Status, Example and Pendulum as well as being close to where I live.” Many students like working during Freshers’ to enjoy it from another perspective. Luke Osborne, a final year Illustration student and Breakout DJ at the Forum said: “This year’s Freshers’ Week was simply amazing! There was such a big range of events and activities for students to get involved in, and none of them would have been possible without the help of our fantastic Fresher’s’ Angels who gave up so much of their own time to support all that we did as a Students’ Union. Thank you to all of the students and staff that made the week so memorable!” Ciaran O’Brien | Student Activities Manager “It was the best Freshers I’ve had in six years!” Bella Colafrancesco | VP Student Activities Sponsored by: Emma Langschied | Design Sub Editor “My Favourite part of Freshers’ is getting to DJ to a sold out Forum!” Contrary to popular belief, Freshers’ Week isn’t all about partying. It is also the perfect time for freshers to make the most of having a clean slate. First years can put any undesirable situations or reputations from the past behind them and start over to create a brand new and improved identity to engage with other students and staff. Mass Communications Programme Leader Peter Thomas holds many introductory lectures during Freshers’ Week. (cont.pg2)
Transcript
UniVerseFREEVolume 23, Issue 215 October 2014
The
Is Freshers all it’s hyped up to be? YES
REBECCA HARDING | UniVerse
News •
Features •
Health •
Sport •
New accommodati on on College Lane Campus | Page 3
Interview with student volunteer group Mankind Mission | Page 13
How to beat the dreaded Freshers’ Flu | Page 16
Freshers’ Sports Fair with Herts’ Athleti c Union | Page 18
NO
One of the biggest ‘draws’ of Freshers’ Week for a lot of people, is that loads of great bands play at the Forum, but this happens all year! (That being said, if your favourite artists are performing, it is an amazing opportunity to see them without spending loads!) For a lot of people university is their first time living away from home and this often means not really being sure how to handle money. It’s easy to go crazy during freshers’, especially with a student loan. This is great fun but may mean you suffer for the next couple of months when you’ve spent all your money (cont. pg2)
Students, staff and members of Trident Media in The Forum Hertfordshire
Beth James | Contributor
Freshers’ Week is perhaps the one week a year it’s considered socially acceptable to go out 10 nights in a row and eat your body weight in greasy, fatty food. Who wouldn’t want to make the most of that? Ok, so Freshers’ Week isn’t everyone’s Jaeger bomb, but there are plenty of Hertfordshire students who feel that Freshers’ lives up to its hype and has earned its fun “best years of your life” reputation. has earned its fun “best years of your life” reputation. It’s not just first years that look forward to the week, students of any year and
age take the opportunity to get involved in events. Older students can even become Freshers Angels who are there to help freshers to settle in and have a good time. Second year Computer Science student, Simon Brewer, said: “I like the fact the Forum gets big acts, such as Chase & Status, Example and Pendulum as well as being close to where I live.” Many students like working during Freshers’ to enjoy it from another perspective. Luke Osborne, a final year Illustration student and Breakout DJ at the Forum said:
“This year’s Freshers’ Week was simply amazing! There was such a big range of events and activities for students to get involved in, and none of them would have been possible without the help of our fantastic Fresher’s’ Angels who gave up so much of their own time to support all that we did as a Students’ Union. Thank you to all of the students and staff that made the week so memorable!”Ciaran O’Brien |Student Activities Manager
“It was the best Freshers I’ve had in six years!”Bella Colafrancesco | VP Student Activities
Sponsored by:
Emma Langschied | Design Sub Editor
“My Favourite part of Freshers’ is getting to DJ to a sold out Forum!” Contrary to popular belief, Freshers’ Week isn’t all about partying. It is also the perfect time for freshers to make the most of having a clean slate. First years can put any undesirable situations or reputations from the past behind them and start over to create a brand new and improved identity to engage with other students and staff. Mass Communications Programme Leader Peter Thomas holds many introductory lectures during Freshers’ Week. (cont.pg2)
Writt en, designed and edited by UH students, and provided
Kealie Mardell | Print EditorIf you’d like to get in touch about any of our articles, or to find out more about joining Trident Media contact: [email protected]
Freshers’ Week has come to an end and overall it has been a huge success for the university. It seems that this year the events have been getting bigger and better. Your UniVerse writers have brought their views on some of the best freshers’ events and activities which took place around campus. From top acts including Pendulum and Example, The Forum was the hub of all your big nights out.
But the fun didn’t only begin after dark, throughout the week Hertfordshire Students’ Union brought a selection of events to keep you busy and give you a taste of life at UH. Some of you might be lucky enough to be living in the new accommodation, but for those that have only heard about it our Deputy Editor has the latest updates. By the end of the month we’ll have our first issue of
BlueMoon magazine, our other Trident Media publication. We’re inviting you to share your interesting, amusing, or just plain embarrassing stories and pictures. If you’ve got something to share then send it over with the title ‘This one time at The Forum...’ Whether you’re a fresher or a returning student reminiscing about the last few years we want to hear from you!
It takes time to find people with similar interests to you, whether this means someone to stop you making a fool of yourself when you’ve had a few too many, or someone to stay in and have movie nights with. Of course, it’s not just nights out in Freshers’ Week. There are loads of fun (and free) activities on during the day. But if you’ve been out every night, it’s likely that you’ll be far too hung-over to enjoy any of these!
“My favourite thing about Freshers’ Week is getting to know all the new students and meeting up again with the returning students,” said Thomas. “There is always a lot to take in and getting to know each other quickly helps their transition into academic life.” Brewer said: “The best thing about Freshers’ Week is the opportunity to meet new people. It's the easiest way to meet new people and bond with the people in your flat.” The Freshers’ Fair is famous for giving out freebies and is ideal for signing up for societies and new opportunities, many being out of students’ comfort zones. Its character building, which plays a massive role in the university experience.
Student. Loan. Those two beautiful words are the mantra for Freshers’ Week. At the beginning of the week students find a large sum of money in their accounts, many for the first time. And guess what? They have the freedom to spend it in any way they choose. So, non-stop partying, celebrity performances, socially acceptable constant unhealthy indulgences, new friends, more independence, fun opportunities, freebies and large sums of free money. Does Freshers’ live up to its hype? ...Is that even worth asking?
YES NO
Is Freshers all it’s hyped up to be? Cover story continued...
SIMON BREWER and friends on a night out at the Forum during Freshers’ Week.
This will leave you with nothing left for food, bills or other essentials. In Freshers’ Week, lots of people feel quite pressured to go out every night and worry that they need to make friends and get drunk because that’s what university is about - but there’s plenty of time for making friends and going out after Freshers’ too! Your housemates may not turn out to be your best friends and getting drunk isn’t everyone’s idea of fun.
cont. cont.
• News 3
Brad Johnson | Deputy Editor
September welcomed some of the university’s students into the brand new accommodation on the College Lane campus. The new accommodation is forming part of the University’s 2020 Estates Vision developing the whole university site in preparation for the turn of the decade. Student Accommodation, otherwise known as Phase Two, is due for completion in August 2014, 2015 and 2016 respectively. Completed halls for this year included the full delivery of Bellingham Court and the completion of Block One of Spalding Court. During the summer break, many students will have noticed the demolition of the Roberts Way accommodation, nearly 25 years after being built. The completion of Bellingham Court and Spalding pave the way for the redevelopment of College Lane’s accommodation. Amongst the new development is the welcome return of the well loved MUGGA allowing students to play sports all year round.
The new developments have created a mass of open social space for students to enjoy. At the heart of the new accommodation is the Oval. This is home to the College Lane Accommodation Office and a fully functional cardio gym, which is accessible to anyone with membership to the Hertfordshire Sports Village. The upper floor of the Oval is a bookable space for meetings and events, and has an open air terrace that looks out onto the whole College Lane site right in the centre of the accommodation area. The majority of areas in the new Oval building are free to be booked by students and for student-led projects and societies. Although students have aired their concerns for certain minor problems regarding the accommodation, on the whole, Bellingham Court and Spalding Court have been well received by its inhabitants and their visitors. Although disruption is likely during the construction work, the outcome surely outweighs the disturbance that developments may bring.
2020 Estates Vision: New Accommodation
JACK AMOS | STUDENTS’ UNION
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Hertfordshire reaches new heights in university leaguesKealie Mardell | Print Editor
At the end of September The Times and Sunday Times released the 2015 edition of their ‘Good University Guide’. The University of Hertfordshire now ranks in the top 100, climbing 17 places and reaching number 79. The ‘Good University Guide ‘is often dominated by the older and more prestigious university in the country. Herts ranked 26 out of the 68 modern universities included in the league table. The Guide is one of the key sources of information for prospective students when applying to universities. Available in both print and digital forms from The Times and The Sunday Times, it gives a comprehensive overview of all the universities and leading colleges of higher education in Britain. Universities are ranked on criteria such as student satisfaction, graduate prospects, research, facilities and degree results.
Another source of university information comes from the National Student Survey, which gathers opinions from final year students. This information is based on feedback from students and gives a more honest view of their experiences. This year, the University of Hertfordshire has increased its rating for student satisfaction to 83%, marking its highest score to date. The NSS scores also improved in the areas of teaching, assessment, support, resources, and development. Hertfordshire Students’ Union increased its student satisfaction score to 70%, ranking it in the top 50 Students’ Unions in the UK. Giving feedback on your university and experiences is a valuable resource and allows for development to be made in the areas which students feel need improving. This will help future students to have the best possible opportunities made available to them.
Inside the new accommodation
4 News •
Brad Johnson | Deputy Editor
RaG week is just around the corner starting on the 12th October 2014! Raise and Give (RaG) is Hertfordshire Students’ Union’s student fundraising team. Each year they hold their semesterly RaG week filled with fundraising activities for their chosen charities. This year, three charities have been selected as RAG’s chosen charities. They are Teens Unite Fighting Cancer, Haven House Children’s Hospice and Young Minds.
Events vary from a charity bake off to the TV Classic, Play Your Cards Right in the EleHouse. Raise and Give is Hertfordshire Students’ Union’s student fundraising team. “I’m so ready for another fantastic year of fundraising with Raise and Give, and RAG week is going to be a great way to kick it off,” said Jack Amos, Vice President Democracy and Services. “We have got lots of fun events planned, and I can’t wait to bring them to Hertfordshire’s students!” Raise and Give has so many events planned for the year including the anticipated Zombie Chase coming on the 1st November 2014!
• Tuesday 14th October: Breastival and Play Your Cards Right on
• Wednesday 15th October: Charity Bake Off on de Havilland Campus
• Thursday 16th October: East African Playgrounds Session
• Friday 17th October: Krispy Kreme Sale
Unsure about whether you want to take a placement year?
A lot of students are unsure about whether they want to take a year out of their studies to take a placement year, and that’s understandable; seeing your friends graduate before you can be off putting and we don’t always know what we want to be when we leave university, so it can be tough figuring out where we’d want to carry out our placement year. According to the Graduate Association of Researchers there were about 85 graduate applications per job
in 2013. With that much competition, you’ll want something on your CV that makes you want to stand out; taking a placement year could be the perfect way to do just that! Taking a placement year could show that you have the transferable skills needed to land your dream job, even if you don’t land one in your desired field, building on skills such as timekeeping, organization and communication could be the attributes you need to land the ideal job.
Andrew Francis, head of marketing and enterprise says a placement year can “beef up your application.” Carrying out a placement gives you the opportunity to complement your degree and add to your CV in a way that nothing else can. Taking the option to do a placement year could increase your chances of getting a job as 21% of placement year students are asked to return after they graduate.
If you don’t want to work for someone else, there’s always the chance to undergo a self-employed placement year where you’ll be given the chance run your work business for the year instead. For the latest placement listings visit: careerhub.herts.ac.uk
Taveena Atsu | Features Sub Editor
• News 5
Erasmus Student Network: Hertfordshire Exclusive Krystyna King | Events Secretary
Trident Media was able to have an exclusive interview with Leonid Kaptina, the President of the ESN Hertfordshire Committee. ESN recently hosted a Buddy Meet Up event, that involved hundreds of UH and International Students. Kaptina tells us more about ESN and what his team is aiming to achieve for the upcoming year.
UniVerse: What does ESN stand for and what does it involve? Kaptina: ESN stands for Erasmus Student Network. It is the biggest student association in Europe dealing with all international, Exchange and UK students. ESN operates across 37 countries, offering its services to over 180,000 students every year. In Hertfordshire we are a team of 16 students who work on a voluntary basis for all students to ensure we have the best time together.
U: Tell us about the Buddy Meet Up Event ESN hosted recently. K: The buddy scheme was launched last year with 100 students taking part. This year we have 400 students registered on our scheme. We match incoming students with Herts students based on preferences and criterias. These students then help each other out prior to arrival in the UK and throughout the year they tend to become close friends and help each other with anything they can. For example, some language students choose an incoming buddy from the country they are learning to speak [the language of] so they can practice together. The Buddy Meet Up event was held on the 23rd of September. Food and drink were provided and gave buddies a chance to meet each other and other students.
It was a very social event and everyone made plenty of new friends.
‘My buddy calls me his family here, so I’m really happy that I’m contributing to someone’s happy
memories.’- Chimtua Nnanna, Buddy Coordinator
Our focus has been on the buddy scheme as it benefits all the students and the University. We find that many students have worries before they arrive and an event like this gives them some comfort. We also find that many UK students who have studied abroad want to give something back to someone, who is now in the same position as they once were.
Noone gets paid for anything related to ESN, but it’s the satisfaction of knowing you have helped someone that makes this scheme so popular.
U: What have you got planned for the year ahead? K: A little preview for this year includes our Welcome Event, Paint-balling, The London Eye and a River Cruise. Also, nights out in Oxford, Brighton, more Buddy trips and a Warner Bros Studio Tour. Our bigger trips include Edinburgh, Amsterdam and Ibiza in the summer.
U: How can people find out about future events? K: To find out about our events the best way is to join our Facebook group: Erasmus Society Hertfordshire 2014-2015 You can find all the information on our website or on Twitter:esnuk-herts.org / Twitter: @ESNHerts
U: What is the ESNcard and how can we get one? K: The ESNcard is a European wide card that gives students 2000 discounts across Europe, as well as the majority of our trips and events. We are constantly working to get new partnerships for students, to make the card even more beneficial. We highly recommend the ESNcard to everyone at the University, as they only cost £10. Discounts can be found at www.esncard.org and to get one you need to contact the ESN team, through our Facebook group.
U: What are you most looking forward to? K: Everything! It has been a long and hard summer’s work but to see the success and how far ESN has come this year is amazing! If I had to choose one trip, I definitely can’t wait for Edinburgh next month- where we will be with a thousand students from across the UK, in a wonderful cultural city.
‘Earn your place in the memories of beautiful people, explore every corners of Europe, make friends that last a lifetime and most of all, Have FUN! Get yourself into the Erasmus spirit with every
single event that we do because Once Erasmus, Always Erasmus.’
- Michael Onuorah, Buddy Coordinator
JAMES CANTWELL
6 News •
Freshers Events:
Sunday, Beach Party Brad Johnson | Deputy Editor
Well, who knew Sunday nights could be so memorable? We certainly didn’t! The Sunday foam-filled Beach Party, part of the Freshers’ Week entertainments, rounded off moving in weekend perfectly. The night was a complete sell out and was full of brand new students to the university. Headlining the night was The Bears, having played numerous functions including various celebrity events, they now can add the Forum Hertfordshire to that extensive list. The foam party filled the courtyard
outside the EleHouse and the Auditorium carried on the beach party until the early hours of Monday morning. Lee Welsh, Entertainments & Events Manager of The Forum Hertfordshire said: “Freshers’ weekend is always good, but this year has exceeded all expectations, with nearly all events selling out in record time, and the freshers are brilliant this year, big time party people”. The whole weekend of events, both day and night, has shown that Hertfordshire is truly up there with the best university Freshers’ events.
KRYSTYNA KING | UniVerse
SUSAN JOHNSON
KRYSTYNA KING | UniVerse
KRYSTYNA KING | UniVerse
Freshers Events: Monday, Laser Tag Krystyna King | Events Secretary
Hertfordshire Students’ Union organised LaserTag on Monday (Oct 29), which was a huge success. Each game saw more and more students ready to team up and tag their targets - their targets being the other team! An inflatable arena was placed in The Forum’s Auditorium, along with flashing lights, smoke and music from our very own Crush Radio. With all of this going on, it didn’t matter if you hadn’t played before. It was all about the taking part and enjoying this new and exciting event. Director of Events2U Michael Rogers, who brought Lasertag to The Forum, explained that it was a great way of meeting new people.
“At first everyone is quiet, but then the game begins and it goes crazy,” Rogers said.
After a couple of 10 minute games Matt Dowse, Film and TV Production student, explained how he found out about the event on the Student Unions Website. Others had found out through Facebook and posters, which was probably why the event had such a huge turnout. Even though everyone looked exhausted from running around, “it was really fun,” Katherine Mead, Biology and Psychology Joint Honours student, concluded. All of those involved enjoyed this event and are eager to see what the rest of Freshers’ Week brings. A great start to the week! A big thank you to Events2U.co.uk for getting involved and the Students’ Union for organising the laser quest event.
• News 7
Freshers Events: Monday, Fuse ODGBrad Johnson | Deputy Editor Following the success of the Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights at the Forum Hertfordshire, those on their fourth successful night were treated to an evening of urban music and a live performance from Fuse ODG. Fuse ODG, most well known for hits such as ‘Million Pound Girl’, ‘Dangerous Love’ and ‘Antenna’ headlined the Monday Urban Special at the Forum (Sep 29). He became an international sensation early last year following topping to charts in the iTunes World Chart. Following a trip to Ghana, mentioned in his hit ‘Azonto’, Fuse collaborated with Tiffany to released the international hit. Following its viral release in 2011, it became one of YouTube’s most watched videos in the UK that month. Hertfordshire’s Freshers’ Week was so lucky to secure Fuse ODG
following his festival engagements, including V Festival, over the summer. Fuse took to the stage at a slightly disappointing time of 1:45am, which some attendees found to be a bit too late. This was made worse by the fact that Freshers Pass holders had to be in the venues by 10:30pm, meaning a three hour and fifteen minute wait for the attendees. “You can’t expect students to attend an event from 10:30pm and wait for nearly four hours until the headline act arrives on stage,” said Tasha Berryman, a final year Business & Computing student. In response to this, Luke Delderfield, Licensed Trade Manager of Hertfordshire Students’ Union stated: “We generally put the acts on between 12.30am and 1.30am to ensure we have the maximum number of people in the venue to enjoy the show.”
“Fuse did take to the stage slightly later than planned due to delays.” - Luke Delderfield, Licensed Trade Manager of
Hertfordshire Students’ Union “We have put artists on at an earlier stage time in the past and we have received negative feedback as lots of people tend to leave it to the last minute to come into the forum. The reason we have a cut off time on the Freshers Pass is to ensure all pass holders can be guaranteed entry to the events and that we can also allow access to those that have not been able to buy a ticket in advance. The freshers’ period for us is about being able to get as many freshers’ as we can into the events so they can enjoy the start of their university lives.” Despite the late stage time for the headline act, the night was kept flowing by DJ Chris Essence and a guest performance from Kenn Chyna.
With a spectacular LED lighting show behind him, Fuse took to stage and had the crowd screaming some of his biggest hits. Although some students had seen the delay as an inconvenience, the majority of the crowd put it aside as soon as he took to stage. The evening has received an overwhelming positive response from the media with Art27Club praising the Students’ Union by adding:
“Hertfordshire should consider themselves lucky that they have a world class music venue at their disposal and a student union and event managers willing to go that extra mile to bring them the best nights and booking artists.”
The night kicked off the main body of Freshers’ Week and started the ball rolling for a plethora of world class acts taking to the Forum Hertfordshire stage over the week.
BRAD JOHNSON | UNIVERSE
8 News •
Freshers Events: Wednesday-Thursday, House Parties
Brad Johnson | Deputy Editor As part part of Hertfordshire Students’ Union new Halls League
they held two House Parties and BBQs during Freshers’ Week. The whole team were blown away with the turnout of students from all Halls including over 650 attendees at the de Havilland Campus event on Wednesday evening (Oct 1st), featuring music, a bar and a free BBQ. Wednesday evening gave all new students at the university a chance to meet each other and also meet key members of the Students’ Union, including their elected officers. The success of the events should hopefully encourage more informal social events to take place on campus as it proved to be a great way for new students to make friends but also have a great time just minutes from their doors.
The Halls League is an exciting redesign of its predecessor, the Houses’ system. There are 16 Halls in the league spread across the two campuses, each hall has the opportunity to enter each event and also help organise future events. Points will not only be awarded for winning but also for taking part, so the more of you that get involved, the better off your Hall will be. As well as the House Parties which happened over Freshers’ Week, there will be more events throughout the year that give you the opportunity to earn points for your Halls! A full list of the Halls and future events within the Halls League can be found on the Hertfordshire Students’ Union website: hertfordshire.su/ac t iv i t i es/housecommit tees We’ll also be including the latest Halls League table in each issue of UniVerse, so remember to look out for it and see how you Halls are doing!
And the new Halls League
Hall Points Participation Points
Fern 6 32Broad 3 27
Spalding 3 21Welwyn 2 15Telford Court
0 31
Butler Chapman
0 21
Coales 0 20Kimpton 0 13
Bellingham Court
0 12
Redbourn 0 10Ashwell
Lemsford0 10
Sandridge Sarratt
0 9
Aldenham 0 9Watton 0 6Hadham 0 6Shenley 0 4
Correct at time of printing
• News 9
Shelby Loasby | News Sub Editor
Freshers’ 2014 could not have ended any better than it did on Saturday night (4th Oct). The sold out event was filled with a sea of people covered in UV paint, glow sticks and neon clothing. The Forum and the Attic were packed tight for the final freshers event and witnessed a number of great acts throughout the night. The Attic’s Amplify House & Techno night was hosted by Josh Brooks, Thom Louis – DJ, J Douglas and B.A.H.Y., offering alternative music. Meanwhile, The Forum welcomed Ryan Arnold of Capital FM,
Kenn Chyna – who was joined with people on stilts throwing jumbo glow sticks into the crowd, and of course the biggest act of night; Pendulum. The drum and bass group pulled out all the stops for their DJ set with smoke machines, angle grinders and Maximus Robot - a huge neon robot. They played some of the most epic hits in the drum and bass circle and definitely showed Herts how to party. Whilst Saturday night marked an awesome end to Freshers‘ Week, it also marked the beginning of a new year at UH and made everyone aware of what an amazing year we are going to have.
Freshers Events: Friday, Example
Freshers Events: Saturday, Pendulum
REBECCA HARDING | UniVerse
Brad Johnson | Deputy Editor
Who could have thought that Hertfordshire Students’ Union could secure an international recording star that headlined V Festival’s main stage this year for their Freshers’ Ball? Well this year, the Entertainments team really pulled it out of the bag for this
year’s Freshers’ Week. Example took to stage along with DJ Wire at the Freshers’ Ball which took place just hours after a record breaking Freshers’ Fair closed. Along with a separate Silent Headphone Disco, the event was a huge success and really made Hertfordshire stand out of the crowd against other universities.
10 News •
Shelby Loasby | News Sub Editor Saturday morning (4th Oct) saw hundreds of people gathering at the start line of Herts ColourFest 3K; an untimed run in which participants are covered in paint from head to toe. Each contestant looked the part in their ColourFest attire, provided in their welcome pack, including a t-shirt, glasses, sweatbands and fake tattoos. Despite the classic English summer weather of a cold rainy day, spirits were kept high with Crush Radio entertaining participants before the race began. Lord and Lady
Salisbury of Hatfield House were also present and kicked off the race by sounding the starting horn. Over 200 participants then began the 3K loop of EllenBrook Fields, behind de Havilland Campus. There were several paint points situated around the route where volunteers would blast cups of powder paint over everyone that went past. By the end of the race there wasn’t a clean person in sight and each participant was completely covered in a rainbow of colours. Once all the participants had crossed the finishing line, and were
doused in even more colour, they were each handed their own pack of paint, ready for the final part of the festival. Crush Radio continued blasting out the music whilst everyone released their packs of paint in an explosion of colour. Among the participants were the Tough Mudder committee, who had turned up to the race dressed as Spartans – complete with capes, a spear and a cuddly bear. Rebecca Marsh, Dominic Polio and Jessica Gould said that they had come to the ColourFest hoping to recruit some more members for Tough Mudder.
Marsh went on to say that the ColourFest was,
“Probably the best freshers event we’ve had in a long time,”
and that it was “nice to have an event that was something other than partying and getting drunk.” Group of friends, Isobelle Clarke, Sarah Moore, Michelle Dalmeida and Ellen Vigar, also enjoyed the event and were eager for it to return next year. Their only criticism was that it wasn’t long enough!
Saturday night’s events kicked off with a free gig at The Forum with new pop/funk band Tides and the legends that are Wheatus. Unfortunately for Tides, the gig started early, at 6:30pm, so The Forum was looking pretty empty. However, as the band started playing their setlist, the small crowd soon became energetic and the atmosphere began to pick up. Tides are a four piece band from Hertfordshire who have created quite an impression on the music industry since releasing their Debut EP Breathless last September. They have been gaining recognition and are continuing to tour
the UK and Europe, and were proud to add The Forum to their list of venues. They are currently working on a new debut album so keep your eyes open! With Tides having warmed up the crowd it was time for Wheatus to take to the stage for what seemed to be an intimate gig. Brendan B. Brown and the band started up with a ‘Teenage Dirtbag’ teaser, exciting the crowd. The gig was 14+, meaning that some of the crowd were not even born when the band’s hit single first came out. Wheatus went on to play several of their greatest hits like ‘Hey Mr. Brown’, ‘Lemonade’ and ‘Leroy’. They also entertained the audience with several covers including One Direction’s ‘What Makes You Beautiful.’
Whilst this cover was met with mixed responses, Brendan explained that, “The boys need to learn to love it... Because of the girls!”
The band wrapped up their hour long show with the most anticipated song of the evening, ‘Teenage Dirtbag’. As always it was a crowd pleaser and had everyone singing along. Wheatus also welcomed on stage Miss Eaves and MC Frontalot, two Brooklyn-based rap artists who are currently touring with the band. Once they finished, Brendan threw his guitar pick into the crowd and left everyone wanting more.Luckily the crowd did get more.
Wheatus came back out, hopped the barriers and proceeded to talk to fans around The Forum. William Tully, the drummer, was on his way to the bar for a beer and stopped to take photos and talk to fans. We were able to grab a quick word with each band member. As Wheatus had visited The Forum last year too, we asked Brenden B. Brown why he came back, to which he replied, “We finally get to do our laundry. “Trust me, after being on our tour bus, you would understand.”
A full interview with Wheatus will be available in our next issue of BlueMoon magazine, so be sure to pick up a copy when it’s out!
Freshers Events: Saturday, Wheatus
12 Features •
Shelby Loasby | News Sub Editor
There’s often a joke said about Freshers’ Week - that no one can ever remember what happened - so you can imagine how hard it is to find anything about its origins. All we can be sure of is that Freshers’ Week is a rite of passage for any new student to university and must have always existed in some form or another. Although our ancestors may not have had the typical drinking games of Beer Pong and Ring of Fire to play, they still managed to entertain themselves with various games, sports, societies and, of course, alcohol. Edward Bradley, a famous English novelist in the 1800s, created a semi-autobiographical comic strip about a ‘freshmonne’ at the University of Durham. The comic is a satirical
view of a fresher’s first few days at university and even shows the young student finding his halls, meeting girls, and getting so intoxicated that he has to be carried home, and is found ‘passed out’ the next morning. Not much change there then. The comic formed the basis of Bradley’s book, The Adventures of Mr. Verdant Green, an Oxford Freshman, in 1853. The book builds on the comic strip and shares stories that have a surprising resemblance to a fresher’s university life today. Just like today’s students, Green complains about the size of his room and the amount of money he has to spend on his ‘scholar’s gown’ and books. He also finds himself being shown around town and going out with new acquaintances to parties that are filled with ‘glasses of wine’, ‘jugs
of buttery beer’ and people having a ‘great consumption of tobacco.’ Green also meets a man with several golden tassels on his cap which he explains are ‘badges of intoxication.’ There are many points in the book where alcohol is mentioned and shows that getting drunk at University is no new thing. The story goes on to show the different activities and sports that Green can take part in at the University. These include; rowing, archery, cricket, billiards, fencing and boxing. However, Green fails to grasp any of the activities and grows weary of all the drinking and partying and decides to ‘terminate his existence as an undergraduate.’ Fortunately, today’s students do not tend to drop out of university after the first week! So it seems that Freshers’ in the
1850s was all about making friends, trying new things and getting drunk. This sounds extremely similar to freshers in the 2010s, the only difference being the entertainment available. The modern perspectives of freshers’ week with club nights and big acts is relatively recent and probably began in the late 20th Century. A Freshers’ Guide for the University of Glasgow in 1994 shows several ‘discos’ and ‘pubs with jukeboxes’ where students can go for a night out. Luckily now we have well-known acts performing at universities, making freshers even more memorable. We also have Freshers’ Fairs, Sports Fairs and day and night-time activities to adjust new students to university and to hopefully make their time here as enjoyable and worthwhile as possible.
A History of Freshers’
EDWARD BRADLEYHistoric comic illustrations from Bradley’s novel
• Features 13
Noor Khan | Contributing Writer
Mankind Mission is a unique charity organisation which gives students the opportunity to volunteer. Safwa, a Law student, founded the organisation at Hertfordshire last year. This year marked Mankind Mission’s first Freshers’ Fair and speaking to Safwa, the former leader, we got her insight as to how it went. She said the Freshers’ Fair was a success for Mankind Mission as they received approximately 140 sign ups from volunteers. “Some people were really interested in the upcoming events such as sponge-throwing and the Harry Potter movie night,” Safwa said. Safwa also spoke about how she felt handing her project over to the new team leader Iqra and the new committee members: “There was quite mixture of feelings ... at first doubt ... that others might not perform as well.” After building Mankind Mission with ‘so much passion and dedication’, she expressed concerns that she didn’t want it to be jeopardised. She felt that letting go of Mankind Mission and for it to just end would have been a shame so she recruited second year students to replace the committee.
“I definitely made the right choice,” she said. “The new team is passionate in promoting voluntary and charitable work.”
Iqra, the new team leader of Mankind Mission, also gave a brief insight as to what Mankind Mission is all about and their mains aims.
“The main aims are raising awareness not only about volunteering but also about disaster struck countries,” Iqra said. The student-led organisation, “enables students to be passionate about helping others.” Iqra also answered questions on her responsibility and how she found handling the team at the Freshers’ Fair: “It wasn’t easy. I had to think about a lot of things. All in all it was a great day and I couldn’t have done it without the rest of my team.” At the Freshers’ Fair Mankind Mission decided to ask the students which charities they wanted to raise money for and the top three were; Red Cross, Cancer Research and WWF.
If you’re interested in joining or volunteering contact the team on the following:
NOOR KAHN | UniVerseMankind Mission’s stall at the Freshers’ Fair 2014
Introducing: Mankind Mission
14 Features •
Study Abroad: John Mroch
By the end of my first day in London, I had been awake for 32 hours, figured out “The Tube”, and completed my first pub-crawl. It had been a long and exhausting day of flying, walking and, well, boozing, and I dozed off with a satisfied smile, thinking about what the coming months had in store for me. It was my first time out of my home country, and I felt that the world – or at least Europe – was mine to explore. Now I can’t say for certain, but I imagine this is a common feeling people have their first time traveling. Realising that one has no agenda to follow, except to visit cities they have only seen in pictures, is a magically freeing sensation. So, over the following month I travelled to Skerries, Ireland; Berlin, Germany; and Copenhagen, Denmark. As intended, I saw breath-taking architecture, met beautiful people and
learned a little more about myself. But were these the reasons I ventured to these places? Or were they just the perks that came with each authentic moment of my travels? Before I left for my trip, I was told a few things: “You’re going to have the adventure of a lifetime!” and also, “You know, the next time I see you, you’re going to be a different person!” Our wiser, better-travelled friends and family members tell us these things, smiling knowingly and shaking their heads slowly at us like they’re “in” on some joke we don’t yet know. The funny thing about what these people tell us is that we know that it’s probably true: That we are going to head out into the world and have our eyes opened to new sights, our ears opened to new languages and our pallets opened to new foods.
But what we don’t realise is that it isn’t what we see, what we hear or what we taste that changes us. Instead, it’s the seeing, the hearing and the tasting. It’s the experience of traveling that shapes us into someone new. Now, traveling isn’t a one-way affair. It doesn’t have to be just us, the nomads, who get to leave wiser than when we arrived. As travellers, we have the exciting undertaking of sharing our own advice too. This provides a chance for us to get beyond the apparent cultural differences between those we meet and ourselves, and it allows us to recognise the unmistakable similarities that make us all human. In Skerries, I got to know a divorcée who was struggling emotionally from an unprecedented
loneliness. In Berlin, I became close friends with a twenty-five year old journalist who was sick of his current nine-to-five job and was excited to move onto something bigger. In Copenhagen, I hung out with a young woman who couldn’t focus on her doctoral work because she was too-often distracted by the torments of love and heartbreak. In return, I offered my consolations, and shared similar stories and worries of my own. The only things that made my versions different were the people, the sights, the sounds and the tastes. So, in the end my family and friends were right. I’m having the time of my life, and I’ll return a new person. And, if empathy is the only thing I truly learn during my time abroad, at least I can leave here knowing I helped some friends understand it a little bit better as well.
John Mroch | California State University, Long Beach
JOHN MROCH (left and above) a study abroad exchange student from California, in the UK.
• Features 15
Returning from Study Abroad
Kealie Mardell | Print Editor
This year Trident Media’s very own Crush Radio are bringing back a cheap student night to The Forum. The first ‘Pounded with Crush Radio’ launched on Thursday 9th October in The Attic. This was the first event of the year with student DJs and there may be more to come! “The idea behind Pounded was to get student DJs to play in The Forum,” said Sam Kelly, Assistant Station Manager for Crush Radio. “It’s a student venue so there should be students involved. There’s student staff and promoters, so why not student DJs?” Pounded was only £1 for advance tickets, with a selection of drinks available for also £1. This is the cheapest student-led club night at The Forum. Music for the night was primarily chart, dance and cheese, with a little bit of house and RnB. With requests readily accepted at Pounded, there’s something for everyone! Pounded is hosted by Crush Radio, with hopes to expand in the future to include collaborations with the DJ society and other student DJs. The current DJs working on the event are already experienced, but that doesn’t stop new students from getting involved.
“We’re going to be providing training and workshops available for all the members of Trident Media,” Kelly said. “This will help to build our skill bases and get more people into DJ-ing.” Sam Kelly’s own DJ set was recognisable by its signature opening track, taken from Austin Powers. There was also some Britney Spears and Spice Girls, before playing out to Left Bank Two from the Noveltones, so listen out for future events! If you dream of playing The Forum or appearing on the radio, the first step is to get a Trident Media membership. “We can get you on the radio, practicing talking to large groups, and get your skills with audio equipment and mixing up,” said Kelly. Crush Radio are celebrating their 55th anniversary, as the longest running student radio station. This means they’ve got some surprises in store to mark the occasion. “There will be a competition to win a present on Crush Radio,” said Kelly. “But I can’t tell you anymore about that. It’s a secret project and it will be a big surprise.” If you want to join Trident Media and be a part of Crush Radio, or our print and TV outlets, purchase your membership from: hertfordshire.su/tridentmedia
Kealie Mardell | Print Editor
Studied abroad at California State University, Long Beach
Every year hundreds of students travel around the world to work or study abroad as part of their university degrees. We hear the amazing stories of their journeys and all the fun adventures they’ve had, but often forgotten is what happens when you return home from your travels. When you apply to study abroad you spend all your time preparing to go. You need to apply for a visa, book your flights, find somewhere to stay, try and pack all your belongings into one little case,
and take them all back out when you can’t lift it off the floor. For many this preparation takes months, some have been planning for years. But when it’s time to come home, there’s no preparation. I left my packing to the last minute and tried my best to pretend I didn’t have to leave. That return flight home creeps up on you, and before you know it you’re stepping off the plane and feeling the bitter cold British wind on your face. After a year in California, the weather alone was enough of a shock to the system! When you return from your year abroad, many of your friends and people you met over the first years at university would have moved on to the
year above or graduated. If your study abroad or placement is a sandwich year then your final year is spent with students in the year below. Just know that you’re not alone. You made friends the first time round and you can do it again. Why not take this opportunity to try something new and join a club or society? This can be a great way to meet new people outside of your classes and make sure your last year at home doesn’t fall short. If you’re staying in touch with those you met abroad, don’t let the time difference get the better of you! I’ve lost many a night’s sleep by talking to America, but do this too often and you’ll soon suffer the consequences,
trust me. Sometimes those post-holiday blues can have a greater effect. If your mood is low and you are experiencing emotional difficulties, or problems adjusting now you’re back at Herts, there is support available through our Counselling Centre. Based in the MacLaurin Building (by deHavilland Campus), qualified and experienced counsellors are on hand to help and talk through any difficulties you might be facing. You can contact them on 01707284453 or email [email protected] If you had the time of your life abroad, don’t let it go to waste. Bring all your new found sense of adventure to the rest of your time at university.
ERIC SAWYER | UniVerse
16 Health •
Kealie Mardell | Print Editor
October is the month for quitting, whether that’s smoking or drinking, there’s a challenge for you. Those taking part together are more likely to succeed than those who go it alone, so challenge your friends to take part with you. This October, smokers are urged to join the national quit smoking month and take the Stoptober challenge. The campaign was launched by the Department of Health to create a mass participation stop smoking attempt across the country. Clinical research shows that those who can stop smoking for a month are five times more likely to stay
smoke free. Those who seek additional support also increase their chances of success. Hertfordshire University’s own Campus Pharmacy, located on College
Lane, actively supports Stoptober and can offer free and confidential advice and offer support for both students and staff. This could be your opportunity to quit with the support of others at our university, so why not make October your month to Stoptober? Not a smoker but still looking for a challenge this month, then why not Go Sober for October? Macmillan’s Cancer Research fundraising challenge sees those signing up to be a sober-hero raising money to support people fighting cancer. This is not only a great fundraising opportunity; there are also plenty of potential health benefits from giving up the drink for a month. You can experience increased energy
levels, better sleep, weight loss, clearer skin and general improved health and positivity. You’re also likely to save money, with some venues offering free soft drinks for designated drivers! If you’d like to sign up and raise donations visit gosober.org.uk or macmillan.org.uk Taking the Stobtober or Go Sober challenge? We want to hear from you! Tweet us your progress to @TridentMediaUK
Go smoke free or sober this October
Alexandra Jungeling | Contributing Writer
The dreaded Freshers’ Flu. Who knows where it comes from and how to avoid it? All students think about is making the most out of their Freshers’ Week and hope for the best when it comes to their health, but is that really the best way to look at things? After speaking to the Health Centre on College Lane, I have some helpful advice to share. Firstly, to avoid getting the dreaded flu is to stay healthy - this means eat enough food at the right times each day, even if you don’t feel like it. Also, keep hydrated - water,
water, water! This is possibly the most important thing, and whatever you do, don’t replace meals with alcohol. Getting enough sleep is also vital; trying to go through the week without sufficient rest will not help your immune system to combat anything. Washing your hands or using hand sanitiser after going to the toilet, before eating, and when you go out, can help keep freshers’ flu at bay, and it’s these simple little things that can make your week even better. If you are unlucky enough to have followed these instructions, and have been unfortunate enough to catch the flu, then the symptoms to look out for include fever, sweats, aches and
pains, a dry cough, sore throat, sneezing, headache and feeling nauseous. Things to look out for and seek medical attention for are a rash, stiff neck, a worsening headache, a dislike of bright lights, drowsiness, confusion, repeatedly vomiting, chest pains and coughing up blood. The illness spreads, from person to person, by droplets when people cough and sneeze. Obviously, being in a new environment, with new people, in close proximity to one another, will greatly increase your chances of catching flu. So freshers is clearing the best time for these lovely little droplets to find their way around.
Ever heard the phrase catch it, bin it, kill it? Do it.
A few coping strategies for this terrible ordeal include sleeping, eating, drinking water, paracetamol, and not talking. You should try not to let it affect your university workload, if at all possible. Basically, to avoid the illness that haunts the dreams of freshers be fit and healthy, sleep well, and don’t drink alcohol. (Well 3 out of 4 isn’t too bad!)
How to avoid Freshers’ Flu and what to do if you get it
• Health 17
Laura Noakes | Deputy Print Editor
October marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month; four weeks dedicated to highlighting the plight of those affected by breast cancer. One in eight women will suffer with the disease in their lifetime, and although significantly rarer in men, 400 are diagnosed with the disease every year. The health campaign has been organised by major breast cancer charities who want to promote awareness of the disease, fundraise to support those who are suffering with the disease, and research into a cure. Many brands are also supporting the cause and painting their products pink this month. Avon has released a new Ultra Glazewear Lip Gloss in Pink Watermelon, and at £3.50 it’s a perfect way to show
your support whilst not breaking the bank. Fundraising is also hugely important, and there are loads of ways to raise money in October. Why not have a cake sale? Or participate in a sporting event like a sponsored swim or run? You can also pledge to Wear It Pink on Friday 24th October and spend a day in your favourite pink clothes. As part of RAG Week, Raise and Give hosted their very own Breastival on Tuesday 14th October between 12pm and 3pm with the aim to awareness for the Breast Cancer Campaign and also gave students the opportunity to opportunity to check for gave signs of Breast Cancer. RAG Chair Brad Johnson said ‘we hope we developed the knowledge and awareness of the signs of breast cancer on campus’. For more information on this and
future RaG events visit hertfordshire.su/rag If any UH students are raising money for breast cancer in October, we’d love to hear from you! Contact us on Twitter @TridentMediaUK or on Facebook at TridentMediaUK. However, the most important thing you can do this October is check yourself. Although breast cancer primarily affects older people, younger people can also be diagnosed with the disease. Early detection is essential in fighting breast cancer, and it is so important to regularly check yourself and to know what’s normal for your breasts. If you do notice anything different, visit your doctor straight away. The Medical Centre on College Lane Campus is there especially for students at Hertfordshire, and has many experienced doctors and nurses ready to help.
Health: Breast Cancer Awareness Month
18 Sport •
Sports Fest 2014Mercedes Brazier | Sports Sub Editor
The Sports Fair on the 1st October this year was an interesting and informative event for new students and those returning. With over 25 clubs available to join you can imagine how busy the Sports Hall was that day! I had the chance to speak to many of the teams regarding what they are about, how and when they train and play, and of course the social side to their teams. There are a range of sports for ladies and gents of all ages, and it was nice to see the members of the clubs all making the effort to support their teams in the hunt for some fresh new students to toughen up! “I have never been involved in an Athletic Union (AU) Club and even though I was dragged along today by my friend who wants to sign up for netball, I think I might be persuaded to join,” said Sarah Keeble, a final year Sports Therapy student. “I spoke to the Kickboxing team and they had so much information for me and there was no pressure to take part in any professional matches, I can just join for the fitness aspect.”
Many of the AU clubs try and promote the fitness side of their training to highlight that you do not have to have any previous school, club or county experience to participate. However, if you do have previous training, show a commitment to the team, and improve fairly quickly, then there is a chance you could take part in the county leagues or nationally with the clubs, as they do not just compete within BUCS (British Universities and Colleges Sports). Kathryn Hoare, a final year Event Management student who has recently completed Tough Mudder, is a member of the Hertfordshire Sirens Cheerleading Club and has “enjoyed every moment of being a part of this incredible team of ladies.” With the Judo members showing their skills in the centre, the Lacrosse team using their sticks to gather some attention, and the signup sheets filled with names and email addresses of people who were interested, Sports Fair was an overall success. The tasters and trials started on Monday 6th October so if you want to get involved, don’t waste any time! Most of the clubs have Facebook pages and the Athletic Union website has contact information for each club.
Images: Active Students & Athletic Union
• Sport 19
Active Students has been given the funding it needs to help keep us excited and interested in sports! With up to 12 sessions running every day there is definitely something for you, it is totally free and there is no commitment. If you are a bit bored of looking at the same line in the textbook or that group work is getting you down, going for a quick game of Frisbee, Tennis or even Burlesque Fitness will help keep your spirits up! All you have to do is turn up to the session you would like to take part in, which can be found on activestudents.co.uk, with your Student I.D card and you’re off and away! This year they have introduced an effective rewards system that depends on the amount of sessions you attend. Those of you who have previously taken part in some sessions will remember the online system of checking which session you have gone to in order to collect your rewards. However, this year there is a better alternative - a loyalty card!
Now I know some of you are thinking you will probably lose these cards, well you had better not if you want your free jumper at the end of your time with Active Students! All you have to do is attend five Active Students sessions, ask an activator for a loyalty card, get it stamped when you attend, and voila! Hop on down to the Athletic Union office on De Hav and collect your jumper. Hopefully they are the nice bright blue ones they had a few years back, I don’t want the lime green ones again. From having a browse through some of the sessions we are intrigued as to what they entail such as the Olympic Lifting, Parkour and Bootcamp. If you attend any of these sessions please let us know what you think of them by sharing your view on our Trident Media Facebook Page and Website www.tridentmedia.org or sending an email to print.editor@tridentmedia .org
