The Gaudie 16th November 2022

Vol 89 No 4 - Wed 16 Nov 2022 iV magazine inside ‘Ask George Boyne’: Strike Action looms as Aberdeen UCU prepares for ‘act of last resort’ The University and College Union (UCU), which represents tens of thousands of staff at higher education institutions across the UK, has announced plans to begin strike action at the end of November. Additionally, industrial action including a marking and assessment boycott will begin in the New Year if employers and the powerful academic union do not reach a settlement. The strikes, to take place on the 24th, 25th, and 30th November, will occur at 150 universities across the UK, including UoA. Over 70,000 UCU members are expected to join picket lines if a negotiated agreement with employers is not reached. Most lectures and tutorials are likely to be cancelled on the strike days, although students will be notified by their Schools about specific guidance ‘in due course,’ per a University announcement. A press release published by the Aberdeen branch of UCU stated: ‘The marketisation of education has overseen a decade of rip-off tuition fees, expensive vanity building projects, class sizes increasing – whilst those at the top have rewarded themselves handsomely…’ ‘Our demands are not unreasonable – we want to have secure and decently paid jobs, so we have certainty to plan our lives, we deserve a decent retirement, women and those of ethnic minority background deserve equal pay. This isn’t right now and isn’t right for our future teachers and researchers – today’s students.’ In a statement, the national UCU demanded action to end the use of ‘insecure contracts', secure a ‘meaningful’ pay rise from employers to combat rising cost of living, and reverse a swath of pension cuts made earlier this year. UCU General Secretary Jo Grady commented, ‘Vice-chancellors are choosing to pay themselves hundreds of thousands of pounds whilst forcing our members onto low paid and insecure contracts that leave some using foodbanks. They choose to hold billions in surpluses whilst slashing staff pensions.’ According to HESA data compiled by UCU, the University of Aberdeen brought in 236 million pounds during 2020/2021, while paying Principal and Vice Chancellor George Boyne 296,000 pounds, a figure which the local UCU branch called ‘eyewatering.’In a statement, David Anderson, Aberdeen UCU Branch Secretary said, ‘There is still time for a negotiated agreement and it is in the gift of our employer to influence the national negotiations and push for a new, credible deal to take to members. We are in a unique situation in that Aberdeen’s Principal, George Boyne chairs the employer’s national negotiating body UCEA. Mel Whitter, Aberdeen UCU Vice Chair added, 'Nobody wants to take strike action and this is an act of last resort to get university bosses back to the negotiating table – we call on students to ask George Boyne what urgent actions he is taking to avoid these strikes.’ ‘Students know that staff working conditions are students’ learning conditions and our students have supported our disputes in the past. If we are forced to go on strike, we will be ready to show our strength and we will be showing our solidarity with students through a series of teach outs on strike days – come along and get involved as we stand together as students and workers, united on campus.’ AUSA released a measured statement Friday afternoon. Camilo Torres Barragán, Vice President for Communities said: ‘... We want all University staff to be well paid, happy, and motivated so we understand why UCU has decided to start strike action. At the same time, we hope the impact on students can be minimised and that all parties get back round the negotiating table and find a solution that considers students’ needs …’ ‘The UK and Scottish Government continue to seriously underfund Higher Education and it is vital that they step in and help end this stand-off while tackling the wider crisis.’ In an email Wednesday afternoon, Professor Ruth Taylor, VP Education, told students: ‘This is a national dispute and we hope that the situation can be resolved swiftly. We will liaise closely with UCU locally throughout the dispute. Not all staff are members of the UCU which means that the extent of action will vary across the University. Your School will be in touch in due course with further information.’ ‘While staff have the right to strike, we are doing all we can to minimise disruption to your teaching, studies and student experience.’ As noted by Aberdeen UCU leadership, UoA Principal George Boyne is the Director of the Board for UCEA (Universities and Colleges Employers Association), who will represent universities bosses in negotiations over pay and pension cuts. Meet Me At Midnight? Review of Taylor Swift’s new album, Midnights (3am Edition) Taylor Swift is undoubtedly one of the most prominent voices in modern music. While she started out singing country music as a teen, the singer has since crossed over into pop, dabbled in folk, and has even sung a rock anthem or two. Amongst fans, she is known for her lyricism as well as her ability to drop hints about future albums. These teasers often cause frenzies within her fanbase, to the point where some fans think even Swift’s nail polish colour could indicate her next release. ...Continued in IV by Anonymous by Elena Melis Strike Action looms as Aberdeen UCU prepares for ‘act of last resort’ UoA to Offer Free Breakfast to Students News Newspaper p.1 News Newspaper p.4 The first in a series of features highlighting a different community garden each season. Features Newspaper p.6 "I'm Not Stressed" Satire Newspaper p.12 Photo courtesy of Aberdeen UCU Twitter. Teaching likely to be cancelled if agreement is not reached by next week. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

p.2 30.10.19 On Monday 17th October, King Charles III visited Aberdeen to meet with those who had come to the city after being displaced by conflict in Afghanistan, Syria and Ukraine. Donning his kilt, he warmly welcomed the refugees in the city’s Town House as he heard first-hand accounts from those affected directly by war, and learnt of the efforts made by the Local Council to support and resettle the displaced families. Aberdeen City Council has worked closely with the UK and Scottish Governments to provide accommodation and vital services, such as health and education, to more than 1,000 families forced to flee their homes. Amongst the many of those rebuilding their lives here, the King spoke with Afghan interpreters who had previously worked alongside the British Army during their operation in the country. One of the interpreters, Burhan Vesal, recounted his personal experience leading to him fleeing his country. ‘Working with the military, it was my dream, and when I find that they are hiring interpreters I joined. It was a kind of service to my country, and besides that support of my family as well.’ ‘The hardest moment is leaving your home, leaving your family, but there was no option. I had to choose to leave the country otherwise my life was in danger, my family was in danger.’ The fall of Kabul in August 2021, as well as the wars in Syria and Ukraine, have seen thousands of refugees come to the UK in search of a better life. Since 2016 Aberdeen has been supporting those from Syria, and continues to accommodate hundreds of individuals and families coming to this country. The monarch also spoke with Inna Skvortsova, a Ukrainian woman who fled Kiev in April this year. Six months later, she now has a full-time role at the council assisting with the resettlement programme. ‘I came here, why? War. What can I do?’ Ms Skvortsova began, ‘I can at least make my contribution to help. I am absolutely happy that I can contribute myself to something important… Six months ago I didn’t expect that I would be here, or with the King, His Majesty, and now I am proud to represent my country.’ The event at the Town Hall was also attended by representatives of several businesses and organisations that have worked in partnership with the governments and council to provide resources for the refugees. A choir composed of pupils from Dyce Primary and the Robert Gordon’s College closed the event with a rendition of ‘The Northern Lights of Old Aberdeen’. EDITORS-IN-CHIEF ([email protected]) Holly Ferguson Matthew Sheppard NEWS ([email protected]) EDITOR: Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco FEATURES ([email protected]) EDITOR: Maeve Topliff DEPUTY EDITOR: Fi Hennicken INTERNATIONAL ([email protected]) CO-EDITOR: Gemma Mcleod CO-EDITOR: Eddie Nicholls SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT ([email protected]) EDITOR: Straun Donachie SPORTS ([email protected]) EDITOR: Ewan Knox OPINE ([email protected]) EDITOR: Caterina Fumero DEPUTY EDITOR: Tiina Heikkinen SATIRE ([email protected]) EDITOR: Maggie Johnson PUZZLES EDITOR: Bārbala Ostrovska Editorial Team HEAD OF PRODUCTION ([email protected]) Theodore Williamson PRODUCTION DESIGNERS Georgia Kartsagkouli Isabelle Hampton-Zabotti Dorian Stoyanov Annie Lennam Julie Toft Carlsen COPY EDITORS Ava Bratejka Lindberg Arianna Ferioli Judit Garab Paula Becka SOCIAL MEDIA Leah Flint Alex Lawson Charlotte Hill SOCIAL SECRETARY Cathy Steven PHOTOGRAPHER Aedan Brennan Leah Flint PODCAST HOST Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco Production Team We voluntarily adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation (www.ipso.co.uk) and aim to provide fair and balanced reporting. The Hub Elphinstone Road Old Aberdeen AB24 3TU Tel: 01224 272980 The Gaudie is printed on 100% recycled paper. Note from the Editor: Hope you are all well, and getting on with your deadlines. This is the final printed edition of the Guadie for the 2022 year. We hope to be back in print at the beginning of February, but articles will continue to be posted online at thegaudie.co.uk. You are able to subscribe to the website as well, and follow our Instagram and Facebook to stay up to date with recent articles. This also means if over the festive period you are wanting to write for any of our sections please contact the section editors and they can get this posted on the website for you. This edition includes news about the UCU strikes, a feature “stop sugar coating sickness” and a satire article on 10 ways to make the most of your autumn. In IV, we have the best Christmas gift ideas, a review of Taylor Swift’s ‘Midnights’ and a review of the first season of ‘House of the Dragon.’ As exams and the end of the semester approach, uni becomes increasingly stressful. We at the Gaudie understand and want to remind you to take a step back, breathe and read the Gaudie! Joking not joking. But we wish you all the best for your exams and the rest of the year. Have a wonderful Christmas and Hogmanay, and we will see you in February. Holly King Charles III visits Aberdeen’s refugees The new British monarch met with those displaced by war to learn about the humanitarian aid provided by the City Council. by Paris Tyler Photo courtesy of King Charles- PA media ‘The hardest moment is leaving your home, leaving your family, but there was no option. I had to choose to leave the country otherwise my life was in danger, my family was in danger.’ 'Six months ago I didn’t expect that I would be here, or with the King, His Majesty, and now I am proud to represent my country.’ The event at the Town Hall was also attended by representatives of several businesses and organisations that have worked in partnership with the governments and council to provide resources for the refugees

30.10.19 p.3 Researchers at the University of Aberdeen will be the first to trial a new method of identifying Alzheimer's disease. According to The Office for National Statistics, dementia and Alzheimer's disease was the leading cause of UK deaths in 2018, accounting for 12.7% of all deaths registered. An early indicator of Alzheimer's disease is a decline in the brain's utilisation of glucose. This decline is currently measured by positron emission tomography (PET) scans, which work by detecting radiation emitted by substances called radiotracers injected into the bloodstream as they collect in various parts of the body. PET scans are both expensive to perform and involve exposure to ionising radiation, making them suboptimal for routine use. However, a newly developed method called Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer (CEST) can scan for glucose in the brain using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI is more widely available than PET and does not require the use of ionising radiation. In the trial, due to begin recruitment soon, University of Aberdeen researchers will attempt to use CEST to detect the differences in glucose levels between people who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and volunteers of similar age without symptoms. If successful, CEST MRI has the potential to replace PET when identifying Alzheimer's in symptomatic patients or those at genetic risk. Dr Gordon Waiter, Director of the Aberdeen Biomedical Imaging Centre at the University of Aberdeen, said: “Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer is a promising new method for diagnosing this disease and this important study will give us more information about its effectiveness as a diagnostic tool. With a global reputation for excellence in MRI stretching back over 40 years, the University of Aberdeen is excellently placed to lead this trial.” As the UK population ages and deaths from other causes decline, the rate and prevalence of people with dementia is anticipated to rise. According to Alzheimer's Society, a UK-based dementia charity, there are currently around 900,000 people living with dementia in the UK, a figure which is projected to increase to 1.6 million by 2040. Although there is currently no cure for Alzheimer's or any other form of dementia, treatment is often most effective at the early stages and the progression of the disease can be slowed down in some cases if diagnosed early enough. ‘A Year for Reform’: Student Council Election Results announced Eight percent student turnout as newly elected officers vow to make changes New Alzheimer’s Test to be trialled by UoA researchers The results are in. AUSA Student council elections have come and gone, and the newly elected committee are eager to commence making changes. Newly elected chair of council, Nirvan Abedi, spoke to The Gaudie, expressing his goal of increasing the efficiency of decision making in the council by cutting down to thirty members instead of ninety, as well as being more representative of students who are going through current such as the costof-living crisis. Abedi commented, “I am certainly delighted that after a hard week of campaigning, I was elected as the first ethnic minority background student to become the chair of the student council. I genuinely believe that this year is a year for reform and a year for change, so I’m very happy to be on board and to be part of the generation that is going to be making a difference within the student politics that we have in the University of Aberdeen.” Vice-chair of council Swathi Aravind said she is committed to supporting all endeavours and her goal is make the council run as best as it can. She told The Gaudie, “Being elected to me means seeing myself responsible for the voices of the students. Responsible to make sure they absolutely feel heard, valued, and would approach us if there’s anything that concerns them.” She also expressed her gratitude to all who voted in her favour, commenting, ‘I [want to] also take this opportunity to express my gratitude to all the students who keenly voted for myself and all the other members of the council, this shows that together we can achieve a lot more than we can individually. If we can aspire, so can we do it.’ Others elected to posts include vicechair sport winner Sophie Levine, vicechair societies winner Demid Nosovitskiy, vice-chair communities winner Christina Schmid, and vice-chair environmental winner Gabriel Brame. Abedi also went on to congratulate all the newly elected and thanked the students who voted. This election had a turnout of 8.1%, up from less than five percent turnout in the Sabbatical Officers election last March. The results provide hope that a precipitous decline in student involvement with university politics post-COVID may be in reverse. With student enthusiasm on the rise, Abedi and the council look forward to making some genuine and favourable changes. bY Kani Barzani by Clive Davies Improved testing method could lead to increased early detection of disease “Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer is a promising new method for diagnosing this disease and this important study will give us more information about its effectiveness as a diagnostic tool. “Being elected to me means seeing myself responsible for the voices of the students. Responsible to make sure they absolutely feel heard, valued, and would approach us if there’s anything that concerns them.” University Food Court undergoes revamp for autumn term New ordering system and catering cards met with mixed reaction Students returning to campus for the autumn term may have noticed some changes at the University food court, including a brand-new ordering system. The RockSalt Food Court, located on the first floor of the Student Union Building, offers a variety menu with six different food outlets from Mexican street food to Asian cuisine. For a more discreet option there is always Los Pollos Hermanos, where crispy fried chicken is served with golden fries and a side of coleslaw. Over the years, the food court has been an essential outlet for students during lunch and breaks to grab a bite to eat. With the new term in session, some changes have been made, beginning with the most obvious one: a new ordering system aimed at giving students faster and more easy accessibility to the food court menu. This has been met with challenges in regards to lunch time rush hour with lines flowing out of the food court and down the stairs at times. New undergraduate students provided with a catering card have found the self-checkout difficult to use, being restricted to using only one till with a very limited display, causing further problems with rush hour queues tailing back. “It’s been a frustrating start to the new term,” said Laura, a recent Erasmus student. Another issue raised was the lack of food allergy and nutritional information being available on the machines, discouraging students from using the facilities. Many students that The Gaudie spoke to also found the menus from certain outlets such as Los Pollos Hermanos to lack diversity, with fries being the only option with every chicken sandwich. Other expressed concerns that not enough healthy options were available for purchase. According to the University website, the RockSalt offers ‘a world of refreshments’ to students at affordable prices. The website stated, ‘Salad boxes from £2.95 and handmade fresh pizza from £3.50 are just two of a tempting array of freshly prepared dishes from changed weekly menus, with over 50% of the selections being tasty vegan and vegetarian options.’ The University also announced that RockSalt Connect, a new online ordering app and loyalty programme, would be in place by Winter 2022. While the self-checkout system has certainly improved the user experience, according to students who spoke to The Gaudie, there is still much to be desired and certain improvements will need to be made. by Ewan Kellie This has been met with challenges in regards to lunch time rush hour with lines flowing out of the food court and down the stairs at times Photo courtesy of Ewan Kellie

p.4 30.10.19 Following a visit in August by judges Stan da Prato and Andrew Hogarth, the Granite Community claimed numerous awards at a virtual celebration for the nationwide contest. In addition to the David Welch Winter Gardens in Duthie Park, the two judges toured the city; seeing parks, a school, an enclosure, and communal spaces. The Rosebowl 2022 and Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society Award categories were also presented to the city, as well as a Silver Gilt Medal for Cove in Bloom and a Certificate of Appreciation for Brighter Bucksburn. da Prato and Hogarth declared: “Aberdonians value their parks, and this public support has helped persuade decision-makers of the value of green spaces despite ongoing pressures on local authority finance. The fact that two councilors took time to meet the judges emphasized this commitment.” Deputy Lord Provost, Councillor Steve Delaney, accompanied the judges on their visit to the winning city. He said: “This is amazing news and even better than we could have hoped for, although our wonderful Environmental Services team, led by Steven Shaw, communities, and army of volunteers across the city naturally gave us every confidence that we would do well. “It was an absolute pleasure to accompany the judges on their tour of our beautiful green spaces, which we now know are the best in Scotland. It was clear that they were very impressed by what they saw. “My warmest congratulations to everyone on achieving these wonderful boosts for our city.” Councillor Miranda Radley, Convener of the council’s Communities, Housing and Public Protection Committee, said: “These are amazing achievements for our city and wonderful recognition for all the hard work of our staff as well as our Friends groups, schools, businesses, communities, especially in Cove and Bucksburn, and the thousands of volunteers put into making our city’s green spaces so attractive… My congratulations go out to everyone involved for their dedication to making our city look its best.” Aberdeen City Council is devoted to gardening and has a long history of horticultural expertise extending back over 50 years. It features a variety of lovely parks, gardens, and green places. The staff, Friends organisations, and volunteers live and breathe their green areas and take great satisfaction in preserving, displaying, and enjoying them. The team continues to provide conventional high-quality horticulture and flower displays with a combination of seasonal bedding and permanent perennial planting. In recent years, focus has shifted to maintaining additional parks and green areas as natural places, planting more pollinator-friendly plants to increase the biodiversity value of the locations. The team has minimised grass mowing to allow grasses and wildflowers to grow and show off their beauty. This not only enhances the variety of planting in the space, but it also adds a fresh learning experience to the team's horticulture. ‘Best in Scotland’: Aberdeen’s green spaces declared second to none City takes top spot in annual Beautiful Scotland Awards by Nour Elshenawy Photo courtesy of Aberdeen City Council ‘Mindful Menus’: UoA to Offer Free Breakfast to Students Free porridge and hot drinks part of University campaign to combat rising cost of living The University is launching a new scheme to keep students fed throughout the remainder of the first term. Originally announced on Twitter by Deputy Director of People Nick Edwards, The Gaudie has confirmed that the University has committed to offering several discounted or free food options in their cafes. Edwards, who credited the University catering team and student leaders for the scheme, told The Gaudie, ‘“Every day in our Macrobert and Suttie cafes, and the Students Union Building ‘Crisp’ outlet, soup will be available for 50p over lunchtime (11.30am to 1.30pm). Soup options will be vegetarian.’ ‘We will also offer a free bowl of porridge and a filter coffee or tea on Tuesdays and Thursday mornings, until 9.45am, from the Aberbean Cafes at Suttie Centre and MacRobert and Sgt Peppers in the Food Court of the Student Union Building.’ To qualify for the free breakfast offer, students need to show their student ID to cafe staff. The discounted soup can be purchased through the kiosks at Crisp, or as normal in the MacRobert and Suttie cafes. Edwards commented, ‘As part of our ongoing commitment to the wellbeing of our students and staff we want to ensure we are able to offer support during the cost of living crisis that makes things a little easier on a daily basis. Our mindful menu options mean that everyone can have a warm meal at lunch and that twice a week students can have a hot breakfast and drink on us.’ Edwards continued, telling The Gaudie that the scheme is an important part of the University’s 2040 plan. He said, ‘An aim of our Aberdeen 2040 plan is to support the wellbeing and health of our community and ensuring we can provide a range of catering options, including our new 50p soup and free student breakfasts twice a week, means that students can be sure of a quick, convenient lunch on campus every day of the working week.’ ‘This is combined with a range of other activities, events and support… aim to ensure we can proactively advise students on budgeting, money matters and selfcare and also support those who need it when they experience unexpected hardship. We know that these small changes won’t overturn the impact of the whole cost of living crisis, but hope they are a small gesture of support over the winter period.’ According to a report released by the Government in late October; the consumer prices index (CPI), a key measure of inflation, reached 10.1% in September, the highest mark since the early 1980s. This, coupled with a 96% increase in fuel prices and 54% rise in electricity costs, has led to widespread anxiety as the cold months of winter draw near. Alongside the University catering team, AUSA played an important role in formulating the free breakfast scheme. Sai Shraddha S. Viswanathan, Students’ Union Vice President for Welfare said: “We’ve been a part of the ‘Cost of living working group’ along with University staff from different departments. In these meetings, Vanessa, Student President, and myself have been pushing for everyone to see the students’ perspective of life during a cost of living crisis. The breakfasts are a great start and we are interested to see if the community gets involved. We are continuously pushing the University to do more and we are introducing our own initiatives.’ According to Viswanathan, current initiatives include increasing opening hours at the Student Union Building, expanding the Foodsharing Hub, and featuring a list of part time jobs at the University and local businesses on the AUSA website. ‘While this work is ongoing, it’s vital that the Government also steps in and provides more protection for students. Rent controls, more hardship funds (particularly for international students) and an increase in student loans are essential.’ by Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco ‘As part of our ongoing commitment to the wellbeing of our students and staff we want to ensure we are able to offer support during the cost of living crisis that makes things a little easier on a daily basis' Aberdeen City Council is devoted to gardening and has a long history of horticultural expertise extending back over 50 years. It features a variety of lovely parks, gardens, and green places. Photo courtesy of Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco

30.10.19 p.5 As a society we are obsessed with putting a positive spin on everything in a way that dismisses and denies our authentic emotional experience, this blatantly shows our culture's discomfort with emotion. I suffer from a few, cureless, long term chronic illnesses- there’s nothing positive about that, quite the opposite. Unfortunately, toxic positivity is something people with chronic illness know too well. On the surface it sounds positive, reassuring, helpful, but when you pay attention and think about if it’s useful to say to a chronically ill person, you’ll find it's not. Having a disability is a big part of who we are. Encouraging people to distance themselves from is highly dismissive. When you compliment a disabled person for “never complaining” during their illnesses you reinforce the narrative that the strongest suffer in silence. You are not considering what the sick persons needs when you compliment them for never complaining about their illness. Instead, you are focusing on the comfort and feelings of the people around the disabled person. This is extremely toxic and harmful because it makes disabled people feel guilty for needing others help. It makes them feel like a burden for being sick. Narratives like these scare disabled people into silence. For some people, the severity of their illnesses continuously imposes a devastating impact on their entire lives, and nothing will change it, not even well wishes, will power, toxic positivity, or hard work. You are not weak if you voice your needs and pain, suffering in silence is not the epitome of strength. Societies discomfort towards chronically ill people’s reality is not our burden to bear! For many people, including me, their illness has stopped their life in its tracks, held them back, taken their dreams and ambitions, taken their independence & freedom away, and a lot more. Growing up it was my dream to be a pilot. I collected plane models and everything in my life was aviation related from my clothing to my toys. Unfortunately, in my adolescence I got sick, and the medical requirements are strict for pilots. The minute I got a diagnosis my passions and ambitions were stripped away from me. This brings me onto another type of toxic positivity I see often. However, this time it’s from people within the chronic illness community. A post I saw recently on Instagram from a chronic illness advocate said, “having a chronic illness doesn’t mean you have to stop your life” For me, seeing other chronically ill people claim that just because they have achieved certain things alongside their illnesses, others will be able to do the same, however that isn’t every chronically ill persons reality. There is no linear path to chronic illness, it manifests differently for each person. It is toxic to assume lack of willpower stops people from achieving their dreams because chronic illness can and does hold people back. Despite knowing there is no hope of improvement, accepting our illnesses can be extremely empowering. Throughout my chronic illness journey, I have found it extremely difficult to answer questions like "how are you?" and "are you okay?". I’m typically reluctant to answer these types of questions. Sometimes, my reluctance is primarily based totally on a response I've had from the person before. However, narratives like “don’t let your illness define you” float around my mind and make me feel bad for speaking up, and in the past has stopped me from speaking up about my needs. It's hard feeling like you can't talk about what your life is really like. However, I realised that if I expressed the full extent of what I am going through, seeing as the answer is never as simple as “I’m good”, I would be less likely to push myself to do things I can’t, I’d be better at letting criticisms about my limitations pass me by, I’d be less likely to upset myself with “when I get better…” thoughts as it’s sugar coating my reality, and this isn’t me being negative- it’s being realistic. If you take anything from this article, take this: speaking realistically about your illness doesn’t equal negativity. Even if your illness defines you, you're still enough. Even if your illness has held you back from achieving your dreams, you're still amazing. Even if your illness has stopped your life in its tracks, you're still incredible. Your illness might define your life, but you’re still more than enough. Accepting your illness is not giving up. Sugar-coating Sickness! by Christine Manneh How Toxic Positivity Is Damaging the Chronically Ill. When you compliment a disabled person for “never complaining” during their illnesses you reinforce the narrative that the strongest suffer in silence. Societies discomfort towards chronically ill people’s reality is not our burden to bear! Accepting your illness is not giving up. Photo courtesy of freestocks via Unsplash There is no linear path to chronic illness, it manifests differently for each person. It is toxic to assume lack of willpower stops people from achieving their dreams.

p.6 30.10.19 For an industrial, rugged town, Aberdeen has a vibrant community garden scene. From Bonnymuir Green, a garden-turned-bowling-greenturned-back-to-garden, to Earth ‘n’Worms, nestled in an unsuspecting corner of Tillydrone, to St Fittick’s Edible Garden, anex-council depot on the wind-wrapped Torry headland, the city is a patchwork of littlehorticultural kingdoms. Something they all have in common is their wonderfully improbablelocations. It’s easy to mistake the car park by the Butchart Centre for nothing more than just... a carpark. But as the wardrobe was to Narnia, so is this tarmaced lot to something wild,whimsical, and wholly unexpected. Over the car park’s western wall lies one of the aforementioned horticultural kingdoms - The Secret Garden. The 1993 film of the same name transfixed me in childhood. I yearned to scramble throughbrambles, to tenderly free the first spring shoots from beneath decomposing leaves, to watchas leaves unfurled themselves, pale, fresh, to meet wan sunlight. It's unclear whether Aberdeen’s Secret Garden is named for the children’s classic or for its concealed location - either way, images of unfurling leaves and shoots pushing through soil were instantly re-conjured when I first saw The Secret Garden Society listed on the AUSA website. Fast forward and I’m now the society’s social media officer. This, of course, makes me highly biased- but trust me when I say that the garden is one of our campus’s best assets. Rumoured to be the remnant of an ancient orchard, the space feels timeless. However, the sycamores dominating the garden’s central lobe, “The Core”, are deceptively young, and the garden has only been maintained by the society since 2018. The “Mycochamber”, named for bygone mushroom-cultivation attempts, is home to the garden’s composting system. Despite the decaying matter, the air is anything but noxious. Anyone can bring their organic waste here, so long as it’s not meat- or fatbased, or saturated with harmful dyes or chemicals. The society even gives out free compost caddies. It’s not just kitchen scraps that are “cooked” here, though. Freshly picked comfrey, a brilliant source of nitrogen, has been added to the mix today. Stirring the steaming, fragrant compost heap, treasurer Arkan is Puck in an anorak, a twinkle in his eye. “I love compost”, he tells the gathered volunteers. You can tell he isn’t lying. Arkan and vice president Ainhoa are members of the society’s founding generation. It’s improved a lot since the beginning, Ainhoa says. Membership has shot from 14 in her first year to over 80 today. You’d think such an increase wouldn’t be conducive to a tight-knit, caring community, but the society is friendlier than ever, flourishing thanks to the influx of knowledge brought by the diverse crowd. The forest garden bed, a semiwild collection of perennials inspired by the teachings of local permaculture expert Alan Carter, is a prime example of this. An artichoke bends over kale gone wild and swaths of fluffy, feathered yarrow. Even 80-strong, there’s still room to grow solo. The garden has afforded garden manager Shaun a sanctuary to grow his own alongside the communal beds. Fosterfather of a patch of vegetables and flowers in the "North Strip", you'd be forgiven for thinking he had sprung fully formed from the earth, such is his affinity with the garden. But Shaun is actually one of the society’s newer members. The people here are so welcoming that it doesn’t take anyone long to become deeply entangled in the garden’s going-ons. Ainhoa joined the society by accident (“I kept coming every Sunday because I had paid for the membership”). It quickly grew on her. “Honestly, I woke up every Sunday excited because I was going to the garden,” she smiles. Like Ainhoa, general member Aina didn't previously know much about gardening. Unlike Ainhoa, she joined on purpose. The seed was planted long ago. “I have pictures of myself watering tomatoes from when I was two,” she says. “I joined the garden society so that I can actually learn.” Volunteer Ross is here thanks to his genuine love of physical labour. “It gives me something to do on a Sunday morning ... If I didn’t have anything, I would just sleep in, and I’m trying to get over that horrible habit.” “Coming for the gardening, staying for the people” appears common. “I had no idea what Iwas doing ”, Ainhoa confesses of her early days, “but the people were so nice.”Everyone agrees. “I’ve met a lot of friends here,” says president Barbara. “I was pleasantly surprised that the garden was such a diverse space ... it made me feel ‘at home’ as aninternational student.” Newcomer Clara also comments on how great it was to immediately find such a welcoming group. “To find such a great project in the middle of the area you’ve moved to is amazing.” Its on-campus location is another of the garden’s strengths, with members grateful to have a space to observe nature between classes. Perhaps the society’s best quality, though, is its openness to failure. “I like our experimental nature”, Arkan tells me. “We’re chancers in some ways. As we try stuff, some things might not work out, but these are lessons.” Magical as the garden is, though, it’s not untouchable. An unseasonably hot summer left nature confused. Snowdrops were already revealing their foliage in October; Shaun showed me the tender, premature shoots with deep concern. I reeled in anxiety for both the plants - frost will claim those shoots with swift ease - and the planet. Snowdrops in October are undoubtedly symptomatic of climate change. It’s an issue the society is acutely aware of and trying to combat. The garden’s number one mission, president Barbara says, is sustainability, from its role as a tangible tool for learning about permaculture, to its existence as a space for individuals to come together and effect systematic change. “From experience, [a space like] that’s hard to get,” says well-being officer Gabi. This isn’t a mission the Secret Garden is on alone. Campaigns with other organisations, such as Fridays for Future, are proof of this; the passion the broader community has for green activism is heartwarming. And if there’s anything the people here are good at, it’s collaborating towards a greater goal. Back in “The Core”, a tribe of magpies watch as the volunteers rake the thick carpet of golden leaves into ordered piles. The job looks daunting, but working together, they make quick and easy work of it, chatting and laughing together. I don’t blame them - with the enchantment that the Secret Garden instils in the soul, it’s hard not to crack a smile. Autumn: The Secret Garden The first in a series of features highlighting a different community garden each season. by Sophia Baker Images of unfurling leaves and shoots pushing through soil were instantly re-conjured when I first saw The Secret Garden Society listed on the AUSA website. Magical as the garden is, though, it’s not untouchable. An unseasonably hot summer left nature confused. Photo courtesy of Tim Cooper via unsplash.

30.10.19 p.7 The area of St Fittick’s Park in Torry is a popular recreational site of retreat where people from across Aberdeen come to enjoy themselves with various outdoor activities in the green spaces and restored awardwinning wetlands of the East Tullos Burn, most famous perhaps for dolphin watching opportunities nearby. But this might be history soon… In a 2020 development plan proposal Aberdeen City Council declared the area an opportunity site for industrial development, taking away its status as a protected greenspace and suggesting it as an Energy Transition Zone (ETZ). The aim of the scheme is to economically reposition the North East by reducing its longstanding reliance on oil and gas and working on a transition to net-zero by developing renewable, low-carbon energy sectors. It is intended to provide 2,500 jobs to the local community by 2030. Tasked with the construction of the site, a notfor-profit business group, ETZ Ltd, was formed in early 2021 by oil and gas tycoon Sir Ian Wood. The scheme is backed by the Scottish and UK governments, which have pledged £26 million towards it, and Opportunity North East, a company that is chaired by Wood and integrated in the Aberdeen City Region Deal, giving it decision power over economic development. When the residents came across the plans by coincidence, it led to an outcry in the community and the quick formation of the group ‘Friends of St Fittick’s’, with the aim to stop the plans. The group is backed by a number of politicians and organisations, including NatureScot, SEPA, environmental NGOs, Forestry Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland and crossparty MSP as well as public health officials from the Aberdeen area. The groups raised several concerns about the project. When the close by Bay of Nigg was developed into the new harbour, Aberdeen City Council and the Harbour Board drew up the Mitigation and Compensation Agreement, promising to enhance the natural sites and wetland habitats at St Fittick’s Park. Biodiversity has since increased, and the East Tullos Burn has been observed to be an important point for migratory birds as well as several wood and wetland species. St Fittick’s Park also provides the only close access to green space for the local community which consists for a large part of social housing without access to private gardens. It is often referred to as a ‘priority’ area by the City Council because of high levels of child poverty and unemployment. The area already has limited access to green recreational spaces and is surrounded by industrial sites such as the new south harbour, a recently completed waste incinerator, a jet engine testing centre, sewage works and railway lines. 22 medical professionals have challenged the City Council to protect this vital green community space, stating that the risk of chronical lung disease in the area is already significantly higher in the Torry area with a 13-year lower life expectancy and 20-year lower healthy life expectancy that is likely to decrease more if the site is further industrialised. Friends of St Fittick’s point out that there is little room for the development of the ETZ, if the plans indeed, incorporate the preservation of the ecologically critical wetland habitats of the burn and will not cut net biodiversity as has been promised by ETZ Ltd CEO, Maggie McGinlay. They highlighted that both the wetlands and the sewage work limit the developable area and point towards industrial brownfield sites in East Tullos and Altens as more suitable for the project and with far less impact for the community. “We’re trying to argue that if you are trying to mitigate against climate change, what you don’t do is destroy somewhere that is doing precisely that,” says Ian Baird from Friends of St Fittick’s. The area would be an important carbon sink and has a higher impact reducing carbon emissions compared to the proposed ETZ. In next steps, the council will hear people’s concerns at the Aberdeen Science Centre on November 14th. If the development plan is adapted as council policy, ETZ Ltd will have to work out a masterplan meeting all their ambitious goals and the concerns of the community, before gaining permission to start building. Friends of St Fittick’s are determined to keep campaigning for their local community park and their efforts are now being joined by Aberdeen University Conservation Society. Fight for Green Community Space by Anastasia Goelitz Torry residents stand up against oil magnate to protect St Fittick’s Park The aim of the scheme is to economically reposition the North East by reducing its longstanding reliance on oil and gas and working on a transition to net-zero by developing renewable, low-carbon energy sectors. The group is backed by a number of politicians and organisations, including NatureScot, SEPA, environmental NGOs, Forestry Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland and cross-party MSP as well as public health officials from the Aberdeen area 22 medical professionals have challenged the City Council to protect this vital green community space, stating that the risk of chronical lung disease in the area is already significantly higher in the Torry area with a 13-year lower life expectancy Friends of St Fittick’s are determined to keep campaigning for their local community park and their efforts are now being joined by Aberdeen University Conservation Society. Photo courtesy of Kenny Elrick/DCT Media Photo courtesy of Barton Willmore’s feasibility study into an Energy Transition Zone linked to Aberdeen South Harbour

arts culture fashion lifestyle food Arts p.2-3 Arts p.5 Christmas Gift Ideas Life and Style p.8 iV Midnights (3am Edition) Review The Rocky Horror Picture Show

p. 2 Editors Holly Ferguson Matthew Sheppard IV Editors ARTS ([email protected]) Head Editor - Isabelle Hampton-Zabotti Deputy EditorsXandra Button Zac Bakella Emma Chen LIFE AND STYLE ([email protected]) Co-Editor - Kendra Clark Co-Editor - Kathryn Ritchie Production Theodore Williamson Georgia Kartsagkouli Isabelle Hampton-Zabotti Annie Lennam Dorian Stoyanov Copy Editors Ava Bratejka Lindberg Arianna Ferioli Judit Garab Paula Becka Front page Nova Khan Long live the rose that grew from concrete With love, Team iV iV Meet Me At Midnight? Review of Taylor Swift’s new album, Midnights (3am Edition) by Elena Melis Content warning: this article discusses anxiety, depression, disordered eating, and grooming. Taylor Swift is undoubtedly one of the most prominent voices in modern music. While she started out singing country music as a teen, the singer has since crossed over into pop, dabbled in folk, and has even sung a rock anthem or two. Amongst fans, she is known for her lyricism as well as her ability to drop hints about future albums. These teasers often cause frenzies within her fanbase, to the point where some fans think even Swift’s nail polish colour could indicate her next release. It is not surprising, then, that Swift’s brand-new album Midnights was highly anticipated by fans, and has since broken countless streaming records. Released at midnight on October 21st, the album follows Swift through thirteen sleepless nights throughout her life. Before it hit the shelves, Swift promoted the album by releasing the tracklist bit by bit on TikTok. In classic Swift fashion, she did the unexpected and simultaneously released a version of Midnights with seven extra songs, now known as Midnights (3am edition). These extra songs were left off the original album as, to Swift, they had slightly a different theme than the other thirteen tracks. After the successful album release, Swift also announced that tickets for her new world tour will be on sale soon, which of course will include songs from Midnights. Midnights is an incredibly multifaceted album, with an overarching 70’s glam aesthetic. It is as diverse sonically as it is thematically. The songs range from self-reflective pieces about mental health, to love songs, to revenge songs reminiscent of her Reputation era. Interestingly, Midnights seems to parallel many of Swift’s past albums, with some songs even sampling Swift’s own music. For example, in the new song ‘Question…?’, Swift includes a soundbite from her 1989 track ‘Out Of The Woods’. ‘Lavender Haze’, the first track on Midnights, is similar to ‘I Think He Knows’— an upbeat pop song from Swift’s album Lover. However, Swift’s writing skills have steadily improved since her previous albums, making the lyrics in Midnights layered and complex. Unsurprisingly, the word ‘midnights’ appears numerous times throughout the album (11 times to be exact). To understand the context behind many of Swift’s new songs, you are expected to know things about her personal life and career. She rose to fame at a very young age and was scrutinised by the media through most of her teenage years. She was often criticised for her way of dressing, her attitude, and most commonly her dating life. These criticisms seem more than unfair given the fact that many of Swift’s boyfriends were significantly older than her, namely John Mayer, who was 32 when he had a relationship with 19-year-old Swift. This relationship is addressed in one of Swift’s Midnights (3am Edition) tracks, ‘Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve’. ‘Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve’ is perhaps my favourite song on this album. The lyrics mention the age 19 (and the song is cleverly placed at 19th on the track list). This makes it easy for fans to conclude that the song is about John Mayer’s supposed grooming of Swift. Using heavy religious imagery, Swift says that she regrets her relationship, at one point singing, ‘Give me back my girlhood, it was mine first.’ Swift’s voice makes her anger and regrets palpable, creating an incredibly sad and incredibly impactful song. Honestly, this track is a 10/10 from me (but count your days, John). While I love ‘Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve’, Swift’s collaboration with Lana Del Rey, entitled ‘Snow on the Beach’, falls flat for me. While the collaboration was highly anticipated, many fans were disappointed to find that Del Rey does not

p. 4 arts | film Amsterdam (2022) ‘You gotta fight to protect kindness’ Amsterdam is a historical movie with the right amount of drama and comedy, screened in the theatres in October 2022. It is set in 1930s America. Amsterdam was written and directed by David O. Russell, who has directed films such as Silver Lining in the past. The cast comprises three friends—Burt, Valerie and Harold— respectively interpreted by Christian Bale, Margot Robbie and John David Washington, who allll have had roles in popular movies before. In addition, the movie features other famous actors, such as Taylor Swift (daughter of the military officer). After being hired by the daughter of an important military officer, two ex-veterans and their best friend go on a journey to find her father’s killer. When the daughter gets killed right in front of Burt and Harold, they have even more reason to find the killer. Here begins a race against time with a few surprising twists. One of the most interesting ones being that five fascist businessmen try to turn the presidency into a dictatorship. Christian Bale played Burt, one of the two veterans. He was in the war mostly because of his job as a doctor and after he came back he focused his career on helping veterans. Seeing as they didn’t get medical help easily at the time in the US, Burt was well loved in the veteran sphere. His role is a little eccentric and chaotic, but he is determined to find the killer. Bale played his part very authentically, so that the viewer couldn’t be anything less but convinced by his character. He fights for their goal to protect democracy and sensibly states ‘you gotta fight to protect kindness’. A second aspect of the movie that I noticed was the way it was filmed. There was a lot of dialogue, which made it feel like real life. On the other hand, the movie was narrated by Burt, which resembled more a story being told. Altogether, Amsterdam was a great mixture of filmmaking devices. Overall, I definitely enjoyed the movie. It was very funny and brought the viewer along on an adventure. However, there is something that makes me not want to give the movie a 5-star rating. Unfortunately, I cannot pinpoint what it is exactly. It might be the nature of the plot, of some trying to undermine democracy and thereby people’s free will. Nonetheless, it is worth watching, especially if you enjoy historical movies and those that support the patriarchal spirit of the US. Rating: 4/5 by Jana Neimanns Photo Courtesy of IMDb

p. 5 arts | film Photo Courtesy of IMDb The Rocky Horror Picture Show was one of those movies that I had heard much about yet never got around to watching. It is a cult classic in its own right and widely beloved by many; however, I had always thought it to be haughty and kitschy, catered for artists and intellects who just seemed to get it. There was always an air of arrogance when someone discussed why this movie was so great and trailblazing, which made me want to watch the movie even less. Nevertheless, I caved and began to realise how wrong I was! The costuming and acting are two aspects of the film that particularly help to create the campy aesthetic which makes the movie so beloved and identifiable. Dr Frank n Furter is first introduced in skimpy black corseting and clothing, his face painted white with overdrawn red lipstick. The acting is exaggerated and over the top, showing a sense of melodrama and comedy. It soon becomes apparent that the movie is meant to be comical and tongue in cheek, and that the writer Richard O’Brien, who plays the servant Riff Raff, created the screenplay to parody and pay tribute to 20th-century science-fiction and horror movies. The movie is so effective for aspects like these, as it provides an inclusive and safe space for many who feel disregarded or under-represented within a society built on traditional norms and values. This is true for many within the LGBTQ+ community, who take solace in the positive representations of bisexuality, sex, and the more taboo subjects presented throughout the movie – Dr Frank n Furter is shown to seduce both Brad and Janet on separate occasions. In showing such progressive themes in a celebratory and positive light, it is understandable why many fans love and have formed a connection with the movie. For many of those who relate to the film, singing the songs or dressing up as the characters become a form of their own queer or individual expression, a reason why the film became a cult classic. Additionally, moviegoers implemented traditions into The Rocky Horror Picture Show viewings, for example when Janet (Susan Sarandon) runs through the rain both she and the audience would put a newspaper over their heads. Rituals like this perfectly show why the movie is so effective, creating an all-inclusive and shared viewing experience. I feel I unfairly judged The Rocky Horror Picture Show, taking it at face value to be a senseless and tacky film about nothing. However, that is precisely the point - in parodying the melodramatic and often exaggerated nature of these old horror and science fiction movies, it allowed the campy and flamboyant style embraced by the LGBTQ+ community to flourish. And although it has been heavily embraced by such communities, the movie’s inclusive and all-encompassing nature allows people from different walks and backgrounds to enjoy it. Even if you cannot relate to some of the aforementioned themes, you cannot deny the joy and excitement felt when singing the ‘Time warp!’ by Zac Bakella The crossroad between camp and horror Rating: 4/5

p. 6 arts | tv shows Finally, after three years of anticipation (and weeks of teasers through impressive posters across every platform imaginable), the theme song we all know and love fills our homes. Regardless of whether you wanted to rejoin the hate-train after season 8 of Game of Thrones, or you were just excited to revisit Westeros and its captivating characters, I’m sure I can speak for all of us when I say we were excited for House of the Dragon. Although the premiere of the show garnered an impressive viewership of around 10 million across HBO and HBO Max, it’s a far cry from the nearly 20 million who tuned in to watch the season finale of Game of Thrones. Now that the prequel has finished, the question on everyone’s minds is—‘Was it as good as Game of Thrones?’ To give a quick summary, House of the Dragon, a prequel to Game of Thrones, follows House Targaryen at the peak of its rule over the Seven Kingdoms. King Viserys fails to conceive a male heir and ends up naming his only remaining daughter, Rhaenyra Targaryen, as his heir. In a kingdom historically ruled by men, this decision is controversial and opposed by many in the King’s Council. The matter of succession is further complicated by Alicent Hightower, Rhaenyra’s childhood best friend, who is also daughter of the King’s most important advisor, the Hand. She marries King Viserys after the death of his wife and provides the King with his long-anticipated male heir. The series follows the dispute over succession of the Iron Throne between the Hightowers and Rhaneyra, ultimately leading to the beginning of the end of Targaryen reign over Westeros. The project was taken over from writers David Benioff and D. B. Weiss by Ryan Condal and Miguel Sapochnik, though the former has never worked on Game of Thrones before. With the massive international success of Game of Thrones, Condal and Sapochnik had big shoes to fill in creating the highly anticipated prequel to the series. HOTD is set 172 years before the birth of Daenerys Targaryen, at the peak of Targaryen power, and is set to follow the fall of the great dynasty—the outcome of which is apparent through the events that unfold in Game of Thrones. Although the plotline is seemingly predictable, I was geared up to see what schemes the Targaryens would get up to that bring about the downfall of their own house in classic GOT style. In many ways I do think HOTD achieved that, but not without some questionable writing choices along the way. For me, the casting was the first thing that drew my attention. To my delight, I found the casting for the HOTD to be excellent, if not one of the best aspects about the show as a whole. With a blend of both experienced and well-known actors, such as Matt Smith, and up-and-coming actors (the highlight for me being Milly Alcock as young Rhaenyra Targaryen), the casting was diverse and well balanced, leaving enough room for each actor to deliver their take on the complex characters. Paddy Considine gave an excellent performance as the idealistic but inherently weak-minded King Viserys, with his performance culminating in the touching family dinner scene in episode 8. Viserys’ final and rather desperate attempt to bring the so-called family together served as a powerful symbol to show how divided and fragile the House had become because of personal ambitions of each member. The theme is visually highlighted by the colours each character wears not only to the dinner but throughout the show particularly in the later episodes, with Rhaenhyra and Daemon wearing Targaryen black and red and Alicent sticking to vibrant Hightower green. Although the show received much praise for its characters and soundtrack , the unnecessarily quick pacing of some episodes was the main criticism voiced by many and it’s one I agree with. Most episodes were introduced with time skips spanning years, leaving little room for on-screen development of the relationships between each character. The deaths of the two arguably least controversial characters—Ser Harwin Strong and Lady Laena Velaryon—were also brought on too quickly which didn’t allow any time for the viewer to truly bond with these characters. More so for the fact they were perhaps the only likeable people in a show full of self-centred, ambitious, and frankly unhinged characters. Especially Laena, who is Daemon’s second choice of wife, is nonetheless smart and strong-willed. However, this is established and destroyed in the span of a single episode. In a show where the characters are the source of the drama we’re all here for, it’s regrettable that so little time is actually given for constructing the feuds that are to lead to the downfall of the Targaryens. Overall, House of the Dragon definitely rises to the expectations I had for the show back when it was first announced. The superb acting and impressive worldbuilding together with the drama brought about by the actions of the characters kept me on the edge of my seat each week. Yet, because of the quick unfolding of what seemed like key events in the family drama, it fails to meet the legacy of Game of Thrones. I do however believe the show sets a great foundation for the story, and cannot wait for the next season to air. House of the Dragon - Review Photo Courtesy of IMDb From dragons to daughters, the Game of Thrones prequel ends with an explosive season finale by Susanna Lehtonen

p. 7 arts |film by Emma Chen The number one reason why I started Do Revenge was to see Maya Hawke act like a spoiled teen girl dressed in pastel purple and turquoise, after having appreciated her Jo March (Little Women) and Robin Buckley (Stranger Things), characters who tend to escape traditional feminine roles and outfits. However, I kept watching for the plot twists and the comedy, and when the film ended, I was surprisingly delighted. Do Revenge (2022) is a dark comedy teen drama that sees the main characters Drea (Camila Mendes) and Eleanor (Maya Hawke), two teenage girls who come from different backgrounds but find themselves involved in the same high school melodrama. Drea is the popular pretty girl who dreams of Yale and has the hot boyfriend everyone wants. But her career perspectives and social life crumble when the above-mentioned boyfriend Max (Austin Abrams) leaks an intimate video of her, and as a cherry on top, begins dating her best friend. Drea meets Eleanor at tennis camp and finds out that her life was also ruined by a girl, Carissa, who spread the rumour that Eleanor tried to kiss her forcibly. As you expect, Drea and Eleanor decide to be each other’s revenge woman and punish Max and Carissa. But not everything goes as planned, and, through a few plot twists, we’ll discover that their alliance is not as casual as it seems. The film was released a month ago, and since then, I have heard multiple comments saying that it is dull, treats heavy topics such as revenge porn and bullying in a wrong way, and that the moral of the story is absent. While I understand where these comments come from—especially since the film is aimed at a younger demographic that could misinterpret the gravity of some situations—I disagree with them. Do Revenge is a teen drama: it’s meant to be funny and camp and a bit surreal. There is an implied agreement that none of the happenings in the film must be taken seriously, otherwise all teen dramas would be considered stupid or offensive. The critique of modern society and patriarchy is subtle—Max creates a student society called ‘CIS Hetero Men Championing Female Identification Students League’ to make up for Drea’s leaked video—and it fits the theme, but don’t expect a feminist manifesto, there are other films for that. The colours, the vibes, and the storyline are a clear tribute to all the teen dramas from the 90s onward, from Clueless and their plaid skirts to Mean Girls and the rigid school hierarchy. And the director Jennifer Robison recognises it and doesn’t try to hide it; instead, she focuses on modernising themes and aesthetics, succeeding with the help of songs such as ‘Brutal’ by Olivia Rodrigo. Despite the dark aspects of the plot, Do Revenge doesn’t take itself too seriously, becoming a perfectly enjoyable product for a movie night with friends. The cast’s acting is equally as enjoyable and light: they don’t force a depth on the characters that is not supposed to be there. Honourable mention to Mendes’ performance, the fact that she can say lines from Riverdale without laughing already makes her a good actress, and in Do Revenge , her expressions and comedy timing confirms that. Photo Courtesy of IMDb

p. 8 life and style | seasonal For the Tech person Nintendo switch case Extra Playstation or Xbox controller Playstation or Xbox skin for controller There are loads of controller skins on Etsy! Pre-order Hogwarts Legacy on PlayStation or Xbox New Call of Duty game: Modern Warfare 2 New Fifa 22 game Portable speaker A personalised lego mini figure For the Chef A cookbook from their favourite game or show There is a cookbook for pretty much any popular movie, TV show or game! A few I found online are from Gilmore girls, The Simpsons, The Sims, Star Trek, Avatar, Outlander, and so many more! Chef apron Either Masterchef or again, from their favourite TV show, movie, game, etc. Empty cookbook These are great for chefs who have a ton of scrap paper with recipes lying around. It means they can take recipes from elsewhere, adapt them and keep them all together in the same place! A grow-your-own-spice kit Chilli kits are great because most of them are yearround! If they don’t already have one, an air fryer would be a great gift! For the Beauty obsessed person Literally anything from Lush I recommend the snow fairy spray or the body wash. But if you’re not set on that, then Lush also does their own packaged gifts, and whilst this may seem slightly too effortless, I can promise you that anyone who loves smelly things or beauty products will love this. Make-up brush set There are loads of sets on BeautyBay right now for sale! Most people who wear make-up have been using the same brushes for years… this will definitely be an appreciated gift Lip balms I recommend brands like Carmex, the Body shop, or Lush lip balms A neutral brown eyeshadow palette Make-up is always a great present, but If you are purchasing foundation, blush, etc, make sure you know their colour!! If you want to get makeup, a brown eyeshadow palette is the best option because everyone who has makeup has one, but similar to make-up brushes, they are usually old and very well used so it is always nice to get a new one! Face and hair masks are always a good little present to get! For the outdoorsy/sporty person Patagonia fleece Fluffy socks There are very comfy and cheap ones in Tesco right now! The Tesco ones also come in shorter pairs of ankle socks, which are my personal favourite. Beeswax wraps These are great for the person who makes an effort to be sustainable! A smoothie or a juice maker For the person who has everything For me, this person is my dad. He’s always so difficult to buy for as he has literally everything he wants. Apple Watch strap New shoes This year I’m getting my dad some new converse as his are pretty worn down. A framed picture of you together Personalised Simpsons picture You can get these personalised on Etsy, but they can be pretty expensive. Personalised painting of their pet Again, like everything, these are on Etsy! A board game to play together If you want to make it a bit more personal, try and get a themed board game of something you know they will like. Some comfy PJs American candy I recently ordered some Harry Potter sweets from Poppin Candy on Tik Tok and they were great! I would definitely recommend this. An oodie This is perfect for the person who is always cold, I’ve had my oodie for a year and I live in it now. For the studious person Reusable candle So many candles end up in landfill, so try and get something a bit more expensive which is refillable. This is something they probably wouldn’t buy themselves, which always makes a nice little surprise. Waterstones classic book The Waterstones classic collection is a studious person’s dream! If you can subtly ask them what their favourite classic is, then this is the perfect gift. Laptop case Typo does some really nice ones. Laptop stickers Redbubble has loads of sticker options. Tote bag If you can get one that has loads of pockets, they are really good. Urban outfitters have nice ones but also a themed one is a good idea, such as Twilight or merch from their favourite singer. You can find these on Etsy as well. Book inspired jewellery There are loads of book earrings or necklaces from small businesses that I have seen recently on TikTok. If you give this a google, a lot of ideas come up! Mini book wallets or pencil cases For the travelling person Cork map You can get a cork map of any size along with pins so they can pin off everywhere they have been in the world. If you live together, you could get everyone in the household different coloured pins so everyone can join in! Passport case Someone I know recently was complaining that their passport was all tattered… so I know what they’re getting for Christmas! Luggage tag If they are a Harry Potter fan then try to figure out their house and get a house-themed luggage tag! For the creative persons Paint brush holder set Funky earrings One of my best friends is an art student, and she loves clay earrings. She’s had earrings that are clocks, books, paintbrushes, animals, etc. Knitting bowl Flying tiger used to stock cute knitting bowls, pair this with some nice yarn and you have yourself a present. Christmas Gift Ideas Christmas seems to be coming around faster than ever this year, so it’s time to start preparing those gifts! As students, we could all do with a little extra cash so I cannot stress enough the importance of using those Black Friday deals! Black Friday is the 25th of November, so mark it in your diary! The Life & Style team has compiled a list together of good Christmas present ideas, that hopefully don’t seem too generic and boring. We hope this helps! by Kendra Clark and Kathryn Ritchie Photo Courtesy of lordgeorgekornelius on Pixabay

p. 9 life and style | interview by Kendra Clark & Paris Joy Thinking about taking a gap year? Read this! Interviewing a gap year student 1. What did you graduate in and why did you take a gap year? I graduated in Psychology. I took a gap year because I wanted to have a “brain-break” as I was so burned out after 4th year. Also, the time to apply for a Masters was around December time and I was not in the right headspace to start thinking about and applying for Masters whilst still studying. I want to go into Counselling, and I knew that at the time, but I just needed some extra time to figure out how to get there and get some work experience. 2. What are you doing in your gap year? I am volunteering for a local mental health service as a Support Worker three days a week and I work a part-time job the rest of the time. As I’m not studying, I have a lot more time so I started properly looking into different courses as unlike I thought, a Masters was not my only option. 3. Would you recommend taking a gap year? Is it for everyone? Unless you know the exact path and course you want to take, and you are completely 100% on that, I would recommend a gap year. I think it is so beneficial as even though I’ve always known I want to go into Counselling, getting work experience in the field really solidified that this is what I want to do. What if I had gone straight into a Masters and realised that Counselling really was not for me? That is why I think this gap year is so important for me to get work experience and gain an understanding of what this field is like, without spending loads of time and money on something my heart wasn’t into. It also just gives you time to decompress after university. I did not realise how burned out I was after 3rd and 4th year until I took a break, as they were so full on. People, especially my parents, were apprehensive about me taking a gap year because they thought it would make me not want to go back to university, and it would take me out of the “flow”. However, I feel the complete opposite. I think I would have been too exhausted to put in my best work and I would have resented and dreaded studying. If anything, taking a gap year has made me excited to go back to university, knowing that I have a plan of action for the future and that I can go back refreshed and ready to learn. I feel like I have had more time to focus on myself and get back into my hobbies. I can take a year to focus on what I want to do and enjoy it even more knowing that this is the time to do it before I go back to studying. 4. Obviously, the gap year is not finished yet, but so far have your plans on going back to university to do your master’s changed? So, having said all that, because I’ve had time to properly look into my options, I’ve realised that a Masters is not the only route. I’ve discovered that the Masters I want to do is very expensive and there is an alternative course I can do that is much cheaper, and I can end up in pretty much the same place. I’ve had to consider this because the Masters looks great and I’m hearing such good reviews about it, but I feel torn because I know that there is a cheaper option. I think that the gap year was great, but it has put me in a more difficult position because I’m aware of all my options and the choice is so hard. If I hadn’t taken the gap year, I’d have gone and done the Masters completely unaware that there was a cheaper option and I wouldn’t feel so torn and guilty. I’m still deciding what I want to do, and I am swaying more toward doing the Masters as it looks like I would learn so much, but I feel guilty knowing I could be saving money. Photo Courtesy of jump1987 on Pixabay

p. 10 ARE YOU INTERESTED IN COMBINING AN INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE WITH YOUR DEGREE? The Go Abroad team can provide advice on how to study, work and volunteer abroad during your degree, over the summer or even after you graduate. There might even be funding available to help you achieve your goals! Visit the Go Abroad Webpages (abdn.ac.uk/go-abroad) to find out more ARE YOU INTERESTED IN COMBINING AN INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE WITH YOUR DEGREE? Photo Courtesy of Go Abroad Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

30.10.19 p.7 The area of St Fittick’s Park in Torry is a popular recreational site of retreat where people from across Aberdeen come to enjoy themselves with various outdoor activities in the green spaces and restored awardwinning wetlands of the East Tullos Burn, most famous perhaps for dolphin watching opportunities nearby. But this might be history soon… In a 2020 development plan proposal Aberdeen City Council declared the area an opportunity site for industrial development, taking away its status as a protected greenspace and suggesting it as an Energy Transition Zone (ETZ). The aim of the scheme is to economically reposition the North East by reducing its longstanding reliance on oil and gas and working on a transition to net-zero by developing renewable, low-carbon energy sectors. It is intended to provide 2,500 jobs to the local community by 2030. Tasked with the construction of the site, a notfor-profit business group, ETZ Ltd, was formed in early 2021 by oil and gas tycoon Sir Ian Wood. The scheme is backed by the Scottish and UK governments, which have pledged £26 million towards it, and Opportunity North East, a company that is chaired by Wood and integrated in the Aberdeen City Region Deal, giving it decision power over economic development. When the residents came across the plans by coincidence, it led to an outcry in the community and the quick formation of the group ‘Friends of St Fittick’s’, with the aim to stop the plans. The group is backed by a number of politicians and organisations, including NatureScot, SEPA, environmental NGOs, Forestry Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland and crossparty MSP as well as public health officials from the Aberdeen area. The groups raised several concerns about the project. When the close by Bay of Nigg was developed into the new harbour, Aberdeen City Council and the Harbour Board drew up the Mitigation and Compensation Agreement, promising to enhance the natural sites and wetland habitats at St Fittick’s Park. Biodiversity has since increased, and the East Tullos Burn has been observed to be an important point for migratory birds as well as several wood and wetland species. St Fittick’s Park also provides the only close access to green space for the local community which consists for a large part of social housing without access to private gardens. It is often referred to as a ‘priority’ area by the City Council because of high levels of child poverty and unemployment. The area already has limited access to green recreational spaces and is surrounded by industrial sites such as the new south harbour, a recently completed waste incinerator, a jet engine testing centre, sewage works and railway lines. 22 medical professionals have challenged the City Council to protect this vital green community space, stating that the risk of chronical lung disease in the area is already significantly higher in the Torry area with a 13-year lower life expectancy and 20-year lower healthy life expectancy that is likely to decrease more if the site is further industrialised. Friends of St Fittick’s point out that there is little room for the development of the ETZ, if the plans indeed, incorporate the preservation of the ecologically critical wetland habitats of the burn and will not cut net biodiversity as has been promised by ETZ Ltd CEO, Maggie McGinlay. They highlighted that both the wetlands and the sewage work limit the developable area and point towards industrial brownfield sites in East Tullos and Altens as more suitable for the project and with far less impact for the community. “We’re trying to argue that if you are trying to mitigate against climate change, what you don’t do is destroy somewhere that is doing precisely that,” says Ian Baird from Friends of St Fittick’s. The area would be an important carbon sink and has a higher impact reducing carbon emissions compared to the proposed ETZ. In next steps, the council will hear people’s concerns at the Aberdeen Science Centre on November 14th. If the development plan is adapted as council policy, ETZ Ltd will have to work out a masterplan meeting all their ambitious goals and the concerns of the community, before gaining permission to start building. Friends of St Fittick’s are determined to keep campaigning for their local community park and their efforts are now being joined by Aberdeen University Conservation Society. Fight for Green Community Space by Anastasia Goelitz Torry residents stand up against oil magnate to protect St Fittick’s Park The aim of the scheme is to economically reposition the North East by reducing its longstanding reliance on oil and gas and working on a transition to net-zero by developing renewable, low-carbon energy sectors. The group is backed by a number of politicians and organisations, including NatureScot, SEPA, environmental NGOs, Forestry Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland and cross-party MSP as well as public health officials from the Aberdeen area 22 medical professionals have challenged the City Council to protect this vital green community space, stating that the risk of chronical lung disease in the area is already significantly higher in the Torry area with a 13-year lower life expectancy Friends of St Fittick’s are determined to keep campaigning for their local community park and their efforts are now being joined by Aberdeen University Conservation Society. Photo courtesy of Kenny Elrick/DCT Media Photo courtesy of Barton Willmore’s feasibility study into an Energy Transition Zone linked to Aberdeen South Harbour

p.8 30.10.19 The concept of galaxies colliding with such immense force is somehow impossible for me to comprehend, however the James Webb Space Telescope has captured this remarkable phenomenon. The JWST has the capability of looking back more than 13 billion years and this has been confirmed with the recent capture of the pair of galaxies IC 1623 which are roughly 275 million light years away in the direction of the constellation Cetus. This was discovered by Lee Armus and his colleagues whose intended goal was to observe nearby bright galaxy mergers and break down their functional backbone. Galaxy mergers occur when two or more galaxies violently collide with one another at high speeds while hurling streams of gas hundreds and thousands of light years away in the process. Vivian U at the University of California stated how “A merger brings dramatic changes to the galaxy’s shape and content and pretty much everything, so we really have to understand this process to figure out how galaxies evolve”. Galaxies are formed out of immense clouds of gas that collapse under unimaginable forces of gravitational pull, thus during this galactic collision, the large streams of gas torn off creates ripples of immense shock waves across both galaxies which in turn triggers star forming regions which is seen within splotches of red within this image. The JWST also unearthed a curious discovery, each respective galaxy observed was devoid of supermassive black holes which is a peculiar observation. Supermassive blackholes are found to be present within all galaxies, even within our own. Researchers especially believe that there would be immense levels of radiation between colliding galaxies as these black holes would devour forcible emitted gases however the JWST did not detect this. This yields the question- why? Lee Armus at the California Institute of Technology commented how “It may be that we have to look a bit harder- they don’t always stand up and wave”. Supermassive black holes could be hidden deep within the intracity of the two galaxies and perhaps this is the answer to the lack of detection of black holes during this collision. The JWST is not the only telescope looking back into the past to discover the many wonders of our universe. The Hubble Space Telescope has also captured the image of two overlapping spiral galaxies named SDSS J115331 and LEDA 2073461 which lies over a billion light years from Earth. Although the collision of galaxies has not occurred for millions of years, our very own galaxy is on a collision course with another spiral galaxy called Andromeda which can just about be viewed as a distant looking bright spot in the night sky. Over a billion years from now it will collide with the Milky Way, resulting in the similar fate to IC 1623. Technology within astronomy has revolutionised our way of living and thinking. Our universe’s past and future existence would be ignored without it, and we would be living in the earthly confines of our solar system stuck without knowing what is really out there. A Dying Star’s Miracle An Exploration into Black Holes Space Phenomena! Black holes are Space’s litter box. It’s a region where gravity is so strong that nothing, not even electromagnetic radiation can escape from it. Countless of research is being conducted on this to find out more about the Universe and its mechanisms. Stellar, intermediate, supermassive and miniature are four types of black holes. Some of the largest stars either become dense neutron stars or stellar-mass black holes. To briefly explain what The National Geographic goes into great detail about is that some of these giant stars burst into a supernova at the end of their lifespan. This type of an explosion deposits star matter out into the space but leaves behind the stellar core, which starts to collapse in on itself due to the core’s gravity. The black hole is born when the mass collapses down into such an infinitely small point that it gives black holes their gravitational pull. These burst of energy suck in surrounding stars, causing the gases and dust to overheat, resulting in radiation emission which moulds the black hole structure into an accretion disk and eject falling stardust in heavy radiation waves. At the centre of the Milky Way is ‘Sagittarius A’, a super massive blackhole which has a mass equal to four million suns. NASA explained that its size is related to the size and the mass of the galaxy it is in. If you’ve ever thought about our Sun turning into one, don’t fret! It’s too small for that to occur! At the end of its life, it’ll just turn into a white dwarf star. NASA also informed that advances in scientific instruments could see the high energy light produced when a black hole and a star are orbiting closely together. The extreme gravitational pull of the black hole rips apart the star into shreds- a cataclysmic phenomenon called a Tidal Disruption event. Back in 2019, NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Surgery Satellite observed a black hole during a tidal disruption event with an adjacent star. An interesting point to note is that when matter falls close to a black hole, it’s separate from rest of the space-time. So, when it gets torn apart into a singular piece, it accumulates more and more matter which increases the black hole’s event horizon (surface boundary) proportionally. Scientists discovered a black hole ejecting material at half the speed of light after devouring a star back in 2018. This leads to more unanswered questions regarding black holes as they typically eject materials soon after the tidal disruption event but in this occurrence, observations were seen years later. Black holes are not immortal, instead they lose a bit of mass every time they release energy which is known as Hawking radiation and was of course predicted (it has not been observed yet) by Stephen Hawking back in the seventies. However, this causes what is known as the information paradoxan aspect of string theory which states that “information is conserved indefinitely but when an object enter a black hole, it and any information encoded is obliterated entirely” More research is being conducted on Black Holes and the information paradox in string theory but due to the vast distances, it’s nearly impossible to get concrete evidence. At least our scientific instruments have brought us closer to these stellar beasts, millions of light years away. by Khreshnee Thayabaran by Simra Ahmad When Galaxies Collide Photo Credit - Matt Winkelmeyer These giant stars burst into a supernova at the end of their lifespan. Photo courtesy of Adobe Stock “A merger brings dramatic changes to the galaxy’s shape and content and pretty much everything, so we really have to understand this process to figure out how galaxies evolve” The information paradox- an aspect of string theory which states that “information is conserved indefinitely but when an object enter a black hole, it and any information encoded is obliterated entirely” “It may be that we have to look a bit harder- they don’t always stand up and wave” Photo courtesy of NASA & ESA

30.10.19 p.9 The people of South Korea continue to process the deadly crush which occurred in the area of Itaewon in Seoul. On Saturday the 29th of October, the city’s young people celebrating the first halloween in three years with no pandemic restrictions, found themselves in overcrowded streets which could not hold the estimated hundred thousand people who were out that night. As of now 156 people have died, with over 150 injured and many more suffering the mental impact from the night's events. Itaewon is known as a party area of the city of Seoul, and was expecting a large number of people on the weekend before halloween. The area, filled with bars and clubs is said to be a go to spot for the city's youth to unwind and break free from the country’s conservative culture. This halloween was no different, except it was the first time since the pandemic began that the area could be fully open, which resulted in far more people than the streets could handle. Even prior to the crush, locals said that there were 10 times more people than usual, this should have been a warning sign for authorities, however it appears that no action was taken. An alleyway connecting a main road with Itaewon’s busiest street is where the crush occurred. The alley was 4 metres wide and downhill, with houses on either side, leaving the people there effectively stuck in a mass of bodies. Crushes occur when the number of people per square metre reaches dangerous levels, which is anything over 4 people per square metre, the crush in Itaewon was over five people per square metre which, combined with the tight surroundings of the area, left people in the crowd struggling to breath and screaming for help. During a crush, a crowd of people becomes less like a crowd of individuals and behaves more like a liquid. Pressure waves radiate through the mass of people as it moves. If one of these waves knocks someone over, a hole will form in the crowd and the liquid like state is removed causing the mass of people to fall into the gap, and crushing the person who falls. Along with that, just the mere pressure of being pushed tightly on all sides causes immense discomfort and potentially death by compressive suffocation, where the body is pushed so tight it cannot get air into the lungs. As a nation mourns, questions are being asked of how those in power allowed this to happen. It was later found that there had been calls made hours prior to the crush, saying the area was “dangerously crowded”. How no action could be taken for so long is incredible, and leaders have made it clear that mistakes have been made, with the head of Police Yoon Hee-keun saying the response was “disappointing” and “inadequate” and promised an investigation would be carried out. With pandemic restrictions over, almost everywhere now, the world will have to remember how we managed to comfortably stay close to each other, to prevent more disasters such as this. On Sunday the 30th of October, the world was watching as results came in for the elections in Brazil. In the first round of elections earlier in the month, it had come as a shock to some, how well Jair Bolsonaro- the far-right incumbenthad done in receiving 43 percent of the vote to left wing challenger “Lula'' Lula Da Silva’s 48 percent and forcing the run off election on the 30th. In the runoff election Lula narrowly won with 50.9 percent of the vote to Bolsonaro’s 49.1. Lula, who was previously President from 2002 to 2010, and the first person without a university degree to do so, is seen as a beacon of hope for Brazilians who have struggled through the far-right policies of Bolsonaro. These policies have included the relaxation of gun laws, and the reduction of intervention from the government for those in financial hardship. Bolsonaro’s presidency also spanned through the COVID-19 pandemic with Brazil having some of the worst infection and death rates in the world, with close to 700,000 reported deaths. Lula’s much more leftwing policies will be a welcome relief to many Brazilians and lots of people across the world. The elections were being closely watched around the world due to the implications that the results would have on climate change. During Bolsonaro’s presidency there has been an unprecedented rate of destruction of the Amazon rainforest, a key area of the world for slowing down the effects of climate change. The Amazon is extremely important for absorbing carbon dioxide from the air and replacing it with oxygen, keeping the water cycle on track, and is also the most biodiverse forest on the planet. The Amazon is also home to around one million indigenous people, from around 500 tribes who lose their homes with deforestation of the Amazon. The President of the United States, Joe Biden, tweeted his congratulations to Lula saying that he looks forward to working together. The actor Leonardo DiCaprio, who has been vocal throughout the elections also tweeted after the results came in saying that “the outcome of the Brazilian election presents an opportunity to change the course of history, not just for Brazil & the Amazon, but for the world.” The new Presidency of course does not come without its challenges. Lula has a long way to go to win back the trust of many Brazilians, after the corruption scandals he and his party were involved in during his last term. The close result shows that he will need to do a lot to get the public on his side. Lula said after having his Presidency confirmed on Sunday night “I consider myself a citizen who has had a process of resurrection in Brazilian politics, because they tried to bury me alive.” The world will be watching as Lula once again assumes the top job in Brazil. South Korea searches for answers after deadly crush Lula beats Bolsonaro in the Brazil elections Overcrowded streets cause the deaths of over 150 people in Seoul’s party district on halloween weekend. Content Warning: Contains discussions of death with graphic details. by Eddie Nicholls by Gemma McLeod Lula supporters celebrate a close call win in the 2022 Brazil elections Photo courtesy of Wikinews Photo courtesy of AP This halloween was no different, except it was the first time since the pandemic began that the area could be fully open, which resulted in far more people than the streets could handle

p.10 30.10.19 You know how they say ‘love is all around’? If you replace ‘love’ with ‘sexism’, you’ve got it right. ‘Boyfriend or nah?’, he shouted. I nodded, and he walked away without another word, without having given his name or having asked mine. Yet, without any insult chucked at me, after not being interested and not having been touched without consent, this was actually one of the nicer interactions I had had going clubbing in the UK. As if it wasn’t enough for one night to be approached by a guy who didn’t even bother asking my name and immediately replacing me with what he clearly perceived to be merely another potential subject for sex rather than an individual with what some might actually consider a personality, about ten minutes later, some other guy I had never even seen the face of, suddenly grabbed my waist from behind and started rubbing *something* against my butt. (Un)surprisingly, I wasn’t feeling it. And, (un)surprisingly, it wasn’t just because of the rubbing. Who would have thought... But then again, I suppose that there really are some people who enjoy feeling a strangers’ hands on their waist, hands belonging to a person who didn’t consider it necessary to introduce themselves to you, who didn’t consider it necessary to say ‘hello’ first, ask your name, or even just let you see their face first. Because after all, where would the mystery be in that? And if hands aren’t doing it for you, surely you’d enjoy feeling someone’s genitals pressing into your butt, or – for those true connoisseurs – a wild combination of the genitals still persistently attached to your butt, and the hands not only grabbing your waist, but holding on to it, guiding it, and moving it in a way to please those infamous genitals belonging to … ah well, who cares. At least that is what that guy must have thought. Well, him and every other guy who has ever placed his hands on me without asking. Or maybe, maybe they just don’t think at all. So, with his hands still grabbing on to me, I turned around, seeing the face belonging to those hands for the first time, and, across the techno, I shouted ‘You need to ask first’. He looked at me, his hands still on my waist, bewilderment and confusion stamped across his face. I repeated my line, the one line I’d repeated so many times in the past year I’ve lost count, and pushed his hands away. Contrary to expectation, he neither started insulting me nor walked away; instead, he actually seemed considerate: ‘Can I dance with you?’, he asked. ‘No’, I said. Our journey at the university had gone a full circle: on year one it started with us sharing a flat in the halls, and this year it would end that way as well. As much as we loved the flat we had stayed in the years in between, we thought that going back to the halls would make more sense in terms of this winter’s utility bills. We opted for one of the biggest private accommodation providers in the UK, and on the move-in date we collected our key cards. Now, call me old-fashioned, but I think electronic key cards are to keys what electric scooters are to, well, literally any other form of transport you can think of. On the one hand I get the premise: Unite Students would probably have to dedicate a whole new bureau for dealing with missing key claims if they did not opt for key cards. If that is the price we have to pay for paying what is already grossly overpriced accommodation, then so be it. But when I was left to stand in the hallway after the lock on our door ran out of batteries the other week, I could not help but think of this prison I had seen a documentary of sometime earlier this spring. The Hämeenlinna Prison for women in Finland underwent a big change in 2020 when the old prison facilities were replaced with newer ones due to issues like mould in the old building. The new facilities were designed and built by a contractor that had envisioned making the new prison facility a ‘smart prison’, brining prisons back from the dark age (boring) to the new, modern, and technologically advanced 21st century (hip and cool). From now on, the prison canteen would be completely self-service, the cell doors would have electronic locks and classic prison bars had been replaced with electronic surveillance. Hämeenlinna Prison for women would pioneer the new future: three hoorays for progress, future and evolution! Mars colony, here we come! It is needless to say that on week one the display screen in the canteen went out of order, and so did the electronical locks (the prisoners had to keep towels in between their cell doors to prevent getting locked in or out). The staff expressed annoyance over impractical design solutions such as buggy cameras and were frustrated that they had not been heard in the design process. The whole concept of a smart prison was yet another example of Finland’s public sector’s obsession with privatising and digitalising public services from primary schools to government organs. Why was the new ‘smart prison’ such a flop in the end? Surely cost-cutting and half-arsed design played a part, but the underlying reason is this: most of the things in the prison that were replaced with technology did not need replacing. Oftentimes it seems like things are replaced with technology and automation just for the sake of hailing futurism even though the new solution is oftentimes three times worse than its predecessor. Design errors, user-inefficiency and frustration become everyday occurrences as can be proved by anyone who has accidentally pressed the wrong key at a Tesco selfcheckout. It is like re-inventing the wheel by adding a few components to it so that it now requires a manual, a few hours training and three more other people to use – only to become un-operational when the electricity that is required to run it is either on short supply or extremely expensive due to the glooming energy crisis. Technology is useful when it is brought as a solution to an existing need, but it is starting to seem like most wheels were already invented decades ago. Stop touching me Technology doesn’t automatically equal progress, and this smart(-ass) prison proves it by Samira Rauner by Tiina Heikkinen Clubbing in the UK Would it be about time to admit that most wheels were already invented decades or centuries ago? Photo courtesy of Mac Vincente via Flickr Photo courtesy of Hämeenlinna prison museum via wikimedia commons You know how they say ‘love is all around’? If you replace ‘love’ with ‘sexism’, you’ve got it right. Content Warning: Sexual Harassment

30.10.19 p.11 When I was younger and I heard of scientific discoveries, I never really pictured how it worked. Now, as I have been introduced into academia, I understand that there is a driving force in the community: Freedom of speech. It might sound obvious, but the benefits of such a basic right are extremely valuable. Combining the right to express ideas, the power of discussion and diversity of perspectives, results in establishing new truths. Which often means progress. We can’t underestimate the role of honest discussion in our society and culture. Why do I mention this? In modern times, this universal right is facing a new hurdle: technology. Social media, more specifically. Popularity and influence can now grow to unreal numbers thanks to the web. A single person can reach millions if not billions of impressions and broadcast their opinions and ideas instantly. A difficult question to ask is, whether that’s good or bad. For the moment, I think only time will tell. But there have already been cases where people have been “cancelled”. This term refers to the situation where somebody’s social media accounts are banned, blocked or deleted. In other words, digital silence. Andrew Tate is a 35-year-old internet personality and entrepreneur. He rose to fame – among other reasons – after several appearances in various podcasts where he discussed his opinion and ideas. Although the comical value in his delivery can be seen, most media channels label him as controversial. His views on women and the way they are portrayed and presented are far from respectful. Tied to his “rich mafia boss” personality, he has attained a huge number of haters. However, he recently got banned from many social media apps such as Instagram or YouTube. Many of Andrew Tate’s followers are categorised as “directionless young men”. Without a doubt, Andrew Tate is a character many– even him on some occasions – consider misogynistic and sexist. This is due to his way of arguing which clearly carries a tone of absolute truth, not considering that he can only see his perspective. However, if we avoid any prejudice and listen to his arguments, they are logical and coherent, although his conclusions are far-fetched. Andrew Tate might be a character, but he’s certainly intelligent enough to articulate powerful arguments to support his perspective. He was a professional kickboxer in an earlier stage of his life and he successfully built several businesses to make him extremely wealthy. Avoiding any bias about his personality, he is – in his own words – a “high value man”. You may agree or disagree with his views, but he is certainly helping young men to understand the importance of discipline, hard work and responsibility. I personally can see parallels between Andrew Tate’s fanbase and that of Jordan Peterson - famous clinical psychologist and author who also participates in debates and podcasts - as they are addressing the same audience. Perhaps it’s for political reasons, but I believe there is a real need in young men for mentorship to navigate the male role in today’s society. If you are cancelling Andrew Tate, or any person who speaks to the same cohort of people, you might actually create friction between groups in society. And at the end of the day, this situation does not allow for honest discussion. Allowing him to express his views is a basic right. But especially seeing the value for the young male audience, cancelling Andrew Tate might even hinder social progress. That’s why I believe that banning him from social media should be seen as unreasonable censorship. We should prosecute it as if it was a governmentimposed silence. Since social media is mostly centralised, and the group controlling them is very small, it’s easy to track down the decisions taken for the ban. No one elected them, and yet they are deciding who can talk or not. This is not meant to serve as a defence nor a platform for Andrew Tate. It is merely a recent reminder of the future problems we will have to face in order to let our rights coexist with our technology. Once again, James Corden has breached the newspaper headlines. This time, for being ‘abusive’ towards staff members at the Balthazar restaurant in New York City. In a recent instagram post, Balthazar’s owner, Keith McNally, describes Corden as a ‘cretin’ and permanently bans him from the restaurant for behaviours that include ‘yelling like crazy’ at the members of staff. In another post, McNally criticises Corden for denying doing ‘anything wrong, on any level’. Corden has since gone on to formally apologise but I presume this was done to save his reputation rather than out of a genuine feeling of remorse. This is not the first time Corden has exhibited such unacceptable behaviour. In 2019, he attended the Writer’s Guild America meeting and advocated for them to reduce the writers’ wage for those working on The Late Late Show. This not only suggests that Corden is anti-union but also demonstrates a lack of appreciation for those that made his show, and his $7 million dollar a year salary, possible. He has also been chastised for his ‘fake’ carpool karaoke and his rude and dismissive behaviour towards his fans. Furthermore, in 2019, James invited reddit users to ‘Ask me anything!’ The thread was closed off after James answered only three questions due to the majority of inquiries regarding his past public misdemeanours and people demanding, ‘Why are you so unlikeable?’ This is a far cry from the light-hearted, chatty host that graces our screens and I have to wonder… is James Corden acting all the time? It feels like after he won his first BAFTA for Best Male Comedy Performance for Gavin and Stacey he just ran with it. It is as if a lightbulb went off in his head and he thought; ‘Yes, I shall play this loveable, inoffensive clown for the rest of my life and the whole world will like me.’ It certainly seems that James’ true personality is kept well hidden from the cameras, and the bubbly, warm persona that he presents dies as soon as the cameras are switched off. In his recent Sunday Times interview with Caitlin Moran, Moran probes James’ lack of audience engagement, a flaw in his hosting skills that is frequently remarked upon by fans. James replies, ‘I want to talk to the audience’, but admits, ‘I used to get so tangled up in whether people liked the character or me.’ It would seem that James is anxious or even shameful about showing his true self to the audience and will go to lengths to avoid any interaction at all rather than just be himself. Could it be that he has been in character for so long that he has forgotten how to be his true self? Or maybe his true personality is just, well, ugly? I’m not saying that James Corden is an entirely awful person but his seemingly split personality is certainly placing a barrier between him and his viewers; it is difficult to enjoy watching a host who is notoriously disingenuous. Corden’s move to ditch his show next year is probably a good one and hopefully he’ll take some time to work on himself. Maybe he will even reach a stage where he feels comfortable being his true self on camera… and learns how to talk to waiting staff. Is cancelling Andrew Tate targeting Freedom of Speech? Introducing James Corden’s Finest Performance Being able to share different opinions can open discussions and bring progress by Jacobo Azcona by Jodie Mackay Is James Corden’s TV persona just an act? Photo courtesy James Corden via wikimedia commons DISCLAIMER All opinions expressed in opine are the views of the author. However, this does n o t n e c e s s a r i l y represent the views of The Gaudie, AUSA, or any company that advertises in The Gaudie.

p.12 30.10.19 Erling Haaland. A name that strikes fear into any Premier League or Champions League club. The prolific striker continues to obliterate premier league records breaking the likes of the most goals scored in his first 5 Premier league matches (scoring 7) and fewest games required to score three hat-tricks. The previous record holder, Michael Owen, took 18 months to bag his three hat-tricks. Erling Haaland- a mere 8 weeks. What may be even more terrifying is that (at time of writing) Haaland has scored 17 goals in City’s first 12 Premier League games. This works out as just over 1.4 goals per game which would equate to over 53 goals in a 38-game season. The current joint record holders for most goals in a single season are Andy Cole and Alan Shearer scoring 34 goals in a 42-game season during the nineties. Even with four less games, Haaland would smash this record. But what makes the man whose nickname is, “The Terminator,” so good? It’s the combination of so many factors such as his strength, pace, vision, movement and natural number 9 instincts. His ruthlessness is unmatched. His service is arguably the best in the world with the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden, Bernado Silva and Joao Cancelo providing perfect passes time after time. And, a manager who strives for perfection even when they hammered teams by four, five, six goals. In city’s recent 4-1 victory over Southampton, Pep Guardiola remarked, “I am so unhappy he didn’t score three goals!” For a ‘mere’ £51 Million, the Norwegian seems like pocket change to the club’s owner Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan who has amassed a net worth of $21 Billion as a politician in the United Arab Emirates. But for all his contributions in the league, Haaland has been brought in for one reason and one reason alone. To be the final piece of the puzzle in Manchester City’s quest to be crowned Champion League’s winners. In the 2021-22 tournament, City crashed out in an embarrassing fashion after conceding three goals after 90 minutes following a defensive collapse against the eventual winners of the tournament Real Madrid. While he will be ineffective in any defensive efforts, he will offer confidence up front and an outlet when City hit an inevitable bump if they make it to this year’s final in Istanbul. With City winning Group G and yet to lose a match, they will be hoping for a decent draw to make progress towards the final. Haaland will be looking to scope the golden boot in this competition too. He currently sits joint-third on 5 goals with Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowksi and Porto’s Mehdi Taremi. Only Mo Salah and Kylian Mbappe are ahead with 7 and 6 goals respectively. If City do all go all the way, it is without question that Haaland can claim this accolade to add to his everincreasing collection. It is becoming apparent that Haaland is on course to become a City legend. At 22- provided he stays injury free- he could easily have another decade playing at the top level. Therefore, record-holders should be on notice that nothing is safe. Even all-time Premier League goal scorer, Alan Shearer. As Aberdeen University moves past the halfway point of the semester, many students are staring down piles of overdue assignments, halfwayfinished essays, and unrevised notes. Ask anyone on campus– they’ll tell you how many tens of hours they’ve spent in the library (mostly on their phone) this week. “I’ve used every single bathroom in the Sir Duncan Rice Library at this point”, says one student, who was found in a caffeineinduced coma in the King’s College lecture hall. The faculty have a different view on the crisis. “This all could’ve been avoided”, says one lecturer, “if the students just kept up with the syllabus provided”.** But, as is widely known, it is far too late for that for many students. However, the Gaudie will be the first to break the news of a new, shocking claim! One student (who wishes not to be identified by name to avoid jealous looks on campus), has stated that they “aren’t stressed at all”. The logical course of action upon hearing this statement is to assume that this student is in denial. However, when pressed for more information, they explained that they have “planned out their work week to make it manageable,” and “have already completed several assignments due in December” to ensure that their stress-free state persists. This remarkable student seems to have, somehow, planned ahead! Their study methods are unorthodox: they concentrate on one assignment at a time, stay hydrated, and sleep for nine (!) hours a night. Additionally, to this reporter’s shock, they also have a social life. They go out on the weekend, but when they don’t have the social energy for an event, they “just say no thank you”! In another remarkable twist, the student revealed late in the interview that they were in the middle of writing their dissertation. It was at this point that this author concluded that they were in fact an alien, designed to make the general population of Aberdeen University more motivated to study. **Note: This author would like to acknowledge that this statement may be inflammatory, and would like to remind readers that this is not her own opinion. Erling Haaland City’s New Golden Boy Local Aberdeen Student: "I'm Not Stressed" by Samira Rauner by Maggie Johnson Let’s talk about the Norwegian goal machine! Photo courtesy of Getty Images An investigation into this shocking claim Photo courtesy of Pixabay

30.10.19 p.13 Do you want to get involved with The Gaudie? Scotland's oldest independently run student newspaper are currently looking for writers for all departments and production members for this year. If you think this could be you and want to know more please email: [email protected] Autumn is officially underway! Here are some tips to have a unique, classy season this year: 1. Make a pile of wet leaves in your room This isn’t just the natural scent of autumn—it’s a free statement piece for any student accommodation. 2. Try pumpkin-spice flavoured sushi An autumnal twist on a dinner classic! Also the quickest way to alienate any social acquaintances with a normal taste in food. 3. Give a mouse a little kiss Show your love for woodland creatures this autumn and they will reciprocate by not chewing your plasterboard too much. 4. Save 100% on Primark hats and mittens This can be done by not buying new hats and mittens and instead relying on the vaguely hatshaped piece of knit-wear you got for Christmas last year from Aunt Lydia. 5. Bake some combination of spice/ apple/pumpkin/herb bread Then burn it, set off your fire alarm, and give up and buy bread from Tesco like the rest of us, you idiot. What were you even thinking? 6. Watch a cosy autumn movie, like The Blair Witch Project Cuddle up with a loved one to enjoy a lighthearted romp in the woods. Follow up with your own autumn hike! Best done at night. 7. Light some autumn-scented candles in your non-fireproof uni accommodation Then enjoy the nippy chill of an autumn night with everyone in your building as you immediately evacuate the scene. 8. Try some autumn footwear: tissue paper ankle boots! Lightweight, single-use BOOties for a cutie! Bonus points if you repurpose your tissue paper to hand out autumnal gifts to your friends. 9. Get a new, jack-o-lantern inspired haircut If you’re having trouble visualising this one, imagine a cheeky smile cut out on the back of your head, dyed orange! This one can be repurposed as Santa for the holiday season if dyed red and worn with a hat. 10. Disappear into the woods for a few days What better way to end your autumn than a complete immersion into nature? The lack of cell service is also a great way to spice up the season for your friends that you forgot to tell you were doing this. Happy Autumn! Ways to Make the Most of Your Autumn by Maggie Johnson Celebrate in style! Photo courtesy Pixabay DISCLAIMER All opinions expressed in the satire section are written primarily for the sake of comic value and therefore do not necessarily represent the honest views held by the author, The Gaudie, AUSA, or any company which advertises in The Gaudie.

p.14 30.10.19 Fill in the puzzle so that every row across, every column down and every 9 by 9 box contains the numbers 1 to 9. Puzzle #1 2 1 3 5 8 8 2 4 9 5 3 9 8 7 4 5 4 2 8 3 6 Advanced Sudoku Simple Sudoku Crossword Gaudie 123 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Across 3. A place to bet 6. Fear of spiders 7. A collection of words categorised by synonyms and related concepts 9. Sweet, stone fruit often heart shaped and deep red 10. Traditional Scottish male clothing 11. A sport played with an egg shaped ball 14. to soak up Down 1. Stationery item used to cut 2. A real estate game 4. A pile of wood to celebrate Guy Fawkes 5. A short video streaming app 6. Small vertebrates that need water or a moist environment 8. Scorch on a grill 12. A popular fur lined boot 13. to get a goal Fill in the puzzle so that every row across, every column down and every 9 by 9 box contains the numbers 1 to 9. Puzzle #1 3 5 4 8 3 9 6 7 9 4 1 2 5 1 7 9 4 8 2 1 3 5 8 7 7 9 6 5 3 9 7 8 6