In my eyes, there’s nothing better than live music. The real-time, in-person connections shared between performers and audiences are something truly sacred and special. At their best, gigs and concerts can foster a sense of belonging, help you make friends for life, and bring you to tears for all the right reasons. The highs are certainly high, but with rising prices and poor crowd etiquette, … Continue reading The Highs And Lows Of Live Music
The paradox of musical freedom and industry constraints has permeated various artists’ ability to perform authentic material. Chappell Roan, a queer popstar whose drag-inspired artistry propelled her popularity from an underground performer to stardom, was awarded Best New Artist at the Grammys this year. In her speech, she addressed how the music industry profits off artists’ work who don’t even earn a liveable wage. She … Continue reading Chained to the Rhythm
André Aciman’s Call Me By Your Name is, at its heart, a novel about first love—the kind that consumes, unsettles, and lingers long after the last page. It is a romance, but not in the conventional sense. There’s no grand declaration, no sweeping resolution, and no clear line where love begins or ends. Instead, it’s an intimate, feverish portrait of desire and self-discovery, narrated through … Continue reading All-Time Favourite Romance Novels
Cardiff has slowly paved its way to being a top-billing location on the tour posters of some of the world’s biggest artists. Long gone are the days of reminding your favourite band that Wales exists, or urging your favourite singer to add a show at the CIA to their already limited UK tour (consisting of three London dates and maybe Manchester if you’re lucky). Somehow, over the last few years, our capital has made a name for … Continue reading Can Cardiff Handle Big Concerts?
Lindt lover To be completely honest, I don’t think I can remember a specific Easter egg that made me say wow. I think over the years I have been swept up in the childhood craze of chocolate, and I think the sugar rush has given me a hazy memory. I think my childhood brain didn’t care about the brand of chocolate – so long as … Continue reading Easter egg Championship
From bedroom sessions to global sell-out tours, Beabadoobee released her third studio album This Is How Tomorrow Moves in August 2024 which preceded her Autumn U.K tour that I was lucky enough to attend in November 2024. Transitioning over the years from bedroom pop to a more alternative rock genre, ‘This Is How Tomorrow Moves’ is bursting with catchy guitar riffs, whimsical melodies and introspective … Continue reading This Is How Tomorrow Moves: Beabadoobee Concert Review
Coming to university, I had only ever had two people to discuss books with. One was a friend from school with whom I lost contact, and the other was my Mum. Bonding with my mother through our shared love of reading is amazing – and not something everyone gets to experience. Nowadays, we read many of the same books and get to talk through theories … Continue reading Literary Friendships: Bonding Through Books
Coffee, galaxy counters and mango juice, my go-tos since GCSEs. But what should we be eating for our exams? The gut-brain link is undeniable – is there a way to bio-hack our revision? I had a friend who used to chew a different flavour gum for each module she took and she graduated with a first maybe there is something in making ourselves into Pavlov’s … Continue reading Exam Season Snacks
It was my first time attending the Society Spring Showcase, but it was something I will never forget. The talent on display was unbelievable! A wide variety of acts showcased their talents, including a mixture of A Cappella, FAD extravaganzas, and a Brass Band with audience participation to conclude the show. It truly was a fantastic evening. Yet, the most heart-warming aspect of it all … Continue reading Spring Showcase – Embracing the Arts at Cardiff University
An Ode to the Oatmeal Cookie I am here to champion the simple, somewhat elevated, oatmeal cookie. I myself have overlooked the oatmeal cookie in favour of the simple chocolate chip cookie, but there’s nothing like an oatmeal cookie in spring, when colder days are turning warmer and the nights are getting lighter. Thought to have derived from Scottish Oatcakes, oatmeal cookies date back to … Continue reading Spring-Time Recipes
The euphoric palette and the impact that colours have on us as simple beings is something that I believe we wash over a little too much. We are distracted by the fact that we are running late for work or too conscious about the fact that our jeans may fit a little differently to notice the comforting natural colours surrounding us. I come from Pembrokeshire, … Continue reading The Euphoric Palette
Growing up in an increasingly digitised world has increased the importance of self care breaks and digital detoxes. When I want to unplug myself from technology and social media, I take myself to the Gower Peninsula, South Wales. Having been there every summer since I was born, there is no better sanctuary than the beautiful miles of beaches available. From a surfer’s haven at Llangennith, to tucked … Continue reading A Coastal Reset: Digital Detoxing on the Gower Peninsula
Being Bangladeshi was never an essential part of my identity. My connection to Bangladesh was mostly through stories from my parents, traditional (delicious) food my mum cooked at home, and the Bangla I spoke with them – though, to be honest, it’s more of a Bangla-English mashup that they’ve learned to understand after years of hearing their kids mix and match both languages. I finally … Continue reading Roots and Routes
Dating apps love to sell us a story of finding our soulmates using algorithms and prompts, as if finding the perfect partner is solely down to a matching of criteria. Through my years — yes, years — of being on and off dating sites, I’ve come to the conclusion that they are nothing more than glorified hookup sites. Sure, you get the odd happy ending … Continue reading Dating in the Digital Age
Getting the date right on Valentine’s Day can be stressful, whether it’s to celebrate a longstanding relationship or to woo a situationship, the time, place and atmosphere can be crucial for making a memorable Valentines. A table for two is the staple hallmark of a Valentine’s date- after all, with all the love in the air, who has time to cook? If a candlelit … Continue reading Best Places for Valentines in Cardiff
The five love languages of ‘Quality Time’, ‘Giving Gifts’, ‘Words of Affirmation’, ‘Acts of Service’ and ‘Physical Touch’ are all special in their own ways showing the varied ways we express and receive love! From Quality time to Words of Affirmation and Giving Gifts, it’s funny how humans love differently despite our similarities. My love languages evolved over the years and continues to shift through … Continue reading Love Languages Explained: What’s Yours?
‘I was born in England, but my mum is from the Netherlands and my dad is Syrian.’ It is a sentence I’ve uttered countless times throughout my life. But the answer to the common small talk question ‘where are you from?’ was far from simple for me. Born and raised in the UK until the age of 5, living in Aleppo for 2 years, and returning to … Continue reading Third Culture Kids: Identity Across Boarders
Sappho – Fragment 147 – Written by: Samira Abbey Sappho’s fragment 147, ‘someone will remember us / I say / even in another time’, resonates with me as more than just a poetic reflection on legacy; it’s a subtle, powerful reminder of resilience. Queer people, who have navigated history often overlooked or erased yet unquestionably present, will find this message especially relevant. Sappho’s words transcend … Continue reading Connecting with Poetry: Finding Emotion in Experiences
While it may not be open late, I think The Secret Garden is the perfect way to kick off date night. I personally love an evening stroll through Bute park, coconut matcha lattes and cake. Well, The Secret Garden offers all three. Many a time I have met my boyfriend there for a drink and a sweet treat and leisurely strolled through the park, before … Continue reading Date Night in the Diff
Love is universal. Whether it’s your family and your friends; your partner or a pet, it exists in all our lives. Love is holding someone very close to your heart, but that does not always mean they are close to us physically. Learning to adapt to our environment is hard enough as a human being in this massive world, and then you add someone else … Continue reading Long Distance Love
