Author: Contributing Writer

Film & TV, Literature

The Femme Fatale in Literature and Film

by Eve Davies. Literature is saturated with femme fatales: mysterious, seductive female characters whose charms ensnare men into their grasp. Her overt sexuality is her chief weapon, greed is her underlying desire, and her fate is bleak, without redemption. ItÔÇÖs a misogynistic archetype; some would say a product of the male crime writerÔÇÖs anxiety about his diminished standing in the literary landscape. To name a … Continue reading The Femme Fatale in Literature and Film

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Creative Writing, Literature

Exams; a poem

by Aruni Deraniyagala. Sitting at my desk, A hundred broken resolutions Empty pages Unopened books Staring at a wall, my mind wondering Painting pictures Writing stories A million other things IÔÇÖd rather be doing than Sitting here Imagining A million other lives I could be living right now Sleeping Eating Just messing around Music blaring in the background Coffee Chocolate I should be outside Dancing … Continue reading Exams; a poem

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Travel

Living Abroad Series: Adelaide

Words and images by Martha Jennings I arrived at Adelaide International airport on the 22nd July 2019 with only a hiking rucksack and backpack (to say I had under-packed is an understatement). Riding the bus from the airport to my accommodation was an exciting paradise of blinding sun. In my student accommodation I was surrounded with students from all around the world, who taught me … Continue reading Living Abroad Series: Adelaide

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Film & TV

Review: Doctor Who – Revolution of the Daleks

By Katherine Wheeler ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿà After a nine month wait, the Doctor Who festive special had a lot to answer for: Why is the Doctor in prison? What are the newest Dalek designs truly capable of? Where did Captain Jack hide that Vortex Manipulator? The episode begins with the Doctor (played by Jodie Whittaker) imprisoned. From the tally marks, it looks like decades since sheÔÇÖs seen … Continue reading Review: Doctor Who – Revolution of the Daleks

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Music

An Interview with Rude GRL & CC

Words by Octavia GrahamImage courtesy of Kick Down the Doors PR When the opportunity arose to interview the rising rapper Rude GRL (Jenna Dickens), winner of ÔÇ£Best HipHop trackÔÇØ at the 2020 PMA Awards, I dropped everything immediately so I could host a zoom call with herself and CC (Chris Constantinou), who worked closely with Adam Ant and has performed at notorious gigs such as … Continue reading An Interview with Rude GRL & CC

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Download, Video Games

Download’s Most Anticipated Games of 2021

By Lewis Empson and Marcus Yeatman-Crouch ItÔÇÖs a big year for gaming. After 2020 saw a massive amount of delays to highly anticipated titles, many of them shifted their release date to 2021. A loss in the short term, but now weÔÇÖve got a whole host of huge games to look forward to this year! WeÔÇÖve picked the ones weÔÇÖre most excited to get to … Continue reading Download’s Most Anticipated Games of 2021

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Literature

Book Recommendations Based on Your Zodiac Sign

by Suraya Rumbold-Kazzuz Capricorn:┬á As a serious and independent person, Capricorns will often reach all of their goals and do everything they set out to do. These are some very admirable traits, but sometimes Capricorn you could do with some light-hearted fun. This is why the book┬áEverything I know about Love┬áby Dolly Alderton is great for you. The novel will feed your appetite for more … Continue reading Book Recommendations Based on Your Zodiac Sign

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Travel

New Year Traditions Around the World

Words by Lydia Armstrong The end of 2020 was well overdue, with New YearÔÇÖs Eve marking the end of a truly challenging year. As COVID restrictions remained firmly in place across the globe, 2021ÔÇÖs New Year celebrations looked very different, with many of us toasting to the year ahead from the sofa and on zoom.   For many cultures around the world, New Year celebrations are … Continue reading New Year Traditions Around the World

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Fashion

The Best Independent Jewellery Shops in Cardiff

Words and images by Mazy Wyeth The city of Cardiff is well-known for the vibrancy of its city centre which contains an array of shops, ranging from retail giants Urban Outfitters and Bershka to the small, independent shops located in the depths of the cities various arcades. Amongst these arcades lie CardiffÔÇÖs jewellery shops that are often hidden from view due to their small size … Continue reading The Best Independent Jewellery Shops in Cardiff

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Love

Ethical Porn and Where to Find It

By Georgia MeropoulosImage credit: Dainis Graveris via Unsplash As long as porn has existed (which is probably almost as long as human existence), straight male pleasure has been taken care of. This has often happened at the expense of women’s own pleasure and safety. In the United Kingdom, only 28% of visitors to PornHub- the internet’s most popular pornsite- are women. This is not due … Continue reading Ethical Porn and Where to Find It

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Literature

Quench’s Year in Books: 2020

Jasmine Snow on Olive by Emma Gannon Olive is the debut novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author, Emma Gannon. Olive is about a woman of the same name, who is struggling to come to terms with the fact that she does not want children. As she does so, she reflects back on her University days which she spent with her three best friends and where they are today. Bea married young … Continue reading Quench’s Year in Books: 2020

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Travel

Christmas Around the Globe

Image by Chad Madden Words by Eve Davies Christmas traditions vary from family to family, from religion to religion, and from country to country, meaning that although Christmas is a globally celebrated holiday, it is not a homogeneous experience for everyone. You might spend Christmas day at home and open presents in the morning, while your best friend spends the day at her grandparentsÔÇÖ house … Continue reading Christmas Around the Globe

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Food

New Year’s Eve Foodie Picks

Image by Myriams-Fotos (via Pixabay) Words by Shubhangi Dua 2020- A year of tragedies, indeed a year of solitude. On the upside, 2021 is a year of challenging individuals potential of creativity as well as self-reflection. The most awaited time of the year, Christmas and of course New Year’s Eve befalls upon us. While we are impatiently waiting for the beginning of the new decade, … Continue reading New Year’s Eve Foodie Picks

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Culture

The Culture of Our Christmas Traditions

A Black Christmas, Hazel Ravu ‘Twas the night before Christmas and me and my mother are sweating in the kitchen trying to prepare as much food as we can. WeÔÇÖre hosting this year. That means a bunch of families, including a few expected unexpected guests are due to be arriving. On the day, me and my mother are back in the same positions, putting the … Continue reading The Culture of Our Christmas Traditions

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Film & TV

Behind The Lens: Biopics

by Suraya Kazzuz Biopics often garner a lot of attention especially during Oscars season. The genre of film can often be seen as tacky or unsubstantial but in many cases, biopics introduce us to real-life individuals in different ways. One of the most notable biopics of late has been Bohemian Rhapsody which has introduced a whole new generation to Queen and their music. With a … Continue reading Behind The Lens: Biopics

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Literature

Festive Books to Get You Ready for Christmas

Contributions by Alexa Price and Katie Waits. Alexa Price – A Letter from Santa Claus by Mark Twain Everyone can agree by now that nothing makes Christmas quite as special as the presence of children; that pure rush of excitement at 7 am is enough to make anyone believe in Santa Claus all over again. Mark Twain encapsulates this warm feeling in A Letter from … Continue reading Festive Books to Get You Ready for Christmas

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Film & TV

Unorthodox Christmas Movies

Gremlins┬á┬á by Luke Hinton Gremlins, the 1984 comedy-horror executive produced by Steven Spielberg, may have all the hallmarks of a conventional Christmas movie ÔÇô presents, snowy landscapes and a soundtrack stuffed with holiday classics; but its style and message make it stand out  within the genre. The premise is simple: Billy (Zach Galligan), a down-on-his-luck teen, receives a mogwai for Christmas ÔÇô an adorable hamster-like … Continue reading Unorthodox Christmas Movies

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Features

HIV and AIDS – The Forgotten Pandemic?

By Hazel Ravu December 1st was World AIDS Day and it brought to light on how HIV and AIDS are still not as widely discussed or destigmatised as they could be in 2020. HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that attacks the immune system, resulting in vulnerability to other infections and diseases. It is spread by contact with certain bodily fluids, mostly during unprotected … Continue reading HIV and AIDS – The Forgotten Pandemic?

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Travel

The Worlds Most Wonderful Christmas Markets

Image by Maggie Gannon Frankfurt Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas Market), Germany – words by Maggie Gannon Germany is certainly well-known for its annual Christmas markets, so much so that English cities across the UK such as Birmingham and Manchester aim to give the same festive experience across the sea year on year. Unfortunately, this year restrictions in Germany meant the wooden stalls would not be able to … Continue reading The Worlds Most Wonderful Christmas Markets

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