Author: Contributing Writer

Travel

Breakaway from the Mainstream: Our Top Underrated Cities

Image by Elena Mozhvilo Foreword by Alice Clifford However many countries there are in the world, more often than not I find myself talking to friends and family about holidays I have been on and finding out that the majority of them have been to the exact same places. While this is always then a good conversation point and opportunity to reminisce about an incredible … Continue reading Breakaway from the Mainstream: Our Top Underrated Cities

Contributing Writer
Film & TV

Behind The Lens: Rom-Com

By Muskan Arora Romantic comedies have travelled and progressed a long way, from Pretty Woman to IsnÔÇÖt it Romantic. There was a time when these movies revolved around men and communicated  the message of how a man is necessary to complete a woman, no matter how successful the woman is. These movies inculcated in our generation that it isnÔÇÖt important to love yourself first but … Continue reading Behind The Lens: Rom-Com

Contributing Writer
Literature

Problematic Authors: Should We Separate the Writer from the Writing?

by Alex Daud Briggs. J.K. Rowling has had a few controversies over the years but the latest has plunged her into some deep water. Twitter has given everyone a voice and some of our favourite authors have not been saying nice things. Rowling has been found supporting a transphobic speaker and later posting what many saw as a hateful comment regarding trans rights, stating that … Continue reading Problematic Authors: Should We Separate the Writer from the Writing?

Contributing Writer
Features, Invisible Illnesses

Invisible Illnesses III: Learning More About My Mental Health Than I Learnt From My BSc

Words by Caitlin Parr Illustration by Amelia Field University can be an immensely challenging time for any student. Whether youÔÇÖre naturally very confident or were at the top of your class in school, University is sure to present challenges and anxieties that are totally new and have the potential to disrupt your time there. Unfortunately the majority of University students, 1 in 4, will struggle … Continue reading Invisible Illnesses III: Learning More About My Mental Health Than I Learnt From My BSc

Contributing Writer
Travel

Living Abroad Series: Ottawa

Words and image by Lois Brooks Leaving a small town in the South East of England to live in WalesÔÇÖ capital was a fairly big adjustment. However, when I heard about the opportunity to study abroad, I knew I just had to find out moreÔǪ When applying to study abroad, you are able to research and select from several destinations all over the world, depending … Continue reading Living Abroad Series: Ottawa

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Film & TV

Film Review: The Vigil

By Matt Taylor |ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿà| ItÔÇÖs a strange time to be going to the cinema at the moment. Limited screenings, social distancing, and compulsory mask-wearing makes the experience a little different to what weÔÇÖre used to (even if such precautions are necessary to keep us all safe). ThereÔÇÖs also the fact that many big movies have had their theatrical releases delayed, or even cancelled entirely ÔÇô … Continue reading Film Review: The Vigil

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Creative Writing, Literature

Poem – Empty Lovers

by Tilly Jones. Empty Lovers I kiss your mouth in search of another, My lips longing for ones that are not yours. The close echo of an empty lover, Merely hoping to conceal their sores. Two wondering, vacant, beings of lust. Brief confidants in a passing moment, A secret encounter hiding from trust. A tender escape, our minds are absent, We can blindly dance this … Continue reading Poem – Empty Lovers

Contributing Writer
Food

‘Eat Out to Help Out’: Too Good to be True?

Featured image by Indigo Jones From the 3rd to 31st August, we’re all able to get a 50% discount when dining at restaurants registered with the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme to help us get back into restaurants after they were shut during lockdown. At first glance, the scheme might seem like a great idea- we are all saving lots of money and getting … Continue reading ‘Eat Out to Help Out’: Too Good to be True?

Contributing Writer
Fashion

The Fashion of Beyonc├®’s Black Is King

by Rowan Davies ÔÇÿShe got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the NileÔÇÖ– Exodus 2:3 The story of Moses, one of the most recognisable Biblical narratives, serves as a universal reminder that young kings and queens all over the world have the … Continue reading The Fashion of Beyonc├®’s Black Is King

Contributing Writer
Film & TV, Food

Iconic Dishes In Films

Ratatouille By Tom Benny Ratatouille (2007) is one of the best-known Pixar films. Its success is huge, as it won Best Animated Feature at the 80th Academy Awards, currently ranks 43rd on MetacriticÔÇÖs list for ÔÇÿ100 Best Films of All TimeÔÇÖ (1 spot above Parasite!), and possesses a score of 96% on Rotten Tomatoes. In fact, pet retailer Pets at Home reported an increase in … Continue reading Iconic Dishes In Films

Contributing Writer
Film & TV

Alternatives To Mainstream Streaming Platforms

MUBI By Louise Marmie Faced with the scandal caused by the Netflix release of the film 365 days, accused of glorifying rape, human trafficking and Stockholm syndrome, the SVOD giant simply replied that “Netflix is an on-demand company, and viewers may choose what to watch”. In other words, it would seem that love of cinema is not what guides the editorial line of giants like Netflix, … Continue reading Alternatives To Mainstream Streaming Platforms

Contributing Writer
Film & TV

Our Netflix Original Guilty Pleasures

Selling Sunset By Rhianna Hurren-Myers Selling Sunset went completely under the radar for me when it first aired in 2019, but as lockdown hit, the show was exactly the right level of easy reality-TV watching that we all needed. With three eight-part seasons (so far), the show follows the personal and professional lives of seven realtors at The Oppenheim Group, a prestigious brokerage specialising in … Continue reading Our Netflix Original Guilty Pleasures

Contributing Writer
Culture

Mainstream Pop Culture: The Pros & Cons From a Quarantine Perspective

Words by Cerys Jones The presence of popular culture within contemporary society has become more prevalent than ever during the coronavirus pandemic. Different forms of media have adapted their content following the requirements of society, thereby molding the cultural industry into one solely focussed on education and entertainment. The execution and global dissemination of the ÔÇÿ#Blackout TuesdayÔÇÖ trend and campaign which took place on Tuesday, … Continue reading Mainstream Pop Culture: The Pros & Cons From a Quarantine Perspective

Contributing Writer
Literature

Popular Books We Kinda Hate

Have you ever had that experience of finishing a deeply anticipated read – perhaps it was hyped up on social media or maybe it was considered as a classic, only to finish it thinkingÔǪthat was not good? Us too, and in this article our contributors are confessing the popular books that they believe just werenÔÇÖt all that. The Catcher in the Rye By Catarina Vicente … Continue reading Popular Books We Kinda Hate

Contributing Writer
Culture

Saving The Arts of Germany

by Dill Tootill Covid-19 has seen the world hold its collective breath with the confusion of the present and concern for how the future will be shaped. Countries have taken vastly different measures in tackling the crisis: from the laissez faire features of BrazilÔÇÖs lack of intervention, to AmericaÔÇÖs anxiety ride of resistance towards offering any substantial help to workers. Yet, as Europe progresses in … Continue reading Saving The Arts of Germany

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art Cynthia Vera racial fetishisation
Love

I Am Not Your Porn Tag – The Weight of Racial Fetishisation

Words By Cynthia Vera Art by Jasmine Snow ÔÇ£Hey, chocolate mama!ÔÇØ See, these were the first three words a grown man ever yelled out at me which I remember making me feel like my body was not my mine, but rather an unwilling participant in a parade of sick fantasies. See, I was only 14, chubby cheeks and strong bones. I was still growing, still … Continue reading I Am Not Your Porn Tag – The Weight of Racial Fetishisation

Contributing Writer
Food

Adapting Classic Student Recipes

Photography by Hannah Penwright Loaded Nachos Words by Indigo Jones The entire definition of student cooking is making hearty meals on a budget, and living in Cardiff adds an extra challenge- working around what ingredients are available from our beloved Cathays’ Lidl. Student cooking can often be disappointing and colourless, but that doesnÔÇÖt have to be the case! Alas, if you too are a student … Continue reading Adapting Classic Student Recipes

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Download

Corporate Twitter – Hip or Miss?

By Catarina Vicente ThereÔÇÖs no denying social media has become a powerful tool for brands in their marketing and advertising. Nowadays, any company that wants to have a bigger presence owns several social media accounts, in order to advertise their products, attract new clients, and to create an identifiable ÔÇÿpersonaÔÇÖ to further enhance their brand. With the resurgence of this new marketing strategy it was … Continue reading Corporate Twitter – Hip or Miss?

Contributing Writer