Taking the Bait

Words by Rubie Barker ÔÇ£As your token straight friend, itÔÇÖs my duty to remind you that sometimes people are straight.ÔÇØ -Tao Xu (Heartstopper┬áseason 1, available on Netflix) For those for┬áwho┬áthe term is new, ÔÇÿQueerbaitingÔÇÖ, is commonly understood to occur when someone (fictional or real) suggests they are part of the LGBTQ+ community, primarily to attract the LGBTQ+ audience, possibly for financial gain. While the term … Continue reading Taking the Bait

COP27: Everything You Need to Know

Words by Jasmine Dodd The history of COP┬á Being originally established to assess progress in addressing climate issues, the Conference of Parties (COP) began in 1995. It has been described byGeographical as having ÔÇÿflashes of brilliance [with] years of disappointmentÔÇÖ. Over the years, COP has been heavily criticised for not producing effective action when addressing climate issues, but merely a pretence of creating change without addressing the root … Continue reading COP27: Everything You Need to Know

Review: Culture Cwtch

Words by Omo Ifabua Last week I had the pleasure of attending the Student UnionÔÇÖs sold out celebration – Culture Cwtch. The Great Hall was filled with students in their vibrant cultural attire and the aroma of delicious traditional delicacies from around the world. From tasty food and live music to Bollywood dancing and fashion shows, this is certainly an event you must attend. Having … Continue reading Review: Culture Cwtch

Hancock Down Under

Words by Megan Huws The news that Matt Hancock was joining Boy George and footballer Jill Scott in IÔÇÖm A Celeb was certainly surprising, inspiring thoughts of our former Health Secretary being forced to undergo the unpleasant trials.┬á There are claims that he is abandoning his constituents and travelling halfway across the world to partake in a reality TV show, but he argues that it … Continue reading Hancock Down Under

The Legacy of Meghan Markle

Words by Georgina Whitehead Meghan Markle is without a doubt one of the most talked about people in the world, and whatever your opinion of her may be, she is unavoidable and constantly trending on social media. Her interview with The Cut was released on the 29th August 2022, just over a week before the Queen died, since then other articles have been released alongside … Continue reading The Legacy of Meghan Markle

Truss Broken: The Fall of Liz Truss

Words by Megan Huws On the 20th of October 2022, Liz Truss resigned as Prime Minister, after the shortest premiership in British history. In the brief but eventful 45 days that she was in office, which is shorter than the leadership contest that allowed her to be Prime Minister, she mourned the death of Queen Elizabeth II and celebrated the coronation of King Charles III. … Continue reading Truss Broken: The Fall of Liz Truss

Restriction or Responsibility: The Universities purging “challenging” books to protect student

Has cancel culture been taken a step too far with universities banning books from literature syllabuses? How do we differentiate between protection and censorship?┬á It seems that 1081 trigger warnings were not enough. During the summer, an investigation found that academic institutions are now excluding ÔÇÿchallengingÔÇÖ books from their literature syllabuses altogether.  The Times issued freedom of information (FOI) requests to 140 UK universities, and … Continue reading Restriction or Responsibility: The Universities purging “challenging” books to protect student

My Body, Who’s Choice? The Overthrow of Roe V Wade

Words by Izzy Copland In 1973, in a room filled with the men of the United States Supreme Court, a ÔÇÿJane RoeÔÇÖ succeeded in winning her lawsuit for the constitutional right to an abortion. It was one of the greatest steps towards equality of the sexes since the right to vote in 1920, and it seemed like a landslide victory for pro-choice activists that had … Continue reading My Body, Who’s Choice? The Overthrow of Roe V Wade

In Conversation with: ACS President Priscilla

Words by Rume Otuguor and Priscilla Appiah (n.b. This is an extracted version for the purpose of readability) If you donÔÇÖt know already, October is Black History Month in the UK. ItÔÇÖs a month that means a lot of different things to many different people, but its essence lies in the memorialisation of past events in black history which shape our present. Quench Features sat … Continue reading In Conversation with: ACS President Priscilla

An Ode to Serena: Icon, Mother, Tennis Supremo

After a thrilling last match in Arthur Ashe stadium, with tears in her eyes and diamonds in her hair, Serena Williams waved goodbye to the cheering crowd and her beloved tennis -a game which she has changed for a long time to come. When it came out that she would be evolving away from professional tennis, it was a bittersweet feeling that prompted me to … Continue reading An Ode to Serena: Icon, Mother, Tennis Supremo

Review: A Midsummer Night’s Dream at The Sherman Theatre

18th October 2022 Joe Murphy puts a modern, relatable spin on a classic tale, and celebrates the magic of the Welsh Language in his adaptation of ShakespeareÔÇÖs A Midsummer NightÔÇÖs Dream. A story of mischief, trickery, and love triangles, ShakespeareÔÇÖs iconic play follows Hermia, Lysanna and Demetrius caught up in a love triangle, complicated further by the fairiesÔÇÖ playful love spellsÔǪ and a donkey!  A … Continue reading Review: A Midsummer Night’s Dream at The Sherman Theatre

Review: An Inspector Calls at The New Theatre

18th October 2022 Words by Omo Ifabua Yesterday evening, I had the pleasure of seeing Stephen DaldryÔÇÖs An Inspector Calls at the New Theatre. Having studied JB PriestleyÔÇÖs original play at school 5 years ago and watching both film adaptations, I was definitely excited to see how this version would live up to my expectations. This was my first ever theatre trip in Cardiff and … Continue reading Review: An Inspector Calls at The New Theatre

Review: Welsh National OperaÔÇÖs Migrations

2nd October 202 at Wales Millenium Centre  IÔÇÖd had my eye on Migrations since its world premiere in June and so was excited to see it had been reprised for Welsh National OperaÔÇÖs autumn season. With a diverse cast and creative team, and powerful subject matter, it promised progression away from the stereotypical white stuffiness associated with the opera world.  Migrations dramatises six different stories … Continue reading Review: Welsh National OperaÔÇÖs Migrations

Review: Welsh National OperaÔÇÖs La Boh├¿me

25th September 2022 at Wales Millennium Center Words by Billy Edwards I was at first nervous about seeing La┬áBoheme┬ábecause of┬áitÔÇÖs very nature as an opera. As I had never seen one before,┬áyou could forgive me for feeling nervous about it. The public perception of the form signifies a certain stuffiness, held only in esteem by the oldest generations and ÔÇô daresay ÔÇôconsisting of long, boring … Continue reading Review: Welsh National OperaÔÇÖs La Boh├¿me

A Tale of Tory Corruption

Words by Megan Huws┬á Boris JohnsonÔÇÖs tenure as prime minister had its ups and downs, with Johnson persistently proving to the British public that he believes himself and his government above the rules and laws which they create. His resignation came after immense pressure from MPs in his own party, following JohnsonÔÇÖs decision to appoint Chris Pincher as deputy chief whip despite allegations of sexual … Continue reading A Tale of Tory Corruption

Staying in the Loop: I Need to Watch the News

By Megan Huws Without a general understanding of the current news, many people will feel out of the loop, unable to contribute to conversations and debates without feeling out of depth and uneducated. With such easy access to information about current events and issues, it seems selfish to not be burdened with the issues of the world around you. Not understanding the recent struggles of … Continue reading Staying in the Loop: I Need to Watch the News

NFTs: The Future of Art?

By Jaya Jha NFT, or a non-fungible token is a unit of data stored in a blockchain that offers a unique digital certificate, making it non-interchangeable. More broadly, an NFT allows establishing the ÔÇ£provenanceÔÇØ of the assigned digital object, offering definite answers to questions such as who owns, previously owned, and which of the many copies is the original. This process is done digitally and … Continue reading NFTs: The Future of Art?