Transgender experiences are incredibly diverse and subjective, so why donÔÇÖt we acknowledge that?

By Violet Thompson When people find out that IÔÇÖm transgender, the first question IÔÇÖm usually always asked is, ÔÇ£so, are you going to do the surgery?ÔÇØ It doesnÔÇÖt matter if itÔÇÖs someone IÔÇÖve known for a long time, or a complete stranger ÔÇô IÔÇÖm usually always asked about my genitals. It doesnÔÇÖt matter if itÔÇÖs in a public space, which makes the whole affair quite … Continue reading Transgender experiences are incredibly diverse and subjective, so why donÔÇÖt we acknowledge that?

Veganuary – fad or for life?

By Amberley Steenhagen When it gets to January, after a month of Christmas overindulgence of food and booze, everyone starts making their New YearÔÇÖs Resolutions. We begin to hear phrases chucked about like ÔÇÿDry JanuaryÔÇÖ (or this years Janu-hairy) where people chose to opt out of something for the first month of the year. This could be not drinking alcohol, not shaving or, something that … Continue reading Veganuary – fad or for life?

BackLASH Following Speculations Over ÔÇÿRugby Lad CultureÔÇÖ

As current university news is saturated with talk of the ÔÇÿrugby lad cultureÔÇÖ it is not surprising that there appears to have been much back-and-forth on the topic. Each year the same debate springs up which suggests that whilst it is not getting any worse, it is also not getting any better. So why does this ruby-playing cohort continue to cause controversy? With some people … Continue reading BackLASH Following Speculations Over ÔÇÿRugby Lad CultureÔÇÖ

What is White Privilege?

Poppy Jennings White privilege is sending out your CV when applying for jobs and not having to worry about whether your name sounds foreign. ItÔÇÖs not being sent home on your first day of school because your dreadlocks, cornrows, braids, or afro are disrupting other kidsÔÇÖ learning. ItÔÇÖs being able to drive down the street in a nice car without people suspecting you stole it. … Continue reading What is White Privilege?

Winter Wonderland is Coming to the SU!

Bethany Griffiths Tonight (Tuesday 4th December) Periods in Poverty will be hosting their first Winter Gala at the Student’s Union! Tickets are ┬ú5 online or on the door – this is an excellent opportunity to dress fancy and have a boogie with all your flatmates before Christmas – and it’s for a wonderful cause!! Cardiff-based charity ‘Periods in Poverty’ is run and organised entirely by … Continue reading Winter Wonderland is Coming to the SU!

PB Performance: Cardiff’s new state-of-the-art performance gym

By Bethany Griffiths Last Sunday Quench was invited to the launch of CardiffÔÇÖs newest performance gym: PB Performance. Aside from tucking into all the wonderful food and drink that PB Performance had to offer, we also trialled some of the gymÔÇÖs new, state-of-the-art equipment and attended various workshops about the art of powerlifting and weightlifting. The equipment is not like your everyday gym setup, with … Continue reading PB Performance: Cardiff’s new state-of-the-art performance gym

“She was asking for it”

Poppy Jennings *Trigger warning ÔÇô this article discusses rape and sexual violence*   A 17-year-old girl ÔÇô and I cannot stress the word girl┬áenough ÔÇô had her own underwear held up in court last week after being raped. Her rapist, a 27-year-old man, was acquitted because the court decided that because she was wearing a thong, she was already ÔÇÿopen to sexÔÇÖ. So, yet again, … Continue reading “She was asking for it”

Top Spenders: Cardiff Uni Students Among Most Likely to Have Spent All of Their Loan Already

By Bethany Griffiths A recent study carried out by www.sellmymobile.com has revealed that Cardiff University students have made the top 10 list of students most likely to have spent the first installment of their student loan already, with October 20th being named as the day when most first installments are gone by. The research was carried out on more than 2,700 UK university students, with … Continue reading Top Spenders: Cardiff Uni Students Among Most Likely to Have Spent All of Their Loan Already

How do I know he’s gay?

By Georgi Georgiev A question that might appear quite frivolous on the surface, but is, in fact, an important one to ask. Essentially, it can be rephrased as: how could I possibly know something so personal about someone without jumping to conclusions? Sometimes it could be comforting to be able to answer such a question. This is especially true for members of the LGBTQ+ community … Continue reading How do I know he’s gay?

FOR Cardiff – the gift card that supports independent businesses in the Welsh Capital

by Molly Wyatt Come rain or shine, I am a sucker for shopping, window shopping or real shopping. So, when an opportunity arose to explore CardiffÔÇÖs arcades I was pretty darn keen ÔÇô and the days I spent working so hard buying and eating things, were a real treat. Nearly 200 hundred years old, the beautifully designed arcades nestled in the high streets of Cardiff … Continue reading FOR Cardiff – the gift card that supports independent businesses in the Welsh Capital

Spooky Fun or Insensitive Branding?

By Bethany Griffiths Halloween has certainly changed a lot since I was a kid. It used to be a minor event that merely served to kick off the festive season ÔÇô a small party at your neighbourÔÇÖs decked out in ASDAÔÇÖs finest (and cheapest) Halloween costume. Since then Halloween has become gradually more and more commercialised with adults and kids celebrating alike. The Halloween fun … Continue reading Spooky Fun or Insensitive Branding?

The Freshers’ Pressures and New Anxieties

Here are some amazing students talking about their own experiences dealing with anxiety when moving to Cardiff for uni. If you can relate, we hope you can find comfort in their words… Manavi Mehrotra The idea of college has been so widely painted by movies and TV shows that, much like most things in life, we have a deluded idea of the dream world awaiting … Continue reading The Freshers’ Pressures and New Anxieties

New High Street Sizing: A Positive Move?

By Bethany Griffiths After facing years of backlash for poor sizing guidelines, some high street shops (notably H&M and Primark) have now progressed from their usual 6-20 sizing to XS-XXL sizing. The shops have claimed that this change in sizing guidelines will ensure that women can guarantee to find clothing to fit their standard size. Despite this, there have been countless complaints about the new … Continue reading New High Street Sizing: A Positive Move?

It’s that time of year again: a new semester at Cardiff University

By Bethany Griffiths The doors open on another exciting term here at Cardiff University. Whether youÔÇÖre a returning or completely new student starting a new semester at Cardiff today, I think itÔÇÖs safe to say that none of us saw this coming quite as quickly as it did. It only feels like yesterday that I was sat writing my end-of-semester essays in June, and yet … Continue reading It’s that time of year again: a new semester at Cardiff University

Book Piracy: Is it any different to streaming movies online?

Poppy Jennings   Book piracy has been a problem for authors and publishers for years. For anyone with a computer or electronic device, downloading books for free is pretty easy if you can find the right places to get them. A few weeks ago the issue took a massive spotlight on twitter and many, many authors weighed in with their opinions. Of course, having worked … Continue reading Book Piracy: Is it any different to streaming movies online?

The Dark Side of Reality TV?

By Bethany Griffiths I think itÔÇÖs safe to say that this summer could go down in history as being one of the most eventful the UK has ever seen (probably a slight overreaction, but): weÔÇÖve recorded some of the highest temperatures on record for June and July, and weÔÇÖve seen the madness unfold on our streets as England actually made it to the semi finals … Continue reading The Dark Side of Reality TV?

I’m Not Ready to be Ready! Preparing for University Life

By Hannah Stait   Starting Uni can be worrying (and by that I mean absolutely bloody terrifying) to most, especially if you suffer with anxiety as I do. Whether youÔÇÖre about to begin your first year, second or even final year of your degree – donÔÇÖt fear – because I have been through it too and I have tips to make it easier for you. … Continue reading I’m Not Ready to be Ready! Preparing for University Life

Zero-waste Comes to Cardiff: A Chat With Ripple Founder Sophie Rae

By Nadine Pinnock Zero-waste is an environmentally conscious way of living thatÔÇÖs becoming increasingly popular, to combat the over production of plastic that continues to pollute our planet and our oceans. A zero-waste shop typically offers an easy solution to the excessive plastic packaging found in supermarkets, by selling bulk wholefoods by weight, so you can bring your own containers to reuse again and again. … Continue reading Zero-waste Comes to Cardiff: A Chat With Ripple Founder Sophie Rae