A Dive Into the History of Coffee Shops

words by Eva Castanedo Artisan coffee shops are all the rage at the moment, popping up everywhere to cater for catch ups with friends over delicious brunch and study days fuelled by coffee. But how and when did they become so popular? Venice served as the entry point for coffee when the drink first came to Europe in the early 16th century. The Venetian merchants were the … Continue reading A Dive Into the History of Coffee Shops

The Power Of Travel: Transforming Your Comfort Zone

words by Megha Roy Traveling to new and unfamiliar destinations can be a daunting prospect for many people, but the rewards of venturing beyond what feels comfortable are immense. From personal growth to self-discovery, the benefits of challenging yourself through travel are numerous. Here we’ll explore the opportunities that come with pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and why everyone should consider doing it … Continue reading The Power Of Travel: Transforming Your Comfort Zone

Sustainable Fashion Show Cardiff: A Night Out in Style

Photos by Gergana Aleksieva (@gergana.a.aleksieva.photos). Words by Zoe Price. Sustainability is on its way to being the most important element of the fashion world and Cardiff is already on the map for making its mark within the industry. Holding their second sustainability show (@sustainablefashionshowcardiff), Angels Clothes Rentals (@Angels_ClothesRentals) collaborated with the Cardiff University Sustainable Fashion Society (@cusustainablefashionsoc) to hold a night of revelry and style. … Continue reading Sustainable Fashion Show Cardiff: A Night Out in Style

In Conversation With Anchor Lane

Words by Emily Williams ItÔÇÖs a quiet Friday afternoon as I log onto Zoom to speak to Anchor Lane, who have just begun theirUK headline tour starting in Bradford. It is their first time touring an album after the scheduled tourfor their debut album Casino was stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We chatted about influences, image, and intentions for their new album Call This … Continue reading In Conversation With Anchor Lane

50s Gowns in Paradise

Words by Amy Wild The psychological thriller Don’t Worry Darling has had its fair share of controversy since it came out in late September last year, from rumours of drama between its star-studded cast to only getting two stars on rotten tomatoes. The film  was directed by Olivia Wilde, who also directed Booksmart and starred in Don’t Worry Darling as Bunny. It follows Alice (Florence … Continue reading 50s Gowns in Paradise

Album Review: Jaws of Life – Pierce The Veil

Words by Laura Mae After an almost seven year long hiatus, American rock band Pierce The Veil have come stomping backonto the music scene with their new record Jaws of Life. This release is the bandÔÇÖs fifth studio albumsince they made their beginnings in 2006, and the first since their 2016 album Misadventures. Pierce TheVeil are a well known name in the alternative music scene, … Continue reading Album Review: Jaws of Life – Pierce The Veil

Banish New Year Diet Trends and Feel Your Best All Year Round with a Balanced Diet

words by Molly Chambers Like many others around the new year, I find myself in conversations about goals and plans. I have become particularly conscious of how many people say, with dread, that they are dieting for January. It is a known fact that one feels more awake and well when eating healthier. Therefore, I believe there is importance in maintaining a healthy and happy … Continue reading Banish New Year Diet Trends and Feel Your Best All Year Round with a Balanced Diet

Album Review: Call This A Reality? – Anchor Lane

Words by Emily Williams Up-and-coming Glasgow rock band Anchor Lane released their second album entitled,┬áCall This A Reality? on 27th January 2023.┬áThe album follows their first successful album┬áCasino┬áwhich reached Number 9 on Official UK Rock Albums Chart in its 2020 release.┬áCall This A Reality?┬áembraces indie undertones and showcases heavy guitar work that complements the vocals from Conor Gaffney. The guitar work is really what stands … Continue reading Album Review: Call This A Reality? – Anchor Lane

Review: The 1975 @ CIA 16/01/23

Words by Charlotte Harris, photos by Alexa Price Kicking off their two-night stint in WalesÔÇÖ capital at Cardiff International Arena on Monday night, The 1975 treated us with the most recent performance of their tour, titled┬áThe 1975 At Their Very Best. A tour already spewing with media attention and internet interest, we were primed for a legendary evening. Would there be a guest star? Would … Continue reading Review: The 1975 @ CIA 16/01/23

TripAdvisor Top Travel Destinations 2022

words by Megha Roy Ever since the pandemic came over the globe in 2020, travelling halted for millions of people for over a year. People seemed to have been caged in their homes, but in 2022, the scenario has seen a change. The world is recovering now and that has given the travel lovers the time and freedom to plan holidays. Trip Advisor, one of the leading travel websites, unveiled ÔÇÿThe Best of the … Continue reading TripAdvisor Top Travel Destinations 2022

Our Favourite Jane Austen Adaptation

Clueless Words By Katie Brosnan Clueless, the 1995 adaption of Jane AustenÔÇÖs Emma stands the test of time as the perfect adaption of a classic novel. Clueless offers a relatable, fun, and modern revision of Jane AustenÔÇÖs beloved novel, allowing for younger audiences to access the message of the original text, forgiving people for their mistakes. Cher, the protagonist, is a 15-year-old, blonde, valley girl … Continue reading Our Favourite Jane Austen Adaptation

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

The Best Albums of 2022

Words by Elliot Morgan This year, compared its predecessors, has been remarkably strong in terms of new music releases. Iconic artists in the pop and hip-hop genres released critically acclaimed albums after hiatuses of nearly half a decade. Across the indie scene, new bands rose to prominence and released their debut records, meanwhile, old favourites continued to add to their accomplished discographies. Although difficult select … Continue reading The Best Albums of 2022

Breaking The Binary

While acceptance of diverse gender identities is on the rise, it can still be difficult to explore and understand what that looks like for yourself. Non-binary identities in particular are often misunderstood or dismissed, making it much more challenging to be open and comfortable in your identity. Non-binary is an umbrella term for those who experience their gender outside of the binary of man or … Continue reading Breaking The Binary

Study Soundtracks: What Gets You Through Deadline Season?

As deadline season of first semester swiftly approaches at Cardiff University, we asked some of our contributors what they listen to whilst typing away in the ASSL.    Words by Alice Lumley As someone with ADHD, it is essential for me to have music playing whilst I attempt to study. It must be music without lyrics, or there may end up being accidents (like the time … Continue reading Study Soundtracks: What Gets You Through Deadline Season?

Spending Christmas Abroad

words by Eva Castanedo Christmas is by far the biggest holiday in the UK. The UK spends ┬ú24.2 billion in celebrating the festivity, consumes 10 million turkeys on Christmas day, uses 227,000 miles of wrapping paper, and pulls 300,000,000 crackers each Christmas season. This festive period agglutinates a vast number of traditions that only occur once a year. Thus, most people lock these dates in … Continue reading Spending Christmas Abroad

Pierce The Veil @ Great Hall 01/12/2022

Words and photos by Maddie McCabe-Smith Kicking off the UK leg of their tour at CardiffÔÇÖs Great Hall, Pierce The Veil made their iconic return to the punk rock scene with new music releases for the first time since their 2016 album Misadventures. Even from the queue outside before doors had opened, I could sense just how excited fans, including myself, were to see one … Continue reading Pierce The Veil @ Great Hall 01/12/2022

The Aces @ CIA 01/12/2022

Words and photos by Ashley Thieme Although The Aces have previously undertaken their own headline UK tours, this was their first time performing for a Welsh audience. Originally The Blue Aces ÔÇô releasing a few extended play releases under that name since 2012 ÔÇô the band have been playing shows as The Aces since changing their name in 2016. Hailing from Utah, United States, the … Continue reading The Aces @ CIA 01/12/2022

Degendering Fashion: It's Not New

Degendering Fashion: ItÔÇÖs Not New

Words by Imogen Edmonds Marketing clothes as ÔÇÿgenderlessÔÇÖ has become a new selling point in the fashion industry, and whilst items of clothing obviously donÔÇÖt have a gender society has stitched gender into clothes, labelling them into the socially constructed gender binary. Whilst we are familiar with most high street shops having gendered clothing sections, the origination of gendered dress is relatively recent.  Up until … Continue reading Degendering Fashion: ItÔÇÖs Not New