My Romance Diary

Finding Love in Simplicity: A Journal 22nd January, 2022- Mumbai, India It had been the perfect day. We met for brunch, checked out bookstores and droveaimlessly through the congested streets of the city I called home. But my favourite partwas the way it ended. The sweltering midday heat, a parked car and two ice-cream conesto keep its passengers company. Time stood still within those glass … Continue reading My Romance Diary

Our contributors explain why you should get involved in Cardiff Student Media

Looking to expand your writing portfolio and gain hands on journalism experience? Below, our contributors explain what they have enjoyed about writing for Quench Magazine this year, and why you should get involved in Cardiff Student Media… JOSHUA ALLEN I first got involved with Cardiff Student Media during first year, having signed up to Quench at the fresherÔÇÖs fair. Within my first year I wrote … Continue reading Our contributors explain why you should get involved in Cardiff Student Media

A Trip Down Memory Lane

Foreword by Kat Mallett It’s always nostalgic looking back through old holiday albums (on our phone or otherwise) to relive some of our most cherished memories in the sun, snow or anywhere in between. From the people, to the culture, to the food, there are so many different elements that can make a holiday particularly special or memorable. Here are just a few handpicked moments … Continue reading A Trip Down Memory Lane

thepaperphantasm sex relationships university

Let’s Write About Sex and Relationships

Words by Laura Dazon & Art by @thepaperphantasm on Instagram Welcome to Spotlight: Sex and Relationships! With this post, we celebrate the start of a new project. This year, Quench finally has a space dedicated to sex and relationships! Up until now, the Cardiff student media has lacked a reliable safe space to talk about one of the most important parts of student life. Spotlight … Continue reading Let’s Write About Sex and Relationships

Review: The Book of Mormon, The Prince of Wales Theatre- London

By Helena Iciek    If youÔÇÖre not into musicals- go and see this one.  Beginning on Broadway in 2011, The Book of Mormon, has consistently entertained and shocked audiences across theatres for approaching 10 years now- and the hype surrounding it has yet to decline. Written by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, and Matt Stone, the production follows two missionaries, Elder Price (Dom Simpson) and Elder … Continue reading Review: The Book of Mormon, The Prince of Wales Theatre- London

Review: Victorious Festival, Portsmouth

By Ellie Harradine The thing about going to a festival is, people are so happy. So what is Victorious Festival, and why has no one heard of it? Well, unless youÔÇÖre on the south coast of Hampshire, there is little reason for you to have known about it. The festival first opened its gates in 2012 at PortsmouthÔÇÖs Historic Dockyard, and then due to increased … Continue reading Review: Victorious Festival, Portsmouth

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?

Tranquillity, Base, Hotel + Casino Album Review

  It took the Arctic Monkeys 5 years to make a come-back. Tranquillity, Base, Hotel & Casino is unexpected, different and an excitingly mysterious album. ItÔÇÖs an evident new step in their career. TheyÔÇÖve grown up and their songs have grown with them. Their new piano-driven, retro vibe, witty lyrics mark the start of a new era for the Sheffield group. The 70ÔÇÖs-like opening track, … Continue reading Tranquillity, Base, Hotel + Casino Album Review

Sunflower Bean Twentytwo In Blue Album Review

Brooklyn trio Sunflower Bean first burst onto the scene in 2016 with their debut full-length record, Human Ceremony, which gave us an abundance of starry-eyed and jangly psych-pop gems, boasting a myriad of retro influences. Now they return with sophomore album Twentytwo in Blue, released March 23rd on Mom + Pop Records. Whilst each band member is still only twenty-two (hence the album title), their … Continue reading Sunflower Bean Twentytwo In Blue Album Review

Review: Downsizing

Alexander Payne embarks on his latest cinematic journey in a transformative tackling of ever-present social, moral and political issues through an accessible, entertaining, bitesize medium. At a first glance, the film would appear as a standard Hollywood comedic throwaway with an interesting twist; Norwegian scientists have created a manner through which the human body can be shrunk down to a mere 5ÔÇØ, the process of … Continue reading Review: Downsizing

Awards Season 2018: Oscars Expectations

“There are a lot of great movies that have won the Academy Award, and a lot of great movies that haven’t. You just do the best you can.” – Clint Eastwood, Best Director, Million Dollar Baby, 2004 ItÔÇÖs Oscars time! The marmite of the festival season; you either love it or hate it. Known for its particular criteria and controversy for its snubs and #OscarsSoWhite, … Continue reading Awards Season 2018: Oscars Expectations

Review: God’s Own Country

God’s Own Country is the film Hollywood forgot about. Move over Jon Snow, thereÔÇÖs a new brooding protagonist in town. Meet Johnny, (Josh OÔÇÖConnor) the son of a disabled sheep farmer (Ian Hart), living a rather monotonous life in the rural moors of Yorkshire, consisting of drinking, puking and casual hook-ups with random men. But this is all turned upside-down with the arrival of Romanian … Continue reading Review: God’s Own Country

Review: The Shape of Water

Guillermo Del ToroÔÇÖs latest escapist fantasy tells a familiar fairytale of freak love between human and creature. However the director’s fastidious eye for the darkly fantastical, juxtaposed with an even darker reality, along with intelligent, era-specific social commentary which helps contextualise and ground its narrative, and nuanced, expertly written characters make this tale more akin to the esoteric lovechild of Amelie and Creature from the … Continue reading Review: The Shape of Water

Scandinavian singers putting a new spin on the pop music we know

Recently there seems to be a huge number of Scandinavian popstars bringing out some absolutely great music. They seem to have put their own spin on pop and we love it. We have had our eye on Sigrid for a while now and she has now go the title of ÔÇÿBBCÔÇÖs Sound of 2018 number oneÔÇÖ. Could they be taking over the music indursty? HereÔÇÖs … Continue reading Scandinavian singers putting a new spin on the pop music we know

The Year of the Bitcoin – A Cryptocurrency Crash Course

Imagine a currency you canÔÇÖt hold in your hands; a single coin is currently worth over ┬ú10,000, more than ten times what it was worth this time last year. That is bitcoin. According to GoogleÔÇÖs Year in Search 2017, bitcoin was the second most popular news search in 2017, with ÔÇÿHow to buy BitcoinÔÇÖ being the third most popular ÔÇÿHow ToÔǪÔÇÖ search. The word floats … Continue reading The Year of the Bitcoin – A Cryptocurrency Crash Course

Quenchmas Countdown: Day 17 – ‘The Santa Clause’

ÔÇ£Seeing isnÔÇÖt believing. Believing is seeing.ÔÇØ Arguably one of Tim AllenÔÇÖs films, aside from his recognisable role as Buzz Lightyear, The Santa Clause is truly a 1994 family Christmas classic. It is centred around Neil who, with the help of his young son Charlie and the North PoleÔÇÖs head elf, has to adapt to the biggest promotion of his life, i.e. becoming Santa Clause. After … Continue reading Quenchmas Countdown: Day 17 – ‘The Santa Clause’

Quenchmas Countdown: Day 16 – ‘Notting Hill’

Notting Hill is the quintessential boys meets girl tale, preeminent of all other soppy rom coms it boasts, possibly, the most charming setting and cast to date. Whilst it might not be the first film that springs to the mind during the festive season, for me, itÔÇÖs a dreamy nineties classic that forces that indescribable fuzzy sensation upon you (without the aid of a small … Continue reading Quenchmas Countdown: Day 16 – ‘Notting Hill’