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Obsessed with Gen Z - Jose_24

There is an "obsession" around understanding Gen Z; I see so many articles and posts about understanding Gen Z, especially in the workplace.

I experienced this kind of "obsession" when I had my first office job this summer; it felt like people were constantly trying to tell me about myself and predict how I would act in certain situations rather than just trying to get to know me.

In recent years, there has been a burgeoning interest in understanding Generation Z, the demographic cohort following Millennials. This fascination often leads to sweeping generalizations and stereotypes, attempting to encapsulate an entire generation under a single umbrella. However, such an approach overlooks any group's rich diversity and individuality, especially as vast as Gen Z.

Generation Z, typically defined as those born from the mid-1990s to the early 2010s has grown up in a uniquely digital landscape, profoundly shaping their perspectives and experiences. We have been at the forefront of social, environmental, and technological changes, and our responses to these shifts often indicate a collective character. However, these changes and causes we experienced and championed have allowed us to be morphed into one person with the same qualities and behaviours.

However, it's crucial to recognize that Gen Z is not a monolith. Like any generation, it comprises individuals with varied interests, beliefs, and backgrounds, making labelling them with broad strokes reductive and inaccurate.

Instead of trying to box Gen Z into preconceived notions, it's more valuable to approach them with openness and curiosity. Regardless of their generational tag, everyone has a unique story influenced by many factors, including culture, family, education, and personal experiences. Understanding them requires a willingness to listen and learn from their perspectives without the cloud of generational biases.

This approach fosters a deeper understanding and promotes respect and empathy. We build stronger, more authentic connections when we let go of our urge to categorize and start appreciating individuals for who they are. It's about moving beyond labels and recognizing the common humanity that binds us all, regardless of the year we were born.

In conclusion, while seeking patterns and commonalities among generations is natural, it's essential to remember that each person is more than a demographic statistic. Embracing this mindset opens the door to more meaningful interactions and a richer appreciation of humanity's diverse tapestry. By focusing on individual stories and experiences, we can truly understand and appreciate the complexity and dynamism of Generation Z and any other group.

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Merry Christmas! Please don’t give me stuff - BonnyBirb

December is around the corner again, and with it the awkward, very British conversations beginning “right… what are we going to do?” I think it’s almost impossible in this country to go the entire festive season without being at least a little enchanted by the festivities, the décor, even the seasonal drinks at your preferred coffee shop chain. Although a lot of it rests and sleeps, nature can also be magical during the winter; in recent weeks, snowdrops and robins have greeted me on my travels, and this year I have two friends who are hoping for snow – it’s their first December in the UK.

Of course, Christmas also means gifting, and something that’s always bothered me is the deluge of Stuff the average person is given each Christmas. When I say Stuff (with a capital S), I’m not referring to genuinely heartfelt, thoughtful keepsakes, or a bar of your favourite chocolate. I’m talking about mass-produced, tacky objects that have probably been made by people under dubious working conditions, and that will likely fall apart in a matter of weeks. Everyone reading this can probably think of their own personal example – which just shows the scale of the issue. We find this Stuff most often in supermarkets and pound shops. Like the groceries that surround it, it’s a cheap consumable. But unlike apples and porridge, I don’t consider it particularly healthy.

The majority of British people have grown up ‘doing’ Christmas, in a more or less secular way, and the gifting element is part of it; it’s commonly seen as something everyone ‘must’ do. This isn’t a phenomenon exclusive to Christmas – my recent time in Malaysia led me to learn about the family politics associated with angbaos at Chinese New Year – but the British neurosis about keeping up appearances, mixed with a hearty dollop of American consumer culture, has made gifting reflexive. Do it now! More! Bigger! Faster!

Often the result is that overworked, underpaid, tired people feel pressured to grab this aforementioned Stuff off a shelf (where it is usually encased in unnecessary plastic packaging) and toss it at relatives whom, when they think about it, they don’t really know. In the majority of cases there won’t be any bad intentions behind this, but nevertheless, it doesn’t feel quite right. There’s an environmental aspect to this; the impact of tons of unwanted, discarded plastic and polyester can often be seen by literally just walking along the street. But what draws my attention most is below the surface. Whatever your relationship, exchange of capital-S Stuff is a poor substitute for human connection. Novelty socks can’t share a laugh and an anecdote. A light-up keyring can’t help heal old wounds.

I’m sure I’m not alone in thinking that I would much rather spend quality time with my relatives, getting to know them as individual humans, making fond memories, than receive a generic piece of tat and wonder when would be a safe time to take it to the charity shop. It’s a less tangible gift, yes – but that’s the point. There is a long way to go when it comes to fixing British society in all its facets, but I believe we can absolutely make a good start with this notion of intentional gifting. I’m not calling for Scroogeism, but for more conscious consumption, consideration, and a shift in our current norms towards gifts that will last.

I fully intend for myself and those I love to have a warm, bright festive season. But please, don’t give me Stuff.

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How has the enforcement of Laws affected women in recent years? - Nasiha05 

The British law system is based on common law which is designed to treat everyone equally regardless of gender. Nevertheless, there are still evident gender disparities that must be tackled. It is important to understand that there are no gender disparities in the system itself, rather an issue of how the laws are not adequately enforced or applied in certain situations. The legal system is all-pervasive and constantly evolving to address these issues and promote equality for all. This piece will discuss the disparities that particularly women in the UK face due to the law enforcement.

Laws surround individuals on a daily basis without them realising it. Therefore, it is essential for the laws that are implemented to engage in a positive manner whereby it upholds the purpose of it being created, dating back to the Magna Carta. Irrefutably, a society without laws would become antinominalist with chaos cemented.  According to the UN, the laws, “help lower levels of corruption and instances of violent conflict.” [University of Lincoln (2023)] This is reinforced by the 1948 Declaration of Human Rights established to protect the rights of all individuals by adopting over 70 human rights treaties consisting of 30 Articles. [United Nations (1948)] A thought-provoking article being Article 2, which clearly states that everyone has the right to all freedoms with no exceptions attached. Through this article and in fact all the articles, one can assume that there are laws placed advocating for a fairer society removing past social constructs.

Unfortunately, the application of the articles has not been efficiently carried out nor can be viewed as successful. This is displayed through the case of Sally Challen, who was imprisoned for the killing of her husband. The court failed to consider the fact she had a coercive husband - Richard. Legilsation did not recognise coercion control as a crime till 2015, therefore Sally Challen had to serve a 14-year sentence till she admitted to manslaughter under diminishing responsibility. Despite being presented with the evidence of her husband's abuse, including a diary in which Challen detailed his controlling behaviour and threats, Challen was not allowed to use the defence of "coercive control" in her trial. She was sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum term of 22 years. Richard had many affairs and forced her to do belittling actions like going out during the rain to get him food whilst he prepared for a date with a woman he met at a dating agency - this was the final straw. Despite the start of the proceedings of a divorce, Sally felt dependent on Richard and stopped the divorce procedures. Sally returning to her husband showed signs of Stockholm syndrome which is a coping mechanism displayed by victims of domestic abuse. She became emotionally and physically reliant on Richard who exploited this by perpetually instilling fear. [Carver, D.J.M. (2014)] Her release in 2019 gave rise to more victims wrongfully imprisoned framed as perpetrators. This highlights the legal systems’ lack of empathy towards victims of abuse disregarding the mens rea-  the state of mind of the defendant at the time of the crime committed. [Cornell Law School] By imprisoning Sally for a life sentence, the courts appeared to take a legalistic approach. Critics of the legal system pointed to this case as an example of how the UK legal system can fail to recognize the ways in which domestic abuse can lead to extreme behaviour, and how the system can sometimes punish victims of abuse for defending themselves. The case also highlighted the importance of recognizing and addressing the varying forms of domestic abuse, including emotional and psychological abuse. A utilitarianist interpretation - presented by John Stuart Mill - would argue that the killing of Richard was absolutely justifiable since the persistent fear override the happiness of the individual. The public also were in favour of her release considering the fact she was a victim of abuse, gaslighted and psychologically manipulated during her whole marriage. Furthermore, family and friends of Sally all witnessed Richard’s controlling behaviour, yet his legal team downplayed the abuse. Sally is a microcosm of the women who stand against men who act with impunity, but they receive harsher punishment than the initial perpetrators. It was crucial to question why the crime initially occurred; the severity of the situation should have been measured from the point of view of the ‘murderer’ Sally - why had she resorted to killing rather than seek help from authorities? This itself raised worrying questions to what extent can victims of abuse reach out for help- is it accessible enough? According to the Ministry of Justice recorded in 2021, there is a higher proportion of females (35%) who are first time offenders than males (22%). [Ministry of Justice (2021)] The reasoning behind this could be due to the fact that a female’s brain develops 2 years older after puberty, but it takes a male’s brain until their late teen years or even twenties to develop. Louann Brizendine references this in her book name the Female Brain explaining the structural differences which causes the inevitable responses emotionally. [Sharon Brock(2007)] Holistically, this may be why females are treated harshly from a younger age as there is an unfair societal expectation placed upon them to behave in a mature fashion. This may be an underlying problem of the legal system: the unconscious expectations influence how a female perpetrator is viewed- perhaps more harshly as seen by Sally Challen’s case.

Historically, women have always been a victim to a patriarchal system due to the inherent misogynistic views that have been generationally assimilated. This is apparent in the case of Sally Challen whereby a strictly legalistic approach was taken resulting in an unjust sentencing. Sally’s case is one of many. Many which can be prevented if the law was implemented fairly. 

REFERENCES

Díaz, D. and Díaz, D. (2023) The value of law: Understanding the purpose of laws and Legal Systems, University of Lincoln. Available at: https://online.lincoln.ac.uk/the-value-of-law-understanding-the-purpose-of-laws-and-legal-systems/ (Accessed: 20 June 2023).

 Universal declaration of human rights (no date) United Nations. Available at: https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights#:~:text=Drafted%20by%20representatives%20with%20different,all%20peoples%20and%20all%20nations. (Accessed: 20 June 2023).

 Sally Challen (no date) Justice for Women. Available at: https://www.justiceforwomen.org.uk/sally-challen-appeal (Accessed: 20 June 2023).

 Carver, D.J.M. (2014) Stockholm Syndrome: The psychological mystery of loving an      abuser, page 1, CounsellingResource.com: Psychology, Therapy & Mental Health Resources. Available at: https://counsellingresource.com/therapy/self-help/stockholm/ (Accessed: 20 June 2023).

Mens Rea (no date) Legal Information Institute. Available at: https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/mens_rea#:~:text=Mens%20rea%20refers%20to%20criminal,defendant%20of%20a%20particular%20crime. (Accessed: 20 June 2023).

Statistics on Women and the Criminal Justice System 2021 (2021) https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1119965/statistics-on-women-and-the-criminal-justice-system-2021-.pdf. Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/639261/bame-disproportionality-in-the-cjs.pdf (Accessed: 02 July 2023).

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God, Operation Mincemeat is Brilliant! - Jen S

There’s a new show taking London’s West End by storm and what a show it is! Operation Mincemeat is a new musical by award-winning musical theatre makers, Natasha Hodgson, Zoë Roberts, David Cumming and Felix Hagan, collectively known as SpitLip. It follows the real story of a group working for British Intelligence who come up with an utterly wild strategy to trick Hitler and help win us World War ll. It’s fast-paced, silly and very, very funny – a perfect tone for such a farcical true story.

Having previously been performed at London’s New Diorama Theatre (2019) and Southwark Playhouse (2020, 2021, 2022), followed by an extended run at Riverside Studios (2022), this exciting new musical has made its way to the Fortune Theatre in the West End and is growing stronger every day. Opening on 29th March this year, the show has extended multiple times due to popular demand and is currently booking until 4th November.

Fans of the show are passionate, with some saying that they have seen the show 30+ times. This has led to Operation Mincemeat now offering a Loyalty scheme to show their appreciation for the support. If you have seen the show multiple times, you can head over to the Operation Mincemeat website and fill in a form to apply for £10 off per ticket for a group of 6 or more patrons (subject to availability.)

This is one of the things which makes me so happy for the creators of Operation Mincemeat – they care about their audience. When creating the show, as far back as 2018, they uploaded videos of what they were working on, to their SpitLip YouTube channel, asking for feedback on their working progress songs and sharing with their audience, challenges they were facing with the making of Operation Mincemeat. This is all content which isn’t usually shared, as creatives often like to keep things on the down-low until they are fully happy with their work. SpitLip, on the other hand, are collaborators and when watching Operation Mincemeat, I was struck by how much I felt that in the theatre.

I’ve tried to express what I mean to friends and family, but Operation Mincemeat just feels different. When watching it, I felt like I was as much a part of the show as I was watching the show. The atmosphere in the theatre was nothing but positive, with audience members around me spilling compliment after compliment about how original and creative the show is. With a cast of only five actors, something else which is special for this show is the fans’ support and enthusiasm for the understudies. Unfortunately, in theatre, there can be negativity towards understudies generally, when an audience member attends the show expecting to see a particular actor, but they see an understudy instead. Not at Operation Mincemeat. Fans are so supportive of every cast member that a bingo sheet has been created, so that fans who see the show multiple times can tick off the different combinations of cast members they have seen perform together.

I have seen the main original cast in the show (Natasha Hodgson, Zoë Roberts, David Cumming, Claire-Marie Hall and Jak Malone) twice (so far) and both times, something went awry. Of course, in live performance, things can go wrong at any time, but the important thing is how the actors react and I felt truly honoured to witness how they dealt with it.

At my first viewing, it was just a simple misthrow of a hat. Not a big deal – they just threw it again and moved on. My second viewing, however, saw something which I loved with all my heart – probably the greatest moment I’ve ever seen in a theatre. Three actors were on-stage (Natasha Hodgson, David Cumming and Claire-Marie Hall), their characters having a discussion, when suddenly, Hester (Jak Malone) swung the door wide open, loudly and confidently making their entrance. The three looked at Jak. Jak looked at the three. Natasha broke the silence, “you’ve come in a bit early, Hester, I think.” The audience were suddenly beside themselves, realising that Jak had mistakenly entered the scene too early and we all watched as he slowly backed away, closing the door behind him. The three continued where they left off, only to be greeted by Jak re-entering a few lines later from the wrong entrance. Natasha, “there isn’t even a door there.” It was utterly hilarious and I was nothing but impressed by how the actors dealt with the situation. This is a funny musical and that was a naturally funny moment, so why not use it? The audience’s laugh was nothing but supportive and only brought us closer to the piece. It was a rare genuine moment in theatre, where the actors were just playing and what a breath of fresh air it was.

Another breath of fresh air, was my experience meeting the cast. Typically, I don’t go to stage doors after shows any more, partly because I don’t want to take up their time when they’re tired and busy. On this day, however, I was meeting a friend after the show, who was running late and as I was standing close to the stage door, the cast started coming out. I figured that this would be a natural opportunity to tell the cast how much I loved their show and I cannot tell you how impressed I was by the experience. Despite having less than two hours between their matinee and evening shows, the cast took as much time as was needed to speak to everyone personally, signing programmes and chatting about the show. It was the most chilled, personal stage door experience I’ve ever had, with actors who were nothing but grateful that people wanted to share how much the show meant to them. They were a great group of people and I even had the extra joy of meeting Jak’s Italian Greyhound, Dracula.

Every time something good comes their way – an extended run or yet another 5-star review - it brings me such joy, knowing that a group of friends who made their own musical have seen it go from strength to strength. It’s so rare that happens and I am truly thrilled for them. I can only hope that it’s around for many years to come – I’ll be cheering them on all the way.

Treat yourself to Operation Mincemeat tickets and have a great day!

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Fancy a game of padel? - lilyfreeman4576 

You may not have heard of this sport yet, but it won’t be long until everyone has as it is currently the fastest growing sport in the world and the UK…

Padel is best described as mix between tennis and squash with the court taking the shape of a tennis court but is surrounded by glass walls and a wire cage. The racquet-based game is played with a very slightly modified tennis ball, which is allowed to hit the glass after it bounces to keep the game in play. As the ball is able to bounce of the wall, it is much faster paced game than tennis and allows the sport to be picked up more easily.

The rules are very similar to tennis too, so any previous knowledge and racquet skills are easily transferrable to the game. Padel is unique because it must be played in doubles, so a game always includes four people. This is what makes pádel so sociable too and really sold the sport to me.  Personally, I have set up the first University pádel society at the University of Leeds after discovering it in Spain. In 6 short months we have managed to grow to over 100 members who enjoy meeting and playing with new people.

A bit about its history…

Padel first came from Mexico in the 1960s, when a young businessman couldn’t fit a regular tennis court in his garden, so he built a modified version. He built tall walls around the court to prevent the ball from going into his neighbour’s garden, or from going over the cliff face on the other side. Padel is now a widely played game in South America and many parts of Europe, in particular Spain and Portugal. The game is rapidly picking up popularity across the UK, with the help of Jurgen Klopp, David Beckham, Venus Williams and Andy Murray all being advocates for the sport. The UK only has roughly 150 courts but is expected to grow and expand as the number of people who play increases.

Padel is able to cater to all needs and ages, which I think is rare for sport. The other day, when I was playing at my local club, there was a court of children aged 6 having a lesson on one side of me, and four elderly gentlemen catching up over a game on the other side. I am yet to meet someone who plays the game and doesn’t enjoy it – it really is addictive.

So, if you are looking for a new hobby, or new sport, or even a new way of meeting people, have a search on the LTA website about where your closest court is and give it a go! I can’t wait for the sport to grow and gain more and more popularity. I’d love to know of any other experiences people have had with the sport too!

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Being a woman in STEM – adrianalobosco

Science has always been my passion and it has been an aspiration of mine to have a career in the industry. My first dream job was to be a vet – this was quickly vetoed after my sister told me where my hands would end up! After I finished my A Levels, I spent some time working in retail as a visual merchandiser. This mainly involved squeezing myself into tiny gaps to change window displays and almost being flattened every time I tried to change a mannequin. After I realised retail wasn’t for me, I spent some time working in the food industry helping to develop new food-to-go products. After realising, again, that this wasn’t something I wanted to do long term, I left in search of a science-based role.

University was something that didn’t really appeal to me. Looking back, if I had made the decision to go to university, I would certainly have more friends! But you know what they say, quality over quantity….. unfortunately either one applies!

I am currently working as an apprentice Bioengineering and Chemistry technician. My role is very varied, and every day is different. I am constantly learning new things and putting them into practice, and I am excited to complete my apprenticeship at the end of the year and grow within the world of science. Apprenticeships have always appealed to me because I like the hybrid approach of learning and working. Before I came across this apprenticeship, I didn’t think it was possible for me to access a role like this without a degree.

I have learnt a great deal so far including learning how to use and carry out maintenance on different equipment, giving training to post-graduate students and staff and helping in the teaching labs supporting undergraduate students. Some days are very reactive, and I have to deal with equipment malfunctions and things going wrong in the lab. Fortunately this doesn’t happen often, although I must admit I like the change of pace - just don’t tell my manager!

When I am not engrossed in the world of science, I spend my time following my cat around the house (I wish that was a metaphor) and travelling to different worlds via the pages of a good book. I am also a huge foodie, and as a newcomer to London I am always out and about discovering new food spots.

I have always had great admiration for women in STEM careers and now I am in that position myself. As a young woman I am honoured to be able to fly the flag and hopefully inspire other young women to pursue a career in science and engineering.

I have just over six months left of apprenticeship, and I am loving every second of it. I feel like my love for my job comes across and I have received some excellent feedback so far. My hard work and appetite for learning has resulted in me being nominated for the Papin Prizes, an award that recognises the invaluable role of technicians across the country. I must admit it was an incredibly proud moment.

As the wise philosopher Confucius once said, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life”.

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4 Things You Might Regret as A Student at Uni – LaurenET

Being a student can be some of the best times of your life, but it’s only after you graduate and start working your first big girl job that you begin thinking of all the regrets you have about uni. Here are just 4 of the regrets I have that you might have too:

Not Doing Any Internships

This is my number 1 regret about university. At the time, I genuinely believed I was too busy or too shy or too confused about what kind of career I wanted to even think about applying for internships. It turns out, I just didn’t know about The Grad Soc. This company help students and grads find flexible (between 5 to 10 hours a week), paid (£11 per hour!) and remote (an introvert’s dream) internships that last around 3 months. Looking back, if I had found them at uni, I would have been making the most of my weekends, saving up that extra cash and figuring out what kind of work I actually really liked (and what I absolutely didn’t want to pursue). One thing you realise coming out of uni is that a degree doesn’t mean much to an employer and it’s your work experience that speaks volumes when you’re trying to land a grad job. It sounds simple but it’s not something I knew.

2. Wasting My Student Loan

In particular, on a bunch of new clothes. Don’t get me wrong, I saved like mad (maybe a little bit too mad at times) but I made some very regrettable purchases where that money could have been put to good use. No, I didn’t need the Anastasia brow gel because it was trending online and no, I didn’t need a new outfit for every event. If you’re a student reading this now, it’s worth asking yourself why you’re buying something. Is it just for the sake of buying? Can you find it somewhere cheaper? Can you wait a couple of months and if you still want it then you can get it? It might seem like the odd £20 here and the odd £15 there but it really starts to add up (and trust me, the future grad version of you will wish you had that money for a new vacuum or office desk or something “adult”).

3. Not Enjoying the Small Things

Uni is hectic. Every day feels like it’s mad and that’s not always a bad thing especially when you’re young, a little bit wild and soaking up all the freedom you have. But one regret you might find yourself having as a grad is not enjoying the small moments that made your uni experience. Like sitting in the library with your friends, all of you experiencing a stress-induced meltdown and you’re counting down the days until term ends. Or going home to visit your mum and dad. Or walking back to your flat with your besties. Or cooking dinner for your housemates. At the time, you’re so wrapped up in that essay you have to finish or that presentation you have to do that you forget to really soak up these small moments.

4. Throwing Away My Free Time

Once you graduate, you realise how time consuming it is working a “proper” job and you begin to regret throwing away all that freedom you had. Personally, I wish I had done more than binge watch and shop with my free time. If I could give advice to a current student, I’d say make the most of the time you have now where most of you have very few responsibilities. Travel to new cities (spending money on a new experience trumps new clothes by the way, take this advice), try new coffee shops, make new meals, choose a hobby, and stick to it (even if you’re rubbish at it, you’ll come out of uni with a passion for something that isn’t related to your career). I also wish I’d spent this freedom exploring my future options better. Could I have done some online courses? Could I have been networking? All of this hindsight is something you wish you had as a student. 

And these are just a few of the many regrets you might relate to! Ultimately, it’s important to look forward rather than wishing you could change the past but hopefully this lands in the hands of newbie and current uni students who can learn from my mistakes. 

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Experience Disney’s The Lion King - ElmQuill1617

Currently, over at the Lyceum Theatre in London’s West End, you will find Disney’s The Lion King. This musical has been there since 1999 and is one of the longest-running West End shows. Somehow, despite me being an avid theatregoer, The Lion King had passed me by, so I decided to go along and see what I’d been missing.

To be completely honest, despite it being a popular long-running show, I was sceptical about how much I would enjoy The Lion King. In the past, I have seen other Disney West End productions, which I haven’t connected to. I felt that, in some ways, they were making a show which pleased the audience, rather than choosing to take the essence of the film and take it above and beyond for the stage adaptation. This is one of the things I loved about The Lion King – it seemed to really utilise the art of live theatre and make not just a show to watch, but, rather, a show to experience.

The ambience is set as soon as you enter the auditorium, with the sounds of animals subtly in the background. The actors can be seen both on-stage and in the auditorium at points during the show, which makes for an immersive and exciting atmosphere and even as I sat up in the Grand Circle, I felt fully involved in the action. The cast was phenomenal, with every performer contributing equally as an ensemble, though I have to give a special mention to Gary Jordan, who plays the role of Zazu. The combination of the brilliant blue and white costume to represent the sky, the incredible Zazu puppet and Gary’s performance, bringing the character to life, really left a big impression on me. I hadn’t anticipated leaving the theatre feeling so fond of such a sarcastic African red-billed hornbill, but here we are!

One of the reasons that I hadn’t liked previous Disney West End productions was due to audience behaviour. In particular, I had gone to see Aladdin a few years back with my mum as a birthday present and the tickets were not cheap. Neither of us were really into the show as a whole and we found that there were problems with the sound, which meant that we often couldn’t hear the lyrics certain actors were singing. Aside from that, though, the two of us were almost surrounded by a large group of school children. They, and many other audience members, spent much of the performance singing along, chatting, leaving the auditorium, coming back in, leaving again and coming back in again. The teachers had decided to sit next to each other, rather than spreading out to watch the children and the fact that they were singing along and chatting, too, suggests that they would have done nothing about it, even if they had been sat apart. Thankfully, at The Lion King, I didn’t have any problems at all.

It’s great for people to visit the theatre, especially when they’ve never been before - it opens up a whole new world and can inspire people in many, many positive ways. The more people who go to the theatre, the more audience members are buying tickets, merchandise, drinks from the bar and ultimately, keeping shows running and theatres open. The trouble, is that when people haven’t been to the theatre before, they may not be familiar with theatre etiquette, which is ultimately to be respectful of everyone else in the theatre. When theatre-goers have paid around £50 of their hard-earned money to go and support the arts, they don’t expect to be sitting next to someone screaming song lyrics in their ear or lighting up the room, as they check their phone every three minutes (the latter of which happened to me at both Hamilton and In the Heights – sorry, Lin-Manuel Miranda).

Of course, many people would love to go to the West End, but they might be thinking that tickets are out of their price range. Have no fear, there are many ways that you can get tickets at a reasonable price and here’s how:

Ticket lotteries are available for shows such as Hamilton, which are free to enter and if you win, you get one or two heavily discounted tickets, depending on how many you requested.

If you are interested in seeing The Book of Mormon, they have a ticket lottery in-person at The Prince of Wales Theatre, London. If successful, you win either one or two tickets for the best seats in the stalls section, paying only £20 each.

A limited number of tickets for same-day theatre performances are available, mostly from the TodayTix app. Those will come at a discounted price, but sell out fast, so get in there quick!

Also on TodayTix, there is the option to search for theatre tickets which cost £20 or less.

Seat Plan is a website where members of the public can leave reviews of the theatre seat which they sat in, stating what the view was like from the seat, along with an accompanying photo. When you have reached a certain number of seat reviews, you get rewarded with either a Seat Plan gift card, to get theatre tickets from their website, or a Theatre Tokens gift card.

I would recommend considering buying theatre tickets which say that they are “restricted view.” If you search for those seats on Seat Plan, you will be able to see a photo of what the view is like and read what people thought about sitting there. In my experience, restricted view seats often aren’t that restricted at all and are worth paying the £25 less than the person who will be sitting in the seat next to you!

Treat yourself to a trip to the theatre and have a great day!

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Gourmet on a Budget: Smoky Chorizo Tomato Pasta – Heathero

I first came across this recipe when my parents came to visit me at uni. My then housemate and good friend offered to cook and wow oh wow!

This utter beauty of this recipe is how simply yet delicious it is. With only a handful of ingredients you can truly whip up a storm. This dish should take only around 15 minutes to cook, and you’ll only need 5-7 ingredients. Let’s go…

Ingredients

2 medium white onions

Half a chorizo, finely chopped

A LOT of garlic (we’re talking 4 or 5 cloves)

1 tin of tomatoes

1 tbsp tomato puree

Chilli flakes (optional)

Parmesan (optional)

Instructions

Begin by sweating the onions in some oil (olive if you’re feeling particularly luxurious). Don’t cook them too much though, we just want them to get a bit of a sweat on!

Add in the chopped chorizo and fry real good till your whole house smells smoky and delicious

Add in the garlic and let it all mingle together in a taste sensation

If you’d like, add a few chilli flakes to give it that spicy kick!

Once the chorizo and onions are cooked, add in the tinned tomatoes and tomato puree. Stir all together and let it stew for about 5-8 minutes, until its thickened and bubbling happily away. At this point you should also season to taste

Meanwhile, get your pasta on to boil; extra points if it’s long and thin – I love a spaghetti or linguini with this one

Add some pasta water to your sauce and stir in to make it nice and creamy

Once your pasta is cooked, mix it in with the sauce and make sure all the pasta is coated

Serve with parmesan, or just on its own and enjoy the smoky tomatoey meaty flavour

[weareyour4]

Heaven Scent - mazansdell

She was eighteen in Florence. Her days were spent wandering somewhat aimlessly through those historic streets, hoping to fulfil that imperative task of finding herself. She’d leave the apartment at dawn and return when her feet throbbed from all the walking. She visited galleries and ate focaccia at lunch from a particular stall on the Ponte Vecchio. It was a city full of people with immediate smiles, existing in a culture-drenched ecosystem she so wished to feel at one with. It felt necessary to drink bitter coffee in the cobbled squares, to follow signposts that lead to an oil painting class and to attend dinners with new acquaintances – to immerse herself in things that felt like being alive.  

This was a period of her life overwhelmed by feelings of derealisation. She acknowledged her place in this new environment, but the foreignness she felt was not geographical. Her body shrunk under the cavernous roof of the Duomo and swelled in her stuffy Italian classroom. Noises were distorted and sights two-dimensional, there was a gaping space around her and nothing to clutch onto. Sweeping views from the Piazzale Michelangelo weren’t true and neither were the clusters of magnets or leather wallets at the market. She longed for connection with her surroundings instead of this unfriendly fog that clouded her vision and stiffened her jaw. 

. . . 

One day, whilst walking past the trattorias and tourists near the Piazza di San Giovanni, she was struck by a scent. A nonchalant breeze brought a certain smell to her nose, a fusion of the salty sea, sun-warmed skin and a flower-fringed meadow. There was an inky facet too and a kind of metallic tang, then softened by a mellow aroma of mossy woodlands. It hung in the air with mystery and at once lifted her body out of its remoteness. For a moment she glimmered with real connection to the world, then the wind lightly carried on its way. 

She walked around those streets most days trying to find the scent, not content with the possibility she might never smell it again. The determination to have that sensory entrance again was such that she spent an entire afternoon in the original spot (she pretended to read a book, blending deliberately into the Italian scene). The breeze must have known she was waiting; it found her and enlivened the air with the elusive aroma. This time she followed its trail, the odour becoming brighter and more certain as she walked towards a shop tucked away in a passage. Square bottles of perfume gleamed azure in the window. She let the door’s brass bell ring gently as she went inside and bought a bottle of the fragrance. 

. . . 

After a morning touring some nearby churches, she went with a girl named Lydia to a shady glade deep in the Boboli Gardens. A circle of trees provided solitude and a sense of security, which seemed to ease her quietly persistent channel of anxiety. It was, they decided, a contemporary Botticelli painting: the pair took off their scuffed New Balances and collected slightly trodden daises and violets to fashion into a crown. They dipped bread into pesto, neither one concentrating on the books they’d intended to read. Lying back on the prickly grass, they stretched their arms towards the sky with their fingers rippling across the bright sunlight. There was a familiar cooing of woodpigeons and the distant hum of an airplane drawing a trail above. 

They talked and dozed. She inhaled deeply and felt that the swirls and blinks of red and green behind her closed eyelids were being taken over by something greater – something proximate and dreamlike. She’d been wearing the perfume for a few days but a new kind of power was kindled in that moment. It had been warming on her body, gently mixing with the aromas of the earth beneath her, their musky armpits clad in powdery deodorant and the seemingly ever-present scent of citrus in these palace grounds. She smelt her wrist again. The odour enveloped her and roused the colours, noises and textures all around. The wind in the trees giggled, the prickle of the grass turned pillowy under her legs. Lydia’s hair and skin glowed a luminous blue. Her breathing became fuller and wider, as if her organs insisted that they too share this fragrant idyll. The oceanic, sylvan electricity of the smell held her in its grasp. She was wholly present in that moment, feeling true love for Lydia, the natural world, this city and herself. 

For the first time, she felt calm rather than dread in knowing that vast space existed between herself and the sky, the sky and space. Her perception was jolted with the realisation that all the world’s invisible matter was filled with a kaleidoscope of aromatic molecules. Though smell seemed incomprehensible in its scientific makeup, she realised it was a companion to the everyday. It made sense of the world’s cyclical nature: perfume being the transformation of raw materials into diffusive liquids that then influences location, interaction and memory. It was something to challenge the giddy, existential angst that had hung for so long around her head – a medium she’d craved to feel present in the world. 

[weareyour4]

Nature's Right to Be - Annie97

As we start to settle into a post covid world, we are beginning to develop a new relationship with nature. Yet even with this newfound value of nature for human wellbeing, our relationship with the natural world remains inherently anthropocentric, viewing humans as having dominion over nature. As a result, nature and natural resources are regarded as property or objects which can be owned, used, and exploited by humans. 

Rivers are a prime example of where the current legislation is lacking in its protection towards nature. Until Brexit, the UK government was a signatory to the Water Framework Directive. The Water Framework Directive (WFD) set a requirement that all EU member states achieve ‘good’ status for all surface water and groundwater bodies by 2027. Today 40% of all EU surface waters have achieved good or ‘high’ ecological status The UK in comparison is falling far behind with 14% achieving ‘good’ or ‘high’ status. Furthermore currently no English waterway, including rivers, lakes, estuaries, and coastal waters, are in good ecological or chemical health.  While the WFD requirements continued to apply following Brexit, the Environmental Act 2021 was implemented as a new legal framework for environmental protection replacing the requirements outlined by the WFD. This Act according to Part 5, section 89 gives the government the authority to change or eliminate the EU-derived water quality targets that the UK was set by the WFD. This section in particular allows the Secretary of State to change the way water quality targets are measured, as well as repeal, revoke, or modify any target or other water quality provision derived from the EU. This Act therefore leads to a looser interpretation of water quality standards, which could be harmful to the environment. Furthermore, this clause allows the UK government to avoid the costs associated with meeting EU water quality standards, allowing businesses to pollute without fear of repercussions.  

While this may have seemed like a ‘worst case scenario’ the result of this act is already coming to fruition as it has just been released in the new River Basin Management plans that the target date for cleaning the UKs waterways has been pushed back by 36 years. With our clean target being pushed back, it is clear current legislation is not doing enough, and a paradigm shift in constitutional law is imperative to protecting our rivers. 

It is therefore important to question our fundamental relationship with nature as we begin to recognise its value in a post covid world. How can we establish an ecocentric relationship with Nature? To answer this question, we should cast our eyes to areas around the world where nature is regarded not as property but as an ancestral being…

The conceptual foundation of the Rights of Nature movement is the idea that nature is a legal entity with inherent rights, rather than merely property to be owned and controlled by humans. While this is a relatively new concept, its application can be seen throughout the world with Ecuador being the first country to grant legal rights to nature in 2008. It is envisaged that by re-imagining the natural world as a holder of rights, our behaviour towards the natural environment will be transformed. This will enable the dramatic shifts in behaviour and legislation required to protect the natural environment and establish a lasting relationship.  

Rivers are a key example of where natural entities have successfully been granted legal rights. Giving rivers legal rights helps bridge the disconnect between humans and the natural environment by giving people a sense of responsibility towards protecting and preserving rivers. Legal recognition also means that governments are more likely to invest in sustainable management practices, such as controlling water pollution or providing better access to clean water. Ultimately, applying the Rights of Nature to rivers and other natural spaces creates tangible benefits for both people and ecosystems, while emphasizing the importance of nature in our lives, and is vital to the continuation of the very same people and ecosystems as we move through the 21st century.

[weareyour4]

4 Ways to Protect your Mental Health during the Cost-of-Living Crisis as a Student or Grad - LaurenET

Ahhh it’s Christmas time and nothing screams cosy, festive feelings like a cost-of-living crisis (not!). 

It’s important, now more than ever, that we all make a conscious effort to protect our mental health, and that goes for students and graduates too. Here’s 4 ways to make sure you’re doing just that.

Budget Realistically

Budget - just one of a student’s least favourite words.

Budgeting, and doing so realistically, will help you to protect your mental health during this oh not-so-fun time. Get your pen and paper out (or excel sheet) and make a note of exactly when your student loan or wage drops and how much you’re expecting. Then factor in your bills, subscriptions, food shops and any extras like birthday gifts. Once you know exactly what you NEED for the month, you can start thinking about what you want. This includes things like new clothes, nights out, Domino’s and Dukes Donuts. 

It might sound super boring and thinking about money (or rather your distinct lack of money) can make you feel low. But if you don’t know what you’re spending, why and where you’re spending it, you’re only heading for more stress… and your overdraft.

Stop Scrolling (Or At Least Reduce Scrolling)

If you’re an avid TikTok or Instagram user, it’s pretty much a guarantee that at some point or another you will be (if you haven’t already) convinced to buy something.

If you’re trying to survive the cost-of-living crisis and protect your precious mental health, nothing makes you feel worse than watching a bunch of influencers open free PR packages and sell products to you as “a must” or “the best thing they’ve bought in months”. Steer clear of TikTok shop and following a load of new influencer, model types that are only going to make you feel like you absolutely need to buy that new skincare product, Dyson Airwrap or Ugg Tasmans. 

Protect your sanity and your bank account, especially when you know it’s not something you ever wanted before you saw it online.

Get Creative

As much as we all say, “it’s the thought that counts”, sometimes you really want to buy your mates and your mum a really good gift. But who says this actually has to cost you the world?!

Get creative with your gift ideas this Christmas because spending a load on presents this year is not going to make your January 2023 self feel great. If you have money to spare, use sites like Vinted or eBay to get your gifts a little bit cheaper and make sure you’re intentional with what you’re buying. Amazon Warehouse deals are great too (the product is still good to use, the box might just be a little bit bashed or opened but then returned). Maybe even think about getting yourself to Home Bargains to pick up a basket and fill it with small treats for your favourite people.

Homemade gifts are a shout too. Think baking someone their favourite brownies, writing down your favourite recipes for that one friend that just can’t cook to save their life or using the skills you already have (painting or sewing) to make someone a small gift.

The chances are everyone you know is feeling the pinch this year. The fact you’ve thought of them, and want to spend anything on them, is something that will make anyone feel good. Protect your mental health by reminding yourself of what actually matters.

Stay Grateful

There’s nothing like a cost-of-living crisis to really emphasise what you don’t have. All of which makes you feel pretty rubbish. 

Staying grateful doesn’t mean that the struggles you’re facing right now aren’t completely valid - because they are and it’s not a situation any of us want to be in. But make sure to check in with yourself every now and then to remember what you do have. Do you have a Christmas dinner to attend? A warm bed to wake up in on Christmas morning? Family waiting to ask you a million questions about how uni is going or to quiz you about your first “adult” job?

Look after your mental health by focusing on the good rather than dwelling on the bad (and we all know it’s a lot easier to let yourself feel rubbish than actually pick yourself up). 

P.S students and grads, if the cost-of-living crisis is getting you down, reach out to someone. Have a look at what your uni might be emailing you, putting out on social media or advertising at the student union. Some unis are providing extra grants, discounted food, more deals and support on hand if you need to talk. 

[weareyour4]

Messi vs. Ronaldo: What's to debate? - Jidowu756

Call me bias or not all you want but there's only one winner. Messi. The goat, the star man the greatest player to ever grace these beautiful pitches. Ronaldo? Pffftt don't give me jokes. 7 Ballon d’Ors, 1 Copa America, 4 Champions League, 10 LaLiga titles. What a decorated player, he really is an example to all those young footballers who want to make it to the top. 701 goals with a whopping 332 assists who could really argue with these stats especially when he's close to Ronaldo record with nearly 100 less games (for club). Also, in my opinion longevity comes into play. For example, look at now Messi is thriving at PSG racking up goals and assists (and don't even think about farmers league - what a lazy take). As I was saying, at the moment he is playing really well and then we get ' Ronaldo' with 4 goals and stat padding against Sheriff and Omonoia… He could never be my GOAT.

How can your so called ‘GOAT’ talk so much trash about his club, calling club legends out, saying the manager is awful and the dressing atmosphere is bad?! At least have some decorum... See where that's lead him to now! Contract terminated by Man U, without and club and now left with a bad reputation, his attitude reeks of pride. Is this what we want to be looking up to? A person who doesn't respect his surroundings and thinks he can say whatever he wants?

That could never be Messi; he's so humble and meek.

Ronaldo; what a clown!

On the other hand, Mr Tantrum and attention seeker is annoyed because he doesn’t play anymore so he decides to act so immature and childish and act in spite against your own club! I mean fair enough I won’t even lie, Ronaldo's career has been amazing winning the Euros, 5 Champions Leagues and leading international goal scorer; I mean who can argue he isn't good? Maybe the 2nd best player ever to grace these green fields, but of course, after Messi. Ronaldo’s aerial ability, athleticism and height makes him a powerful and strong forward but that can't match Messi's wonderful and brilliant ability to play all round. Yeah, Ronaldo can score lots of goals but so can Messi and he can do a million times more things than Ronaldo can.

The other day I had a heated debate with my friends at school; delusion is real!

To be honest I’m not even surprised they all supported United and the only people dragging this long ended debate are Man Utd and Real Madrid fans. It's really clear and obvious who’s the better player, they are just reluctant to admit the fact in my opinion. It really isn't hard to use our eyes and witness the greatest player ever to play the beautiful sport and call him the 'GOAT' because it really just has been given to us. However, this long debate should be over some time and at this point as they both age we should appreciate how good these two really were in their prime.

Anyways, onto Mbappe and Haaland!!

[weareyour4]

Millennial Money Matters - Caitlin97

Millennials - young, fun, free? Not necessarily in 2022.

The effects of the cost-of-living crisis are cross-generational, but the under-30s are likely to be among the hardest hit (The Guardian, 2022).

This year has seen the highest rates of inflation for 40 years. The result is that many of us now live their lives day by day, penny by penny – wrapped up in blankets and debating whether we can really afford to go out this weekend.

On a serious note - many of us are sacrificing ‘luxuries’ such as the morning lattes; with clothing, holidays, entertainment and, astonishingly, electronics coming close behind (FT, 2022).

Over half of young women surveyed said they were "filled with dread" when thinking about household finances in 2022 (Young Women’s Trust, 2022). They are not disappointed at having to give up their Netflix subscription – they are struggling to make ends meet (Refinery, 2022)

If you relate to any of the above, you’re not alone.

To help, here are some useful tips and tricks to keep on top of the climbing price of living.

Rethink your Bills: Starting with you Mobile Phone

It’s never a nice feeling seeing those monthly broadband and/or phone bill come out, and being left there thinking ‘surely it’s not this time of the month again?’ If you’re nearing the end of your contract (or can ‘buy yourself out’), it’s worthwhile exploring potentially better value options.

For broadband, Virgin Media offer great flexible student deals. With average download speeds of up to 516Mbps available, you and your pals can get the speed and flexibility you need.

For mobile, O2 just launched a brand new Rolling Plan. It’s essentially a pay monthly contract, but without the contract, and you can leave anytime.  O2 also offer a tonne of benefits too, like full access to O2 Priority – free coffee and Thursday pints, anyone? - as well as international data and minutes.  Customers are in control, free to change or stop their plan anytime, with no minimum commitment period. You can also carry up to 100% of your unused allowance, so you’re never left ‘out of pocket’ – or tied into a contract.

Negotiate that Salary

If you haven't had a pay rise this year, ask your employer if your earnings could increase in line with inflation. Make sure that you are getting paid the minimum wage. If there are any hours you spend working that aren't accounted for in your pay (such as preparing for an event), speak up!

Start that Side Hustle

Try think of how you can make money from home. You could consider doing easy tasks that can earn you extra cash in your spare time. These include doing paid online surveys or freelancing. Get the thinking cap on!

Sell Those Clothes

Do you have any old belongings that you no longer need or want? You could try selling them to earn a bit of extra cash. That jacket that you “promise that you’ll wear at some point”, or that jumper you haven’t worn in 3 months; why don’t you sell them on and pocket the cash?

Platforms such as Vinted and Depop are great for cashing in on those unnecessary extras.

Set a Budget

Keeping to a budget is often easier said than done, but it can make such a difference.

If you struggle to stick to a budget, an approach that could take is using an app-based bank account as a second account. Calculate how much you can afford to spend (this could be weekly/monthly) and set up a standing order to send that amount of money to another app-based account. Only use that card when out and about. This helps you keep track of your spending, and you’ll immediately know how much you have left to spend that month.

Get on the Meal Prep Hype

Meal planning for the week helps fight off the temptation to pick up those expensive ready meals or over-buying foods that you don’t use. Also, instead of sticking with brands you know when shopping, try downshifting to a budget food range, and you could save a fair amount of money. Don’t forget those yellow-sticker bargains too.

Of course, sometimes cooking isn’t an option, for time reasons or otherwise. If that’s the case, there are brilliant apps to help you save money on food. Here are some examples:

Olio – For free food, try Olio. Find people nearby giving away food to avoid it going to waste.

Approved Food – This site sells food past its best before date (but not use-by date) at reduced prices

Too Good To Go – Buy food from local cafes/restaurants that would go to waste otherwise

[weareyour4]

5 ways I’ve minimalised my life and why - BonnyBirdNerd

Minimalism is a great idea. But bringing this way of life from your Pinterest board into your home, appearance and habits can be tough. It requires commitment, concentration, and consideration - three Cs that, for some, can be chores. Everyone’s ambitions and appetites for change are different. Rather than doing your utmost to imitate a single minimalism guru (as lovely as they are), it may be more helpful to consider one or other of these entry points - and if you’d like to dig deeper, I’ve linked my supporting research.

Reinvent your inventory

Decluttering! Easier said than done in a world chock-full of pretty, shiny, purchasable things. But if you’re looking to improve self-esteem, it’s worth jumping in - recent research from Japan (Aso, 2018) shows that people aged 12-54 who took part in four weekly workshops about health and living spaces improved substantially on clinical self-esteem questionnaires.

Aso, Y. (2018). An educational program for young people who have difficulty decluttering and organizing. European Journal of Public Health, 28(suppl_4), cky214-137.

Redirect the debits

Financial trouble is a ditch everyone should avoid falling into in the first place, but if you find yourself in it, there are significant steps you can take to get out. If your spending habits easily get out of control, ask your bank about a basic bank account. Basic bank accounts are designed for people with bad credit scores, or other vulnerabilities that make it harder to preserve money. They’re similar to any other account - you can make withdrawals from ATMs, set up direct debits and standing orders, and use online banking, but you won’t be eligible for perks like overdrafts or cashback. If you’re on good ground financially, it’s still worth keeping track of your direct debits and regular spending, even just by keeping them in a note on your phone.

Keefe, J. (2011). Guidance to help tackle mental health debt. Mental Health Nursing (Online), 31(2), 10.

Try being timeless

The practice of living in a minimalist way has also been called ‘voluntary simplicity’ or ‘deconsumption’. But is achieving ‘voluntary simplicity’ simple? According to Błoński & Witek (2019), it can be as straightforward as slowing down and honestly considering purchases. What does this look like? Investing in one high-quality dress as opposed to eight terribly-made pieces, using local sharing and freebie apps, and most pressingly, resisting the pressure to impulse-buy - a superpower the shops don’t want you to gain! Personally, I combine this with strategy 1 by thinking ‘one in, one out’ when I’m about to buy something - have I recently done sufficient decluttering to sensibly allow this new shiny thing into my life? I know it sounds harsh, but I’m happier for it.

Błoński, K., & Witek, J. (2019). Minimalism in consumption. Annales Universitatis Mariae Curie-Skłodowska, sectio H–Oeconomia, 53(2), 7-15.

Switch the socials

In his book Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World, Cal Newport advocates taking an audit of your technology use, including social media. Digital minimalism, he says, means that “you focus your online time on a small number of carefully selected and optimized activities that strongly support things you value, and then happily miss out on everything else”. So if you want to get away from Facebook’s toxic echo chambers and creepy ads, but can’t bear to miss out on the latest scorching memes, perhaps a more focused platform is the answer. I’ve found Pinterest to be an ideal replacement space for inspiration, useful tips and mindless amusement, without the constant badgering to ‘connect’ and ‘share’ my every thought. Alternatively, you could simply try a day or two without any kind of scrolling. See what strange and wonderful things are waiting around the corner!

Janssen, M. (2019). A Guide to Digital Decluttering: A Review of Digital Minimalism.

Make more moments

It’s worth asking, why the surge in minimalism’s popularity? Has the whole world decided to become an Ikea? Uggla (2019) notices that people living minimally in the USA and Europe lean towards conscientious, activistic, even radical justifications for their choices. Polish minimalist bloggers express wanting the greater freedom that comes from owning few material possessions, while Americans adopt minimalism out of wanting to save money and time. One common theme in people’s self-reported minimalist journeys is being able to find a deeper sense of self and meaning after they have offloaded their unnecessary stuff: the fast pace of a life built around constant consumption and novelty is destabilising to a person’s identity. In other words, after stepping out of the rat race and saying no to keeping up with the Joneses, it’s easier to move towards the things you really wanted all along.

Uggla, Y. (2019). Taking back control: Minimalism as a reaction to high speed and overload in contemporary society. Sociologisk forskning, 56(3-4), 233-252.

[weareyour4]

Things I learned as an undergraduate -jhaligah77

This summer, I graduated from the University of Greenwich with a first-class degree in Economics with Banking. And as I am typing this, I realise I cannot state my degree without remembering how difficult the last three years were for me. The pressure of being the first child to go to university and the uncertainties of Covid-19 are enough to make someone quit their course. But I was determined to complete my three years. And in doing so, I learned so much about myself, and I grew emotionally and spiritually. So, I thought it would be helpful to discuss three essential tips I learned as a university student.

Although these tips are tailored to my university experience, I believe these tips can be applied to anyone still in school, as the beginning of the academic year is right around the corner!

Time files…so live in the moment!

Often tips like this are left last, but I think it is so important to really live in the moment of an undergraduate. It feels like it was just yesterday that was September 2019, and I am preparing to start my Economics with Banking course at the University of Greenwich. I was as anxious as ever as I felt I didn’t do as well in my A levels. I remember clearly thinking about how I could succeed at university when I barely made it through my A levels?! Everyone was telling me, ‘Watch, time is going to fly by, and before you know it, you will be graduating!’.

So, I decided I was going to look ahead to what was come to me rather than living in the shadows of my A-level results. Before I realised it, I had entered my final year and began writing my dissertation. So, I would advise that you should work hard but also enjoy moments of joy and fun with loved ones and friends

2. Find your rock(s) and hold onto them.

When I speak of rock(s), I mean the things you can hold on to when the pressure of successfully completing your course arises. My family and my friends were a constant support and kept me afloat during the three years. Nonetheless, my primary rock was and still is my Christianity, the belief that God has given me everything I need to succeed in my course. My faith encourages Christians to profess things to existence. This gave me confidence that I would come out on the other side. And by God’s grace, I can say I successfully graduated from my course with first-class honours.

I also had a close friend who was studying the same course and modules as me. We became each other’s backbone. We’d check on each other constantly and share helpful tips and tricks to make sure we were on top of our assignments. A robust support system is key to completing your university course because we all need someone to lean on.

3. Aim to improve from the mistakes you made in previous years.

This is easier said than done. But I believe if you build the necessary raptor with your personal tutors and university friends. If one of my university friends scored higher than me in a coursework assignment, I will always ask if they could send me a copy of their assignment. I would take the time to read their work and compare it to mine and make notes of things they did that I didn’t do. At times it was difficult because I was embarrassed to admit I received a lower grade than my friends but overcoming that shame proved to be beneficial in the end. So do not be afraid to put yourself out there!

[weareyour4]

The Spectacular Moulin Rouge! The Musical - Jen S

Four years ago, YouTube recommended for me to watch a video of Broadway performer, Aaron Tveit, singing Come What May from Moulin Rouge! I soon realised, however, that this wasn’t from Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 film, but rather from something I’d been wanting to exist for years – Moulin Rouge! The Musical. The video was promoting the new musical’s pre-Broadway world premiere at Boston’s Emerson Colonial Theatre and would then go on to transfer to Broadway’s Al Hirschfeld Theatre in New York.

As excited as I was, I knew that it was unlikely that I would get to see the show any time soon and as Covid shut down Broadway and the West End in early 2020, I somehow lost touch with the show. That was, until the gift that is my YouTube recommendations brought it back into my life three months ago, with an impressive clip of Aaron Tveit singing an excerpt of the iconic number, El Tango De Roxanne.

Since then, I’ve been down a Moulin Rouge! The Musical rabbit hole and as usual when this happens, it has led me to find all sorts of interesting content. Ricky Rojas, who originated the role of Santiago in Boston and on Broadway, had been doing regular Instagram Live videos from his dressing room at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre as he warmed his voice up, ready for the show. Guitar in hand, sometimes he’d sing blues, sometimes it was rock. Sometimes they were well-known songs to sing along to and other times, we’d get to hear some great Ricky Rojas originals.

People working on the show who happened to pass by would stop for a chat or a sing, including regulars, Robyn Hurder, Aaron Tveit, Tam Mutu and Danny Burstein. It offered an interesting perspective of what the atmosphere backstage was like, as if you were just hanging out with them and when the show (and Lives) returned upon Broadway’s reopening, it was nice to see that the company was so excited and grateful to be back working on the show and with each other again.

The Lives were a great way for fans to connect with the cast whilst Covid restrictions stopped them from interacting at the stage door. They meant that people from all around the world could feel that they were a part of the show, even if they weren’t able to see it financially or geographically and sometimes fans were even accepted onto the Instagram Lives to video chat with the cast. The Lives were an opportunity for fans to see an unedited, real-time account of how the cast prepare for the start of the show and there were countless questions answered for those asking, who were either interested in performing themselves, or just simply interested in the show.

Those cast members mentioned have now all left the show, but Ricky’s Lives can still be found on his Instagram and his podcast with fellow cast member, Tam Mutu, Bants with Boo, can be found on PodBean and Spotify. It offers more behind-the-scenes tales from Moulin Rouge! The Musical, their experience of finding work in-between creative jobs and their thoughts on more general topics such as the effect of social media. Or, if you’re an aspiring performer yourself and are feeling inspired, Ricky and Tam are both offering ongoing lessons online in acting through song!

So, here we are in 2022, I have finally seen Moulin Rouge! The Musical at the Piccadilly Theatre in London’s West End and it is everything. As soon as you walk in, the set becomes a character in itself, with huge elephant and windmill set pieces, a dramatic red colour-scheme and a pre-show appearance from the ensemble, to set the scene. Unlike any other show I’ve seen, the whole auditorium had been transformed so that, no matter where you sit, the wallpaper and draped curtains and lights surround you, to help create the illusion that you are in Paris’ Moulin Rouge, 1899. The show felt like an experience, rather than simply something to watch and I can see how it has gathered such a passionate fanbase who return again and again.

It’s funny, emotional, wild, bright, loud, quiet and obviously spectacular. The work that has gone into this show from everyone involved from the beginning, to make it what it has become, is unreal and I think they should be very proud. It’s the most exciting show I’ve ever seen and I can’t wait to return to the Moulin Rouge!

Have a great day!