Features – Page 11 of 26

27Nov

By Helena KeebleNo Comments

Features

Life’s Greatest Taboo

Life is full of hardships and trials. We are constantly being pushed beyond our limits and so many people try to help us, but never really know how. Most of us have that special someone we can turn to - whether it’s our parent, significant other, best friend or councillor. We all project our negative feelings in multiple ways; commonly through anger or tears but sometimes it can escalate to more destructive behaviour such as self-harm. Nowadays there is a lack of understanding in regards to someone’s pain and depression, derived from the stigma surrounding mental health. How many times have we felt down and someone has told us to just ‘get over it’? Or been told that happiness is within our control? As humans we have the amazing ability to experience an unlimited variety of emotions and...

15Nov

By Oli RushbyNo Comments

Features

Great Expectations

The end of summer always brings a multitude of new releases in gaming and gadgetry, and this year is no exception. Electronic Arts have released the latest installment of their famous football franchise, FIFA 18, and Apple is also in full flow, with both the iPhone 8 (released 22nd September 2017) and the iPhone X (to be released in November 2017) surging into the mobile phone market. However, one thing is becoming clearer every year; these products seem to become less and less varied with each new release. In the case of Electronic Arts’ FIFA 18, playing the game doesn’t seem to give a different experience to the previous release, FIFA 17, in very much the same way that FIFA 17 seemed very similar to FIFA 16 and so on. While new ‘game modes’ such as The Journey are added in every few r...

12Nov

By Michele TheilNo Comments

Features

Hidden Heroes

In celebration of Black History Month, Orbital Magazine decided to take a look at the successes of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) alumna in the history of Bedford College, Holloway College and Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL). There are many prominent people that attended Royal Holloway and Bedford New College but there are only a few that have made such a difference in the world. Sarah Parker Redmond attended Royal Holloway’s predecessor, Bedford College. It is often not mentioned that Bedford College, established in 1849 “the first higher education college for women in the UK”, previously merged with Royal Holloway College to become what we know it as today.Redmond was a lecturer on slavery and race and was part of the American Anti-Slavery Society (AAS). She is...

12Nov

By Joanne ArcherNo Comments

Features

The EWD Library for Dummies

Whether you are approaching academia from a fresh perspective or returning to the perils of all-nighters, we are all a bit bamboozled by the newest addition to campus. Have no fear, I am here to assist. A professional idiot here to tell you about all the terrible decisions I have made in one month of exploring! Where are my books? Shamefully, it took me at least 3 attempts to work this out. It’s still a general pain finding books, but now with a fun ‘I might ACTUALLY die researching this dissertation’ twist! To find any book, access Library Search online, type in the book you are looking for and find out where it is in the library. The first step in this Crystal Maze is to check whether it is in the High Use or the General Use collection. The High Use books are on the ground floor...

8Nov

By Stephanie BagnallNo Comments

Features

The Greatest Treasures of Budapest

Budapest was created in 1873 by the merger of three cities: Buda, Óbuda and Pest and it’s the capital of Hungary. Its inspiring architecture, beautiful river views, and the world-famous 16th-century thermal baths make this city a popular attraction to many. Whether it’s a romantic escape or a squad adventure, Budapest is home to many incredibly beautiful treasures and landmarks that you cannot miss if you visit. Buda Castle The historical palace complex of the Hungarian kings in Budapest sits on the south tip of Castle Hill, on what is known as the Várnegyed (castle district). Built in 1247, Buda castle was one of the Largest gothic building in the middle ages. If you visit here you should set aside one whole day to do so as it is not only a magnificent building, but it is also home ...

26Oct

By Stephanie BagnallNo Comments

Features

Debrief: Polly Goddard

I had the pleasure to visit Polly in her family home in Fleet where she lives with her parents, younger brother and grandmother. Polly kindly met me at the station and walked me to her house. We chatted about school, how our days had been so far and engaged in some general chit chat as we approached her house. Her room, decorated with a sweet plum purple paint, is lined with strings of polaroids containing images of family and friends. She sits on her patchwork covered sofa next to her desk, very neatly arranged with all the stationary a young academic could need. We start by discussing her initial diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. She recounts getting ill and the doctors originally thinking that she had tonsilitis. It was in fact her mum that persisted in saying “this isn’t Po...

Emily Wilding Davison Building Officially Declared Open

24Oct

By Michele TheilNo Comments

Features

Emily Wilding Davison Building Officially Declared Open

On Wednesday 18 October, the Emily Wilding Davison was officially opened by Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Chancellor of the University of London, Princess Anne. The building was closed to students between 9am and 4:30pm on that day to allow for the Princess’ tour and speech to be given. The building was worked on for nearly two years, with almost 3000 people working on the construction of the building to get it to what it is today. The library contains more than 400,000 books and over 1000 study spaces for student use. It offers other services, such as the Union Shop, the Santander Bank, the Student Services Centre, the Careers & Employability Centre and the Exhibition Space for interests in art and culture. The opening was a remarkable event, with many students head...

4Oct

By Amber ChoudharyNo Comments

Features

The Partition of India, 70 Years On

The year was 1947. My grandparents lived in a village in Amritsar, a city in the North-Western part of India. The partition of India into two separate states was agreed upon by Britain as a way to solve the mounting tension among its inhabitants. Pakistan was to become a Muslim-majority country, and India was to have a dominant Hindu population.When the partition was announced, people didn’t leave immediately. It was only until the violence started that migration began. My grandmother often spoke about her life growing up on a farm in India in the 1930s and how sad she was to have left. Delving into my family history, I got a glimpse into how chaotic, difficult and dangerous that year was for them. Riots broke out throughout the city; local towns and villages were being set alight. Viol...

First Year: the perfect introduction to university, or just a waste of money?

29Sep

By Dominic BarrettNo Comments

Features

First Year: the perfect introduction to university, or just a waste of money?

Many university students, both past and present, will look back on their first year with a combination of nostalgia, amusement, and maybe a few hazy memories of nights out - and the horrific mornings that followed. But it turns out that, at university, you actually have to do some work as well. I know, I was as surprised as you! Have no fear though, first year marks do not count towards your final degree at all. Most courses require only that you get 40% or above throughout the year to progress into second year. This, on one hand, is great news. You can focus on all the fun that uni has to offer, like going out and meeting new people instead of work. However, is this as good as it sounds, or should first year be a little more than just an extended session? Well, to start with, it’s impo...

When did we decide our privacy is overrated?

23Sep

By Dominic BarrettNo Comments

Features

When did we decide our privacy is overrated?

Ever since the creation and implementation of mass surveillance, whether that be through extensive CCTV networks or even drones attached with cameras, we have been slowly losing our right to privacy. Only last year, the Investigatory Powers Act, known informally as the ‘Snoopers’ Charter’, was passed by Parliament. This allows government agencies to gain access to the information from phones, computers networks and a vast array of other electronic devices whether the user wants them to or not and potentially spy on them. Terrifying, yes, but are we really surprised? After all, we’ve been slowly forsaking our own privacy for years now anyway. You might say that that’s ridiculous, but hear me out, because it may not be as strange as it sounds. Social media has undeniably exploded in the l...