Friday, March 29Royal Holloway's offical student publication, est. 1986

Features

Loneliness in Young People
Features

Loneliness in Young People

Loneliness is something most people experience at least once during their lifetime. Whilst generally associated with older generations, it has come to light as an issue increasingly affecting young people. In April this year, the BBC published an article which suggested that loneliness is “more likely to affect young people” than those with greater life experience. The question that must be asked is this: why are young people suffering from loneliness? One contributing factor is the swift digitalisation of our modern world. The reliance most people, especially teenagers, place on technology is a major cause for concern. Frequent communication via Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram detaches young people from raw social experiences such as talking face-to-face. Whilst this issue is not exclu...
Debrief: Renee Landell
Features

Debrief: Renee Landell

I’d heard about Renee Landell long before I met her. Her reputation as an extremely successful Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) officer for the SU definitely preceded her. Being a member of the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) group myself, it would have been stranger if I hadn’t heard about her. Landell was first elected as BME officer in 2017, when she was a third-year finalist and was recently re-elected for the 2018/19 academic year, just as she is embarking on a PHD in Comparative Literature and Culture. We met at the Boilerhouse Cafe in June, just a few days after Landell won a Laurel Award at the SU. Renee is all smiles when she arrives, pleased that I’m interviewing her and eager to see what questions I have for her. My list of questions is long; I want to get a sense of wh...
Are we really Snowflakes?
Features

Are we really Snowflakes?

Let me be clear: I thoroughly dislike the term ‘snowflake’. Not because it offends me, far from it. I think many people deserve to be called snowflakes for being unnecessarily sensitive, too eager to be offended, and prone to emotional and/or dramatic outbursts (in one form or another). I dislike the term ‘snowflake’, for the same reason I dislike the term ‘lazy millennial’ - it’s a little bit too inclusive. You might ask, how can something be too inclusive? What I mean is, every 16-24 year old, no matter who they are, has suddenly and unfairly been lumped together as the ‘Snowflake Generation’. Just as all millennials, which refers to anyone born after 1982, are considered lazy and narcissistic despite their background, ambition, work ethic etc., we are all considered snowflakes. You mig...
Debrief: Abby King
Features

Debrief: Abby King

I first met Abby in a café on campus many months ago during winter term. Naturally, after exchanging pleasantries, our conversation jumped to Labour Party politics and our mutual interests. It’s a similar scenario that plays out today, as we sit in the same café and discuss the next phase of our activism and catch up with life. The weather is brighter this time, and the drinks are much colder. Actually, this is not strictly true- they ran out of ice, so we are stuck with lukewarm coffees. A lot can change in a few months, though. Abby is running to be a Labour Party Councillor of Englefield Green West. A Councillor is elected to represent a party (or independent) in a local council - it’s a good way to be involved in local politics and engage with issues that impact your immediate communi...
The Flood Anthology
Features

The Flood Anthology

Egham Museum have recently announced that they are releasing a book to commemorate the 2014 floods in Egham, and the impact they had on the lives of people within the area. The project is being led by a team of dedicated students with support from Community Action and the Egham Museum. A terrible disaster, the floods back in 2014 affected the lives of thousands all over the country, including local residents in Egham and the surrounding area. The floods occured after extremely poor weather resulted in high water levels along the River Thames. It was the wettest winter on record, with the ‘January monsoon’ the greatest since at least 1766. As a result, in at least 10 places water levels were at an all-time high, which ultimately lead to the river bursting its banks, and flooding nearby are...
Armenia: The Forgotten Genocide
Features

Armenia: The Forgotten Genocide

'Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?' - Adolf Hitler Often when I inform someone of my ethnicity they are either A) left bewildered as they have never heard of Armenia B) confuse it with [insert country name which sounds like Armenia] or C) recall on the Kardashians. Armenia was in fact the first country to adopt Christianity as it's official religion back in 301 AD. Yet the narrative of the Armenian people remains deeply unknown, despite it's historical and theological significance. Indeed this comes as no surprise as there is little light shed on the Middle East within the global platform, let alone on Armenia; an Apostolic Christian country seemingly less able in comparison to its neighbouring Islamic states (who are not only enriched with natural resou...
An Audience with Example
Features

An Audience with Example

Elliot Gleave, better known by his stage name ‘Example’, graduated Royal Holloway in 2003 with a BA Media Arts degree. University is a strange and wonderful time where we meet lots of different people. Everyone has so much potential, yet so little knowledge of what the future holds. Example is a perfect illustration of the amazing accomplishments that we can all obtain after studying at this university. I was lucky enough to speak to him about his experiences at Royal Holloway. Why Royal Holloway? I fell in love with RHUL for many reasons. The grounds, the halls, the Union. I remember going to the open day, it was beautiful day, Founders was there looking like Hogwarts’ distant cousin. Then I visited the Media department and the facilities and staff just inspired me. Did you go to...
Debrief: Sophie Christiansen
Features

Debrief: Sophie Christiansen

It seems extraordinary that someone who has been through such hardship could instantly fill a room with energy. She’s sassy, cheeky and has the kind of determination that makes you want to go out and conquer the world. Sophie Christiansen is an eight-time Paralympic equestrian champion. She was born two months premature with cerebral palsy. She had jaundice, a collapsed lung and a heart attack – to say that she came out the other side a fighter would be an incredible understatement. As a lover of horses and once-rider myself I am overwhelmed with the amount of things that I want to talk to Sophie about – there are bound to be a million inspiring things that I can write a debrief on her about. What we stumble across, however, was entirely unexpected. I remember seeing Sophie hit th...
Our Changing Language
Features

Our Changing Language

Mansplaining and hangry, acorn and buttercup – words that made the news for different reasons. The new list of words joining the dictionary in January 2018 has been revealed. Several times a year, new words are added to the Oxford English Dictionary, words that have already become integrated into our society. This January, the BBC has reported that over 1,000 words have been added. Mansplaining and hangry are just two of these, both originating online. An article from The Guardian by Alison Flood reported that ‘Mumsnet’ was asked for advice when compiling the new list of words. Our language is increasingly drawn from technology – words used on the internet and on texts. Remember the introduction of selfie? The new list includes e-sport and e-liquid, once again words related to techno...
Aziz Ansari: A Case of Male Entitlement
Features

Aziz Ansari: A Case of Male Entitlement

The aftermath of the Harvey Weinstein allegations sparked a global conversation about sexual violence, harassment and assault. The Time’s Up movement, headed by Hollywood elite, and the two word hashtag #MeToo movement circulating on social media, were established late last year to curb sexual harassment in the workplace and start a long, awaited discussion about sexism and gender equality. What has unfolded is the resignation and takedown of powerful figures across many industries and the exposure of sex crimes committed by high profile male celebrities. Critics of the movements often compare the misconduct allegations to a witch-hunt where the verdict is usually guilty till proven innocent, a by-product of the social media bubble we currently reside in. One narrative that didn’t qu...