Lifestyle – Page 10 of 26

Life at Royal Holloway as a Commuter Student

28Oct

By Amal AbdiNo Comments

Lifestyle

Life at Royal Holloway as a Commuter Student

Student who commute to university from home are growing in number. But, their specific experiences are often ignored in the student narrative. It might be difficult to understand why people choose to commute but for me and many of my friends, growing up in London, the idea of moving out for a university was not even something to contemplate. Of course, commuting is far cheaper than living on campus, especially with the scrapping of the maintenance grant now becoming a loan. The reality is that many students from working-class backgrounds, simply cannot afford for many reasons to leave their family homes and be straddled with so much debt. There are also cultural reasons for commuting, as some children are expected to stay at home throughout university. I commuted to Royal Holloway from W...

27Oct

By Amal AbdiNo Comments

Lifestyle

Designer Dupes: Luxe on a Budget

As students, we all know how real the struggle is when it comes to keeping up with the latest trends. Unfortunately our budgets don’t tend to cover designer items, so I have chosen a few shoes and accessories that are particularly sought after at the moment and have offered a high street dupe for a fraction of the price – you’re welcome! I’m going to start off with a belt, and no - it is not the classic Gucci belt! The belt I would like to focus on is the Off White Industrial Belt, which retails for £145. Off White has been gaining a lot of attention on social media lately and naturally the high streets have caught on. Sold at Urban Outfitters, Iets Frans offer a “Slogan D-ring Belt” at less than ten percent of the price at only £14. Whether you love the tiny sunglasses trend or still as...

26Oct

By Samantha DavisNo Comments

Lifestyle

Don’t Throw Away Your Shot

The old adage is true: did it really happen if you didn’t take a picture? University is no different and you’ve got to make sure you’ve got the best shots. Whether it is to keep pestering parents knowing that you are happy, or showing off to others how great your university is, here are some hot spots on and off campus to show off these new adventures. Founders Building Did you ever really go to Royal Holloway if you have not posted at least one picture of this iconic building? From any angle, or in any light, the castle-like exterior and the increasingly uncommon red brick is sure to draw attention and steal focus in amongst drunken Fresher pictures. Founders Square A recent addition to our beautiful campus and an area that creates many photo opportunities. An Instagram photoshoot ...

4Oct

By Ruby HarrisonNo Comments

Lifestyle

Autumnal Activities

Feeling in the Halloween spirit? Take a trip down to Crockford Bridge pick your own (PYO) farm and visit their famous annual pumpkin patch. Just a 20 minute drive from egham or 30 mins on the train. You and your friends can pick your own unique pumpkins and carve them together in time for Halloween. The rustic landscapes you will travel through on the train and by car are also beautiful as the leaves change and gain their autumnal colours. The Windsor Festival: Living in Egham means you are just a short distance from the town of Windsor. Not only is this an opportunity to see Windsor Castle (which is apparently the Queen’s favourite of her homes!) but a chance to go to the Windsor festival. There are some amazing and fun activities for you to get into the autumnal spirit! Ev...

17Sep

By Natasha LamNo Comments

Lifestyle

It’s The Rule of Thirds

Yes, that’s right, I am not in a relationship. That’s not for you to coo at sadly, or to pat me on the back with a patronising ‘you’ll find someone’ – it’s just a fact. For the most part, I am quite happy with being single and, excluding the occasional drunken swipe on Tinder, I do not find myself yearning for a boyfriend. However, there is one thing that makes me wish I was in the relationship: most of my friends are in one. Of course, I want my friends to be happy and I definitely like some of their significant others. But, it gets quite lonely to not be in a relationship when everyone aorund you is in one. Every time a new movie is playing, I am left to go alone or to wait until it’s inevitably made its way to a streaming platform while all my friends skulk off hand-in-hand with their ...

9Aug

By Lydia PaynterNo Comments

Lifestyle

‘Nice Guys Finish Last’

Nice guys finish last’ has to be one of my least favourite phrases in the English language, pipped to the post perhaps only by ‘the friend zone’. Yet time and time again, in conversations, online and in films and TV, the idea that women ignore the ‘nice guys’ in favour of a bad boy is pervasive in our culture. To the guys who are respectful and kind to women, the ones who will go to Women’s Marches, lift up their female colleagues at work, and call themselves feminists I will say this: it’s great that you’re a feminist, it’s great that you respect women, but that still doesn’t mean that woman you catch eyes with over the morning papers on the underground simply must date you. Being a ‘nice guy’ is a reward in itself, it makes you a better person, and society better as a whole. But th...

7Aug

By Victoria ChapmanNo Comments

Lifestyle

The Gender Pay Gap: What Can You Do?

You’ve probably heard or read about Orbital’s breaking story on the comments made by Principal Paul Layzell about the gender pay gap recently. But, the question is what can you do as a fellow student to combat this problem as you move ever closer to a career yourself? In late March, a group called RHOccupy camped outside the Principal’s office, campaigning against the lack of support for Royal Holloway’s lecturing staff during the UCU strikes. The outcome was incredible - not only did the Principal agree to sign their list of demands and meet with them to discuss their concerns, but this reflected a wider idea of how a demonstration of students can affect university politics. This does not just apply to the strikes. This is our university which means we have the power to instil as much ...

12Mar

By Martha LochheadNo Comments

Lifestyle

The Real Fur Debate

Those of you who have seen videos of fur farming will have, no doubt, been appalled by the gruesome and bloody images, and quite naturally will have proclaimed yourself anti-fur. Yet, on the runways of Paris, New York, London and Milan when the new winter season comes, fur is still prominently featured. There seems to be a gap between the average customer and the world of real fur. This is an opportune moment in which to shed a little light on the subject, exploring both viewpoints and possibly seeing if there is a middle way. My partner in this Martha Lochhead, an anti-fur voice, who has joined me in an open-minded discussion on the matter, to attempt to find a way through the heated voices on both sides and reach a place where fashion and compassion can coexist. Tom: So Martha, I d...

11Mar

By Victoria ChapmanNo Comments

Lifestyle

Tinder: Does it really work?

With our lives getting busier by the minute and it becoming much harder to find time to at least have some sort of dating life, online dating communities on apps like Tinder have grown significantly. But do they really work? Are people actually using them with the intention to meet and date people? With 1.6 billion daily swipes on the app, you’d think you would surely be able to meet someone or have the busiest dating life ever, right? Not necessarily. Only 54% of Tinder users are actually single, so just under half the people you are swiping every day are engaged in some sort of relationship with someone else - not quite so reassuring now is it… Even those who are single, it can be so difficult to gage what someone else wants just from a few pictures and a couple of sentences about the...

10Mar

By Victoria ChapmanNo Comments

Lifestyle

Uni Girl and City Boy

Fast-forwarding from the naïve, young and innocent 16-year-olds who met at a party in a crowded room five years ago and fell in love crazily soon after, my relationship with my boyfriend Jamie has of course, like every relationship, been through some ups and downs, and with almost every emotion in-between during the time we’ve spent together. The huge difference that we have is that we aren’t both at Uni or both working - I’m studying, and he’s working in a fast-paced insurance apprenticeship in London, which makes the dynamics of our relationship change and adapt. Whilst I am by no means any expert when it comes to love, having a long-distance relationship with completely different lifestyles really makes you think about the relationship and, at times, can be difficult, especially when su...