Lifestyle

Materialism is a word we all nod at with guilt when we think about our daily lives, and is a word that is just generally ugly. Why are we so obsessed with buying things when we know it will not bring us happiness long-term? The desire to own new things is insatiable – the process of buying fills us with temporary ‘success’; the more you own, the better your life will be. It’s all about the dopamine! It seems even just the thought of buying something new gives us the same dopamine rush as actually buying a tangible item, despite the conclusion that objects don’t make us happy. So why do we persist? Identity. What is a better way to express who we are to the world, than with materialism? We all want to be unique, whether we are taking inspiration from our idols, or setting a new trend; we ...

Animal cruelty, pollution, and low or even unpaid workers are just some of the issues that the fashion and beauty world are coming under fire for in recent years, so do we actually know all that much about what we are buying? In a world that loves everything to be at speed, fast fashion is becoming one of the most prominent issues facing us today. Fast fashion is clothing that is cheap, quick to produce and usually of questionable quality. It comes straight from the runways and lives of celebrities into our hands at an affordable price, and whilst it may allow us to follow all the trends every single day, it also impacts more than just our Instagram feeds and nights out. Today, it is estimated that the fashion industry makes up 10% of the world’s emissions and it is the second most pollu...

So, a little background; I came to Royal Holloway when I was twenty-three years old. I’d just left a five-year career in accountancy behind to study English Literature, and as I stood on the footsteps of the Founders building with a suitcase in each hand, I wondered if I’d made the right decision. How well would I fit in with everyone, being older than them? See, here’s the thing about starting university in your twenties (for me, at least); at eighteen, it’s terrifying, new and unpredictable, but the one thing you can count on is that everyone is in the same boat. You jump straight out of sixth-form into the next stage of your blossoming career, and you keep your forward momentum going. For me, it felt like I hadn’t had that same momentum, like my life had been on pause for five years. ...

So the New Year’s finally come round. 2020, the kickstart of a banging new decade and a whole new chapter in your life, beaming with that lustre of fresh opportunities just waiting to be seized. You’ve made it! Putting on your shades and strutting off into term two slow-mo style, you’ve left the flaming wreck that had been 2019 in your dust, just like those iconic movie scenes where the cool guy walks away from an explosion. As the cliché goes, New Year, New You. High time to throw your hat in the ring and do some big things- whether you’re thinking of finally applying for that job at the SU, joining that society, or getting the hottie you’d been eyeing for so long; this is your moment to take a chance and make a change. And all those unfortunate mishaps from term one? Like the time you d...

It’s pretty well known that a killer outfit can give you the confidence to do just about anything. Whilst equipping you with a fearless state of mind a statement ensemble puts the ball in your court when deciding what kind of presence you want to have. Power dressing which is typically seen in business and political environments is a term we no longer use but the style is still relevant and with the return of female power suits women continue to achieve greatness in style as they have done for years. 1900’s - Emily Wilding Davidson: What we wear says a lot about what we believe and no one knew this more than the suffragettes. Choosing to wear suits to affront masculinity and reject the domestic lifestyle assigned to women at time members such as Emily Wilding Davison wore their ...

The expanding conversation surrounding mental health in recent years has led to countless new studies and suggestions on the best possible treatments. With this fusillade of facts, figures and findings, each claiming to have the best new solution to all things ‘mental health’ it can be hard to know whose advice to follow. 1 in 4 people in the UK suffer from mental health problems and whilst this number isn’t growing, recent years have shown that the way in which people cope with mental health problems may be getting worse. Surveys have shown an increase in people who self-harm and have suicidal thoughts[2]. This is not another article bragging to know the new, cure-all, magical ointment. Mental health is an enormous umbrella term that describes all sorts of complex issues and I don’t b...

Ah, Freshers. For the majority, the most anticipated event of the year, for others an impending nightmare on the September horizon. For those of us committed to the atypical lifestyle of sobriety, ‘Welcome Week’ at Holloway can seem especially daunting and, in some cases, trigger extreme anxiety. With that said, here are a few tips to help those of you teetotallers and introverts alike survive the first phase of your university journey. Tip #1: Join Societies Whether you’re passionate about sports, itching to show off your musical flair, or simply want to further explore academia, there’s a society for everyone on campus. Being the sloth that I am, I tended to shy away from sports. Instead, I signed up for the uni’s acapella choir Absolute Harmony, the Harry Potter Society and, sinc...