Features

If you are reading this, the likelihood is that you have made it through your first term at Royal Holloway and have returned for more of its educational, Victorian, polar bear goodness. If so, well done! 12 weeks down, 18 to go until summer. But seriously, well done. It is all too easy to allow negative thoughts to cloud the fact that moving away to University is probably the most significant change to your living situation that you have ever been through; so it’s perfectly normal if first term was a bit up and down for you. You can be certain that you would not have been alone if, secretly, you found it a bit difficult at times. Homesickness and loneliness are much more widespread than it can seem at times. Even the most confident and independent people can find it hard to be away from fa...

Mental health – everyone’s got it. As much as we do specific things (eat fruit and vegetables, go to the gym) to maintain our physical health, it’s important to do regular work to retain our mental health. One of the main predictors for developing future mental illness is poor resilience.  Resilience here means your ability to bounce back from distressing events (the death of a relative, losing your job) to a normal mood state. Obviously negative feelings following an upsetting event are normal. Nobody is happy all the time, and making that your goal sets up an impossibility. It is important that you should be returning to a peaceful equilibrium which is not typically sad, anxious or angry, following the event. To improve your mental health, regular physical activity and mental activity...

New Orleans is one of the most exciting cities I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know, and I’m proud to have spent my year abroad there. With Its laidback atmosphere and welcoming people it is infectious. I found straight away that anyone would talk to me and take an interest in my life, which made it easier settling into a new culture. Before I knew it I was yelling WHO DAT to support the Saints NFL team and ordering my poboys dressed without a second thought. At Tulane I had an overwhelming amount of choice in terms of my classes – I could study anything, from the Arab-Israeli Conflict to the Anthropology of Sex. My workload was far heavier than at RHUL but I found that it is far easier to achieve an A+ in the States than it is to get a 1st here. My American professors really emphas...

Avoiding a certain someone in the street Using ALL forms of public transport Being a loner at a party and your only friend leaves you When your friend starts flirting with someone else When you’ve woken up to find someone in your bed… That successful one night stand – or not. To avoid kissing that creepy stranger at the back of the room When you wave at someone enthusiastically you thought you knew, but it turns out to be a complete stranger Meeting someone new for the first time and conversation isn’t as free flowing as you might have expected When you go the wrong way, stop, turn round and seek comfort in your phone Going to the toilet in someone else’s house and pretending to be on the phone to have the excuse of taking your time Texting yourself to make it look l...

Through the bright red doors on the corner of Harrow Road and First Avenue lay the iconic and undoubtedly legendary All Stars Boxing Gym. Dubbed ‘Home of Champions’ the gym does live up to its name seeing the likes of Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield and Mickey Ward, to name a few, pass through for a few punches. But it’s not the visitors that are the essence of this gym, it’s all about its story and legacy. It begins in 1974 when the young aspiring boxer Tee Jay Akay, the son of Ghana-born Isola Akay, introduced his group of friends to this invigorating sport and invited them to train at his local gym; upon arriving they were turned away due to the colour of their skin. This incident was not a deterrent however; Akay was determined to give these young boys the boxing trainin...

After the hacking of many celebrities’ nude photos, the issue of ‘sexting’ and explicit photos became a discussion topic once more. Celebrities from all spheres were affected by the hacking, including Jennifer Lawrence and Rihanna, with the photos being posted on the website 4chan. ‘Sexting’ is the act of sending sexually explicit photos, messages or videos via a mobile device and evidence suggests it is becoming more common among young people. Six out of ten teenagers say they have been asked for sexual images or videos according to an NSPCC/ChildLine survey. Technology and access to the internet play a large role in this with more people able to send these kinds of images and messages easily and privately. SHAG (Sexual Health Advice and Guidance) Week gives students an opportunity ...

Nothing to declare at the start of this GM, beginning just about 6:30pm, as Chair, Gillian Craig, highlights the presence of a Poppy Appeal box at Tommy’s Bar, and of Maths Soc representatives making cubes for charity at the back of the hall, encouraging us to go and donate to both if we can. When it comes to approving the Agenda, Democracy Officer, Hannah Strathern puts in a request for the Elections to come before the Motions, as she needed to be elsewhere from 7:30 in order to take part in the RAG Naked Calendar! Communications & Statements saw LGBT+’s Alexandra Sophia plugging the LGBT+ Rainbow Rave on Thursday 20th November, taking place at Medicine with proceeds from the night going to charity. Alexandra also highlighted that on the 25th of November, there will be an Art Sh...

October has become the month of abstinence, but why? If we think about the time of year; the nights are drawing in and the season is significantly colder so motivational levels are at a record low. But as students returning back to University, October can be a period of extravagance as the parties begin, freshers flu strikes and hedonistic excess begins. At this point of the year, the thoughts about that ‘toned summer body’ are a thing of the past months; so the guilt a student may have felt through binging or smoking disappears. This is why October has become the most significant month for us to avoid these bad habits. But why should we stop? As well as improving our health and raising money for Macmilllan Cancer Trust there are other personal benefits we should think about. FOOD...