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Imagine the country you know as your home being so unsafe and war-torn that you are only left with one choice; to leave everything you know behind and seek asylum in a country that is safer but so far away. Imagine that you manage to survive the dangerous journey across the ocean. You hope to find a better way of life for you and your family. Imagine you arrive at the shores of the UK, only to be met with hatred and hostility. This is the reality of so many asylum seekers coming to the UK. The media in the UK has villainized the people who travel so far to get to the safety of our land. The headlines we are so used to have instilled a sense of hostility towards these people. The reality of the situation is that they have every right to look to us for help. The UK is a signatory of t...

Marina When asked about where I am from, I wrongly identify as purely Brazilian. To be Brazilian already makes me a diversity of cultures put into one.  Diversity is an inherited characteristic when speaking about the Brazilian population today. Brazil contains an extensive territory and thus has a multitude of cultural differences between each region. These differences stem from the historical colonisation of Brazil, of which European, indigenous population and African slaves were a part of. Later on this included, migrants from Japan, Italy & other parts of the world which contributed to today’s population. Therefore, diversity, in my personal opinion, is part of our DNA.  Vitória Understanding diversity is accepting that each individual is unique, respecting i...

It has been 122 days since the death of George Floyd sparked uproar in communities around the world, and thrust the BLM movement into the public eye, bringing the issue of white privilege to the forefront once again. But how can we acknowledge our white privilege, and use it to instigate a move towards equality? White privilege means that none of the problems you have ever encountered have been because of the colour of your skin. Although we live in a society that prides itself on rewarding people for their achievements, this isn’t always the case, as systemic racism means that ethnic minorities are prevented from achieving the same success as their white counterparts regardless of how hard they work. White privilege has existed for so long that it is taken for granted because, for whi...

Whether you’re a returner or a fresher, coming to university after this summer of chaos will no doubt be an exciting but scary time for us all. It’s a time when we have to learn to exist in this new normal, where ‘have you got your mask?’ is the question to ask before leaving the house, and where we must learn social distancing in occasions where we haven’t ever had to think about distancing before. Starting a new university, a new anything, can feel super intimidating, but not to worry, you will soon be surrounded by others in the exact same boat as you, who are feeling the same emotions you are. First year is an opportunity for everyone to slowly get accustomed to this new environment, and hey we’ve even made an app to make life easier this year! From virtual museum tours, to ‘Toasti...

It can be a daunting prospect starting university for the first time, with a new environment, a new lifestyle and new people. Nonetheless, it is important to remind yourself that if you have chosen to move into halls this September, you are one amongst many feeling the exact same way! To help with this, Royal Holloway offers a vast array of exciting ice-breaker activities and events throughout Freshers’ Week, which all are welcome to get involved in.  Concerned about how the ongoing pandemic might affect your freshers’ experience?  You’ll be pleased to know that the university has been absolutely on it, working hard behind the scenes throughout the summer to provide a range of both virtual and socially-distanced in-person events, to ensure the safety of everyone. There is ...

Navigating mental health issues within friendships Disclaimer: This article deals with issues of mental health. The advice given in this article is based purely on personal experience. Always seek the advice of a professional. Mental health is still unfortunately a taboo, and as much as we are trying to open up conversations, it is still a difficult and sometimes awkward topic. So when someone tells you that they are struggling, it can be hard to know what to say or do. Equally, confiding in someone else about your own struggles takes a lot of courage and should never be underestimated. Just having the conversation is a great start but there are some important things to note to maintain a healthy friendship, whilst also working through these issues. Oftentimes when a friend comes...

Tiger-Lily shares the latest tips and tricks for being productive at home. With the inevitable increase in online work coming our way as the new, albeit strange, term begins, it’s essential to have some techniques up your sleeve for being productive at home. Sitting down for those online classes or trying to start that first assignment of the year after such a long break is a daunting task, but here I hope to relieve you of some of that dread and help you push past procrastination. By keeping it controlled and finding ways to feel positive, you can become more productive; work won’t pile up and you’ll get back into the swing of things.  Firstly, where to work and when to work? As for where, this could be your desk, a table in one of the new commuter hubs on campus, or a place i...

Out of the 124 known coffee species we only use  Arabica and Robusta, yet over 60% of all coffee bean species are endangered. Global Change Biology published researched indicating that 22 are considered vulnerable, 40 are endangered and 13 are critically endangered. Coffee is a plant with very particular preferences and even the slightest imbalance in the growing conditions can and will ruin an entire crop yield. Much like the coffee beans, the suppliers and their respective buyers are very particular. They are looking for coffee beans with exact taste notes when roasted. Therefore it is very difficult for farmers to produce coffee beans of these high standards and consistency in an ever-changing climate.  Many regions of the world maintain coffee plantations. Ethiopia is considered th...

We’re all incredibly scared about the coronavirus right now. Nothing like this has ever happened in our lifetimes, and no one quite knows what to do. It’s important to keep yourself informed about what you can do to contain coronavirus as effectively as possible. Unfortunately, when anything bad happens on this large a scale, people have a tendency to panic. And with panic comes the spread of misinformation. So here’s a small, informed guide on how to keep from catching coronavirus, who is most vulnerable, and what to do if you catch it. Coronavirus is, of course, very contagious, but that doesn’t mean you can immediately catch it simply from being outside. There’s very little evidence to suggest that it is airborne, and the research that does acknowledges that it’s under very specific, ...

With another strike having just been announced on campus, many students are rightly concerned about the impact the strike will have on their degree. This is, after all, the third strike to occur since I joined the university, back in 2017. However, there is a reason for the chaos. There is always a motivation behind a cause. To help students better understand the reasons for many of their lecturers choosing not to attend lectures, Orbital have spoken to various members of staff about their reasons for striking. The following article contains submissions from staff striking in the UCU dispute for pensions and working conditions. It was submitted to myself, with the interviewees choosing to remain anonymous or use a pseudonym under which to share their experiences in the hopes it will encou...