Features – Page 7 of 26

25Nov

By Rachel HainsNo Comments

Features

A LIFE OF ADVENTURE AND HOW TO GRAB IT!

For many, joining University is a big step forward in discovering who they want to be. But when it comes to graduating and venturing into the wider world, that is when the page in your book stops turning. Like a novel, you need to know the character and plot in order to continue the story; but as an undergrad, you often leave it on pause. Knowing what degree to take is one thing, but finding a career is another – I spoke to Isaac Kenyon to find out how he coped as an Undergraduate, facing the challenge of creating a future, and the opportunities he encountered along the way. So, Isaac, as an alumnus at Royal Holloway, tell us a little about your time here – What degree did you study, your hobbies and things you liked to do on campus? “The key thing to know about me is that I am known a...

15Nov

By Shannon GrayNo Comments

Features

The Power of Putting Yourself First.

Shay Gray explains, from personal experience, the importance of taking care of your mental health at University. Warning: this article discusses topics of anxiety attacks and suicidal ideation. Let’s not sugar coat it: University is kind of scary. You’re away from your family and living alone for quite possibly the first time in your life, you’re surrounded by total strangers, you’re studying more than you’ve ever studied before, and you’re paying a bucket load to do it. Because of that, students tend to put their mental health in the back seat. I’m here to beg you not to do that. When I entered my second year in 2017, I was excited, but I was also overwhelmed. This was the first year that actually counted towards my overall graduation grade, and that was terrifying. It all start...

Make your mark and register to vote this Autumn!

30Oct

By Alex JonesNo Comments

Features

Make your mark and register to vote this Autumn!

Social media. Phones. The internet. We live in an interconnected world in which everyone has an opinion and are one click away from showing it off for everybody to see. Why then is voter turnout, especially in the 18-24 age group slowly decreasing? We all clearly want to express our opinions but it seems we’ve lost the ability to do this in a meaningful way. Don’t get us wrong; we are fed up of talking about Brexit and for people who are interested in politics we are both bored and deeply upset with the political situation in Britain at the moment. And that is why we are going to vote. Knife crime, poverty, the NHS, cuts to education funding, climate change and a deeply divided society are issues we all face in this country at the moment. These are the issues that we all care abo...

30Sep

By Rachel HainsNo Comments

Features

GOING GREEN: AN ORBITAL EFFORT

This summer, the SU officially declared a climate emergency after a 'bright idea' from students called for them to take action to make the SU greener and more sustainable. As the SU's official magazine, Orbital is following suit and launching our own initiative to become a more sustainable and eco-friendly Media Outlet. Any of you who follow us on Facebook or Instagram will no doubtedly have seen our earlier posts over the summer outlining this as part of our 2019-2020 mission statement - and we want you to help. Our first change is probably our biggest. This summer, after carefully examining our budget and our print-figures from last year, Alex Jones (my ever-faithful Deputy Editor) and I made the decision to cut down the number of copies we will be printing this year. We will no...

20Jun

By Becca BashfordNo Comments

Features

Books That Matter

In early December, I attended the Books That Matter launch party at The Book Club in Shoreditch. I was greeted by a group of friends and helpers excitedly pointing me to a table of feminist merchandise and a raffle in aid of ‘This is Our Period’, the room buzzing with excitement about the panel which was about to start. I was then introduced to Molly Masters, the founder of Books That Matter and quite frankly – an absolute sweetheart. She told me to grab a drink and make myself comfortable in the swanky underground bar while she prepared her opening speech and questions for the panel of authors and publishers. If you haven’t heard of Books That Matter, don’t worry. They’ve only been around for four months, but their success has been astronomical. Simply put, Books That Matter is a monthl...

3Jun

By Modupe ReisNo Comments

Features

#GiveYourselfAPec: A Brand New Mental Health Campaign to deal with Academic Stress

As exams have finally come to an end, I would like to say congratulations to everyone reading this! You made it – bring on the champagne and fireworks. Now that the ‘worst’ is over, I would like to call everyone to reflect on how the exam and essay season went, even though I’m pretty certain most of you want to completely erase the horror from your minds. Ask yourself the following questions: How did I feel during this time? Did I neglect my wellbeing? Was I constantly stressed? Did my Mental Health suffer under the academic pressure? Some of those questions are easy to answer – of course I was stressed – but the others might be more difficult to realise about yourself. Mental health is a tricky topic and, in trying to find out how essays and exams have affected me personally as well...

2Jun

By Becca BashfordNo Comments

Features

Debrief: Dr. Amy Tooth-Murphy

When I met Amy in her office, something I immediately noticed was her collection of books. One caught my eye straight away: Female Masculinity by Judith/Jack Halberstam. Coincidentally, the book came up more than once in our interview - she described how she came across it for the first time while she was working at Oxfam during her undergraduate degree: “I was a stones throw away from the uni but nothing like this had ever been shown to me. It turned a light on in a way, I didn’t realise Queer studies was something that even existed.”. Amy described how her journey in academia actually began in law – and that after a short 6 months she realised that it was too constrained for her ‘fairly strong opinions’ to be heard and explored, so she ended up doing her undergrad in English Literature a...

Royal Holloway’s Dance Society and Varsity

2Apr

By Francesca TyerNo Comments

Features, News

Royal Holloway’s Dance Society and Varsity

Please could you give a brief description of your society? Dance Society is one of the most unique societies on campus! We not only offer classes in every style of dance you could think of, but also have competition teams, socials, shows, volunteering, performing and choreographing opportunities! We actively try to get as many people involved in the society as possible. Whether you’ve never danced before or if you’re practically professional, there’s something for everyone. What will your Varsity performance involve? At Varsity, we will be competing with several of our award-winning competition teams! The styles vary and it will be a wonderful performance for all watching. Does your piece have a name? We are competing with several different pieces, the names of which are cur...

Don’t Ask Don’t Tell: LGBT service In The Military’s Violent Role Reversal.

1Apr

By Rachel HainsNo Comments

Features, Opinion

Don’t Ask Don’t Tell: LGBT service In The Military’s Violent Role Reversal.

The date could be the 22nd January 2008. Or 1948. Or 1848. What has remained consistent for centuries is the vicious targeting of LGBT people from the military they put their lives on the line to serve, an institutionalized cruelty rendered ironic as well as senseless when it is pointed out that the military as we know it today was founded by armies made up of gay men. In the wake of Donald Trump’s recent ban of Transgender personnel from the military, it is worth considering the substantial history the LGBTQ community has with the military. The Sacred Band of Thebes was an army made up of 150 pairs of male lovers, the most famous embodiment of a Greek practice where men were encouraged to form intimate relationships with the men in their bands. The hope was that the urge to protect lov...

29Mar

By Michele TheilNo Comments

Features

Student Autism

University as a student with High Functioning Autism (HFA) is daunting at times. Growing up as a kid who went from medical test to medical test during my infant years after diagnosis, and, more recently, being thrust from a special school with 82 pupils to a university of over 9,000 students has been a challenge to deal with. Specifically when you don’t know anyone in your halls, or your classes, for the first few weeks. When going on a night out and there's the rush of people queuing to get through at the gate. You get in and you’re confronted with flashing colours and music that dominates over what your friends are talking about. What are they saying? Who was that person who shouted at you across the SU? Are they angry or happy? Why should you care? All you want to do is get back t...