Lifestyle

By Isobel Carnochan, Associate Lifestyle Editor  For the past month, I’ve spent more hours than I would care to admit staring at a blank page, trying to determine what can be said about change. ‘Change’ is so ubiquitous, inescapable, all encompassing. Yet, it’s allusive. Often, we won’t realise something has changed until after the fact: it doesn’t have the manners to announce itself at the door, waiting for a warm invitation. It pounces, it creeps, it lurks in the shadows like a poltergeist waiting to strike. The only promise it keeps faithfully is that it never stops, as much as we wish it would. University especially is considered to be a time when everything around you changes in the blink of an eye, but for the past two years, I, like many students, have tried to cling to consiste...

By Rhian Kille I’m not addicted to shopping, I just can’t stop thinking about it. Right now Gen Z in particular is at odds with feelings of control, as we face climate change, inflation and governments whose beliefs are swerving further and further away from what makes sense to us. All while the phones we’re addicted to have been acclimatising us to having control. We curate our identities on Instagram in the hopes of controlling how people perceive us, form opinions on the constant onslaught of information we’re exposed to, and decide whether or not to buy into all the different products we’re being told we need. Social media is always right there to help us feel more in control, even if it’s all an illusion. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people say social media isn’t ...

Photo by Stephen Harlan on Unsplash By Isobel Carnochan, Associate Lifestyle Editor A few days ago, I turned twenty. I’m a firm believer in the fact that getting older is a blessing, but by hell it’s scary. At eighteen and nineteen - still, by definition at least, a ‘teenager’ - I could repress the anxiety of being an adult with a little more ease than I can now. Of course, turning twenty didn’t spark an overnight change in who I am or what my life consists of, but it did spark a lot of reflection on how I’ve changed as a person over the past five years. I’m not sure many people look back on their teenage self with pride and satisfaction, but I do. Sure, I made mistakes, but I was pretty happy with who I was. I was endlessly ambitious, able to create fun out of even the most mund...

By Ruby Caballero-Roff, Senior Agony Aunt The fashion industry is fast growing and ever changing which means that the expenses soon stack up when you’re trying to fit in with the latest trends. The capsule wardrobe is the ideal solution to the whirlwind of changing trends, giving you the ability to create more outfits with less pieces.  The first step is to take a look at what is already hidden in your wardrobe. Everyone will start with different basic items depending on what you wear most often, and you absolutely do not need to throw everything out and start from scratch! Organise your clothing to see what you are missing and identify whether your style includes more casual-wear pieces or bold, dressy garments.  Start to think about what colours you wear the most: are...

By Daniela García I used to dream of the glamorous world of diplomacy — sharp suits, global affairs, and proudly representing my country. When the opportunity to take part in the “Politics in Action” module arrived, I was merely a girl with a dream, no clear direction, but a deep desire to one day be part of the Mexican Embassy.When the time to apply for internships arrived, I sent my applications, hoping something would feel right. But my heart whispered, “try the embassy”. No open calls; no glowing "we're hiring" banners. Just a directory and a dream. I wrote my first email to the Political Affairs Department- rejected. I tried again, this time the Cultural Department rejected again. My heart sank. But I wasn’t ready to give up. So, with all the hope I could gather, I translated m...

By Sophie Fairey The Telegraph says that the nation is the happiest since pre-covid levels, with 58% of the population reporting feeling happy at the start of this year. After Covid-19 swept through the globe, it is safe to say that things were far from normal for a long time. Not a single person was left unaffected, but now, half a decade later, according to those numbers, it seems that we are finally healing.  In 2019, the last time the country’s happiness peaked, Ariana Grande was taking the charts by storm with hits like ‘thank u, next’ and ‘7 Rings’, and Billie Eilish was gaining huge popularity with ‘Bad Guy’. And now, Ariana is back in the charts with ‘Popular’ from the 2024 musical adaptation of Wicked, and Billie Eilish is still going strong with ‘BIRDS OF A FEATHER’. ...

By Lucy Griffiths -- Deputy Illustrator As a student it is important to do our own individual bit for the environment, from reducing waste to recycling we can make our lives a bit more sustainable and even cost efficient, so here are 5 tips for how to be sustainable as a Royal Holloway student! Buying local produce When purchasing your fruit and vegetables make sure to get the loose items to minimise your useage of plastic packaging! Not only does this promote healthy eating ,but it is good for the planet and can save you some pennies, meaning less waste and a chance for your body to be happy! If you fancy some very nice artisan bread, you can visit the Friday Market and you may even come across various sweet treats. For the avid meat eaters of Englefield green, go to Ansel’s ...

By Eleanor Harvey On 23rd December 2023, a 32-year-old woman from Louisiana was released from prison having served eight years for second-degree murder. Originally sentenced to ten years imprisonment, she pleaded guilty in 2016 for conspiring to kill her own mother with her then-boyfriend. On 10th June 2015, she let him into their house, gave him a knife, and stood aside whilst he carried out the attack. She and her boyfriend then stole thousands of dollars of their victim’s money and absconded. Her name was Gyspy-Rose Blanchard. But the chances are you already knew that, possibly from the very first sentence. In the twelve months following her release, Blanchard didn’t exactly disappear from the public eye into a normal life; instead, she became a minor celebrity. Just li...