Friday, March 29Royal Holloway's offical student publication, est. 1986

Lifestyle

Lifestyle

Shadism

I'd like to start off by thanking the Black and Minor Ethnicities (BME) Officer Dunola and the Afro-Caribbean Society (ACS) committee for initiating such dialogue. It is important to create a space on our campus for a topic as meaningful but also as controversial as shadism. Many may not know what it is, whilst others may feel that it is not a detrimental issue at all. Personally I had never put too much thought into it until I read the 'Noughts and Crosses' series by Malorie Blackman. There was a part in the series which stuck out for me, where Blackman highlights the way that plasters are flesh coloured. When you stop to think about this, it raises the question of what exactly is 'flesh' coloured, given that humans and their flesh do not come in one standardised colour. This may seem lik...
Cheap Day in London
Culture & Literature, Lifestyle, Music, Theatre & Performance, Visual Arts

Cheap Day in London

Yes, Egham is a little further out than the average London University. You probably felt vaguely cheated when you realised that the “short trip into central London!” turned out not to include the time needed to trudge to the station, barge your way through Waterloo, and submerge yourself on the underground. So here’s a list of fantastically cheap things to try on a London day out! The perfect jumping off point for an article on cheap London, in my opinion, is food. Here’s my eclectic yet cheap list of places to satisfy your student cravings, which all have the added benefit of being in quite interesting parts of London – My first pick, for example, being The Golden Dragon, on China Town’s Gerrard Street. Great authentic food, plenty of Dim Sum, with the added benefit of being staffed b...
Microwave Mug Omelette
Lifestyle

Microwave Mug Omelette

If you’re living in catered halls, you can roll out of bed and get yourself a cooked breakfast within minutes, no washing up or preparation required! But if you sleep in and miss breakfast, what are going to do? There’s always toast, or a bowl of cereal, but if you want something more filling then you’re going to have to master the microwave. All you need to cook eggs in a microwave is a microwave safe mug. You’ve probably come across microwave mug cakes, but here’s my recipe for a healthy microwave mug omelette. Ingredients: Butter or margarine. Two small eggs, or one large one. Salt and pepper, for taste. Filling options: Chopped vegetables – pick up a box of tomato or sweetcorn from the salad bar in Founder’s Dining hall, or buy fresh rocket, peppers or spring on...
Discovering Berlin
Lifestyle

Discovering Berlin

The abundance of flea markets in Berlin is unbelievable. Not only can you find fantastic and dazzlingly cheap gems, but you can also experience live music and have the pleasure of eating food that has been cooked right in front of you. The trendy place to visit is Mauer Park, a hipsters dream situated in Prenzlauer Berg, a district known for its quirky style. However, due to it's popularity, it is sadly quite overpriced. The ultimate place to visit is the flea market in Neukolne which seems to be something of a hidden gold mine. Not only can one indulge oneself in countless cheap goodies, but it also happened to be very close by to the apartment where I was staying! I managed to find a cute vintage scarf for one euro which has already been the source of many compliments. Another great t...
The Best Places to Shop
Lifestyle

The Best Places to Shop

Egham Best for: Emergency fancy dress shopping When you need a fancy dress costume at the last minute, look no further than Egham High street. Trawl the charity shops for costume basics, and finish off your look with some accessories from Egham Essentials. You’ll be sorted in no time. Staines Best for: Basic high street shopping If you just need to do some basic clothes shopping, Staines has you covered. Top Shop, New Look, H&M – all your high street favourites are just a twenty minute bus journey from campus Windsor Best for: Upmarket shopping You’ll find all the classic high street shops in Windsor, but if you’re looking to treat yourself there’s also French Connection, Whistles, and a Jack Wills across the river in Eton. Act like a tourist and squeeze in a qu...
Lifestyle

A Pitcher of Pimms & A Perfect Picnic

Summer may be on the way out, but there's still hopefully time to enjoy one of the homemade picnics you had been craving all the way through exam season! Here’s my recipe for easy mini quiches, and some instructions for concocting Pimm’s to get you on your way. Mini Quiches What you need: 320g ready rolled shortcrust pastry 4 eggs 25ml milk 150g grated cheese 100g spinach Handful of cooked bacon (optional) 2tbsp chopped basil Flour Olive oil Salt and Pepper 6 cup muffin tray 1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Use a pastry brush or piece of greaseproof paper to spread a little oil around the cups of the muffin tin, and set aside. 2. Scatter some flour on a cutting board or a kitchen work surface and place your unpacked roll of pastry on top. Cut out six circles of pastry ...
Lifestyle

Picnic pair-off

As the warm weather approaches and we crawl out of the library to embrace the rays, it is undeniable that we are all dying to grab some Pimm’s and have a picnic. But picnicking in the wrong attire can be uncomfortable, and inhibit you from devouring all the food, so here’s some advice for the best fashionable and practical summer ensembles... No doubt you will have seen high street shops styling outfits made up of two key pieces: the top is usually an oversized crop, shirt or blazer. This is paired with matching cigarette trousers for the sports luxe look, or midi skirts, miniskirts, shorts and maxis for a more feminine feel. These two piece outfits are perfect for picnicking, as the “matchy matchy” style makes it easier for you when getting ready - you don’t need to scour your war...
Lifestyle

Why Thrift Stores are your new best friend

Are you a student on a budget? Do you fancy paying £10 for 15 items? Then thrift stores are for you! I hit the East End of London to grab myself a bargain. VOGUE named it ‘the legendary cult vintage store’ and as I walked in, it wasn't hard to see why. Generally I love rummaging through charity shops for vintage gems, and thrift stores are great places to find a bunch of items at a bargain price. As opposed to paying for each item of clothing individually, at a thrift store you pay for a bag- a small one for £10 or a larger one for £20- and you fill fill fill! I bagged myself (pardon the pun) over 15 items and I certainly found a few diamonds amongst the stones! One shopper has said: ‘you never know what you may find and that’s the beauty of it.’ Thrift stores have everything from le...
Lifestyle

Roasted Tomato Soup

Deadlines are everywhere at the moment, and spare time is nowhere to be found. It's at times like this when you need something filling yet simple to make, and it doesn't get much simpler than this. Roasting the tomatoes releases the flavours in a way that no amount of cooking on a hob can – and saves the effort of standing stirring a pot to boot. This warming, vibrantly flavoured soup is super healthy and also vegan, in case anyone fancies their hand at trying out the vegan experience! Ingredients (serves 4): - 1.5kg tomatoes, roughly chopped - 1 large red onion (or two small), roughly chopped - half a red pepper, roughly chopped - 3 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped - 1 litre vegetable stock - large bunch basil leaves, torn - salt and pepper, to taste Method: 1. Put ...
Lifestyle

February Footwear

February is that limbo stage where one day it's pouring down with rain, and the next day sun rays are peeping through the clouds. We have seen the comeback of the conventional heeled boot – the cut-out buckled boots. We have even seen Karl Lagerfeld sporting the laidback trainer trend on the Paris Fashion Week catwalks, with Chanel's Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2014 collection transforming the traditional bridal look into a sporty snow queen style by pairing chic dresses with conventional trainers. So we can continue wearing our classic converse: a timeless shoe-cupboard essential that can tone down any outfit and ensure day-to-day practicality. The fashion predictions of Spring/Summer 2014 foresee us fashionistas transitioning from dark shades to lighter hues and sporting pastel loa...