royal holloway – Page 3 of 25

In Conversation with Royal Holloway Friends of Palestine

13Oct

By Madeline SidgwickNo Comments

News

In Conversation with Royal Holloway Friends of Palestine

By Madeline Sidgwick, Senior News Editor In September I had the opportunity to interview Huda and Noah, the President and Secretary of Friends of Palestine society here at Royal Holloway for the 2025-2026 academic year. Upon preparing for this interview I wanted to reveal the practicalities of becoming a ratified SU society as well as the challenges that specifically activist related campus groups face. In a productive and inspiring conversation, Huda and Noah were transparent in the struggles they face on campus and emphasised the undeniable importance that students get involved in campus activism. How did you find the process of organising ‘Friends of Palestine’?The origins of the society are in Arab Society. Huda described to me the process of becoming a ratified society as simp...

6Oct

By Ruby SharkieNo Comments

News

Medicine: The Closure and the Impact

By Ruby Sharkie, Associate News Editor There was once a place at Royal Holloway, unknown to many current first years, that held countless memories for second and third years. Free entry, crowded dancefloors, Toast and a beloved photobooth… Medicine was a hub of socialisation, cheap drinks and themed nights out. In June 2025, the Royal Holloway Students’ Union (RHSU) board of Trustees decided that Medicine would be closed, and in September, the closure was announced publicly. This came to much distraught and surprise to the students of Royal Holloway, meaning that there were no free-entry bars on campus. During a time of cost of living and rising student debt, this closure seems counter-intuitive to many. It begs the question: “are universities doing all they can to be acce...

15Jun

By Mya RogersNo Comments

Creative Writing

Sometimes I don’t want change

By Mya Rogers I once thought I knew what love was. I thought it was that person that I had to spend every day with Because I didn’t know what would happen in our time apart, Or holding hands in every place that we went, To keep them close, to not lose sight of their heart. He, that took me on dates as a form of asking for forgiveness, So that I’d forget why I was even upset in the first place, And wrapping me in his arms every time he made me cry, Portraying himself as my saving grace. The boy who was my first everything; So, of course I would think that it was love, You gave just enough, so that I wouldn’t realise all that you took, And I remained thinking of you, as someone sent from above. It’s funny how that has all changed. I’m glad that i...

Harmony in Connection: How Music Brings People Together

4Apr

By Chloe Tiffin-GearingNo Comments

Music, Opinion

Harmony in Connection: How Music Brings People Together

By Chloe Tiffin-Gearing You’re in a crowded festival field, the bass drops, and all of a sudden, you and the stranger to your left are jumping in sync and singing the same lyrics, despite being separated by language. This is what music is about. It’s an invisible thread that can tie people together, transcending social anxieties, backgrounds, borders and beliefs. Whether it be at a sold-out stadium concert or a small club in the backstreets of Brighton, live music will always manage to foster human connection. The energy of being in a crowd and knowing you’re feeling the same pulse of the same song as everyone else in the room can turn strangers into lifelong friends. People across the globe attend events like Lollapalooza, Glastonbury and Coachella, but for a few days, their univer...

29Jan

By Tia MartelloNo Comments

Lifestyle

Have We Invested in Intimacy?

By Tia Martello In an era where technology reigns supreme and the desire for immediate satisfaction prevails, the search for genuine connections has become more pressing than ever before. In a rapidly evolving world, the conventional criteria for measuring relationship success are undergoing a major transformation. As we navigate the complexities of modern romance, a fascinating question emerges: could intimacy be the new currency of our generation? As we venture into the intricate realm of contemporary romance, it becomes increasingly clear that the traditional notions of love and connection are undergoing a significant transformation. In the era of current intimacy, dating apps have become the go-to method for finding love. With their enticing promise of a vast array of pote...

9Jan

By Beth McCowenNo Comments

Features, Sports & Socs

An Interview with Kellie Cheung

Photo by Liberty Simons By Beth McCowen In light of lacrosse being named as an Olympic sport for Los Angeles 2028, The Orbital sat down with player Kellie Cheung to talk about her personal journey with the sport, what this news means for the lacrosse community, as well as her time competing with Royal Holloway. Photo by Sharks Lacrosse HK Can you tell us a bit about your personal journey with lacrosse? “I came to the UK when I was 12 and attended boarding school, and that's where I started to play lacrosse. I actually started as a goalie in high school, then at university I was midfield attack. After my year abroad, I joined Hong Kong Lacrosse, so I would play with Hong Kong during the summers. I would coach beginner’s adult and children’s lacrosse. Also, during my year abr...

16Nov

By Adisa-Maria ManoleNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Opinion

Beyond Space and Time

By Adisa Manole November is the month that many Eastern European countries remember the loved ones who have departed from this life. Consequently, I decided that this was the right time to tell the tale of my great-grandfather. He served in the Second World War when Romania joined the Soviet Union's Operation Barbarossa. Even though I have never met my great-grandfather, my father always told me that I had the same spark in my eyes as he did. I always needed clarification on what he meant when he said that. How could this heroic figure compare to this scared young woman? When my great-grandfather, Vasile Gheorghe (also known as Răduță), was sent to serve on the battlefields of Europe, he was in his late twenties, had just got married to my great-grandmother, and they had just ...

University is the Most Confusing Time of your Life, and No One Talks About it

16Nov

By Claudia MacalusoNo Comments

Opinion

University is the Most Confusing Time of your Life, and No One Talks About it

By Claudia Macaluso Picture this. You’re eighteen, it's Christmas Eve, you’re sitting around a table with loads of people who you’re apparently related to, and you suddenly get asked this question: “So how’s uni?” And you shudder, thinking to yourself, “How could I possibly answer that nonchalantly?” The truth is, university is undoubtedly the strangest time of your life, and you’re not given enough credit for it. Everyone anticipates this moment for most of their teenage years, and yet when the time comes, you turn into this tiny goldfish who gets tossed into a massive aquarium full of fish species you’ve never even heard of before. One of my friends once told me, "I would love university if I didn’t actually have to do university.” You’ve been in education your entire life, yet...

16Nov

By Kiera GarciaNo Comments

Opinion

Loosen Your Stitching

By Kiera Garcia When living in an age where identity is everything, the idea of fluidity appears to be a perilous game. We're expected to know who we are, our desires, and our beliefs, and know exactly how to articulate those thoughts. I know that I fell victim to the idea that if I hadn't had my whole life figured out by the time I was 18, I would have failed at life. After coming to university and having the subsequent almost quarter-life crisis of realising that I did not have my entire self figured out already, I realised how dull and colourless life would be if I never changed. The idea of being the same as I was when I was 13, and even the same as when I was 17, frightened me. This does not make the process of evolving and developing your identity any easier. The cliché of ...

Healing Wounds and Fostering Hope in the City Of Joy: The Battle of Dr. Denis Mukwege

15Nov

By Olivia TaylorNo Comments

News

Healing Wounds and Fostering Hope in the City Of Joy: The Battle of Dr. Denis Mukwege

By Olivia Taylor Trigger Warning: Discussions of rape and violence. Rape is the cheapest weapon in war. It has the power to destroy families, empty villages and rid victims of any sense of dignity. Finding a solution for a crime against humanity like this feels almost hopeless. Still, there is one man who has dedicated his life to changing the world’s perspective by saving the lives of thousands of Congolese women who have endured the harrowing weaponisation of rape in times of war. Dr. Denis Mukwege decided to study medicine after witnessing the complications that women in the Congo experience during childbirth due to their lack of specialist medical attention. As a result, Dr. Mukwege established Panzi Hospital to address his country’s alarming maternal mortality rates. It was ...