Students – The Orbital

In Conversation With… Louise Parker and Insanity Radio: How Radio Is Shaping the Path For The Future of Media.

15Apr

By Ruby SharkieNo Comments

Music, News

In Conversation With… Louise Parker and Insanity Radio: How Radio Is Shaping the Path For The Future of Media.

By Ruby Sharkie, Associate News Editor With the rise of streaming services, on demand and AI, its easy to assume that radio is an old and dying industry… and that may also have been my opinion, before I found out what it really is when researching this article. I found that radio isn't dying, it's constantly evolving and adapting. From the 19th century to the 21st, radio has helped humans to wirelessly communicate - whether it be Morse Code, military messages, news, drama performances, music and so much more. So, whether it’s a shift from interior design to the BBC or student presenters finding their voices for the first time, the "magic" of the mic is as potent as ever. I went behind the scenes to speak with the producers and presenters who prove that radio’s heart is still beat...

Students Call For More Funding of The Royal Holloway Gym.

23Mar

By Ruby SharkieNo Comments

News

Students Call For More Funding of The Royal Holloway Gym.

By Ruby Sharkie, Associate News Editor It was one Thursday evening in early February, and I had gone to the university gym for an evening workout. As I turned the corner, I saw a collection of students huddled outside the entrance. There were more people inside, standing just before the entrance barrier. They were queuing to use the gym! Confused, I asked a group outside what they are waiting for, not fully believing that people - students - are queueing to work out. “Yeah, it's gonna be a while” Students at Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL) have been calling for a refurbishment of the student gym for a while now. With a growing influx of gym-goers, the building has proven too small and the equipment outdated. With gym usage rising and stud...

Student Loan System or ‘Debt Trap’? The Recent Debate Around The Student Loan System

23Mar

By Ruby SharkieNo Comments

News

Student Loan System or ‘Debt Trap’? The Recent Debate Around The Student Loan System

By Ruby Sharkie, Associate News Editor In a recent Prime Minister's Questions, Kemi Badenoch demanded Keir Starmer cut the interest rates on student loans. She said that "The system is now at breaking point for graduates, (...) I believe student loans have become a debt trap”. This comes as Labour MPs have urged Starmer to reform the repayment system and lower interest rates. Reports show that the average students are estimated to graduate with over £50,000 in student loans debt, with many watching the number climb drastically via interest, as they make their monthly installments. When and how much you pay back your student loan depends on when you attended university and what ‘plan’ you are on. There are currently four main types of payment plans for student...

Students’ Union Leadership Election Results 2026

22Mar

By Ruby SharkieNo Comments

News

Students’ Union Leadership Election Results 2026

On Thursday night, the Students' Union (SU) hosted its Leadership Election Results Night, announcing all the winners of the 2026 Leadership Election and The Orbital’s News editors (along with others) were present to report on it. When News Editors, Ruby and Maddy arrived at the SU venue, the event space had been transformed into an exciting venue with a buzzing atmosphere of anticipation and celebration. With the help of complimentary drinks and professional photography, the guests filed in and soon the room was filled with the chatter of contestants and their parties. The ceremony was hosted by the current President (Olivia Davies), VP Wellbeing and Diversity (Vaishnavi Vajja) and VP Societies and Sport (David Gallardo González) - VP Education, Matthew Paterson...

SU Elections 2026: Everything You Need to Know

10Mar

By Madeline SidgwickNo Comments

News

SU Elections 2026: Everything You Need to Know

By Madeline Sidgwick and Ruby Sharkie, Senior and Associate News Editors We at The Orbital Magazine deem voting in the Royal Holloway Student Union Elections an act of undeniable importance. Below is our summary of the candidates for the roles of President, VP Education, VP Wellbeing and Diversity, and VP Societies and Sports. For full transparency, The Orbital tagged all candidates that we could find on social media in a call-out Instagram story for this piece! Although this may seem like a long article, we recommend you ‘control F’ the issues that you deem most important. The information is all in one place, making it easy to find who stands for the issues you care about. Below is the list of candidates that actively responded to our call-out! Delilah Ferry-Swainso...

Three Royal Holloway students attacked at Egham Station, 6th February 2026

4Mar

By Madeline SidgwickNo Comments

News

Three Royal Holloway students attacked at Egham Station, 6th February 2026

By Madeline Sidgwick and Ruby Sharkie, Senior and Associate News Editors TW: violence, stabbing, police involvement Royal Holloway confirmed three students were attacked at Egham train station on the 6th February, with a fourth victim having been assaulted. British Transport Police (BTP) officers were called at about 9:00pm along with Surrey police and paramedics. The victims included: two 20-year-old men, a third man aged 22, and an 18-year-old police have reported. The three men and teenager were taken to hospital with non life-threatening or life-changing injuries. The victims were Royal Holloway students and members of Royal Holloway Men’s Rugby. In total, four people were arrested, with three released on bail. 21 year old George Turner was charge...

Founder of Academics Against Assault Molly Hanning,“Prevention is all about education expansion”

3Mar

By Madeline SidgwickNo Comments

News

Founder of Academics Against Assault Molly Hanning,“Prevention is all about education expansion”

By Madeline Sidgwick, Senior News Editor TW: Sexual assault, rape, trauma, PTSD, and violence against women. Over a Diet Coke at the Armstrong Gun, I met with Molly Hanning, the founder of Academics Against Assault (AAA) and Royal Holloway Masters Student. Our conversation covered many bases including the origin story of AAA, Molly’s personal experiences, and building the group on a national level - including a trip to Parliament. Molly is truly an inspiring woman and I extend my greatest thanks to her for such a productive and insightful conversation. How did AAA begin? Academics Against Assault began after Molly was raped in her first year of university and found it “hard to gather any support at all.” In reflecting on her experience, she recognised a clear lack of accessib...

40th Anniversary Feature: One More Editor’s Letter?…The Orbital EIC’s 2024-2025

17Feb

By Madeline SidgwickNo Comments

Features, Lifestyle

40th Anniversary Feature: One More Editor’s Letter?…The Orbital EIC’s 2024-2025

By Madeline Sidgwick, Senior News Editor, and Evelyn Fernandez-Jarvis, Senior Lifestyle Editor At risk of sounding like a broken record to those that have read our editors’ letters in the 24-25 issues of The Orbital, for the anniversary issue myself and Eve thought we would come together and do some reflecting. We hope to provide some inspiration for future editors and writers and provide the final push for anyone on the fence about joining The Orbital in any capacity. How The Magazine Developed Us ? Eve: Stepping into the role of Deputy EIC in 2024 was extremely daunting. In full transparency, when you end up getting a role that you have wanted for a long time, there is a lot of self doubt when you actually step into it. I knew that I wanted to replicate the leg...

Are Perceptions of Witchcraft Changing at Royal Holloway?

17Feb

By Lily GregoryNo Comments

Lifestyle

Are Perceptions of Witchcraft Changing at Royal Holloway?

By Lily Gregory, Senior Agony Aunt Even from the ancient times, witchcraft existed and was considered powerful. In Ancient Greece, we have figures like Circe, Medea, and the goddess Hekate. Their stories are found in several male-dominated myths and stories, such as Homer’s Odyssey and Jason and the Argonauts by Apollonius of Rhodes. Some say that Zeus himself, king of the Greek pantheon, would not argue against Hekate. Her power, as well as the power of other witches from her time, couldn’t be denied. But from the 15th century onwards, after the Witch Hunt that took place across Europe and Northern America, ideas towards witches and paganism turned sour. Nursery rhymes became common amon...

Royal Holloway’s 2026 LIMUN Delegation Head to Conference

16Feb

By Madeline SidgwickNo Comments

News

Royal Holloway’s 2026 LIMUN Delegation Head to Conference

By Madeline Sidgwick, Senior News Editor This weekend, Royal Holloway’s London International Model United Nations Delegation heads to conference. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Head Delegates Amélie Williams and Hugo Courtney to discuss the weekend ahead, as well as the benefits of LIMUN and being a Head Delegate. I first asked the pair what the LIMUN conference actually looks like in practice… The conference is a simulation of the various United Nations committees. The weekend requires “grounded” information and resolutions “based entirely on fact”. The members of the delegation are given a variety of committees and countries to represent at the conference each year, and the weekend concludes with awards for the best performers. “We are hoping t...