Vervemagazine

London Metropolitan University Students Union

Putting Students First

Doing it like a DudeAndrogynous FashionIN THIS ISSUE...NEWS

Cover Story

STAY SAFE IN THE CITY LONDONS AFFORDABLE NIGHTLIFE SKIN CARE GUIDE REVIEWS

VervemagazineAre you a journalist, writer, designer, illustrator or photographer? Would you like to have your work published? Join the Verve team!

London Metropolitan University Students Union

Putting Students First

Just drop us an email at editor.vervemag@gmail.com isit our Facebook page, Verve Magazine, to find out what is required to get involved! Verve Magazine is the independent publication of London Metropolitan University, written for students, by students. The monthly magazine, in its current form, was launched in 2009 by Journalism undergraduates with the aim of giving creative and enthusiastic students an outlet for their work, ideas and thoughts. Students can pick up their free copy of Verve from our distribution bins that are located throughout the North and City campuses. We are sure you will find what youre looking for we cover everything from current issues, features, lifestyle, sports and of course entertainment.

Editor Sarah Leo Art Director George dulake Sub-Editor owen Hughes News Editor Jane Evans Features Editor Sam dury Lifestyle Editor Sharn Rayment Sports Editor Katie Lewis Entertainment Editor Jude McArdle Writers Michelle Allan Marta Corato Thomas Gibson Jade Jennison Tom Knock Anna Reinoso Graeme Swanson Designer Robert Pearce Illustrators Michael Costa Ann Phillipas Sara Cudicio Julie Grosseau Sarah Youb olga Socha Photographers olga Socha Eveliina Mielikainen Tiffany Phan Johanna Payton Sarah Leo

ContentsNEWSFeatures2 Student News: Things that matter to you 3 World News: US elections 4 5 6 8 9 Career Prospects: Wanna stack shelves at Tesco? The Occupy Times: London Met alumni challenges the mainstrem media The Silent Epidemic: Self harm Stay Safe in the City: Taking care on the streets Creative Corner: Short story

Students Union

10-13 Information from your Students Union 14 Tips for a healthy 2012: Staying healthy 15 Starting 2012 with a Bang: Roller Derby 16 17 18-19 20-21 22 Londons Affordable Nightlife: All the details for a cheap night out Skin care for 2012: A handy guide Fashion: Androgynous style 21st Century Love: A guy and a girls view. Fashion Blog - Johanna Payton plus student style 23 RIP R&B Reviews: Five films not to miss in 2012 Reviews: Movies Reviews: Music Five minutes with Kyte

SportLifestyle

Entertainment

24-25 26 27t 28

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Here we are again welcome to yet another new term! Im not sure about you, but to me it feels like time is flying by faster than ever. For many of us it will be our final months and soon we will (hopefully) all be out in the real world. Scary. And exciting, of course! It is very likely that this year, London Met will face a lot of changes buildings are planned to be closed; staff is being reduced drastically. Its not news that it is a very difficult time for higher education, but it is important to keep in mind that its not all doom and gloom. Stay positive and just remember: everything will be fine. Eventually. But its not just the University that is facing changes - were also revamping things here at Verve. This is my last issue as editor and I would like to wish the best of luck to the new team particularly Jane Evans and Sharn Rayment, who will from now on be on editing duty. I am sure you will enjoy the job just as much as I did!

Copyright 2012. Published by the London Metropolitan University Students Union (METSU). All copyrights exist with the indicated staff, written under the Verve name and cannot be reproduced or altered without the respective creators express permission. This publication is for free, non-commercial distribution only. All views represented within the publication are not necessarily those of the writers, editors or London Met Students Union. Contacts: Editor, Sarah Leo, editor.vervemag@gmail.com Art Director, George Dulake, artdirector. vervemag@gmail.com

Are you keen on joining Verve? Drop me an email at editor.vervemag@gmail.com to find out what is required to get involved. We also want to hear your opinion! Join our Facebook group, Verve Magazine, tweet us @VerveLondonMet or write to us at letters.vervemag@gmail.com and let us know what you think!

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NEWS

News for you!Uni food: Best dust off your lunchboxDima Slavova Waitroses chicken sandwich costs over 45 per cent LESS than the ones sold in the London Met canteen. With students complaining of lousy quality and a selection that is at best monotonous, Verve asks whether we, the students of London Met, are being taken for mugs. The Piazza, based on the second floor of the Tower Building on Holloway Road, is one of the seven canteens throughout the entire University. All seven have been run by the same organization, Chartwells, for the past 10 years. However, students complain they are not given an adequate choice and many feel ripped off. Katya Nikolova, a 29-year-old Design student, said: There isnt really any choice. The same sandwiches and pastries are offered every single day. The foods quality is rather poor and even the coffee is disappointing. Those who wish to avoid paying the high cafeteria prices are often forced to rush to get their food off-campus during their lunch break, whereas other students have resorted to bringing their own food from home. A chicken sandwich at The Piazza costs 3.05, whereas the same is 1.85 in Tesco and 1.65 in Waitrose. A 30ml bottle of water is 1 on-campus; Waitrose will sell you six 50ml bottles for 1.06. Chartwells manager, John OShea, explained that the company does the best it can to charges fair prices in comparison to other universities. We cant compete with the big chains but we make sure we keep prices competitive, he said. Nevertheless, what is affordable to some is inevitably expensive to others. Students have a range of opinions on the subject. While some complain about the prices and quality, others, who are less particular, are happy with what they get. 23-year-old journalism student Ralica Vassileva explained that she didnt find the food expensive, but rather limited. There are plenty of diverse restaurants on Holloway Road, where students can generally receive a discount. Tesco and Sainsburys, who both offer a lot of variety, are also within walking distance from the campus. Nevertheless, students should feel looked after, rather than ripped off, by the University. Ultimately, it is up to university officials to determine what is best for students. But it would be nice if they could, for once, not see us students as walking cash dispensers.

All hail the Queens diamond Jubilee!Georgia Ellmore 2012 will see some remarkable events the Olympics in London, some epic film releases and the Queens Diamond Jubilee but just how important is the latter to the general public? With millions of viewers watching the royal wedding last year, many people will argue that the monarchy is stronger than ever. But in actual fact, many people arent fussed about the jubilee and are more excited at the prospect of a day off. In a poll of people aged between 18 and 50, 60 per cent said the jubilee wasnt important to them, with one person not even knowing what it was. So why have the celebrations diminished in importance? Shouldnt we be proud that our Queen has reigned for almost as long as Queen Victoria? In 1975, when the Queen celebrated her silver jubilee marking 25 years on the throne, the whole nation held street parties and celebrated with a devout patriotism. Nowadays, this is somewhat harder to come by. Perhaps this is because young people believe the royal family do nothing for the country, or that they are a waste of money. The Diamond Jubilee plans are as follows : the Queen will attend the Epsom Derby on 2nd June, and the nation will be encouraged to mark the occasion with a big lunch on Sunday 3rd hoping to instil community spirit in the form of street parties across the country. This will be followed by a concert at Buckingham palace on the Monday. The last day of celebrations will see a formal royal carriage ride and thanksgiving ceremony on Tuesday 5th June. If that doesnt give Britain some pride and an excuse for a good old-fashioned knees up, Im not sure what will.

Jane Evans

LMU halls cost how much!?

London Met student halls cost almost double the average for student rent and utilities bills. Figures published by Standard Life say students pay an average of 378 a month on rent and bills. London Met recognises 37 halls on its availability guide. The average rent is 751.6 a month. Clandon House is the cheapest with 248 rooms at 336 - 403 monthly, but gas and electric arent included. Nido Spitalfields is the most expensive, where 1,080 a month will buy you half a shared bedroom. 68 per cent of halls cost over 720 monthly. Londons former mayor Ken Livingstone told delegates at the London Policy Conference that private rents are a worry to those at the bottom of the earning scale. He said the monthly average for private rent in the capital is 1000, and argued that nobody should spend more than a third of their income on rent. With the maximum maintenance loan and grant for 2011/12 coming in at 9834, those who qualify have an income of 1229 a month over eight months, or 819 divided over the whole year. Either way, Mr Livingstons one third is impossible. However, the maximum maintenance income for 2012/13 is set to rise to 10,925, meaning some of London Mets 30,0000 students will be a little better off.

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NEWS

The presidential election will be held on November 6th.Heres Introducing...Sarandip Singh Bat The 2012 United States presidential election contest has so far proved to be an international sideshow generating fodder for satirists both at home and abroad. Mitt Romney or Ron Paul have so far been earmarked as President Obamas most likely opponents. But the other contenders, Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry and Rick Santorum, look set to put up a fight. From marriage cheats to coyote shooters, the Republican hopefuls are certainly an interesting bunch. Here is a brief introduction to each of them. 1. Ron Paul is a Texas congressman and former gynaecologist, who stood as a Presidential nominee in 1988 for the Libertarian party. Now a darling of the Tea Party, he favours allowing states to choose whether to legalise medical marijuana and opposes the war on drugs. He is against all American entanglements abroad, is loved in the blogosphere and favoured by students because of his liberal views and pro-drug stance.

2. Newt Gingrich is a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, thrice married and twice divorced. He had an affair with a staffer whilst trying to get President Bill Clinton impeached over the Lewinsky scandal. Despite all of this and being accused of more than 80 ethics violations while Speaker, Gingrich is a Republican front runner. He supports policies of low taxation and is opposed to gay marriage. He was also damaged by reports that he had a $500,000 credit for jewellery at Tiffanys. 3. Rick Perry is the current Governor of Texas. He is a strong advocate of the death penalty more than 230 executions have been carried out under his governorship. He once shot a coyote while out jogging using a semi-automatic handgun which he happened to be carrying. His support collapsed after it was claimed his family hunting lodge had once been named N****rhead, and after a one-minute pause when he forgot one of his own policies. 4. Rick Santorum is a former Senator for Pennsylvania and one of Washingtons most outspoken voices on sexual morality,

evolution and euthanasia. As a Catholic, he is stridently opposed to abortion. He and Karen, his wife of 21 years, have seven children. He refutes Darwins theory of evolution and has urged that the rival theory of intelligent design be taught in school science classes. 5. Mitt Romney is an active member of the Mormon church. He is a successful businessman and former governor of Massachusetts. He hopes these credentials will recommend him as the man to fix the nations economy. But his moderate stance on abortion and gay rights concern his conservative supporters. Though he is known as a flip-flopper having changed his mind about abortion rights and climate change, he still has a strong lead on all the other candidates. The last Republican primary is on June 26th. After that, the Republican presidential candidate will be selected at the Republican national convention, which starts on August 27th. The winning candidate will then choose his or her vice-presidential running mate. The presidential election will be held on November 6th.

Olga Socha

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Features

Wanna stack shelves at Tesco?Jane Evans

growth is uncertain and work is scarce, London Met students are encouraged to embrace their entrepreneurial spirit and join the millionaires at the Universitys Business Incubator. The Office of National Statistics has published figures showing youth unemployment to have hit 1.04 million, the highest since records began in 1992. Questions were raised in Parliament by Shadow Chief Secretary of the Treasury Rachel Reeve, who this week accused the government of abandoning young jobseekers while refusing to tax bankers bonuses.

Youth unemployment has never been this bad. In a time where economic

board. Weve helped students and graduates set up businesses in nearly every faculty across the University. Students get into the Accelerator by entering the annual Student Business Plan Competition. The top five entries get a cash prize and the opportunity to work with Matthew and take advantage of the available office space, training, help and support. Or, if you want to start a business, you can attend one of their monthly startup seminars. Matthew explained how one students platform for sharing photos on Twitter really made an impression. Sean Callahan launched his business on the final day of the Business Plan Competition and sold it for $12 million, about a year and a half later. That was just unbelievable, he said. But Matthew doesnt just regard success in terms of pounds and dollars. Its great to see graduates two years out of university who are actually employing four or five other staff, he said. It is really great to see, because jobs are pretty hard to come by now.

Jessica Elliott won first prize in the 2009 competition. She was studying Sports Therapy and had already started her company, with an aim of providing extra-curricular dance clubs in schools. Jessica now works with more than sixteen London schools and employs over 20 members of staff. She told Verve about the Business Incubator. It provided help and support and helped me grow my business a lot faster, she said. It opened up opportunities and introduced me to people. The office space meant I could employ people and have somewhere to bring people. When asked about the impact of the recession on her, Jessica said: Business is a little slower, but its the same everywhere. As an entrepreneur you have to see the opportunities in every situation. For example, Im starting up Teach Dance, where we teach dancers to become teachers, and thats had a lot of interest. The winners of this years Student Business Plan Competition will be announced on May 3rd.

But the London Met Business Accelerator is bucking the trend. During the last three years theyve helped turn five LMU students and graduates into millionaires, and are offering the same opportunity to you. Matthew Connelly, who works as Student Enterprise Development Manager at the center, said: We work with students right across the

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Olga Socha

London Met alumni challenge the mainstream mediaSarah Leo

Features

Camping out does absolutely work, but I just think that there comes a point where you think, Right, is this tactic working?Following the High Courts rulingpeople werent sure whether wed be cleared out really soon, and we just wanted to get an issue out before that, Maclean said. Apart from enormous time pressures, working on site was never easy. We had problems getting electricity and we never actually got the internet up and running. Sometimes there wasnt even light, Maclean said. They often worked from coffee shops though not Starbucks as he emphasised, but a cheaper, independent cafe with better Wifi. With a possible eviction looming, the future of the camp is uncertain but Maclean and his team are already looking for alternatives. A recent issue of the Occupied Times features a debate on having a downscaled version of the camp. Camping out an occupation is about tactics, Maclean said. And from a tactical point of view, it doesnt intrinsically solve anything in itself by pitching a tent there. Nothing magical happens. The function is, if loads of people turn up and pitch tents in a place where youre not supposed to, the media pays attention, so the public pays attention too. Camping out does work, but I just think that there comes a point where you think, Right, is this tactic working? Is it gaining us more than its costing us? Or is there a better tactic available that we could swap and do instead or adopt as well as? However, Maclean thinks that some people equate downscaling the camp with downscaling the entire Occupy movement, whereas he firmly believes that Occupy is bigger than that. I would go with a scale-down, so its more like an ambassadorial presence, he said.

to evict the Occupy London Stock Exchange camp outside St Pauls Cathedral last week, Steven Maclean, London Met alumni and editor of the camps Occupied Times, talked about how his publication is enhancing the quality of the media and the future of Londons Occupy movement. According to Maclean, the City of London Corporation, which has called for an eviction of the site since November last year, is in a completely different mindset, only caring about finance, business and big bonuses. Its not just that they want the tents gone, they want the movement gone, Maclean said. They dont want to be scrutinised and they just dont want us there. I think it draws attention. Its like a blemish on the skin, isnt it? Its probably just the fact that they dont like the sight of people as well, on quite a prejudice level, he added. Being an activist himself, Maclean joined Occupy London on October 15th, the movements London launch, and camped out until December. However, he never planned to start a newspaper. I went along to the occupation; I didnt even have my laptop, he said. I thought that if we were able to stay I didnt even know if we would make the first night then I would probably blog about it, Maclean, a trained journalist, was blogging for the Huffington Post at the time. After a couple of days of tweeting from the site, people began complaining that there was not enough information coming from the camp. The right wing media had started portraying it with a strong agenda straight away, that they knew clearly wasnt the truth, he explained. This was when Maclean and other activists Sarah Leo came up with the idea of launching their own newspaper. This gave the occupiers a platform that could be used to put across their views on their own terms, rather than, according to Maclean, Sky News turning up and framing a question in a certain way, giving us two seconds to answer and then going back to the studio, debating about making you look like an idiot. The idea was basically to challenge the mainstream medias narrative, to start a platform for us to say No, its actually like this, Maclean said. With the go-ahead from the General Assembly and an adventurous just-do-it mentality, the first issue of the Occupied Times rolled of the press on October 26th, only nine days after the start of the occupation. Part of the reason we picked that day was because, at the time,

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Features

The silent epidemicAngela YussuffIt affects around 25,000 11 to 25-year-olds in the UK, and over 160,000 over 16s have been admitted to hospital as a result of it in the last decade. However, despite having the highest incidence rate in Europe, self-harming is still a very misunderstood disorder. A 2009 study from the International Journal for Pastoral Care & Personal-Social Education, entitled Students who self-harm: a case study of prevalence, awareness and response in an English university has shown that one in 12 undergraduate students (that would be around 2,800 out of the LMU student body!) harm themselves. What is self-harm? Crazy, attention seeking, selfish, a girl thing. These are just some of the phrases that were commonly used by students at LMU when asked to describe self-harming in three words or less. It would seem that these students are not alone in their thinking either, as the Samaritans report, Youth Matters A Cry for Help, states that 41 per cent of young people believe that self-harming is selfish and 55 per cent think that it is stupid. However, according to the National Self Harm Network (NSHN), these are some of the main misconceptions and stereotypes surrounding the issue. Ron Best, well-known writer and researcher in pastoral care and education and conductor of the above study, said: I cannot say what the biggest misconceptions are about self harm, but the following are widely shared views and are unhelpful: a) that self-harm means cutting your wrists or trying to kill yourself. My research - and that of others - shows there to be a vast range of self-harming behaviours beyond this and that wanting to die is rarely the motivation; b) that it's only or mainly teenage girls who self-harm. In fact, many males do and there seem to be no age limits; c) that it's an indication of mental illness, usually either 'borderline personality disorder' or 'bipolar disorder'. It may be neither, and in the case of borderline personality disorder, giving it this label does nothing to explain many types and instances of self-harming behaviour. According to the online communications charity YouthNet, self-harming is often a way of coping with painful and distressing feelings, and people may harm themselves because they feel overwhelmed and don't know how else to deal with things. While some forms of selfharm can carry a serious risk, this doesn't mean that someone who does it is always intending to cause themselves serious injury or trying to commit suicide. However, research suggests that the intention to commit suicide is present in up to 15 per cent of those who self-harm. Whilst reasons for self-harming will vary from person to person, the issue of awareness and understanding of it in universities is open to question. This is of even more concern in circumstances where mental health issues amongst students may be increasing due to the changing face of higher education, with student debt and various personal circumstances adding to the stresses of academic study. Advice and support LMUs Counselling and Wellbeing service provides confidential and impartial support for anyone who may be dealing with self-harm or knows a self-harmer, as well as support for other issues. Manager Hugh Clarke said: Across a year, the service deals with around 30 to 50 cases of self-harm, but it is important to note that not everyone at the University who self-harms is coming to the Counselling and Wellbeing service. This is quite often the case with self-harmers, as it is a very private issue, therefore Hughs advice for anyone who knows someone that may be self-harming is: Advise the selfharmer to seek further support, and reassure them that the objective is not to rob them of a valuable mechanism of release. However, it is also important to advise the person of the potential risks, as self-harming can lead to infection or even death. Tom Wood*, a former student at LMU who used the service, shared his experience. It all started after my 18th birthday, he said. Id moved to London from America for university, and being away from family and close friends I soon became depressed. At first I started drinking a lot and taking recreational drugs to help cope with my depression. After a while though I found that this wasnt enough, and so one day I took a compass and created my first scar, and it all began from there. I eventually confided in a friend, though I begged her not to tell anyone. Eventually her harsh but real words moved me to seek help for my condition, and the Counselling and Wellbeing service at LMU provided a jump start to recovery. Addressing the issue Clearly this is an issue that isnt going to just go away, and it is important that support and understanding is imparted on those dealing with it. According to online magazine Children and Young People Now, researchers at the University of Leeds have taken on the challenge of addressing the self-harming issue and have been awarded 4.5 million to lead a new scientific study which will attempt to uncover the reasons behind selfharming in young people. The grant from the National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Development (NIHR HTA) will allow the research team to recruit and examine over 800 young people with a history of self-harm across a seven-year period. However, for those currently attempting to deal with the issue, there are a number of external agencies that can provide help and advice, such as online charity YouthNet, whose information can be found at http://www.thesite.org/ healthandwellbeing/mentalhealth/selfharm. Other resources for help also include the NHS Choices website (www.nhs.uk/conditions/ Self-injury), The BBC Radio1 advice website (www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/advice/factfile_az/ self_harm) and The Mind Organisation website (www.mind.org.uk/help/diagnoses_and_ conditions/self-harm). If you would like to book an appointment to see an LMU Counsellor, please contact the service for an initial appointment at your campus on: (North campus) 020 7133 2094 (City campus) 020 7320 2370 *Name changed

Image Sarah Ayoub

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Features

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Features

Stay safe in the cityGeorgia Ellmore

Michael Costa

.. you must be safe..So youve just got off the tubeand youre about five minutes from home. Out come the house keys, youre switching your iPod off and youre about to ring your house mate and ask her to put the oven on for you. The thought of you not being safe doesnt cross your mind, because youre near home, right? You do the same thing when youre near university except this time you might be flashing your laptop. But again, you must be safe, youre in familiar surroundings and with familiar people and no one would take a laptop from you near university, surely? Unfortunately, this is not the case. National crime statistics show that most crimes happen within a mile of the home, simply because criminals can catch people off -guard and when they least expect it. Its a sad truth that many people choose to ignore. According to police.uk, an online service that allows users to find out exactly what crimes have happened in their area, around Holloway Road in October 2011 there were 261 crimes in the area 174 of which were crimes involving grievous bodily harm or sexual offences. Likewise at City campus, near Aldgate tube station 275 crimes were committed in October with a total of 230 being branded as violent crime against another person. Additionally, in the same month there were 4857 crimes reported in central London. Compared to other places in the UK such as Bristol, where crime rates totalled 1947, and Gloucester, which totalled 945, living in the capital makes you up to three times more likely to be a victim of a crime. The figures dont stop there, either. According to research by the British Crime Survey, young people aged 16-24 are most likely to be the victims of a violent crime. So how can you prevent it happening to you? Try to avoid getting out your phone or iPod in dark areas where there are few people, and when youre in a crowd, keep valuables in a zipped pocket to avoid pick-pockets. Also, try to hide money in a separate compartment in your purse or wallet, so when you come to pay for something you arent flashing the cash. For more information on personal safety visit: http://www.met.police.uk/ crimeprevention/personal.htm And remember: youre not truly safe until youre through the front door.

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WrapsJade Lawrence

Creative Corner

opaque like the night sky, demonic intrusions, clouding his peaceful mind. Staring at her from across the room, the voice inside him growing strong, the man that dwells inside, tossing and turning, restlessly trying to break free from the constraints of his body... Overthrowing his mind and gaining power of his outer shell. This once artless boy transformed into his alternate self, the self he keeps hidden away from the world. That other self plagues him, ravages his soul with darkened thoughts and a murderous mind. Like a beast in the wild he plays with his prey, toying with her mind, luring her and secluding her from any safety, bolting all escape routes and cornering her for his own pleasure, his own game. Circling her with his sinister smile and raucous laugh, he lunges, his hissing venomous tongue matching the anger in his soulless eyes. His veins bulge with a furious hate, an explosion of his clashing personalities coming to an abrupt head as he repetitively indents her skull with a cast iron bar conveniently pulled from behind the door. Pain drizzles from her eyes as his heavy hands grab at her throat, his thick tightening fingers clenching into her youthful flesh, straining the oxygen from her wavering lungs, suffocating her slowly. Screaming at her, willing her to die, his elated eyes fill with contentment as he stares directly into her soul, his unhinged laughter filling the room. Her muted screams fall on detached ears. Her flailing arms desperately try to scramble free to save herself from his tightening grip; her thrusting feet jolt into his side, his loosened grip sets her free...

His eyes were blackened,

Sara Cudicio

Crawling across the wreckage of this room, the door in her line of sight, the taste of freedom on her lips... He comes running at her, grabbing her for more. Screaming like a banshee and armed with a metallic glinting blade he sinks in to her... warm crimson trickling of the cold steel knife welded to his hand. Scarlet flakes of splattered blood cling tightly to the plastered ceiling above; pools of maroon embedded within the stale moss green carpet. Her empty corpse cast worthlessly aside upon the pile of cluttered crap and hollowed out wraps that transcends across the matted carpet. Her ornate features souring beneath her bludgeoned, beaten face. Her lifeless eyes still open and staring at him, his face eternally charred onto her iriss, his hands perpetually indented around her throat. Her final salt water tears each fill with memories of their friendship, dripping on to the old takeaway box that lies discarded beneath her. Decorated in her blood, he stands. Marvelling at his art, crimson stained upon his palms. Shaking, he clambers to the bathroom to check himself in the mirror. Crawling across the rubble of this smashed room, dragging himself up by the sink, he looks into the eyes of the face that stands before him, squinting closer to recognise the aged burly man reflected back. No! What have you done!? he screams at the man in the mirror - the man who has stalked him since the day he was born.

Pain drizzles from her eyes..

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Students Union

MetSUOur vision: To become one of the leading and most diverse Students Unions in London.Background The history of the London Metropolitan University Students Union goes back to the year of Londons two prominent universities (London Guild Halls and the University of North London) famous merger in 2001. As part of the university merger, the Students Unions from the two universities also merged to create a new union for the London Metropolitan University in 2002, forming MetSU (Met Students Union). From the outset the Students Union experienced several structural changes. Many of its core functions were segregated from the Union and attached to the University departments. This separation of services actually vitiated the purpose of the Students Union, and for many years London Met students experienced poor representation from their Union. The London Met Students Union took a new shape in March 2009 after massive lobbying by the then executive committees to the University governing body. The University governing members agreed that the current model of the Students Union was not self-directed, and was unable to represent its members voices independently. The governing body agreed to move the Students Union to a new model and registered it as a charity organisation. Following the approval of the board in December 2009, the University and Students Union executive committees mutually agreed to employ a project manager for a nine month fixed-term period, to deliver a project to restructure and develop a new autonomous and functional Students Union. The project started in February 2011 under the supervision of a project board consisting of eight members, including University staff, the Students Union President, the Student Council Chair and Student Council nominated member, as well as the general manager from two external unions and a NUS senior manager. The project board met six times and employed schemes to shape the union to fit its core purpose. After nine months of discussion and negotiation, the project board delivered a new model of the Students Union in August 2011, which will be implemented from July 2013. our mission: To act in the best interest of our students by always putting them first. our vision: To become one of the leading and most diverse Students Unions in London our values Independence Diversity and equality Openness and trust Respect and understanding Accountability Ambition(desire to see successful development and improvement) Strategic partnership

London Metropolitan University Students Union (MetSU) is an independent, democratic organisation run by students, for students. It provides representation, advice and support to students at the University. MetSU has offices on both campuses. There are experienced staff members who provide support, representation and advice services. There are many chances to participate in life at London Met, to meet new people and have a good time. The most important thing is to get involved and make the most of your time here. We also run our own media channels, including Verve Magazine & Verve Radio. If you are a budding creative talent, you can put your skills to good use by getting involved with the magazine, radio station and website. They are always looking for new contributors, writers, reviewers, and designers. The Students Union continues to work in partnership with the University as it moves into the future. MetSU is currently in the process of being registered as an incorporated charity. Do let us know if you have any suggestions, ideas or comments about how we can make things better for you the students, and we would like you to come and meet us and share any ideas you have. Contact: su@londonmet.ac.uk.

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MetSUour objectives To increase participation for all level of students at the Union To be registered as a charity elections and maintain diversity organisation by grantee in line within the Union. with the Charity Act 2006 and ensure good governance for the Students Union services and Union. activities To ensure effective representation The main function of any Students for all students through formalising Union is representation. Elected the StAR(Students Academic officers spend over 80 per cent of Representative) function. their time with students to ensure To provide independent advice, proper representation of every information and representation level of student at the University. to all students at the University. London Met is very diverse in To become watchdog to the terms of student population, and a Universitys decision making significant proportion of students process and to be recognised as come from ethnic minority groups an important factor in all plans for and disadvantaged backgrounds. change and development at the Despite the recent changes to University. fees for higher education, London To gain financial autonomy Met will always offer education and utilise financial resources to people from disadvantage effectively. backgrounds and will maintain To ensure a constructive its widening agenda. Given the partnership between the Students nature of these groups of students Union and the University. and as a result of paying higher To ensure students involvement fees in the form of an investment in University policy-making and towards building a better future, strategic planning. students expectations from the To develop an effective University in terms of quality communication system to meet and standard of education will the needs of all Union members, be very high. Therefore, the and actively promote the Students essence of the Students Unions Unions role to its members. function in forthcoming years will To develop a new and effective be to represent these students governance structure through expectations to the Higher creating an effective Student Education Institute (HEI), and it Council and Board of Trustees. has been decided by the Student To deliver the services that address Council that the model of London the changes in students trends to Mets new Students Union will be meet their needs. based on the following six basic To make ethical decisions to functions: minimise our impact on the environment.

Students Union

Met will always offer education to people from disadvantage backgrounds and will maintain its widening agenda.

Representation (proper channel of communication through effective academic rep system) Independent advice information and representation (AIR) Democracy and Governance (Elections, Student Council, Board of Trustees). Clubs and Societies (social and community ethos) Independent media and communication (Magazine, Radio and news letters) Freshers fair Activities and services in partnership with the University departments Department of Student Services: Students activities GIGO(Give it a go) Volunteering Mentoring /peer support Student welcoming team/ orientation Department of Campus Services: Sports activities Summer ball event other events Human resource and Finance Department: Payrolls Staff Pension Other relevant back-of-house services Department of Recruitment International night

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Students Union

I Should have known better

COPY AND PASTE CAN WRECK YOUR SUMMEROliver never meant to plagiarise, he didnt even realise what he was doing was wrong, he thought hed done his work properly, but at a busy time of year, pulling a few late nights and rushing to meet deadlines, he got into cut and paste. Oliver only got an ordinary degree and didnt get the job he had been o ered because they were demanding for at least a 2:1

THINK BEFORE YOU ACT!!!The Students Union support and represent students accused of academic misconduct. If you don t understand the rules about academic misconduct or thinking you might be getting addicted to copy and pasting, get help now, talk to your tutors or any of the contacts below

Tobi Samuel, 0207 133 4174 Vice-President, North Campus vpnorth.su@londonmet.ac.ukadvocacy.su@londonmet.ac.uk

Syed Rumman, 0207 320 2206 Vice-President, City Campus vpcity.su@londonmet.ac.uk

www.londonmetsu.org.uk12

Student-Led Teaching AwardsYour lecturers, your awardsExcellence in teaching and learning is paramount to our Universitys affordable, quality education agenda. As a result, the provision of a positive student experience and excellent teaching is what we are committed to, ensuring that our University maintains the quality of education that they continue to deliver to students. The StudentLed Teaching Awards (S.L.T.As) aims to give students the opportunity to have a say, as well as recognise tutors who have made and are still making positive contributions towards their students academic growth. With this in mind, before the end of the 2011/2012 academic season students will get the opportunity to nominate lecturers who have made an impact on their academic growth and improvement. A panel will select a winner from the nominees, and the winners will be presented with an award at the graduation ceremony. The scheme, we hope, will not only encourage tutors to be more student-focussed in their approach, but also aims to encourage student participation. The award categories will vary from Best Feedback to Most Supportive PAA. The scheme has the support of the Vice-Chancellor Malcolm Gillies, the Dean of Students Cecile Tschirhart, and most importantly the Students Union executives, who are working tirelessly to ensure that the scheme, which is the first of its kind at our University, is successful. For further information about the S.L.T.As and to get involved, please contact Ifesinachi Okafor on ifo0046@my.londonmet.ac.uk or at the Students Union office.*Abbreviations: AB: Academic Board/L&T: Learning & Teaching committee/ADC: Academic Development Committee/ARC: Academic Research

Students Union

Officers Quality and responsibility - Be updated of current issue at the university that might affect students - Meet regularly to discuss students issue - Sit on all the designated committees - Regularly communicate with students - Carry out research on issues related to students movements/ student experience - Run campaigns for students - Work as a team to achieve common goal for students - Plan and organise events - Be responsive to students - Be well organised and task oriented

Committee/HFC: Hardship Fund Committee/ FAC: Fee Assessment Committee/VFM: Value for Money Group/ GIAG: Give It a Go. StAR: Student Academic Representative.

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Sport

Tips for a healthy 2012Rhys Milsom

Many people take the start of the New

Year to be a fresh beginning trying to get healthier, lose a little weight and become fitter. However, a problem with this resolution of taking better care of yourself is that it is not something thats just going to happen overnight. It takes time and effort: two things that many people forget about when promising themselves that 2012 will be the year theyll definitely, finally, get into shape. To help those of you who are thinking about making it happen in 2012, here are some tips to give you the push to help you on your way. Hopefully, theyll be of use when you look out the window and see that its hammering down with rain and you are tempted to end up on the sofa with a big bag of crisps and a chocolate bar, instead of going for a walk or a run. They could be something youll return to when your willpower is gone - when you find its not as easy as you hoped it would be.

Eat smaller, more frequent mealsWhen you overeat, your stomach stretches. Its common that we eat when were already full lets face it, we all hate waste but when we continue to eat, our bodies keep those extra calories as fat. So, instead of large, heavy meals, try eating smaller meals more frequently. That way, those extra calories will be no more and you will also get to snack, which will help you feel full. Snacking also helps to prevent overeating at meals especially if your snacks contain protein.

Olga Socha

Dont push yourself too hard.can lose interest fast and unless you want to be the next Worlds Strongest Man or Woman, you could end up pushing yourself too hard and not seeing the results you were expecting in the time youd hoped. Its better to spend 45 minutes than 90 minutes in the gym, as you can then utilise your time in sections, rather than wandering around aimlessly watching the clock. Youll also make extra effort to go to the gym when you know that its a long-term goal, not a short one. extra calories into their body than people who dont. Its better to eat while sat at a table. That way, you can focus on what youre eating and your body will come to its stop-point sooner rather than ignoring your stomachs pleas to stop. If you have a TV in your kitchen, move it or sell it. Use the money for a gym membership or a new bike.

Use mobile appsWe all know how handy smartphones are and were always downloading the latest apps, even if theyre useless to us. So instead of downloading the latest LED flashlight or a fast-food chain app, why not go for a step-counter or a sit-up app? That way, you can check your e-mails and texts as you get fitter and wont have to rely on old-school workout charts.

drink more waterInstead of opting for coke, go for a bottle of water. It rehydrates your body quicker and also does wonders for the skin. Also, many people mistake dehydration for hunger, so next time you think youre hungry, have a drink of water first. Water also helps fill up your stomach causing you to eat less while rehydrating you.

Never EVER eat in front of the TVPeople who eat while watching television arent paying attention to the needs of their body - they are paying attention to the TV. As a result, people who eat while watching television put an estimated 200

Dont push yourself too hardSpending hours in the gym is not an attractive prospect to many people. You

14

Starting the year with a bang - roller derbyKatie Lewis

Sport

With the chill of winter upon us

and a few too many puddings tugging at the conscience, its good to know that there are more thrilling options than a treadmill to increase the heart rate and get the fat burning. Its not for the faint-hearted, but Londoner Danelle Lever is happy to be a roller girl. Can you tell us a bit about how you came to be involved in roller derby? I first heard of roller derby when I came to London in 2007, though unfortunately at the time I never followed it through to go and see a game or anything. At the beginning of 2010 a work colleague and I went to see a game and I knew straight away that it was something that I wanted to be involved in. I got a pair of skates, signed up through the London Rollergirls website and the rest is history. Was the boot camp training as severe as it sounds? The boot camp wasnt in place when I started so I didnt have to endure it as all the fresh meat now have to. I hear it is pretty tough, but every training session we do is tough so they may as well get used to it if they want to play. What inspired your roller derby alias, Racey Slam Hard? I think it was more assigned than inspired; a friend christened me with it. Its a play on the name of a page three girl [Lacey Banghard]. Which teams do you play for? The Suffra Jets and Batter C Power What do you enjoy most about roller derby? Its exhilarating, in every way possible. I love the speed, the big hits, the suspense, the excitement, the camaraderie and the community. And, I have made some of my nearest and dearest friends through roller derby; for one of the first times in my life I am hanging out with girls that I feel a real connection with. How rough does it get out there, have you acquired any war wounds? It does get pretty rough, some of the hits make your insides shudder and your head spin. Luckily, I havent as yet sustained any serious injuries, but any player would be

naive to think it will never happen; its just a matter of time. I guess the most painful would have been either face-planting a wall when I first started scrimmaging or twisting my knee. What do you consider to be the health benefits of participating in roller derby? Like any form of physical activity, derby is great for your health. I have always been reasonably fit, but I am a lot stronger now. The want to improve your game makes things like diet and exercise become important to you for reasons that you never had before. Some girls have exercise routines that would make anyone wince. If you had to describe Roller Derby in five words, what would they be? Passionate, violent, all-consuming, bruising, sequins.

do you have to be strong and tough to be a roller girl? Hmmm, tough one. I would like to say Yay! Anyone can play roller derby!, but I guess the truth is, like anything, you need to have certain characteristics to play and I guess strength and toughness, in all senses of the word, are a necessity. Or at least they definitely help. Is there any talk of a boys league? There is more than talk, the Mens UK Roller Derby Association is already up and running! So kids, if you are keen on joining a team, signing up to referee, or just want to spectate, more information is available at www.londonrollergirls.com.

It is exhilarating, in every way possible.

15

Lifestyle

A guide to Londons best lower-priced nightlifeMirela Watson

While there is little doubt that most of us are intellectual,

hardworking students who wouldnt dream of a night out the day before a looming deadline or 9am lecture (yeah right!), weve put together a night out guide filled with some of the best club nights in London town to help ease you into the new semester, without sending your post-Christmas overdraft into meltdown. Lets be honest, who doesnt need a little brightening up during the exam period? Start the week off as you mean to go on, with a trip to Haymarkets Tiger Tiger! Monday sees the three-storey club turned into Vodka Island as partygoers from across the city flock to enjoy the laid back atmosphere, cringe-worthy chart classics and, most importantly, bargain price beverages, both alcoholic and nonalcoholic. What better way to welcome the week than putting the stresses of uni aside and getting on your dancing shoes? A quick flash of your student card secures discounted entry and you can expect to pay about 2.50-3 for double spirits at the bar all night. With prices like this, it seems almost rude to stay in! On Tuesdays, Milkshake sees the Ministry of Sound, which boasts to be one of the citys most notorious clubbing hotspots, transformed into a student-friendly zone. Every partygoer worth their salt knows this venue offers a sound system which is second to none, making it the perfect place for keen clubbers to dance their troubles away. With 20 years of clubbing experience, the Ministry of Sound still remains one of the capitals most premier venues. Come Wednesday, Moonlighting Club in Soho transforms into the ULTIMATE student hangout - Cheapskates. It does exactly what it says on the tin, and with spirits and mixers from as little as 90p, pre-drinking before your night out becomes a thing of the past. A favourite amongst cash-strapped

students, this venue often reaches full capacity by midnight. If you dont mind the slightly tacky dcor of mirrored walls and more blue fairy lights than Santas Grotto, Cheapskates offers cheap and cheerful at its very best. Besides, where else in London can you get change from a 1 coin these days? Alternatively, dig out the inflatable guitar, luminous body paint and pick up a glow stick or two then head to Leicester Square for a fun night, guaranteed! There is something about a few drinks and some club classics that brings out the playful side in even the most studious of us. Londons vibrant city centre caters for exactly this; bars such as Metra and Zoo have plenty of studentfriendly deals, with drinks available for as little as 1.50 on selected nights. Thanks to the clubs PR, all-girl groups gain free entry to many of the venues, making it ideal for that end of the month, pre-payday night out! If youre looking for something a little closer to home, theres always the good old London Met Rocket. Join the Flirt! Facebook page to keep updated with all the gossip on the upcoming nights. The resident DJ keeps the venue buzzing for Flirt! on Wednesdays, with a variety of action-packed and themed events. But approach with caution - photographers are always on hand to snap the nights action. How does the saying go? What happens in the Rocket stays on Facebook If you want to really do things properly, everyone knows that come 3am, closing time for the clubs, all the proper students head to the nearest fast food take-out, and brave THAT dreaded journey on the night bus to save a few pennies on expensive cabs. And they say university is the best few years of your life! See you on the dancefloor

Fancy a fabulous night out in Londons Mayfair courtesy of Metparties?Answer the question below and you and 10 friends could be spending the night in one of Londons most exclusive clubs with real VIP treatment. You will walk straight into the club with free entry, be taken to your own table and, of course, there will be plenty of free drinks! Q: Which act won the 2011 series of X Factor? E-mail your answer to joe@ metparties.com with your full name and mobile number, quoting London Met Verve Mag competition. T&Cs: *Complimentary table *Complimentary bottle of vodka *Complimentary entry for all your guests before 11pm *You must bring a minimum of 10 guests to get the table and bottle of vodka *If you cant bring 10 guests, you can join the main Metparties table for drinks with your guests *no all-male groups *All guests must be 18 and over *dress code applies

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New year, new skin: A must-read skincare guide for 2012Michelle Allan

Lifestyle

We start the new Year with resolutions, undoubtedly broken

Know your skin type!will push dirt into your pores and clog them, causing spots. Start by getting some cotton pads with a dab of cleanser applied to them. Use this to cleanse your face, using warm water to open the pores and get all the dirt out. Next wipe your face with a plain cotton pad soaked in warm water. To tone, use cold water on the pad, add some toner and wipe your face. The cold water will close the pores ready for the last step, moisturising. This should be done every morning and night. Never go to bed with your makeup on, and always moisturise to protect your skin. You should give yourself one or two facials a week. First, cleanse your face by putting boiling water in a bowl, putting your face over the steam and covering your head and the bowl with a towel, letting the steam gently open up your pores. If you have oily skin, put a few drops of tea tree oil in the water. If you have sensitive or dry skin, try some rose oil, or for combination skin try witch hazel. The next step of the facial is exfoliation. If your skin is dry, exfoliate twice a week to get rid of the layer of dead cells. If you have oily skin exfoliate once a week, but be gentle if you are too rough it could cause your sebaceous glands to produce more oil to protect the skin. If you have combination skin, exfoliate your whole face once a week and focus on just your dry patches during the second facial of the week.

halfway through. But hey, why not start this year with a new skincare regime and stick to it? During the winter our skin really does suffer, with all that time outside battling the cold, wind and rain - combined with the late nights and early mornings, the piled on makeup and alcohol consumption leaving skin dry and dehydrated. The skin is the largest organ of the body; it gives us clues to its own health and reflects the health of other body systems, which is why it is important to keep it healthy. It varies in thickness on different parts of the body: for instance, it is thinnest on the eyelids and lips and thickest on the soles of your feet and palms of your hands, so it is imperative to take care of the skin on your face because it is so light and sensitive. The skin can be divided in to two parts: the epidermis and dermis. The epidermis is the surface layer. These are the outermost skin cells which are constantly lost through wear and tear. There is no blood supply to these layers, meaning all the cells are dead. The only living cells are those right at the bottom where nourishment is provided by a blood supply from the dermis. The cells in the bottom layer continuously produce daughter cells, which are pushed upward towards the surface where they die and are rubbed off. The epidermis consists of five layers which all do different things. They let the sun through, giving us vitamin D, produce keratin (a protein that protects the skin), and they contain the pigment melanin which gives us our skin colour. The dermis is under the epidermis and is called the true skin, as it contains blood vessels, nerves, hair follicles, sweat glands and oil glands. It is made up of elastic connective tissue and its main job is holding the skin in shape, which is why it will return to its original shape after you pinch it. You should cleanse, tone and moisturise skin daily, using specific products. All brands cater for different skin types and should specify on the bottle. Do not wash your face with soap or baby wipes as these

normal Skin has an even, healthy colour over the face and neck. Your skin has a smooth texture without blemishes. This skin is the easiest to look after as you can use products for normal skin. dry Generally even colour although cheeks are prone to redness. The texture is usually a little rough and uneven. It has small pores and is not producing enough of its own oil to keep the cells moisturised. For this skin you should gently exfoliate twice a week and use heavy moisturisers. dehydrated If your skin is rougher and pinker than normal you are dehydrated. People who are dehydrated think they have dry skin but that is not the case. It is not getting the moisture from inside so drink more water. oily The surface of your skin is shiny from sebum or oil. The colour is dull and pores are larger making you prone to spots and blackheads. You should use products specifically designed for oily skin that are not greasy.

Combination Combination skin is a mixture of different skin types. Usually After exfoliating apply a face mask. For oily people with combination skin have skin use a tea tree clay mask, applying it an oily T-zone, which is your forehead generously to the whole of your face and and nose, and dry cheeks. You can buy letting it dry for 10 minutes before washing products for combination skin, but you it off. Dry skin reacts better to a moisturising should use different face masks on the face mask that doesnt dry, like a vitamin E different skin types.mask. An aloe vera or chamomile and rose protective mask will work best on sensitive skin. For combination skin, use a tea tree mask on the T-zone and a moisturising mask on dry cheeks. Finally, to complete your facial moisturise using a cream specifically designed for your skin type, and always apply in an upward motion. And there you have it, brand new skin for a brand new year!

Sensitive Skin is red and sore. You may develop irregular patches of dryness and irritation. Any skin type can be sensitive. Skin changes every several years so you may gain or lose sensitivities during your life. You should use products made specifically for sensitive skin that are not perfumed.

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Lifestyle

Thomas Gibson

Doing it like a

Fashion and style regularly swing between feminine intricate details and flattering shapes, and masculine boyish silhouettes. Over the past century, after countless years of women honouring a duty to epitomize femininity in their dress and lifestyle, ladies have ditched their chaperones, taken up smoking and drinking and adopted a masculine style. In a society that promotes absolute freedom and allows anyone to be anyone, gender is becoming an illusion. Women can be very male, men can be very female.The term androgynous, purely derived from the Latin andro, man, and gyn, woman, refers to having strong qualities of both masculine and feminine. Gender and sexual ambiguity can be seen everywhere today - Londoners in particular have no qualms in playing with the boundaries of gender roles. We are fortunate enough to have been dropped into a youthful time where gender, sexuality and fashion have no limits. It all began in the 1920s. After the disasters of war and disease, it was a time of surviving. At the time the ratio of women to men sat at a very unbalanced 3:1. It was common knowledge that certain women were simply not going to find a man. If you werent going to marry, why not undertake a life where you could enjoy a male kind of freedom? Relaxed clothing, relaxed relationships, smoking, drinking and women obtaining careers where becoming ever more popular. Coco Chanel is the renowned frontrunner for propelling the androgynous look onto the runway. Her idea of breaking into a mans world, and wardrobe, sparked a permanent change in fashion. She crafted blazers, reefer jackets, open necked shirts and jumpers for women. Her clean-cut sophisticated styles with boxy shapes and fitted skirts marked the end of the excessive and overstated frills of the early twentieth century, and ladies ditched the corset for the suit. Chanel developed her own perception on how women should act and dress, with her signature style and colour palette. The 1920s girls were liberated, cropping their hair and daringly exposing their legs for the first time. They were known as the garonnes.

Photography: Tom Knock Hair and make-up: Michelle Allan Model: Elsa Buchanan Styling: Sharn Rayment Studio: EFP Studios, London

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dude (and a lady)There were many other pit stops on the way to the androgynous freedom in fashion that we enjoy today. Journalist Anne Scott James wore a mens style trouser suit in 1941, and women began wearing black suits for relaxing at home. Actress Katharine Hepburn also adopted a masculine style of dressing. She wore little make-up, preferring a natural look rather than the well-known glamorous one. She was photographed in 1952 wearing a wide-cut trouser suit and her casual style spawned many copycats. Designer Pucci came up with a popular design for nylon crush-free wide trousers now known as palazzo pants. The 1970s brought about the next momentous change. The division between genders in fashion had grown increasingly hazy. Both men and women were flaunting luscious long hair and were wearing statement t-shirts, jeans and loading themselves with accessories. Glam-rock icons such as David Bowie and Boy George were dressing up like showgirls, very shortly followed by their multitude of fans. Men were often seen wearing more makeup than their girlfriends. Street wear and work wear were then given a revamp, a fresh new approach fuelled by the society of the time, and finally Yves Saint Laurents smoking suit was given the nod of approval. Today we have a well-earned choice. Women are dressing up in heels and feminine dresses one day, then their boyfriends trouser suit the next. Men can wear a tracksuit to the gym, followed by jewellery and skinny jeans on a night out. Living in a time where androgynous fashion is at its peak, dont be afraid to embrace both your masculine and feminine sides.

Lifestyle

Chanel developed her own perception on how women should act and dress..

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Lifestyle

21st centuryA guys view

by Thomas Gibson

Love has changed its status.

Youd have to be completely blind not to notice that the birth of the internet has given way to a complete revolution of relationships. More and more couples are meeting through the multitude of social networking websites on offer. Waiting for that special someone to ask you on a date has transpired to waiting to be inboxed by your crush. Developed initially for military purposes in 1957, whod have known that the then ARPANET would now be a means of finding true love? Facebook relationships are taking the world by storm; in fact, most people dont consider a relationship to be concrete until the infamous is now in a relationship with status appears in the news feed. Personally, I dont quite know how I feel about this phenomenon. The idea that your love life is categorized into single, complicated or in a relationship somewhat vexes me. Could there not be a is seeing how it goes with... or just having fun with...? Maybe its time someone put this forward to Mark Zuckerberg. Is our love life now just a status on a domain page? Whatever happened to that beautiful pre-internet romance that Im sure once existed - the flirt, the first dance, the first date? It seems now a relationship timeline is merely add friend, friend accepted, inbox, in a relationship, single, delete friend and maybe a cheeky block depending on how sinister the break up is. Its estimated that nearly every person under the age of 25 has had some sort of love rendezvous thanks to Facebook. Were moving into a completely new age, not just in technology but also in love. Is this safe or even humane? In a society where we barely have time to drink our morning coffee, weve somehow managed to condense love and relationships into a few clicks.

Getting down to the bare bones of it, Ive tried to find out what makes online love the new alternative to the real life stuff. For a start, you can filter. The same way that you might filter out the old and the ugly in a bar on a night out, you can manipulate Facebook to display the candidates that you personally think may match your requirements. Secondly, you can date on the move. Social networking is now available on iPads and smartphones, meaning that you can cruise and chat wherever you are, whether its a good thing or not.

Whatever our relationship status, were assured that true love is simply a few clicks or pokes away. Im sure the day where faceless dating is in fashion is just around the corner. If Facebook lets you see what a person is doing, will be doing, has done, does for a living, and who theyve done in their online lifetime, the need to actually be in their presence will soon be obsolete. How long before we can log on and off love?

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love

Lifestyle

A girls viewThe main problem when it comes to technology is that it lifts all boundaries. Facebook boasts to have over eight million active users, so gone are the days when we were restricted to communicating with only those in our social circle - now we can talk to almost anyone. But is this a good or a bad thing? On the surface communication with others is a good thing, but in the wrong hands its a curse and can be seen as temptation thats hard to refuse. Cheating via texts or online can go unfound for months, if not years. Many of my female friends have admitted to stalking their partners profiles to see their interactions with other people predominately spying on the females who leave posts on their pages. Some have even gone so far as to create a fake profile to attempt to lure their boyfriends into meeting up with them, in a bid to see if they would cheat. Is it healthy that technology is causing us to mistrust and deceive those closest to us? My personal experiences are mixed. Ive dated men who have texted me while in the same room and called it spending time together. Need I say that those relationships didnt last too long

by Cassandra Clark

Im guessing the words add me and tweet me are amongst the most popular used today. Take a

moment to think about it: when was the last time you heard these phrases? I would confidently put all my money on you replying with recently. Its not because Im an egotistic, think-I-know-it-all kind of person, its because we live in a social media-frenzied world, and these words often catapult out of peoples mouths before they even stop to think.

Technology is a great thing and theres no denying it has revolutionised our lives for the better, generally speaking. But what has it done for our relationships? As an owner of every technical gadget that hits the high street, a self-confessed overindulger of relationships and being the one who all my friends (guys too they talk about relationships just as much!) seem to run to for advice, Ive just about heard it all when it comes to this topic.

Its not all doom and gloom though; long distance relationships can flourish from the use of social media and texting. I once dated a guy abroad and without Facebook, cheap Lebara texts and Skype, we would never have survived. But long distance relationships aside, modern technology can and too often does create problems in a relationship. My advice to you is to tone down your online life and take advantage of real interaction if you want your love to last.

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Lifestyle

Fashion blog focus: Q&A Student with Johanna Payton, style of the Fashion Detective monthSharn Rayment

Whats the idea behind your blog?

I came up with Fashion Detective when I was on holiday with my partner and some friends. One of them had been bought something for her daughter and they were like, "Im sure this is for a boy, Im sure its not for a girl", so I had a look at the cut and was like, "Yep, thats definitely a boys top". Then someone said "Youre like a fashion detective!", and I thought, thats a great name for a blog! So the idea behind the blog is that I find things out about fashion, whether its something a celebrity has worn or me finding clothes for an event. I just wanted to make it really lighthearted and fun, because I think a lot of fashion blogs say theyre written by non-fashion people in everyday language, but when you actually read them, theyre not!

"Music has a big influence in what I wear and I love black."

Do you think the fashion blogging market is overcrowded?I think it is, but I also think people have unrealistic expectations about what they can get out of it. They think if they just start a fashion blog thats enough, and that theyre going to get discovered and get a book deal or a column in a magazine. I think there are so many people out there doing it now that you have to have a real passion and devotion for it, as well as being able to write and take good pictures. So I think that even though its overcrowded, you have to try a bit harder to stand out from the crowd, but you can do it if you want to.

If you want it to be a blog and not website, it needs to have some of you in it.

When youre writing your blog do you feel pressured to say that everyone looks amazing?I dont want my blog to be bitchy I decided that right at the start, I wanted to be positive about fashion. If theres a celebrity and I think they look ghastly I just dont write about them. Sometimes I wear stuff and afterwards think, Why did I wear that?, but I try to refer to myself rather than other people. Id rather slag myself off and what I wear and have a good sense of humour about my own style than inflict it on anybody else.

What three things does a good blogger need?The first thing I would say is brilliant images, because when it comes to fashion its all about the visuals, so you need to get good images from PRs and take good images yourself. The second thing is to post really regularly I usually post twice a day whenever I can, and even if I know Im not going to be around I prewrite a blog post and schedule it so its going to pop up, so every single day theres new content. Some bloggers post four or five times a day, but as long as its regular thats really good. The third thing is personality, I think even if youre writing about fashion you should have your personality and your experiences in there, because thats what blogging is - its web logging; its an online diary.

Whats your failsafe styling tip?A good tip is to think about whatever is in fashion at the moment and be realistic about whether or not it suits you. Just because midi skirts are in it doesnt mean you have to wear them. Try it on and make sure it works for you as an individual before you buy it.

Johanna Payton

Whos your style icon?At the moment, probably Caggie [Dunlop] from Made In Chelsea, I love what she wears! I love that mix of vintage and high street that she wears and I think she pulls it off really well. Follow Jos life in fashion at www.fashiondetective.co.uk

Tiffany Phan

Irene Boccacci, 20, Music and Media Management and Events Management student at London Met

22

RIP R&BIf you listened to the radio at any point during 2011 to catch the weekly charts, you wouldve noticed a distinct change in the face of popular music. A mixture of pop, R&B and hip-hop has dominated the commercial airwaves for the last ten years, but more recently a formerly underground sound in the form of dance music has merged with the masses and caused a musical shift. Popular R&B artists such as Rihanna, Kelly Rowland, and even the smooth king of R&B, Usher, have turned against their signature silky style in order to achieve new chart success. Then there are the rappers Nicki Minaj, Ludacris and Snoop Dogg to name a few - who have all jumped on the dance bandwagon in order to change up their sound. Even Leona Lewis, a soulful vocalist previously branded with the ballad stamp, teamed up with relatively unknown Swedish DJ Avicii on her September comeback single Collide, driving the X Factor winner a million miles from her comfort zone. The one person most notably responsible for this chart changeup is French house music producer David Guetta, who has teamed up with a record number of urban artists, putting his upbeat spin on the songs of those who would normally opt for the slow and sexy sound of contemporary R&B. His 2011 album Nothing but the Beat featured a large chunk of chart-toppers from the same urban genre, leaving little for the fans of pure R&B. Sonja Lindstrom and Drew Ellery are both studying journalism at London Met, as well as hosting Verve Radio show Peer Pressure, dedicated to playing the best urban music from across the years. As aficionados of urban music, why do they believe some R&B artists are ditching their roots for dance beats? For the money! says Sonja. This kind of thing has

EntertainmentSharn Rayment

happened before, where black R&B stars make music with white popular music artists to bank in on a more commercial consumer group. It makes it more attainable. Before they were separate genres, but whats happened in the past ten years is that singular pop music and dance music has become quite rare, adds Drew. Theres been this gap [in the market] and the closest thing that people see

to pop and dance music is R&B. So its easy for artists to mix these genres as they know they can sell a lot more by tapping into all these different genres rather than marketing it to different people. As the charts change with popular music trends, pure contemporary R&B seems to have been forgotten. Though Drew believes this new wave of music is just another part of our ever-changing society. Music is always evolving and some people try, but you cant really go back. It defines the time - its what was going on in that era; its not just the music ,its everything, he says. Music always changes; you just have to go with the flow. We wouldnt have certain genres that we have today if it wasnt for two types of music coming together. We dont want the same music for decade after decade, adds Sonja. However, its not just contemporary R&B artists that have used the seemingly fail-safe just add dance music formula. Most notable is London-born rapper Example, who started out as a grime artist and has now gone on to favour dance beats. His third album Playing in the Shadows, which he said in an interview with Dancepop.co.uk would embrace a dance sound, went straight in at number one in August 2011, selling 56,224 units in its first week according to Music Week. Compared to sales of his previous album Wont Go Quietly, which shifted just 22,913 units and reached the number four spot in 2010, his change of musical direction has certainly proved beneficial. As more urban genres embrace dance influences and the charts are flooded with a new breed of tunes, which artists have stayed loyal to pure R&B? I dont even know if theres any pure R&B around anymore, I wouldnt even know who to say! says Sonja.

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Entertainment

Five films not to miss in 2012Isabelle Holst

After her super guide to the top films in the first part of the year

(vervemedia.co.uk), let Isabelle Holst guide you through the best releases this spring and beyond! During the second half of this year, Hollywood will officially introduce the era of sequels. Before sagas like Harry Potter and the Lord of the Rings, I have to admit that I was always rather anxious about sequels. I would fall in love with the story of a certain film, then they would announce that they are working on a sequel and then the internal dilemma happens: youre torn. You dont know whether to be excited about that beloved story continuing or whether you should burst into tears, being afraid of the directors messing it up. Luckily, this is the 21st century and the art of sequels has been pretty much perfected. So dont miss out on these amazing summer-autumnwinter blockbusters.

2. The Dark Knight Rises (20 July 2012)

Ladies, please keep on reading. I know, this is Batman, after all. I could propose many reasons as to why you should watch this film, but most persuasive will be: do it for poor, mesmerizingly pretty Heath Ledger, who gave the performance of his career as Joker in the previous Dark Knight, despite Candy in 2006. You owe him that. Plus, Christopher Nolan directed this, having proved his artistic talent in terms of cinematography, screenplay and visual effects in his previous films such as Inception (2010) or Memento (2000). Christian Bale provides the eye-candy and Anne Hathaway, Morgan Freeman who just received a Golden Globe for his lifetime achievement - and the great Gary Oldman are in it too. Trailer: www.thedarkknightrises.com

1. Titanic 3D (6 April 2012)

3. The Bourne Legacy (3 August 2012)

See, I promised it would be worthwhile to keep reading! Okay, Im going to spare detailed explanations for the male sake here. Jack loves Rose. Rose loves Jack. Bad fiance dislikes affair. Ship collides with iceberg. Ship sinks. Not enough lifeboats. Screaming. Almost everybody dies. Rose loves Jack. Jack dies. Rose survives and will never forget. Thats the world famous story, which sold 400 million tickets worldwide in 1997. Sorry, Mayans the world wont end in 2012, but the Titanic will sink one more time. In 3D. To visualise progress. No more words except: I. Wont. Miss. This! Thanks, Cameron! Trailer: www.titanicmovie.com

I am a huge admirer of the Bourne trilogy, which is why I will go and see it anyway. But here comes the BUT: Matt Damon is not in it! This is exactly the dilemma I was talking about earlier, but I guess that is the way life goes. As I said, I am usually not a fan of messing around with marvellous stories. And it is still Bourne, right? When I saw Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol I was pleasantly surprised, as were the producers of the Bourne Legacy, who hired Jeremy Jenner to follow in Matt Damons footsteps as the leading role. With Edward Norton and Rachel Weisz in supporting roles, I decided that this film will be worth seeing. I just wish they hadnt made it part of the trilogy. An official trailer hasn't been released yet, so keep your eyes peeled.

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4. The Gangster Squad (19 October 2012)

Since 2009s Public Enemies, we haven't been pampered with promising old-school gangster films - until now. The Gangster Squad chronicles the LAPD's fight to keep the east coast Mafia out of Los Angeles during the 1940s and 1950s. Unfortunately, almost no information has been leaked about this masterpiece, but I can indulge you with its cast: Sean Penn, Nick Nolte and the incredibly intriguing Ryan Gosling will embody honourable policemen (or gangsters, nobody quite knows who plays who yet). After much deliberation I have decided to tell you who else is in it too, rather than cutting off my own hand in order to not have to type her name. Emma Stone. There you go. Maybe some of you like her. I dont. It is going to be a good film though, mainly because the dudes will outweigh the girls. Hopefully.

5. The Hobbit An Unexpected Journey (14 December 2012)

We have come full circle. Just in time for Christmas, dwarfs, hobbits and elves return to the picture. For the record, technically this is not a sequel. Even if The Hobbit features Martin Freeman, Elijah Wood, Orlando Bloom and Cate Blanchett as well, it basically takes us back to the beginning - or rather, before the beginning. It tells the story of Bilbo Baggins (Frodos uncle) journey through Middle Earth to the Lonely Mountain. Since Harry Potter ended, I am really excited to be able to watch at least one mythology continue. It has always been able to transport me to a different world, away from everyday life, and I will warmly welcome this special feeling again. Just watch the trailer at www.thehobbit. com and you will know what Im talking about.

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V I E WS L M RE FIA dangerous MethodMarta Corato David Cronenberg said that psychoanalysis did not influence his job. Rather, I think my horror films have actually influenced psychoanalysis. This time, the method he chose to use is definitely dangerous. A Dangerous Method treats the relationships between Carl Jung, Sigmund Freud and their patient Sabina Spielrein in the years leading to the First World War. Sabina meets Jung as a hysterical patient, and ends up being so much more than his little experiment. Even Freud is fascinated by the young Russian girl. While Michael Fassbender (Jung) and Viggo Mortensen (Freud) are perfectly in tune with their characters, who really benefits from this film is the not-always-exactly-excellent Keira Knightley. Her role is so excessive that her efforts to be decent pay out in several scenes, especially when she has to extend her jaw to infinity and beyond. The story is caged in a rigorous structure: the hysterical patients stand out in a film that is constrained and repressed. It is a genius idea, this contrast. But in practice, the neat sets and the splendid 1910 costumes, together with the long dialogues of the protagonists, are not enough to keep the interest alive until the end credits. In a perfect world, Cronenberg would have made a disturbing movie about the birth of psychoanalysis obscure and complex the opposite of A Dangerous Method, which for much of its 99 minutes is clean and impeccable, just like the meadows of Jung's house. The problem is not the content or the form, but the whole: it is far from being bad, but the danger in the title does not reach the viewer. And one does get a little bored.

Carnage

Marta Corato An 11-year-old hits his classmate in the face with a stick. The parents of said classmate invite those of the attacker to discuss what should be done. Hilarity ensues. The Longstreets (Jodie Foster and John C. Reilly) and the Cowans (Kate Winslet and Christoph Waltz) seem to want to be very amicable in settling down their sons fight, but the situation gets out of hand pretty quickly: the apartment in which the four adults should be having tea and a civil conversation becomes hell. Flowers, cobbler, vomit, generous amounts of alcohol and a Blackberry are involved in the 79-minute-long film, completely set inside the Longstreets' house. The four stage an everyone-against-everyone situation, in which the allies and the enemies keep changing and eventually cause Christoph Waltz to appear on screen in his underwear. Carnage is hilarious and dark, and it underlines how the limits of civility and the difference between right and wrong are very, very fickle: enough to transform an 11-year-old into a threat to homeland security. The four protagonists the only actors of the film, really are brilliant at being all equally dislikable, but also funny. Yasmina Rezas play God of Carnage closes on a note that is not as brilliant as the rest of the movie. A pity, but not as terrible as having to deal with hysterical mothers and the conventions of the middle class.

Images: images.net

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Entertainment

Pelican, it shows glimpses of influences such as The Pixies and The Strokes. Theres been a great amount of anticipation leading up to the release of this album and it does not disappoint. Given to the Wild is one of the finest examples of British music this year. Stream Pelican at vervemedia. org. (http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=bdNC9FVWdBk) www.themaccabees.co.uk by Scott McGee (Journalism student) Sounds From nowheresville - The Ting Tings Out on 27th February (Sony Music) The Ting Tings are best known for their 2008 hits Thats Not My Name and Shut Up and Let Me Go. After disappearing for a few years while working in both Paris and Berlin on their second album, Sounds From Nowheresville was released in February. Following their previous hits, I was surprised to find the album lacking in similarly catchy songs. While it made good background music, it didnt have the impact I was expecting. The album features an eclectic mix of sounds alongside the upbeat tracks youd expect - my favourite being Guggenheim as one of the more catchy numbers. With basic elements of soulful house mixed with a Britpop feel, Help was an unexpected surprise. All in all, while its a promising album with a few songs set to make the Top 40, fans would have been happier if the band had stuck to what they were good at and made more feel-good pop. Treat your ears with the Vanguard remix of lead single Hang It Up at vervemedia.org. uk or at www.thetingtings.com by Miriam Pugh (Journalism & Fashion Marketing student)

SInGLE

T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever) Will.I.Am (feat. Mick Jagger and Jennifer Lopez) Out on 6th February (Interscope Records) Ex-Black Eyed Peas frontman Will.I.Am is back with his latest contribution to the world of futuristic club songs, but this time he has sought the help of a rock legend. T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever) features Rolling Stone Mick Jagger and reinvented R&B star Jennifer Lopez. All of which create this very confused style of song, but one that will no doubt be overplayed in every club across the UK. With his signature sound of distorted melodies and simple rhymes, this is certainly a song that captures the simplicity of youth while staying loyal to what blasted The Black Eyed Peas into superstardom with number one hit Boom Boom Pow. As for Jagger, its sad that such a pioneer of rock culture would submit himself to this style so cheaply. It was a bold move but sadly it does not work: his voice and the style of music do not complement each other well. However, the infectious beat will no doubt get you up and dancing in a nightclub, even if you would turn it off anywhere else. This lead single, taken from his new album #willpower due to be released nine days later, was co-produced by the man himself, Audiobot (a 19-year-old from California) and Dallas Austin, whos credited for

writing and producing a ton of huge hits including TLCs Unpretty, Blue Cantrells Hit Em Up Style (Oops!) and more recently Sugababes Push The Button. Head to verve-media.org to watch the official video for T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever) by Scott McGee (Journalism student)

ALBUM

Given to the Wild The Maccabees Out on 9th February (Fiction Records) Indie superstars The Maccabees are back with their third instalment, Given to the Wild, and it is their most creative offering yet. The third album is often considered the hardest, yet this is certainly one that will be remembered for years to come. Starting with the slow orchestral Given to the Wild (Intro), it builds momentum into the infectious melodic kicks of Child, one of the stand-out songs on the album. Also, with the introduction of new sounds in songs Heave and Go, this record shows great diversity and how this five-piece has progressed and matured over the years since their 2007 debut album Colour It In. They seem to be experimenting more with this record, a lot like fellow indie pioneers Arctic Monkeys did with Humbug, but this is a much more refined sound. It has an artistic dynamic similar to that of MGMT, yet with songs such as newly released single

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Five minutes with... Kyte2011 was fantastic for this Leicestershire four-piece. Not onlywas their own style of ambient electronica enjoyed across the UK, they wowed and inspired audiences across Europe, Taiwan and Japan, where they've built a massive fan base. If you've not listened to their music before, Dead Waves is a good place to start. Released in 2010, this second album is packed with epic tunes, dripping with gorgeous synth. While some tracks will break your heart, others will send a tingle down your spine. But what links them all is their unrelenting beauty. Yes, last year was a good one for Nick Moon (vocals/keys/guitars), Tom Lowe (guitars/keys) and Scott Hislop (drums), but 2012 looks set to be even better with the band currently writing their next album, which will feature the stunning voice of Alessi's Ark. If you get a chance to see the band perform soon, don't miss them as I suspect it'll be one of the last opportunities you'll have to see them in an intimate s