The Class of 2009Graduation Edition

The Attention Seeker

The Emo

The Class Clown

The Posh Boy The Gannet

The Loud Mouth The Thug

The RebelThe Chess Champion

The Player

The Sweetie-pie

The Head Boy The Chav

The Genius

The Teachers Pet

The Attention SeekerThe Loud MouthThe Loud Mouth

The Posh Boy

The GeniusThe GeniusThe Thug

The GannetThe EmoThe Emo The Teachers PetThe Teachers Pet

The Chess ChampionThe Chess ChampionThe Chess ChampionThe Chess ChampionThe Chess ChampionThe Chess ChampionThe Chess ChampionThe Chess Champion

Graduation Edition

EAT OUT FROM£10

In a Michelin Guide 2009Recommended Restaurant

Lemon Sole Seafood Restaurant in Old Portsmouth is the South’s fi rst pick your own Seafood and Fresh Fish Restaurant and we have got a great offer which allows you to have a THREE-COURSE MEAL from just £10.

This offer is valid seven days a week in Lemon Sole Sea Food Restaurant and Crofts Wine Cellar & Bistro for Lunch between 12 - 2.30pm and for Dinner reservations between 5.30 - 7.00pm.

All you need to do to claim this offer is to book in advance by calling 023 9281 1303 quoting “EAT OUT FROM £10” when you make your reservation then cut-out this voucher and hand it over to staff on arrival.

This voucher can also be redeemed for a Three-Course Roast Sunday Lunch from £10.

023 9281 1303 www.lemonsole.co.uk

Terms & Conditions: Offer is subject to availability. Prior reservation is essential quoting the “EAT OUT FROM £10”. Offer not valid in conjunction with any other offer. Price includes VAT. Maximum 6 persons per booking. For larger bookings a deposit will be required. Offer limited to special set Menu prepared

for this offer. All drinks and service is extra.

Lemon Sole Seafood Restaurant& Crofts Wine Cellar123 High Street • Old Portsmouth

Hampshire • PO1 2HW

EAT OUT FROM£10

In a Michelin Guide 2009Recommended Restaurant

Lemon Sole Seafood Restaurant in Old Portsmouth is the South’s fi rst pick your own Seafood and Fresh Fish Restaurant and we have got a great offer which allows you to have a THREE-COURSE MEAL from just £10.

This offer is valid seven days a week in Lemon Sole Sea Food Restaurant and Crofts Wine Cellar & Bistro for Lunch between 12 - 2.30pm and for Dinner reservations between 5.30 - 7.00pm.

All you need to do to claim this offer is to book in advance by calling 023 9281 1303 quoting “EAT OUT FROM £10” when you make your reservation then cut-out this voucher and hand it over to staff on arrival.

This voucher can also be redeemed for a Three-Course Roast Sunday Lunch from £10.

023 9281 1303 www.lemonsole.co.uk

Terms & Conditions: Offer is subject to availability. Prior reservation is essential quoting the “EAT OUT FROM £10”. Offer not valid in conjunction with any other offer. Price includes VAT. Maximum 6 persons per booking. For larger bookings a deposit will be required. Offer limited to special set Menu prepared

for this offer. All drinks and service is extra.

Lemon Sole Seafood Restaurant& Crofts Wine Cellar123 High Street • Old Portsmouth

Hampshire • PO1 2HW

Contents

The Editors

Pugwash Asks

Short Story: Xolouelwaa

What are you doing after uni?

To the future and beyond

Uni alumni

Uni refections

Quarter life crisis

Life after uni

Advert

D and G

Masters of the universe

Documentarian’s story

When post-grad plans go to pot

Things to do b4 leaving

An interview with Tanya de Grunwald

ebay your way to a healthier bank balance

Making a difference in a way that matters

Top tips for travelling

Style Guide

Graduate book reviews

Restaurant review

Film review

A-Z Festivals

Which Festival?

New Music

Albums

Gigs

4 7 8 10 11 12 14 15 16 18 19 20 21 22 24 26 28 30 32 36 38 40 41 42 44 45 46 47

4 7 8 10 11 12 14 15 16 18 19 20 21 22 24 26 28 30 32 36 38 40 41 42 44 45 46 47

Contents

3

Pugwash June 2009

Wow, how time flies! I can’t believe this will be our final issue for the year. It has been a great pleasure to be Editor, and I have gained so much experience from it. The magazine wouldn’t be as fab as it is without the phenomenal help and support from all of the teams. I cannot thank you enough – without you all, there would be no Pugwash. We have had some fantastic articles over the issues, dealing with controversial and hard hitting subjects, and I hope that

this continues next year. Good luck to everyone who is graduating this year, and happy holidays to everyone else. So it’s goodbye from me - as if this editorial couldn’t be cheesy enough! Adios!Email: steph.hall@upsu.netSteph Hall – Editor:

The Editors

The thought of graduating and being left to my own devices in the big wide world makes me want to rock back and forth in a darkened room. Although with this, the Graduating Issue, (and the very last issue of Pugwash I will have a hand in creating) at least I will have something to read whilst I do it. I’ve had a great time working on Pugwash and will be sad to see it all come to a close - but before I go, myself and the rest of the fabulous Life & Style team have rounded up some great content all about graduating in the credit crunch, things to do before leaving Portsmouth, earning cash for the summer and, of course, we’ve nosed into what a few other people are doing after graduation. Enjoy!Email: elke.morice@upsu.netElke Morice-Atkinson – Life & Style Editor

What a year it’s been! There’s been some ups and downs along the way but here we are at the end. We hope you enjoy reading this Graduation issue as much as we enjoyed producing it. Reflect on your time at uni here with our album reviews by Lamb of God and Pet Shop Boys. Also check out our Festival section - the highlight of everyone’s summer. With so many to choose from we have tried to help you with our guides. To everyone that is graduating this year: goodbye and good luck!Email: Tallie.kane@upsu.netTallie Kane - Arts & Ents Editor

So this is it... another year gone and this time around I won’t be returning to Pugwash or university; this is absolutely horrible! I definitely don’t feel ready to leave and, more importantly, I don’t want to. However, unless something goes horrendously wrong in the next month, I don’t get a choice in the matter! Thank you so much for all your contributions over the past year; you’ve all been a bunch of creative gems. Hope you all have a wonderful summer and good luck for next year! You might see me hanging about at the union, attempting to merge in with the rest of you rather than stepping foot into the big bad world of employment! Email: carys.rolley@upsu.netCarys Rolley – Fashion Editor:

Hey peoples, its been a fantastic year and I’m shattered! Hope you enjoy this special issue that was designed lovingly for your eyes to devour. Thanks to all the contributors and their work! Making the front cover with Sarah and James was great fun and a special thanks to everyone who participated with that. Thanks to everyone at Pugwash for making it a great experience, I recommend my position to anyone who enjoys design :)Email: sophie.colveron@upsu.netSophie Colverson - Design Editor

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Pugwash June 2009

Graduation is upon the 3rd years, and whether we are afraid or sad or very, very glad, we do really need to talk about it. So here is the talk and the chat in this magazine. It’s the fourth and last issue of the year and we want to make it a good one. If you are graduating, going for further education, or going travelling, we wish you the best that luck can get you. If you are on the other hand, stuck in Portsmouth, please enjoy the magazine - and don’t worry, your time will come!Nina Tennant, Russell Thomas and Samuel Gbenga – Life & Style Sub Editors

This year has flown by, and we have brought you the best that Arts & Ents has to offer. We’ve reviewed the albums you’ve bought, the gigs you’ve been to and the films you’ve seen. In this final issue, we take a look at the top music festivals this summer and give you an essential guide to festival survival. It’s been great working with Pugwash and the Students’ Union, and we have to say a big thank you to all our contributors and you, the readers. See you next year!Jack Kane and Dominique O’Mahoney – Arts & Ents Sub Editors

Contributors;Allyson Bain, Lyndsey Barker, Bethan Barrett, Chris Boyd, Jenny Foster, Andy Fry, Alex Harries, Cathy Hind, Kate Hodson, Joey Larkin, Joe Morgan, Martin Plappart, William Preston, Gerrick Reyes, Deborah Stone, Alex Walker, Claire Whittall, and Sarah WilliamsDesigners:Kayleigh Batchford, Stuart Lambon, Ranee Ng, Krishan Mistry, Jason James, Cat Davies, Patrick Noland, Ali HughesWith thanks to:Cheryl Buggy, Chris Burden, Helen Fuge, Tanya De Grunwald, Digital Harry, Benedict Horsman, Jacob Leverett, Katie Packham, Alex Trapper, Gamel Oki.

Sub Ed’s and Contributors

And so it is...the journey...is over! It’s been a pleasure. We’ll miss designing for Pugwash so much...but most of all, we’ll miss you, the readers :) ...But seriously, it has been amazing and we will all miss Pugwash, uni life and Portsmouth very much as it’s time for us to enter the big bad world! We hope that Pugwash gets bigger and better for years to come, and that you have as much fun reading it as we have designing it! For those final year students in the same boat as us lot, good luck to you all and keep it real. Sarah Matthews & James Dalgarno - Design Sub Editors

I have come to a scary realisation - this time next year, I will have to have a Plan. I’m just about to finish Second Year, and at the moment I am loving being a student and nerd-ily looking forward to getting stuck into my Third Year project (don’t worry, I will get over this soon enough I’m sure). I prattle on about my plans for the future, but at the moment I don’t really have anything solid. And I am slowly becoming aware that in twelve months that will have change. I doff my cap to everybody who has survived university and is about to enter into the “Real World”. Wherever you’re going, I wish you all the best. For everyone in my position, I hope you enjoy your last year at uni as much has can be, and that the advice offered in this issue of Pugwash helps you on your way into the future. Have a great summer everyone! :)Laura Patricia - Copy Editor

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Pugwash June 2009

University People

I work within the Department of Employability at Purple Door as the manager of its recruitment service. This has been running since 2006 and is responsible for identifying and placing students into work experience and graduate jobs. Within the department we offer a range of services to help support students and to ensure that they are ready for the world of work. The financial unrest could restrict the number of graduate opportunities this summer, therefore we aim to work with students to enhance their transferable skills and make them stand out from the crowd.

Helen Fuge - Purple Door Recruitment Manager

How we can help: Purple Door Careers

Our dedicated Information Team can help you to find your way around the Careers Centre and introduce you to the wide range of additional services available; helping you find the right resources and career planning tools.

Meet a Careers Adviser:

A one-to-one appointment with a Careers Adviser is your chance to discuss any aspect of your future including: your career plans, what you can do with your degree, checking your CV or application form, preparing for interviews, changing your course, postgraduate study options and more.

Purple Door Recruitment:

Purple Door Recruitment is our in-house recruitment service run for all students and graduates of the University of Portsmouth. We are here to help you make the most of your time whilst at university and to help you make those first steps from student life, into the world of employment.Working in collaboration with local businesses, organisations and charities, Purple Door Recruitment offers a variety of voluntary, part-time and full-time positions.In order to register with Purple Door Recruitment you simply need to email your CV to purpledoor.recruitment@port.ac.uk. Once your registration has been received one of our consultants will call you to discuss your needs.

We have a range of services available to help you:

– Explore your future career or study options with information available on a broad range of career paths.

– Construct your CV and letters of application

– Receive guidance on interview techniques

– Meet employers throughout the year.

Summer programme

Purple Door Careers & Recruitment have organised a programme of events designed to help you improve your employability and secure that first job. Organised over a four week programme, you can dip in and out, whilst ensuring you are getting up-to-date advice from trained professionals and local employers.If you will be in Portsmouth over the summer, our centre will be OPEN for you! Take part in Graduate Tuesday: sessions include making the right impact, how to job search in a recession, how to be outstanding from application to interview and staying motivated. Come along to CV Wednesday: an opportunity to improve your CV and covering letter. Speak with a Careers Adviser and explore your options. Contact the Recruitment Team to match your skills with current job opportunities. Network with other Graduates via our new Graduate Directions Forum at port.ac.uk/setupforlife/graduatedirections

For further information please visit www.port.ac.uk/setupforlife

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Pugwash June 2009

Russell Thomas: Tidying and cutting back the garden of our student house so that we have somewhere lovely to sit. I wore very short shorts and then we had wine and cigarettes in the un-wild garden afterwards. Then went inside and we were all very cosy and pleased with ourselves. Come on Hudson Road Massive.

Carys Rolley:Everything - I’ve loved every day. The last three years have been an absolute dream, please don’t make me graduate!

Chris Burden:The flat party we held on the first night

of my first year. It has been one of many amazing moments.

Steph Hall: Becoming editor of Pugwash. Cliched but true!

Tom West: The friends I made. Without these fabulous

people, uni would have been meaningless and boring.

Pugwash AsksWhat’s been your favourite moment at uni?

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Pugwash June 2009

Queasy and open hearted there is finally a sky that relates interestingly to the ground. Today is dictionary recitation. Wigan’s parents sit at a table and Wigan himself stands in front of the table. Crucial and underconfident, his mouth twitches minutely and in it you could see if you were looking for long enough that it is Morse code. Hate you mum, hate you dad. He is getting a bit old for dictionary recitation. It falls on the first Sunday morning of every month. Crazed. He would rather go to church than do this anymore. Words are cruel. I know because I have heard him say this and I might as well have put quotation marks around that like an awkward scarf. Wigan is not pleased.Today is G. It is G Sunday. On the calendar in the insane kitchen it is written in red marker. G SUNDAY. The capitals are collapsive and unsettling. Wigan creates adjectival crassness with whatever letter is in front of SUNDAY. Gory Sunday. Gruesome Sunday. Gay Sunday. This is 2003 when it is in fashion to be homophobic. Don’t worry about me, I’m timeless. Wigan is much more important.“Now ye toil not” is not a phrase that ejaculates from his father’s mouth. Toil is the word of the day. Toil his favourite word. Toiler his occupation. Toiler his name. Toiler his house number. Toil his wife. Toil his opinions. Toil his feet. Toil his fathom unnerving swimming pool eyes. Toil his holidays. Toil the sun. Toiler all and everything he has ever said. Toil. Toiler. Toiling. Toils. Wigan appreciates nothing and makes jokes out of words. Toilet his father. Toilet the dictionary. Toilet generally. Wigan has a boil on his left foot, an eruption of inequality and toiling

with feet. He winces as his father lowers his glasses and nods like an understanding vicar. He is not understanding, however. He is a bastard. Wigan says this mindfully and imagines what his stupid toiling hoary gay father’s mouth would do if he burnt the dictionary in front of him and showed him the tattoo on his right foot. I don’t know what it is of because he hasn’t shown me. He sobs undutifully inside as his mother gives a tacit corresponding signal to start with the G they left on. The next word is “graduation”. He is more upset about how similar his mouth is to his father’s. Wide and constipated. Wigan hates the word “mouth” and the letter “M” and he hates his name. Wigan Wigan. Wig man. Wig wig wig. He thinks it is a joke that he was named Wigan and when he asked his father about it, well let’s just say he didn’t deny it. Wigan the terrible dictionary hater. He clears his throat. “Graduation.” He says idiotically. “That’s a good start Wigan.” His father deals this sarcastic blow after a creepy five second silence. Wigan is unimpressed and livid. “Right,” he clears his throat again and bellows, “GRADUATION.” “Cowabunga, Wigan, but bellowing is not going to help you remember what you should have been studying all this month.” His father looks smugly across to his mother and his mother raises her left hand in the PEACE sign towards Wigan. “Cowabunga, Wigan,” she says. Wigan stands inanely with the traffic outside the living room window schizophrenic and phrenologically hurtful. He is under the impression that his father is under the impression that he cannot remember what GRADUATION means. This is severely not the case. I am extremely

by Russell Thomas

A Tale of TraumaXolouelwaa

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Pugwash June 2009

serious and cannot stress enough how deceptive Wigan can be. He loves to dissimulate. Wigan the fabulist, supinely playing out this schizoid mythology for his father. His father the dictionary agent and wolfish and mayoral and toilsome and crooning with only his wife later on as I should know. Allegedly he can be tenderly sad but only with his freethinking wife. Wigan shuffles and pretends to be calmly mortified. “Wig wig wig,” his mother smiles at him showing her commune teeth, hardly beautiful, “Wiggy wiggy, your father will catapult the meaning at you soon, my love, and there’s nothing I can do.” Not the paternal catapult, thinks Wigan, ignoring his phony mother. I am well-fortified, he thinks, I am sherry and I am anti-ballistic and pouring torrid kettle down the sap points where father’s formicidic wordy sounds will attempt invasion and I am a nine-thousand metre high (that’s nine kilometres) stone wall. Concede is not my word. “Xolouelwaa,” says Wigan, defiantly. His father takes off his glasses and rubs his eyes so hard that Wigan can hear them plop in and then out of his head. He picks up his glasses and puts them on again. “Wigan,” his father is patiently terrifying, “you know I dislike non sequiturs.” His mother interrupts, “And irrelevance, and stupidity, and...” She trails off and mumbles some similar synonyms. His father growls with his acute blue eyes. He also dislikes synonymophilia, and synonymophiliacs even more. Wigan should say something really, but he does not want to yield to The Tyranny (this is what he calls the collective parenting pair). In the kitchen the family dog farts apologetically – most likely in her sleep. Her name is Aardvark and she is a senile old Collie who has problems with her bowels. Wigan has to concentrate not to laugh at such an incredibly and precisely tense moment. Wigan loves toilet humour, toiling humour. Hoiling tumour. When

he was younger he once thought his uncle had a “Tuna” in his head – not a “Tumour” – and his father threw dictionaries at him for weeks afterwards. His mother would laugh disquietly and say “Wiggy wiggy” because she got hysterical when his father got even remotely violent. She finds it funny, and loses it sadly. “Wigan, you are an idiot!” His father loses it right now. He takes his glasses off and rips them apart with his teeth. “GRADUATION!” A quiet wail emanates from his mother, long and drawn-out and shrill and blandly uninterested in what is going on: Wiiiiggyyyyy. She winks at the ceiling. “GRADUATION you idiot, G – R – A – D – ” Wiggy wiggy “U – A – T – ”Wiggy “I – O – N!” Wig wig WIG! There is silence. Aardvark pines but is paralysed in the kitchen. Wigan knows the meaning and decides that he has had enough. “You old FART! Listen to me,” Wigan says triumphantly. His mother says a mock “ooh” and a mock “ahh” and claps stupidly and slowly. He clears his throat and recites calmly and coolly, “One, conferral or receipt of an academic degree or diploma marking completion of studies. A ceremony at which degrees or diplomas are conferred; a commencement. Two, a division or interval on a graduated scale. A mark indicating the boundary of such an interval. Three, an arrangement in or a division into stages or degrees.”Wigan walks out and upstairs whilst his mother is crying and laughing and his father is breathing very heavily. On the way to the stairs he pats Aardvark gratefully, commenting to the dippy animal that she smells considerably.

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Pugwash June 2009

Katie Packham, 3rd Year, English Literature

After three years at university working hard, I think I deserve a break and that’s why I have decided to go travelling! I am going to work in the summer and fly to Australia at the end of September for a few months. I am hoping to travel to New Zealand and Thailand as well. After that who knows!?

Alex Tapper, 3rd Year, Biology

Next year I will be doing pretty much nothing. I will probably get a fairly simple job and do some travelling, trying to decide what I will be doing in the future. In the end I hope to be working in genetics.

Benedict Horsman, 3rd Year, Architecture

Next year is going to be the most challenging year yet. At last, I'm out from under the educational umbrella and into the real world. The question now is education or the workplace? The latter is more appealing. I'm hopefully going to find a placement in architecture around the Cardiff area. I will be up against stiff competition so unfortunately I'll have to work doubly hard.

Claire Whittall, 3rd Year, Law & Criminology

I think I am a glutton for punishment; next year I am continuing my studies but I am moving away from Portsmouth and to another city away from home. I will be studying a Legal Practice Course at the College of Law, Birmingham, in a move to hopefully taking a step closer to becoming a solicitor.

Cathy Hind, 3rd Year, 3D Design

Straight after our graduation show in June, I'm off to France and Slovenia with the Canoe Club, Glastonbury Festival and then Malaysia for five weeks - to chill out and generally buy time to put off any serious decisions.

Jacob Leverett, 3rd Year, History and Politics

I'm taking the position of VP Comms at the UPSU, where I'll be responsible for communicating the successes of students and the Students' Union's messages to 20,000 students.

What are You Doing After Uni?

After three years at university working hard, I think I deserve a break and that’s why I have decided to go travelling! I am going to work in the summer and fly to Australia at the end of September for a few months. I am hoping to travel to New

Next year I will be doing pretty much nothing. I will probably get a fairly simple job and do some travelling, trying to decide what I will be doing in the future. In the

UnionthePortsmouth Students Union

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Pugwash June 2009

under the educational umbrella and into the real world. The question now is education or the workplace? The latter is more appealing. I'm hopefully going to find a placement in architecture around the Cardiff area. I will be up against stiff

I think I am a glutton for punishment; next year I am continuing my studies but I am moving away from Portsmouth and to another city away from home. I will be studying a Legal Practice Course at the College of Law, Birmingham, in a move to

To the Future & Beyond

Sitting in the living room,

gleefully eating a special

kebab after a few pints of

Guinness at the pub, I started to think

about what I will be

doing once I have finished my studies

here in good old Pompey. I’m in my

third year of studying environmental

science at the moment and I am a

little worried about what is to come.

It’s not that I haven’t given the subject

any previous thought, but it somehow

feels more real right now. Before I

know it I will be wearing one of those

silly hats for graduation, having my

picture taken with my parents; a

whole new life is awaiting me.

I’ve already applied for some jobs

and have even been to an interview.

But it really isn’t easy at the moment

due to the current economic climate.

Some of my friends and family have

asked me why I am not considering

a PhD or a Masters; you know “wait

for the whole thing to blow over”.

But my heart just wouldn’t be in it;

I long to get out into the real world,

working a real job and earning some

real money. The student lifestyle has

been brilliant, but I just feel that it’s

time to move on and finally make

a difference. I simply can’t picture

myself cramming more theoretical

knowledge into my brain, living on

a student budget and adding to

my ever increasing mound of debt.

However at the moment I really

do not know what is yet to come.

I might get lucky and the next

application I send off will land me

a job. I could be earning 20k+ in a

few months and would be laughing. I

might even earn enough to

be able to afford a decent car, go

travelling in the holidays and get

that new laptop I’ve always wanted.

The other end of the spectrum is,

however, the one that horrifies me.

Martin Plappert Design: James Dalgarno

I dread the possibility of not finding

a job relating to what I studied; the

prospect of having to move into a

dingy little flat and working a job in

retail five days a week just to pay the

bills. If this were to be the case, the

will to live would be slowly sucked

out of me, gradually sinking my soul

to the bottom of murky waters.

That really scares me; now if you

will excuse me, I have to answer

some questions about my career

aspirations on my next application

form, as I really don’t want the

latter option to become a reality.

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Pugwash June 2009

In the time between I graduating from Portsmouth and starting my Masters, I got a job at a recruitment agency. I didn’t tell them that I was planning on doing my Masters later that year as I wouldn’t have got the job. It wasn’t the best of ideas, but it meant I had a job and some money behind me for when I started my Masters, which cost £5000. I decided to do a Masters because when I graduated, I wanted to make myself different from other graduates. There was nothing that made me stand out from the crowd. For example, if I went for a job with 10 other graduates, it would be the person with a little more than just a degree who would succeed. Therefore, I wanted some extra knowledge that would help me specialise in my career. It seems that now, in the current economic climate, a degree alone just isn’t enough.

The other thing is that I knew what I wanted to get into, so I knew I had to do a little bit more. I wouldn’t get into Urban Regeneration if I just had a Geography degree alone. I’m required to do a Masters so I can start at the bottom of the ladder in what I want to do and work my way up.

With graduation fast approaching for the class of 2009 students,

Pugwash asked curren

t graduates how life is for them.

Kate Hodson :)

My Masters officially ends in September when I hand in my dissertation, so from May until then is when I’ll write it. I’ve applied for two jobs already – both for research consultants in regeneration and economic development. I’m not sure if it’s what I want to get into but it’s all experience. I’m still continuing to look for other jobs. If I can’t get a paid job when I finish, I’ll volunteer in regeneration. I currently have a part-time job which helps as I have that to fall back on if needs be.

I’m not worried about the future as I don’t think the recession will last forever. I’m only 21, so I have plenty of time to get on the career ladder.

Taking the Masters has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. It’s so intense and gives you such specialised knowledge. It’s very, very hard work and completely different from an undergrad, but it’s so rewarding and worth all of the money.

Kate Hodson, graudated in 2008 with a 2:1 in Geography. She is now undertaking a Masters in Urban Regeneration at the Sheffi eld Hallam. She has moved back in with her parents in Barnsley and her boy fr iend also live with her. She commute to university.

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Pugwash June 2009

When it came to career planning, I never really had a plan. I know, I know; that’s not what I should be saying. I should be extolling the virtues of sensibly planning down to the Nth degree, every step in my graduate career from the moment I passed my A-levels, but the truth was, and still is, that I’m not only terrible at making plans – I’m also terribly indecisive.

During my time at university I’d worked in the Students’ Union doing various jobs; I started out on the bars and then I moved over to the entertainments department where I had a number of hangovers and got to meet a lot of very nice people like Judge Jules and Graham Gold while I did that job.

Meanwhile, my pesky degree kept interrupting my part-time job and I figured I ought to actually finish it before I got my free bus pass so, after doing a very passable Van Wilder impression by failing my second year twice in a row, I made it to my third year and decided I actually had to at least try to pass my degree.

My work at the Union had by that time moved over to working on their website, and I’d been working with the team of Sabbs and charity staff and I decided it might be worth running to become the Media & Publications sabbatical officer.

The problem with these elections is that they’re always held around March, so they always seem to get in the way of writing your Ale Har ie ;)

Ale Harie, 27, completed his degree in Business and IT in 2007 and divide his time between his parents’ house in Kent and his girlfriend’s in London.

dissertation and, after campaigning my arse off for two weeks and being helped to campaign by some very close un-paid friends, I was elected and then realised with a bump that I was on track to fail pretty much everything and – if I was lucky – scrape an ordinary degree (i.e. a Bsc without the Hons – less than a third in other words).

I figured this was better than dropping out, until I let slip my plans to some friends at the Union. One of them – Mike Cooter – pretty much bodily marched me out of the Union and told me not to come back until I’d done my final year project and so, while I can’t really recommend this as a sensible course of action, I sat myself down at my desk and, 30-something hours and a helluva lot of tea later I’d put together my 16,000-word dissertation. I passed – just – and earned myself a 2:2.

After a hard year working as a Sabb, which I loved and loathed in equal measures, I decided to have a change of pace so my friend Steph and I booked ourselves a one-way ticket to Ibiza two days after I finished at Portsmouth Uni. We spent two and a half months working, having a great time and meeting a lot of great people out there.

Since then I’ve been pushing pixels around for the NHS, managing a project to redesign one of their websites. I’ll be finishing this position 30th April and, wouldn’t you know it, I fly back out to Ibiza on 2nd May to try and survive the whole season.

I only have a one-way ticket and five nights hotel accommodation, and this time I’m not even going out there with a friend. It’s scary, but massively exciting too, and I can’t wait to get started.

I’m not sure if there’s a moral to my story really. I think it’s fair to say that if you get off your arse, no matter how badly you might let things slip, you can always make something good happen; at least, that’s how things have turned out for me so far, but I don’t want to jinx things for myself...!

Written by Kate Hodson & Ale Harie Deigned by Ranee Ng

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Pugwash June 2009

When the Quarter-Life crisis hits

Well, I guess miracles really do happen! This time three

years ago, I was about to bag myself a ‘permanent full-time’ job as an office junior at a solicitor’s firm. Six weeks into this so-called permanent job, I got better A-level results than expected, and hastily gained a place at the University of Portsmouth. Now, I’m on track to finish my LLB law and criminology course and actually get my degree. I’m a fan of my luxuries, so instead of living in student halls, my friend and I rented a flat close to campus for our first year. Portsmouth is just a short journey from my parents’ house, so any time I had a bad day, I took the wimp’s way out and jumped on a train straight back home. In the second year, I moved back to my parents’ house. Being a home-bird I have loved every minute. But it has meant that I haven’t had a real chance

to grow-up and grasp my own independence. (My cooking is atrocious. My flat-mate in the first year was the chef, while I was the cleaner). So, I guess you could say I haven’t had a ‘normal’ student lifestyle. I’ve had the odd night out and my fair share of hangovers, but I don’t think I got the opportunity of learning ‘life’s lessons’ that most students have by now. It is for this reason that now, while everyone else is planning on settling down and finding a job, I have got the urge to fly the nest. I am planning on going away, even if just for a month to try to gain the experience that everyone else got at uni. I would love to go Australia, where I won’t be able to run back home every time I have a bad day. I’m not completely sure how I’ll handle the situation, as I have never been much of a traveller, and I certainly haven’t ever been abroad alone. But surely that’s all part of the fun? I need the uncertainty and curiosity to enable me to get my bum into

gear and book those flights. I was recently having a conversation with a friend who I think coined the term ‘quarter-life crisis.’ She certainly hit the nail on the head, as that’s exactly what I’m having! I have never had the urge to do anything like this before. I’m even planning on doing a sky-dive - to the absolute disbelief of all my friends. (I’m TERRIFIED of heights). Hopefully, I’ll jump without bottling it. At the end of the day, you only get one life and I’ve come to the conclusion that you should try everything once - a motto that I’ve never lived by before. It must have something to do with my quarter-life crisis! Besides, spending a month in Australia seems like a fun way to postpone actual work for as long as possible.

Reflections of university

By Lyndsey Barker

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Pugwash June 2009

When the Quarter-Life crisis hitsIt all began in February when the advent of my 21st birthday occurred. I had a fabulous time and did everything that you would expect a student to do on a big birthday like that (also known as what most students do every week of the year!) But while I wasn’t looking, it crept up on me. It was like a horrible disease that had taken over my body - I suddenly felt old. And in that split second it hit me, I had come to a quarter-life crisis! In my despair I looked it up on the most reliable source I knew - Wikipedia, and believe it or not it’s real. It was not just my overactive imagination. Apparently it’s “a term applied to the period of life immediately following the major

changes of adolescence, usually ranging from the early twenties to the early thirties”, according to the oracle that is Wikipedia. Everywhere I seem to look there are magazines with people who are a lot wealthier, a lot more successful and most importantly, a lot YOUNGER than me. When did that happen? And

the worst of it was, when I was having a discussion with my friend she told me that her younger brother had just become a policeman, to which I responded, “Now you know you’re getting old when the police are getting younger then you.” At the

same time in my head I could hear my mother’s voice saying it too, which then made me feel REALLY old! But why am I feeling like this? Well I am looking at all these young, successful, rich, talented (used in the loosest possible way) celebrities and wondering what I have actually done with my life. I am 21, still in education (studying for the

youth (again, this is another phrase I have started to use that has made me realise I am getting old). But all is not lost, particularly when I look around and most of my friends are actually older than me. And at least I am part of the way to a celebrity lifestyle. I live in a house that is decorated in a style that is at the height of fashion: retro (except mine has been decorated like it since the last time round). I have a car with all the latest mod-cons -

career I ultimately want to go in to, but I still have at least another three years to go), with over 20 grand of debt (I should say a big thank you here to Mr Brown and the top-up fees). I live in a dingy little student house, feel guilty when I buy new clothes from Primark, and a posh meal out is going to Pizza Hut during happy hour! So what to do about it? Well in my despair I agreed to jump out of an aeroplane for charity. I still haven’t worked out if this is because it was something I always wanted to do, or an attempt to recapture a bit of my

“It was like a horrible disease

that had taken over my body”

air conditioning, i.e. a creaking sun roof, and a great sound system, i.e. a cassette player which plays mixed tapes of my childhood (as that was the last time I ever picked up a cassette before owning my car). I have a great ‘posse’ of friends around me (ok now I really do sound like my mother trying to use cool words so that I look like I am ‘down with the kids’). And hey, according to Wikipedia this phase in my life should only last for another 10 years at the most!

“you know you’re getting old when

the police are getting younger

than you”

“a posh meal out is going to

Pizza Hut during happy hour!”

Designed by Naomi Finn

by Claire Whittall

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Pugwash June 2009

Success comes with identifying the right career path. Over the last four years I have gained experience from working in six different industries in four different countries. Since starting my climb up the higher education ladder, my dreams and aspirations have changed tenfold along with my vision of the perfect job. We can plan to our heart’s content but nothing can prepare us for what lies ahead. There will always be external circumstances that will affect our career course and I can guarantee there will be obstacles to add to the adventure. After taking a year’s break from my studies, my outlook for my future has changed considerably. I realised that majoring in Digital Media doesn’t limit me to creative industries, but can in fact lead to all forms of possible career paths. I spent eleven months working in sales and marketing at a four star country house hotel and the experience I gained is invaluable.

Cheryl Buggy recently held a talk with students at the University of Portsmouth about her flourishing career and life after university. Cheryl is the Station Director for Xpress FM, a non-commercial radio station setup for the public as a non-profit making organisation. Her journey began 21 years ago with a two minute weekend broadcast and from there her career flourished, doing features for BBC 4, Jazz FM and Classic FM before progressing to her current role at Xpress FM. However, radio was never in her career plans, neither did she study it. Cheryl started her career as a teacher and after two more career changes finally plucked up the courage to apply for a job at Ocean FM. Cheryl is an expert in Emotional Intelligence. She discussed the importance of making sure you have the right employability skills. Such skills as self-awareness and responsibility, optimism, persistence

and empathy are all vital employability skills we should seek to develop. Understanding yourself and managing your emotions can help individuals keep focused. It can also lead to self-belief, being optimistic and having the ability to sell yourself. Volunteering has always been looked upon as a great step in the door when it comes to career advancement; Cheryl was no stranger to this. She mentioned how great volunteer work can look on your CV as it shows the willingness to develop and learn. One thing I have learnt from undertaking these career units is that volunteer and industry placement is the best way to develop yourself as a person.

life after uni identifying a career path - Joe MorganA fireman, a pilot, an actor, a vet or what about a mid-weight Flash & Motion Graphics 3D designer? I do not think any child would ever envisage such a career path whilst playing with their Tonka toys. We can spend our whole adolescence planning our career but in one swift swoop of maturity this can all change.

The importance of Employability Skills

Pugwash June 2008

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Cheryl Buggy’s

career progression is

something to aspire to. She took something she loved

and made it into a career, showing determination and seizing any opportunity that came her way. We only live once so live each day as if it’s your last. Anything you do; do it well.

Recently, I sat down with Lloyd Allen, co-founder and managing diretor of Orbit Graphics in Southsea. On the topic of employability skills, Lloyd expressed the need to have good personable skills and a strong CV

over a degree alone in order to get your foot in the door. With universities teaching more theory than practical knowledge these days, Lloyd’s advice was to get as much practical work experience as possible. “If you cannot get work experience then make your own briefs, volunteer and boost your CV,” he said.On the subject of degrees, Lloyd agreed with my views that your degree does not limit you to a specific career path. Degrees show intelligence and the drive to work hard, with many industry sectors and companies operating differently, not knowing the right skills is not the end of the road. Having the right employability skills can often get your foot in the door, the rest you can learn once you are there.

With such a large number of students set to graduate in the summer of 2009, you need to stand out from the crowd in order to get noticed. It has already been established that experience is vital in order to be successful in life after university. If you have any spare time, get yourself down to Purple Door and find some experience. Even if it’s just for a week or a few days, it will help you build up your network and experience the real world that awaits you.Don’t be scared to try something new or unsual, life is about taking risks and in today’s increasingly competitive world of business, no one can afford to sit and wait for

opportunities to fall into their lap. Now more than ever, you have to know how to sell yourself in the job market, and have the determination to get yourself through the door and to the interview. One way to really stand out is to create an impressive CV that will grab the attention of your future employer and help secure you that job you have dreamt of.

20 years from now, you will be more disappointed by the actions and opportunities you failed to take than the ones you did. To accomplish great things you must not only act, but also dream. You can plan your career path down to the finest of detail, but you must believe in it in order to succeed. Nothing is impossible and it’s crucial not to limit yourself. Limiting yourself to what you think you can do will only hinder your career success. As fresh graduates, you should be prepared to go as far as your mind will let you. In order to achieve great things you must be patient, work hard and wait. That might sound drab and boring, but if life were measured by what we have accomplished, most of us would die in infancy. As Mark Kay Ash once said, “there are three types of people in this world, those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who wonder what happened.” I have the chance to decide which type of person I want to be.

Design By - Gamel Oki

life after uni identifying a career path - Joe Morgan

Expert AdviceExpert Advice

Stand out from the crowd

To the Future

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Pugwash November 2008

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I think the Creative Writing MA requires you to write a novel, quite literally, so I think that will be quite interesting for me. It is probably not interesting to you, perhaps. As I write this I am sitting in a pub in Devon typing as fast as my hands will allow me (and as fast as my brain bridges the gaps in thought), with a pint of cider wondering about graduation.Good fun.

Graduation, graduation. It’s a scary word isn’t it? Three years are pretty much already over. A bit weird really. What I find really stupid and boring is the graduation ceremony. I’m the kind of person who likes attention in small doses but once everybody’s eyes are on me for a while I become a bit paraplegic and I can’t talk. I really don’t want to go – I am known for shying away from ceremonies. I’m an unceremonious kind of man. I want my degree handed to me discreetly with a pat on the back perhaps from one of my tutors and maybe a clap. But literally, just one clap. Any more than that and I count it as applause and that can be scary. It is the same when people sing happy birthday. It’s really more attention than is necessary. What about money? Yes, yes, what about money... You can moan all you like about being in debt but let’s be honest about this and pull ourselves together – everyone’s in debt. The way you buy a house puts you in debt (unless you are a millionaire), credit cards are debt – and a student debt is financially like a very unnoticeable pain in the arse. I know some people who are paying it off still but it never gets mentioned in conversation. I get the impression that they barely even notice it come out every month, it is that small an amount. Plus you only have to start paying it back once you are earning a certain number of

pounds. It’s a higher number than you think. This should have gone in the budget issue. But no, really I’m serious. Just lean back and lay back and chill out and relax. Things tend to fall into place when they need to. No one is organising nature to do what it does and you are natural, so put two and two together and be glad and don’t worry. It is better to get into debt and have a brilliant time (but obviously don’t go too mental because your life will be horribly drained) than budget and be miserable. No no, don’t be a miser. Misers are rubbish. Be wiser. Don’t be a scheiser, either.

D&GUniversity is a bit silly really, but it has to be done. I cannot quite believe that I’m leaving this year. Well, I say leaving but what I mean by that is going away for the summer and coming back for a Masters.

Have a good time. Go out tonight, if you haven’t got anything very important to do. See some people and spend some money just to spite the very word “budget”. It’s a stupid word that sounds like a bird so it only really deserves to be cut up. Whoever decided that “d” and “g” should go together in a word must have been insane.

Written by Russell Thomas

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To be, or not to be a post graduate student? That is the question. The question that has been plaguing me for months; should I do a Masters in Film and Television Studies? Or should I get a ‘real’ job and ‘grow up’? Stop being a soap and tax dodger, as my brothers are fond of telling me. As I sit and debate this most significant of questions, I think about my life in education, all of its numerous facets, ranging from the good, to the bad to the downright ugly. (I still wake up in a cold sweat from a recurring nightmare about the U I got in my Psychology A-Level! Shudder!) I remember sitting fresh faced and ready to take on the world at the start of year 10; I sat with my peers eagerly awaiting what I thought would be the last and most important two years of my time in education. Our form tutor Mr Newton (or Little Ginger Jim to me and my mates when he wasn’t in earshot), initiated another of

his epic motivational speeches. “Your GCSEs are not important” he began. Now faced by thirty boys, who had been told for the past who knows how many years that your GCSE’s are soooo important, sat with mouths gaped wide open catching flies, he continued: “They mean the exact square root of bugger all. They are merely a first ‘baby’ step that will open endless possibilities for the rest of your lives.” I must admit, possibly for the first time he had my undivided attention. “The sky is not the limit, that’s a load of tosh – you are. All of you are the only limits on the possibilities that your futures hold. If you mess up these exams you might as well forget it, give up, go home and sign on for the rest of your natural.” No pressure then eh Ginger Jim? Unimportant are they? Pah! A ripple of laughter emanated from the back of the classroom, coming from the boys that knew and welcomed

this fate and couldn’t care less about their exams (they had failed already). Little Jim wasn’t finished yet though, “Your GCSEs are like a stepping stone, the first of many in a long, long line. And by far the least slippery and treacherous.” Fan as he may have been of the extended metaphor, Mr Newton was bloody well right. The limits are quite literally endless; Portsmouth Uni offer over 160 post graduate courses ranging from Advanced Manufacturing Technology to Urban Design (whatever that may be). That is truly mind boggling! I think I will do that Masters you know, because as Mr Newton said, “The only limit on my future is me”. So why not, eh?

Masters of the Universe

Andy Fry, in the final year of Film Studies, hopes to continue academically, and expunges the philosophy of one of his old teachers

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Pugwash June 2009

In early 2008, I came across a video on the internet of one of Britain’s most... let’s just say, eccentric individuals: former BBC sports presenter David Icke. Now, if you’re under 30 this name will mean nothing to you, so here’s a brief summary. Professional footballer (goalkeeper), got arthritis, joined BBC, became spokesman for the Green Party, left the BBC, went to Peru, came back, had a chat with Terry Wogan about how he was “The Son of the God Head”, then went on to claim that the British Royal Family, Bush family and even Boxcar Willy were Fourth Dimensional Reptilian Entities set out to conspire against the human race and bring us under a totalitarian world government... Phewwwwww! The video in question was David’s appearance on Wogan which took place in the late 80’s, complete with David’s turquoise tracksuit. After watching, I decided to watch a few others. It became clear that this guy, no matter how outlandish his comments seemed, would be a great subject for a documentary. I had seen others that focused on David’s various conspiratorial beliefs, but I felt I could perhaps make one that

focused on his life which had led him to those beliefs. So after sending a spontaneous email at half one in the morning, asking for an interview with David, I received a reply less than 24 hours later. He must not have much mainstream demand. So over the coming months I emailed people that knew David, contacted various documentarians, journalists, and academics to gather research that would benefit my interview. It became clear that people were either dismissive of David as at all credible, or as a person in general. However, I persevered and began watching Icke in various lectures and television programmes. Before long I was in a vortex of Conspiracy, Reptilians, and Football. The big day came and I was extremely nervous, even with the advice of the Biography Channel (who had expressed an interest in the interview). Considering it was my first ever interview, I handled it OK – even managing to grill him a few times about some of his more questionable theories. But more importantly, the interview lit a spark in me. The thrill of questioning someone so controversial was something I had never felt before – something that no amount of binge

drinking would ever replicate. It may sound cringey, but it was an epiphany. I knew from that moment, interviewing and making documentaries was what I wanted to do. Working in a bad video production group, however, put me off the idea for a while. But a year later, with a more mature production team, I knew I could produce a well-made documentary. What started as an independent project has evolved into my Third Year Video Production Final Film. ITV Meridian are interested and want it on their website. I haven’t heard from the Biography Channel in a few months, but its all part of getting your name “out there”, so I have not allowed that to deter me too much. I have begun conducting preliminary interviews for my next documentary, which I will undertake fully after university, essentially asking the question: What is Comedy? (very different to David Icke). So far I have interviewed comedians such as Robin “Ricky Gervais’ best mate” Ince, Marc “Helmut” Blake, and Carl Donnelly amongst others. I’ve also asked Bobby Davro for an interview, and have also been invited to come on tour with Barry Castagnola for a few nights. This has all been achieved simply by asking. Because as we all know: If you don’t ask, you don’t get.

The Documentarian’s Story

Alex Walker, a 3rd year Film Studies student, is all set to continue his passion after university

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For three years, the majority of my degree, I had a plan. Not just a plan, the plan. The Big Fat Mothertruckin’ Get My Arse To Japan Plan.After I graduated, I was going to go and teach English in Japan for a couple of years; this would enable me to earn the money I’d need to pay for the Master’s I wanted to do upon my return and would also help me level up my Japanese enough to do said Masters. Sounded simple enough to me…If the already heavy workload of my degree were a cupcake, then I’d chosen to ice it with extra Japanese units so that I’d know how to ask where the toilets were. I’d also placed a big fat cherry on top of this icing in the form of a teaching certificate that drove me to distraction but was definitely worth it. Right - the plan had been set in stone and I was working myself stupid in order to make sure I was exactly the kind of candidate the Programme was looking for. I’d secured what I was assured were fabulous references from two of the poor souls that had taught me over the past few years and I’d fought tooth and nail for a medical

reference from my GP.

My excitement at getting the application off last November was dampened by the dour cow at the Post Office but she was wearing a polyester blouse, so I guess she had a right to be miserable. Then, I played the waiting game. I played it so well people

thought that I was taking a BA in Applied Anticipation rather than Languages. The day I got my ‘receipt of application’ note I nearly messed myself so imagine my reaction one February morning when the letter that would decide my fate stared up at me from the carpet behind the door. Imagine my reaction when this letter said that I hadn’t been successful in even getting to the interview stage of the proceedings and my reaction to being informed later on in the letter that I’d never find out why I’d been rejected. Anger doesn’t cover it. Neither does sadness. I couldn’t speak to my Mum for hours and I daren’t have read that letter again else I’d have cried my eyes out. What had I done to be kicked back? I’d channelled the past three years of my life into that only to be met with an impersonal and anonymous piece of paper and cheap paper at that.I’ll interrupt the flow of things here to give you all some advice. Don’t deal with adversity by consuming copious amounts of alcohol as I did, in my haste to forget about what had happened to me. Cutting a long story short, I fell off of a barstool and ended up in A&E having my chin stitched back together by a charming naval nurse.Once the remnants of the local anaesthetic had left my system, I was a little too lucid for my liking and my future came rushing to meet my present like a kid rushing to meet the ice cream van. I’d had a plan. I’d have

done X; this would have enabled me to do Y and I’d have ended up very happily doing Z for the rest of my life. As it stood, I didn’t have the first clue what I was going to do and it scared me like nothing else had ever done in my life to date.

I took a while to get over the shock, living in limbo somewhat as my last few months as a student plodded on. I was brought back to my senses one Saturday at the coffee shop I work at, as this woman was moaning her cappuccino wasn’t frothy enough. This isn’t a slight on people who do that permanently, but I couldn’t spend my life working there. I want to do what I want to do; I need to do what I want to do. By the time you read this, I’ll have spoken to someone about doing a Masters straight after my degree and I’ll be preparing to apply to go to Japan straight after that. I’m still going to end up doing Z, but I’m just going to have to find different Xs and Ys to get me there.

The moral of the story is to not give up. If your post-

degree plans go to pot,

providing you don’t go the same way,

something else will come along. You may not get to do

exactly what you wanted to do, but there’s always more than one way to get to where you want to go.

That and that a combination of wine, cider and whiskey is never, ever the answer.

Tom West

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Things 2 DoB4 Leavin’by Elke Morice-Atkinson

Page layout & background photo- Krish Mistry

As we sat around a table having cakes and coffees after a lecture, someone said that in all the time they’d been at uni in Portsmouth, they had never been to the Isle of Wight. Someone else added that they had never been up Portsdown Hill; a third said they’d never been to the King’s Theatre. We sat in silence for a moment, each thinking of somewhere else in Portsmouth we hadn’t yet been. It wasn’t long before we were making a list on a napkin of all the places we should go before our time in Portsmouth was up. We had known each other since first year, and here we were, weeks before final exams and the dissertation due date, planning to leave Portsmouth. It made me sad for a moment to think that never again would we be sitting like this, by the seafront, making a list of ‘things 2 do b4 leavin’.

1. Bumper Swans on Canoe LakeI don’t know why we started calling them this, but Canoe Lake on the seafront is home to these giant swan peddle boats. You can rent them from the kiosk by Canoe Lake and peddle them about for a while.

2. Model VillageYou can find this place via its Hollywood style letters on the side of the small hill behind Canoe Lake. We think it’s a couple of quid entry to have a nose about some model buildings.

3. Historic DockyardI can’t believe that no one except me in our group had been to the Historic Dockyard. Home to HMS Warrior and Victory, the dockyard is by Gunwharf Quays and Portsmouth Harbour station. It also has a Royal Naval Museum, coffee shops, antique stores and Portsmouth’s very own ‘alternative cinema’ in the form of Boathouse No. 6. It costs £8 for a student to visit the dockyard. If you want to see a film in the evening, check out www.no6cinema.co.uk, it’s only £4.50 for a student.

4. Spitbank FortLocated a mile out to sea from the Hampshire coastline, this construction of granite and iron was commissioned by Lord Palmerston and completed in 1878. It was built to defend Portsmouth Harbour from invading vessels who managed to get through the Channel defences – now it’s quite a nice location to have Sunday lunch. A basic Sunday lunch will set you back £26.95, but this includes a two course meal, ferry journey and a tour of the fort.

Photo- Margaret Anne Clarke on Flickr

Photo- eNil on Flickr

Photo- Sleepless in Somerset on Flickr

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Pugwash June 2009

Things 2 Doby Elke Morice-Atkinson

5. IOW (Ice Skating & Osborne House)

Again, I really can’t believe that in the three years we’ve studied here, some of my mates hadn’t been to the Isle of Wight. By taking the hovercraft over from the seafront you will be set down at Ryde where you can catch the bus out to Osborne House and see where old Queen Vic lived. Hovertravel also do a deal generally known as ‘hover and ice’. Get on the hovercraft at Southsea and go ice-skating in Ryde.

6. Blue ReefOnly Portsmouth’s ultimate undersea safari! It’s £8.25 for a student. They’ve got all sorts of random creatures – and even some otters.

7. Swimming in The Pyramids Centre

I’ve lived in Portsmouth for six years and even I haven’t been here. Only £3 for students, and there’s a wave pool.

8. Nudist Beach (Near Eastney)I’m confident most people have heard about this place, but you are forgiven if you’ve never been there. This came about on a night out when a few of my mates dared each other that before the year was out, they’d go to the nudist beach and go topless.

9. Ghost Walk TourApparently, Portsmouth is possibly the most haunted city on the South Coast. If you’re brave enough, and I am yet to be convinced to go along with this one, you can take a tour around Old Portsmouth with a guide and spot spooky goings on for about £2 (students).

10. D-Day MuseumThis museum was opened in 1984 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of D-Day. It houses the Overlord Embroidery commissioned by Lord Dulverton of Batsford.

11. Aspex GalleryPortsmouth leading contemporary art gallery in Gunwharf Quays. It’s free, has interesting art and a coffee shop.

12. Crazy Golf!Also known as Castle Mini Golf, it has a 18 hole crazy golf course, a 9 hole course and pitch and putt. It’s open from April to August and even if you are no good at golf, it’s great fun.

Our list finished about here - hopefully the memories of our remaining weeks in Portsmouth will last a lot longer.

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Pugwash June 2009

Steph Hall speaks to the freelance writer for Grazia, GLAMOUR, Cosmopolitan and The Guardian, about her experiences within the publishing industry.

What is a typical day like?T: You’ll struggle to find a journalist who’s a ‘morning person’ – and I’m no different! I start work at 10.30am doing admin and making calls. I’m at my most productive in the afternoon, when I might interview a case study, pitch ideas to editors or write an opinion piece. Often I work straight through until 7pm. Once my head is into something, I press on and get it done.

What’s the biggest myth about being a freelance journalist?T: That it’s like being Carrie Bradshaw – Sex and the City has a lot to answer for! For starters, there’s no way Carrie could afford Manolos writing one column a week – she’d be making about £300 before tax. And I don’t work at home – I rent a desk at a freelance office in central London. It costs £300 a month, but I make that money back easily because I’m so much more productive and motivated than I would be at home alone.

It must be tempting to slack off – how do you discipline yourself?T: Two things motivate me – being able to pay my rent, buy clothes and go out, and hitting my deadlines. Missing deadlines would trash the reputation I’ve worked so hard to build up. On days when I feel really unproductive and don’t have a deadline, I catch up with boring admin – like chasing overdue invoices.

An interview with...Tanya DegrunwalD

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I’ve been to a French naturist resort for Marie Claire and a New York ‘orgasm lab’ for Cosmopolitan. For GLAMOUR, I’ve covered London Fashion Week and met Cheryl Cole, James Blunt and Erin O’Connor.

That’s certainly an interesting story to tell! What’s the worst part about your job?T: Ensuring I have a steady stream of work takes planning. However much I have on, I need to constantly pitch ideas so there are always new things in the pipeline. I also miss having colleagues to ask for advice if a feature goes wrong! Negotiating fees can be tricky but I’m getting better at standing my ground.

Is it true that journalism doesn’t pay?T: The money isn’t great. An editorial assistant or PA to the Editor makes 16-18k, a junior writer makes 22-24k and senior writer makes 25-28k. In theory, freelancers can earn more – up to 35k. But that’s only if you can get enough work – and that’s a big ‘if’. Generally I find the fees from big publications fair. The glossies pay £800 for a report and £400 for a one-page real life. The only time when I take less is if I’m offered a piece I know will be great for my career – like an overseas trip or a big celebrity interview.

Have you been hit by the recession?T: The whole industry has been hit. Magazines make money from advertising (not sales), so when advertisers tighten their belts editorial budgets shrink, so editors use freelancers less. They’re also less likely to send me on expensive trips

with a photographer as these add up. On the other hand, I’ve heard people suggest that as permanent staff are laid off, mags could actually start using more freelancers. Our fees are more expensive, but we don’t get paid benefits, so we actually work out being cheaper. We’ll have to see how things pan out.

Did you go straight into journalism when you graduated?T: No – I spent a horrible summer as an Office Angel, de-stapling (literally removing staples from pieces of paper!), before working for 18 months as an office manager for a recruitment firm. This involved answering phones, organising client parties, greeting candidates and being the boss’s PA. It sounds boring but it was the perfect post-uni job for me. [Tanya has a 2:1 in Psychology from Durham University]. I was 21, had no experience and no idea what I wanted to do next. That’s where I learnt how to behave professionally. It’s all stuff that I still use today.

How did you get into journalism?T: I did three months of work experience, ending up at B magazine (now closed but a bit like Company), where I stayed for a whole summer, earning £40 per day. It wasn’t much cash but writing three-page features was amazing for my portfolio.

I freelanced for another three years, doing holiday cover for permanent staff and taking short contracts with new launches. Eventually I landed my first permanent job [at eve] where people told me I’d progressed faster my way than I would going the traditional route of editorial assistant, junior writer, then senior writer.

I wouldn’t recommend what I did though – it was tough.

What tips do you have for anyone who wants to be a journalist?T: Don’t write articles in your bedroom and send them to editors. However amazing they are, editors won’t commission you without a proven track record. Instead, arrange work experience – get into the offices where magazines are made. Start meeting people, bagging experience and getting some great titles on your CV – even if you only handed out the post! Don’t expect to land your first permanent job until you’ve done some casual jobs first, so be sure to ask whether editors need holiday cover or an extra pair of hands for their summer supplements. Take advantage of the fact it’s a small industry – if you’re good, you’ll get recommended.

What does the future hold?T: Good question! I love the writing I do for magazines and in theory, I should get more work the more well-known I become. That said, I’m keen to try new things – perhaps TV and radio. I’ve also written a really successful graduate careers guide which I think has even more potential. I’d love to run workshops for graduates who leave uni with no clue what to do next. I certainly know how that feels!

Tanya de Grunwald is author of Dude, Where’s my Career? The Guide for Baffled Graduates (Summersdale, £8.99). To order – and for more career tips – visit www.dudewheresmyblog.com. Check out the review of Tanya’s fantastic book in our Arts & Ents section.

orgasm LAB naturist resort MANOLOS TV morning person CHERYL cole de staplingglamour GLOSSIES freelancers cosmo UNIJAMES BLUNT bedroom bagging EXPERIENCE

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Pugwash June 2009

eBay your way to a healthier bank balance

A bout six months ago I decided I was fed up of the lack of space in my

room, the cause of which being the ridiculous amount of clothes that occupy its every crevice and decided I could easily chuck some stuff out. Four hours later I had five huge clothes bags all ready to donate to charity shops. That night my friend came over and was stunned that I was just going to give it all away, “I’ve just made over £200 on eBay” she informs me and suggests I should do the same. Lo and behold, just a few weeks later I’d made my first hundred on the rubbish items from my wardrobe that I was so ready to discard. I guess it’s true what they say, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Anyone can start an eBay account and it’s so easy to set up and maintain that there’s no reason you guys shouldn’t be doing it to earn some extra money for the summer. If there are those of you who like

that your discarded belongings go towards a charity there is an option on eBay that takes whatever percentage you choose off the items that you’ve sold and puts it towards charity. The one main thing is that you set up a PayPal account which is also really easy. It can be linked to your eBay account so that all your earnings go in there and can then be transferred to your bank account. It can take a bit of time to upload all your pictures and write up all the descriptions but the money you will earn pays for the time you spend on it. Tell your parents it’s like having a job, just from home, if they question you on why you’re spending your days on the computer when uni is over. Here are my top tips for doing well on eBay: Marketing your item:

Your first picture on eBay is free but if you feel that an extra picture,

say of the back of the item will do it justice, then the extra couple of pence can be worth it for the viewers to see how special your item can be. If you live in a smoke or pet free home then state this as buyers always want their items to be of the best quality possible. If you don’t want the hassle of sending items overseas (which personally I can never be bothered working out extra p&p prices) then state in the description that you accept ‘UK bidders only’. Try and offer tips on how to wear the item in the description and if you’re selling clothes in the summer, mention how your items would be perfect for festivals or summer holidays for example.

TITLE – this is one of the main drawing in factors for buyers as it’s what they will see before they even bother to click on your page. You only have a limited amount of space so use key words including: the size of the item, the make (Topshop/H&M

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Pugwash June 2009

etc), brief item description, style (vintage etc.). You could also add the style of a certain celebrity if you think it fits e.g. Kate Moss. State the condition. Make sure you state if an item has never been worn or if it still has tags as this will bump up the price and entice more bidders. If your item is used and in good condition state this and say it’s only been worn once or twice. If an item you’re selling has a hole or something wrong, state to the viewers how it can be fixed: sound optimistic. Give as much information as possible on the item, especially if the viewers can’t see certain factors e.g. the back. Depending on what you realistically think you can get for your item, you will need to enter a minimum price from which the buyers can start bidding. There is now no fee from items up to 99p. After that £1.00-£4.99 starting price is 15p and the extreme £30-£99.99 is only £1.00. Unless you honestly think you can

get a lot of money from your item it is a good idea to start at the 99p. Select payment method. The two main ones are PayPal and personal cheque. If you only want to use PayPal, state this on your description so people know before buying. Specify your return policy. I’ve found that putting ‘no refunds’ hasn’t put buyers off and it keeps you safe if they decide they don’t like the item once they’ve received it. Postage and packaging There is extra money to be made out of p&p as long as you don’t go overboard. You can easily gain an extra pound or two from each item which doesn’t sound a lot but if you have 40 items to sell it can all add up. A good idea is to add 70p onto your p&p for recorded delivery. This means that the buyer has to sign for their item and the item can also be tracked which is a big bonus when the buyer claims that their item has

been “lost in the mail” and tries to claim a refund. The extra money you can charge covers packaging and travel so if someone tries to get you to lower your postage price you just state this. I usually charge £3.50-£4.50 for items to be sent first class recorded. Recently I sent off 11 items and made an extra tenner on postage. Try and sign in to your account every 1-2 days to check your messages. If you don’t answer them or take too long then you could miss out on a potential buyer. Happy eBaying! Written by Nina TennantIllustrations by Patrick Nolan

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Pugwash June 2009

hope

I have always been passionate about

helping those who are not as lucky

as I have been. Therefore, when an

opportunity arose to go out to a third

world country to build an orphanage,

I literally jumped at the chance

without giving it a second thought.

So this summer, instead of going

on a summer holiday, I am going

out to Ghana with a charity, The

Raising Hope Foundation, in order to

help orphans in the Volta Region of

Ghana. It’s a new charity established

by students from Horsham, West

Sussex. It aims to work alongside

charities in the Volta Region in

providing food, shelter, education

and welfare for orphaned and needy

children. Founder Kinza Mason spent

July 2008 in the area, which inspired

her to do all she could to give the

children a better start in life.

Ghana has over one million

orphans, five times the population

of Portsmouth. These children

are orphaned because of poverty,

disease and HIV, and many others

are left in need due to being born to

very young parents. The children we

want to work with have no-one other

than Agnes, who cannot give them

the love and attention that they need

on her own. Through building an

orphanage home and developing the

school, we hope to be able to give

these children a stable and loving

home as well as opportunities for

the future. At the moment, without a

permanent orphanage home, there

are not enough staff to give these

children the attention and care that

a child with parents would normally

receive.

As a UK based charity we are

working alongside a charity based

in Ghana called The Living Faith

Foundation, with our main priority

being assisting them with raising the

money to build an orphanage for

over 60 orphans who are currently

in the registered care of Agnes. We

are hoping that a group of us from

Portsmouth University will be able

to go out to Ghana in August 2009

with the funds needed, and get

involved with the building work. As

well as building an orphanage, we

want to help develop the Living Faith

School, which is a school specifically

for orphans and needy children in

Sogakope, Volta, Ghana.

Hannah Borrett, a second year

Psychology student, is a trustee for

the charity. She says she was really

touched by the stories she heard

upon Kinza’s return from Ghana,

and that the reality of how little some

people have really hit her. “Through

this passion to help the orphans and

talking about possible routes we

(Hannah and Kinza) decided that

setting up a UK charity was the way

forward in raising the funds needed

to build a home for all the children

that Agnes had registered to her

name.. Hannah has taken a big role

in fundraising for the charity, and has

encouraged people to collect their

coppers in a tin which she can then

pay into the charity fund.

Another second year student, 21

year old Danni Willshaw, has had

first-hand experience of the amount

of orphans and of the poverty in

Ghana. She is interested in the area

that we are going to and wanted to

do some further work there having

previously been to Africa two years

ago. After being invited to join a

group about the charity, Danni was

keen to get involved and help in any

way she could. Danni has done a

lot of fundraising and her previous

experience of Ghana will prove

invaluable when we go out there in

Making a di� erenceIN A WAY THAT MATTERS

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Pugwash June 2009

faith

August.

When we go out to Ghana we are

hoping to build an orphanage on land

which has already been acquired. In

order for us to be able to do this we

need to raise £80,000 to equip the

building with water and electricity.

It may seem like a huge sum of

money, but with willing volunteers

and a lot of fundraising I believe it

is possible. In order to raise money,

we have been organising events and

in July, we are hoping to undertake

the three peaks challenge with a

difference. Instead of participating

as one big group, we have decided

to make it a race between several

smaller groups. The three peaks

challenge involves climbing the three

highest mountains in the UK within a

period of 24 hours. It is challenging

and in order to complete the climb

you have to be reasonably fit. To

prepare for the challenge I have

been running, and just trying to build

up my stamina. Danni says “I am

looking forward to the challenge as

hopefully it’ll bring us a lot of money,

but also it’ll be a massive personal

achievement to actually complete all

three mountains”. We are planning to

complete the three peaks challenge

on the 14th July 2009 and would

welcome sponsorship from anyone.

Other fundraising activities include

coin collecting, where people have

been putting coppers in tins and

passing them onto Hannah. We have

also set up people trading in their

old phones for money as well as bag

packing at supermarkets. In October

we raised £500 for the charity, which

enabled a classroom to have a roof

put on it. This was made possible

through donations from a church

local to where the charity has been

set up.

I know after this summer I will come

back to Portsmouth in September

a very different person from before.

I believe this kind of experience

completely changes a person’s

perspective on life, and I want to

be someone who can really make

a difference in a way that matters

which is why I am so passionate

about building this orphanage for the

children of the Volta Region.

If you would like more information

about the charity and/or interested

in making a donation, you can check

out the website at:

raisinghopefoundation.co.uk/index.

html

or email us at:

raisinghopefoundation@googlemail.

com

Bethan Borrett

Media Correspondent

The Raising Hope Foundation

(1129045)

designed by Stuart Lambon

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Pugwash June 2009

Top Tips for Travelling

Cathy: Before uni I took a year out; working at a leisure centre every hour I possibly could before travelling to British Columbia, Quebec and Ontario in Canada from April to August. I spent the first month travelling with an ex (never a good plan) and then on my own meeting lovely people on the way.

Deb: After finishing Sixth Form College, I decided that I needed a break from education so I decided to travel the world. I slogged it out in a supermarket and a Chinese takeaway picking up as many hours as I could and booked myself an around the world ticket. Along with my friend I visited Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, America and Canada in five months.

We can safely say without a doubt that we had some of most incredible experiences of our lives so far. The whole experience gave us lots of confidence and independence to prepare us for uni life. Here are a few tips we’ve strung

together in case you lucky people are planning something similar. We have definitely caught the ‘travel bug’!

Top Tips for Travelling

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Pugwash June 2009

Planning Stages:

2) Do your homework:

Talk to people who have been to the places that you’re interested in. Travel guides are handy but they don’t always publicise the hidden gems. Pop into your local STA Travel (Commercial Road); we both booked our trips through STA and we strongly recommend them as a company, full of very friendly, honest advisers who have had first-hand experience. Think carefully about whether you are going to brave it on your own or with a mate/mates. If you are considering going on your own, go for it! You will meet tonnes of friends along the way and you will never be lonely - it could be the best move you have ever made. If you’re going with someone, make sure you know what you’re letting yourself in for.

5) Fledging the nest:

Arrange a farewell celebration to say your goodbyes before you go, don’t worry they will all be there when you get back. Set up a email contact list or a Facebook group to update people. Windows Live Messenger or Skype are excellent and free ways of having a chat whilst you’re away! Always phone home, although you will be busy and having the time of your life, your parents may be sitting at home stressing wondering where you are and if you’re safe. Finally, you may have teary goodbye at the airport but think what the next few months have in store for you!

1) Get yourself a job (or two, or three):

Unless you have a tidy stash of money hidden under your mattress, save every penny you can. Even if this means cutting back on nights out and working 60 hour weeks, it will be worth it. It’s best to save as much as you possibly can to make sure you don’t have to come home early.

3) Booking the trip:

Look around different companies and try not to go for package deals and end up falling into tourist traps. You don’t want to get ripped off before you have even left - every penny needs to go a long way. Again, STA Travel provide amazing deals so go in and get a quote from them. You will be able to book some trips like the ‘Kiwi Experience’ at the same time and of course that all important travel insurance! Another good tip is to book the first night at each destination when you book your trip so you have got somewhere to stay and aren’t wandering around an alien place desperate for a bed. Finally, ask when booking your flights how easy it is to change them if necessary and whether it will cost you to do so. Invest in a money pouch and a travel towel, it dries in just a couple of hours and packs into a tiny pouch. It’s a good idea to photocopy all your documents like your passport and tickets and give a copy to your parents and anyone you’re travelling with. Oh, and don’t wear disposable pants, even if your granny does give them to you before you leave, it’s not worth it.

4) Packing:

Buy yourself a decent backpack from Millets or somewhere similar. About 65 litres is the norm and it’s a good idea and saves a lot of hassle if you get one with a side zip rather than a top zip. Take as a little as possible, you don’t want to be repacking your bags at the airport and what’s worse, you don’t want your bag to be so heavy that you end up looking like an upside tortoise with your bag on your back and your legs waving in the air. You may be able to buy clothes cheaper whilst you’re away, the same goes for camera memory cards, you’re going to want a big one!

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Pugwash June 2009

While your’e there:4)Money, budgeting and keeping it cheap Food can be a drain on your cash and you don’t want to be in the situation where you can’t pay for your next meal. Most hostels have kitchens, not usually containing an oven but a number of hobs, fridges and utensils. Pasta became our best friend. It’s a good idea to make yourself lunch to take out with you for the day and eating breakfast in is also a winner. Kitchens are also a great place to meet people and have a chat whilst you’re waiting for your pot noodle to cook.

5) Don’t be afraid of taking a credit card - you may need one in emergencies.

Nationwide building society saved us a lot of money – they offer the lowest charges for cash withdrawals around the world which really helped out. Sign up for an ISIC card, which will entitle you to many discounts and you can act like a student for that little bit longer! Make sure you check your outgoings on Internet banking, however be careful who’s watching if you’re doing it in a Internet café!

1) So you’re at your destination:

Find a decent hostel on the Internet, in your travel guide or by word of mouth and give them a ring, drop them an email or simply turn up - they should have a bed free. Get stuck in, go down to the bar/common room, chat to your roommates and just get involved as everyone is in the same boat. Probably not a good idea to go out and get trollied seven days a week, you will run out of money in no time and be hungover every day. To book trips and activities, look on the hostel notice board, ask the staff or visit local travel companies.

2) Stay safe:

Try not to wander around on your own at night. Whilst using public transport or walking around, make sure you keep your bag on you at all times and keep an eye out for pickpockets. In the hostel, invest in a padlock for your backpack and always keep your valuables on you - you never know who you’re going to be sharing a room with. Many rooms have lockers so you can pop your valuables in there overnight. Trust your instincts, use your common sense and you won’t fail.

3) Hostel Horror Stories … 9 out of 10 of them aren’t true!

The word ‘hostel’ makes many people cringe and after watching various films, including Hostel, it’s understandable why some people are put off. We can safely say that unless you’re in the dark depths of a dodgy place you’re going to be fine! Stick to the travel guide and recommendations. Invest in some ear plugs and an eye mask if you’re a light sleeper and be considerate! Turning the light on and crashing around in a drunken state at 4am doesn’t always go down well and make sure you know which bed is yours. You don’t want be rustling in the dark trying to hop into a stranger’s bed with them whilst they are fast asleep.

Back To Reality:At first, it’s wonderful! Seeing your mates and your family again after being away for so long is the best. However, be prepared to get post travel blues. Getting back into normal life comes as a bit of a shock, so keep yourself busy and ease yourself back into it.

Make the most out of every opportunity; remember you only live once. Don’t hesitate when considering whether or not to do that bungee jump or sky dive - you won’t look back!

Well, after writing this we have decided what we’re going to do next year. So have fun, stay safe and send us a postcard!

Written by:Cathy Hind &

Deborah StoneDesigned by:

Cat Davies

Garage & MOT Centre ‘the complete car care centre’Rodney Road, Southsea.

Near Fratton Park 02392 655555 Call for details

Special Portsmouth Uni Student offer.

*MOT £24.95

*Pick up and drop offservice available

*Fantastic service deals

*Main dealer facilities

*10% off all works

*Unbeatable service

Warranty work undertaken

34

Pugwash June 2009

Garage & MOT Centre ‘the complete car care centre’Rodney Road, Southsea.

Near Fratton Park 02392 655555 Call for details

Special Portsmouth Uni Student offer.

*MOT £24.95

*Pick up and drop offservice available

*Fantastic service deals

*Main dealer facilities

*10% off all works

*Unbeatable service

Warranty work undertaken

Style Guide...Festival GearCarys Rolley

As the summer gets closer and closer, teasing us with the odd ray of sunshine and occasional wave of warmth, some of you may be looking forward to a summer abroad soaking up the sunshine rays, or a summer of bumming around - doing nothing but drinking cider on the Common and cooking up some delicious grub on the barbecue. (Wicked). However, I bet a fair few of you will be eagerly counting down the days till FESTIVAL TIME. The summer for me has always been about festival season, Reading, Leeds, Download, V, Bestival, Isle of White, Glastonbury… whichever festival tickles your fancy you’re bound to have the best weekend of the year. We all know how it starts out; you queue for hours at wristband exchange clutching your (incredibly overpriced) ticket, then go and pitch your tent (realise you’ve forgotten your pegs) and then sling out the deck chairs and crack open a few beers. Just when you think life can’t get much better, the heavens open and before you know it, it’s raining cats and dogs. Regardless of what festival you’ve chosen – you’re pretty much guaranteed a medley of weather conditions and unfortunately that means that you have to prepare for both storms and heat waves. Consequently you end up packing far too much stuff and unfortunately probably have to sacrifice a few bottles of booze in order to fit those wellies into your backpack. So, the question is – when it comes to festival time, what do you pack and what do you leave at home? Well if you’re lucky enough to drive to the event then you’re fortunate in that you can sling in a few extra bits and bobs in the boot, then forget about them until they come in handy – at least then they’re not taking up

valuable tent space. One of the most important things you need to take is a waterproof! This sounds like SUCH a mum thing to say, but trust me, if you’re watching the headline act and suddenly it starts to piss it down, you’re going to feel pretty smug kitted out in your waterproof with the hood up watching your poor wet fellow festival goers buying black sacks with a hole cut out for three quid. I’ve been there, I’ve bought the bin liner and it’s not so great. You can pick up ‘cag in a bag’ waterproofs dirt cheap – they keep you dry and fold down to a tiny size, therefore not being a huge inconvenience. However, if you want a bit of style added to your festival experience they’ve got a few cute jackets on the high street at the moment if you’re prepared to pay a little bit more. I picked up a really cute leopard print waterproof around Christmas time from New Look. Although £20 (£18 with student discount) may seem a little pricey in comparison with your bog standard Asda price cagoule, it really is adorable and you can shove it on anytime the weather is looking a bit dodge and you can’t find your umbrella – I’ve definitely had my moneys worth! (Bloody Portsmouth weather). Check out www.newlook.co.uk or asos.co.uk for some cuties. Another necessity is a hat of some sort! Until recently I’ve never bothered with a hat, and thought celebrities who wore ridiculously oversized straw hats were just morons. Until Reading festival 2007 when I got horrendously sunburnt… and felt like an even bigger moron when I had to spend the weekend glowing an amazing shade of red. If straw hats aren’t your thing you could be brave and try a cowboy hat – I can guarantee you won’t look out of place, or just a regular cap, as long as it’s got a bit

of a peak on it to protect your pretty face when those midday (lethal) rays come out to play. Because even if it looks cloudy – in the middle of a field there are very few places to hide and the sun is constantly thumping down on you! If you forget to bring a hat – don’t fear, there’s always a handful of grim, yet wonderful stalls which specialise in questionable novelty hats which you can pick up for a couple of quid! Wellies are another necessity, regardless of whether they’re covered in skull and crossbones, brightly coloured flowers or your basic green gardening kind. Try to buy them before you set off for your weekend because otherwise you will be paying out of your nose for a pair. It’s not unheard of that people end up buying two right feet at a discounted price as they’re so sought after! You have been warned! Hoodies are an obvious one – they’re fleecy and warm and you will end up sleeping in them. (Forget pyjamas, you’ll be far too drunk and cold to mange to clamber out of your clothes into your jimjams in your tent, it’s pretty much impossible and you’ll probably nose dive into the floor). H&M hoodies are always a winner, forget the women ones, they have a tendency to shrink and bobble really easily so buy the blokes ones for extra warmth and bulk. (Or just nick your boyfriend’s). Another boring one would be socks! I know that sounds groan worthy but at least knee high socks are fashionable at the moment, pop them on under your wellies or with a pair of hot pants (you won’t get judged as much at a festival), or if you’re craving even more warmth then buy some thick legwarmers. Try American Apparel for socks as they’re brilliant, old school gym socks, bit expensive but absolutely

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Pugwash June 2009

have a faaaaaabulous time! Play safe and have fun! May see you there!

wicked and you’ll turn a few heads. For the lovely ladies I would recommend a bikini, or at least a bikini top, just in case the English weather does surprise us. However I would recommend you buy one with a clasp rather than a tie up back - for when you’re stuck in a crowd enjoying a band and a bunch of guys behind you think it’s oh so hilarious to pull the strings, leaving you flashing your goodies to the world desperately fiddling about trying to do it back up. Cringe worthy. However, remember to slap on the sun block! If you forget to take some and can’t afford the extortionate prices they charge on site for a bottle, the majority of festivals have a tent in the first aid section where they give out free sun lotion. Do this or you will regret it!Having said all this, if you do desperately need something there is normally a huge selection of stalls at most festivals where you can pick up most things. Whether it be a fake fur coat for a fiver (what was I thinking), or a neon pink tutu (because I fancy one, ok), it is unlikely you will go without! And at the end, if you’ve accumulated a load of crap you don’t have room for in the car/in your bag then pop them along to the charity shop stalls so someone else can reap the benefits of your obscure purchases!

For those of you who are planning on going to a festival this summer (and were fortunate to get a ticket(!!!))

Illustrations by Kayleigh Batchford

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Pugwash June 2009

Book ReviewsDude Wheres My Career?Dude, Where’s My Career? by Tanya de Grunwald is a book designed to help students who have graduated from university, but are finding it difficult to start their career because of insecurities about what career area they want to go into, or aren’t sure how or where to look for vacancies. It covers a variety of different areas, including tips about time management while looking for potential jobs, and has plenty of comments from university graduates sharing personal experiences of applying for and getting jobs. There is also a chapter focused on the myths surrounding employment, which deals with misconceptions about finding jobs and the criteria employers are looking for. I found this particular chapter very interesting from an undergraduate’s point of view, as reading it made me feel more optimistic about how I’m going to approach this when I graduate. There is a three day plan which is designed to help the reader assess what job they would be best suited for, based on their personality and attributes. Also in the book is a section covering applications and interviews which I found helpful, especially the tips about how to upgrade and improve your CV. I also found the practice interview questions useful as they gave me an insight into what sort of questions I may be asked in an interview. I would definitely recommend reading Dude, Where’s My Career?, as it has many sensible ideas and friendly language which engages the reader to pay attention and learn from the advice and help given.

4/5Sarah Williams

Tanya de Grunwald

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Pugwash June 2009

Book Reviews The Real Guide To Getting A Graduate Job

The Real Guide to Getting a Graduate Job is probably not what you would expect from your usual career advice book. Whilst the format stays primarily the same as similar titles (preparation beforehand, the day of the interview, how to learn from your experiences), the authors of The Real Guide differ from previous books as this is a quick, easy read which doesn’t mince it’s words.

Written by past graduates who have been through the same nerve-wracking, nail-biting experience of interviews which you are about to go through, their realistic take-no-prisoners approach may be just what graduates need to give them the edge over their competitors. More similar in tone to a realistic and hardened businessman (who knows about getting knocked back and has learned their lessons the hard way) than a book written by an encouraging mother, The Real Guide’s general message is not a cliché of being yourself and doing your best, but endorses an approach of ambitious, self-serving, and not necessarily truthful portrayal of your character, in order to get your foot in the door.

If you’re looking for a book to molly-coddle you after a life of student part-time work and easy interviews, this definitely isn’t the book for you! The first section, ‘Preparing to Apply’ highlights this point as it stresses how getting that first graduate job won’t be the fair, smooth ride you’d like it to be. Nepotism is often the realistic entry route and The Real Guide lets you know that to secure your first job will require a great deal of persistence and pragmatism if you don’t want feelings of failure to prevent you getting your dream job. At the same time, there is an optimistic conclusion to the section that lets you know there are ways of preparing for the interview, or time-saving ‘cheating’ as it is called, which will help you convey yourself as a worthy candidate for the job.

The main section, ‘Applying and Tests,’ is divided into 10 subsections of the interview process such as your CV, presentations and the interview. It’s interesting and snappy to read, and the layout is especially helpful - it gives you easy to digest examples with images, which can be re-worked to suit your own personal needs during the applying process. If you haven’t used certain skills since your GSCEs and

feel about as confident completing a numerical or verbal test as a two-year-old toddler, The Real Guide gives you useful maths equations and provides you with the means to practice these sorts of skills so you won’t freeze up when it really counts. It also gives useful acronyms to help you through competency questions, case studies and in-tray/e-tray exercises if you’re feeling stumped.

The last section, ‘The Aftermath,’ reminds you that although it is likely that you will get several knock backs, by writing down your experiences, asking for feedback and learning from your mistakes, you will eventually be successful.

This book emphasises that the main reason graduates will fail is lack of preparation, and does make you stop and think about your skills in detail and how to sell yourself to the highest possible standard. To get a job, The Real Guide seems to say, you must oversell, be compliant, exaggerate the positive aspects of your character and skills, and hide the negatives at all costs. As the authors assert, ‘Get the job, then it is too late for an employer to discover the reality’. This is the underlying message throughout the book – it’s a cut-throat world out there and once you’ve infiltrated the market by getting your first job, then you’ll be in a better position to work your way up through the ranks in your own way. Whilst giving practical, useful advice, The Real Guide to Getting a Graduate Job does exactly what it says on the tin; by advocating a hard-nosed approach to getting that difficult first job, it tells you, you will succeed. If you’re willing to consider putting aside your real character for a day or two and tell a few believable porky pies to give yourself a greater chance of employment, then this is the book for you.

4/5Jenny Foster

Ryan Stephen

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Restaurant Review

Situated next to the Isle of Wight ferry terminus and opposite the Still and West pub, (an area known locally as the Camber), the ABar offers mouth watering dining in an airy, contemporary environment. Although pricey, it is a great place to take the parents (or rather they take you!) for lunch or dinner. At the same time, it may seem like it’s for a certain clientele, but looks can be deceiving. You can have bar snacks such as a cone of chips for £3 or one of the starters. It is a suitable venue for any occasion.

With a bar area, two dining areas and tables outside the front and the back of the bistro, it is perfect for that casual drink or three course meal. Although ample in size, it is well worth booking during holiday time and on sunny days as it gets packed out. It is suitable for all ages.

The staff are extremely friendly and helpful and no request is too much for them. They are efficient and fantastic at making sure you are satisfied (although not to the extent where it becomes annoying). Also, they don’t try to ram drink and any other extras down your throat.The bar offers a seasonal menu Monday-Saturday and a set menu on Sundays. I went on Easter Monday with my family and had a faultless two course lunch. Starting with olives and foccacia, priced at £2, I was pleasantly surprised about how much it filled me up. It came beautifully presented on a thin, black slate with two thick slices of salted foccacia and a selection of green and black olives. My granddad had the soup of the day (pea and ham) which was an unappetising shade of green – the kind you get in a retro 70s bathroom, yet tasted delicious. For the seafood

connoisseurs of you reading this, try the ‘bucket o’ prawns’ (which mum had). Considering you can have it as a starter, you might want to reconsider what you have for your main as she had 27 prawns. 27! For the grand sum of £5 – bargain. Follow this rule if you choose to have mussels as well as Nan was soon to discover. Dished up in what looked like a huge saucepan and served with ciabatta, they can be chosen as a starter or main.

For my main, I chose the South Downs Sirloin steak with fat chips and green peppercorn sauce at an eye watering £18. (Luckily I wasn’t paying – cheers Mum!) But let me tell you, it is worth every penny. OH MY GOD it was like heaven. Although only four chips were served, they were the size of fish fingers but twice the depth. My knife cut through the steak exquisitely and with the thick, peppercorn sauce, it melted in my mouth. Words cannot

describe how immense this course was. If I could eat one meal for the rest of my life it would be this.

Other mains available were a huge sized portion of fish and chips (served in a metal cone – classy!), crab, tomato and chilli penne, salmon steak wellington, and favourites such as burger and chips and sausage and mash.

The ABar Bistro offers a soup of the day, catch of the day and pasta of the day and all tastes are catered for.On an altogether different note, the staff are made up of some very attractive waiters/waitresses. Ladies/Gents – try not to worry if your partner seems to be gazing past you – they are just admiring the beauty that is being presented to them! (We were lucky, our table got the gorgeous tanned manager/head waiter– so if you’re reading, call me!)

ABar Bistro (Formerly the American Bar)by Steph Hall

Photo: here8now on Flickr

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Film ReviewWhen a few UPSU Media members, including myself, went up to London to view the screening of Richard Curtis’ new film The Boat That Rocked, we never really knew what to expect from the day.

We were greeted at Mr. Young’s screening rooms in London’s Soho, by a personal assistant with snacks to devour before going in to watch the film itself. When seated in the small yet comfortable theatre, the movie began.

For two hours I sat there giggling and trying my best not to laugh out loud as Curtis’ imagination is displayed on the screen. The film’s plot revolves around a pirate radio station, located on an old fishing vessel anchored in the middle of the North Sea. As it is the mid 60’s, pirate radio is famous nationwide around the British Isles. The official radio stations of that time were limited and only seemed to play a certain type of musical genre such as jazz and opera. As rock music was on the rise, and only a short time slot of this music was played on the official radio stations, Quentin, the ship’s captain, runs a tight operation for radio DJ’s to play their rock anthems aboard his ship and broadcasts to the nation.

With the government opposing this type of outlaw behaviour, plans are launched to bring an end to radio piracy. Quentin and his crew of radio legends have to act quickly to out run the authority’s action and think of ways to gain more publicity and love for the nation’s listeners.

In my opinion, the film was hilarious. It features high-class comedy, a list of great actors, including Philip Seymour Hoffman (Red Dragon), Bill Nighy (Love Actually), Rhys Ifans (Notting Hill) and Nick Frost (Hot Fuzz) among others. The characters bounce off each other to what gives an element of friendship and professionalism. The film not only portrays the ‘battle’ between the radio station and the government, but tension is clear between some of the DJ’s and

their outrageous antics which add to the comedy.

This movie depicts certain elements of the era which was the 1960’s, including sex, drugs and rock and roll. Within the first 10 minutes of the film, we hear the rock, we see the sex (no real sex scenes though) and we taste the drugs, “cigarette or spliff?” asks Captain Quentin to his godson.

As for the length of the film, it runs for a staggering 129 minutes, which leaves you thinking “surely they could have made it shorter” which is true. Certain scenes in the film could be cut out to make it slightly condensed.

As questions were shouted out (press conference) left, right and centre, we got an insight into what brought about the writing of this film. Director Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral), claimed that the film was marginally based on the real-life story of Radio Caroline, a pirate radio station that included the same material such as broadcasting rock music 24 hours a day onboard a ship located off the shore in Suffolk. Although the film shows a different ending for the ‘pirates’, Radio Caroline still broadcasts on Sky and can be streamed online at www.radiocaroline.co.uk

When you see this film and hear the music, it will almost grab your attention to listen to some old-school classic rock. During the press conference, Richard Curtis claimed “I had hundreds of songs lined up for the movie, and listened to the majority of them, but The Kinks were at the top of the playlist and I automatically saw it working in the film, so I included them”.

It’s hard to decide what movie to spend your money on, but The Boat That Rocked should definitely be top of the list.

4/5Joey Larkin

The Boat That Rocked

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Jac

Pugwash’s Essential Alphabetical Guide To Festivals..... A = Alcohol

Take crates and crates of beer, it’s amazing how quickly the stuff will dry up over the weekend.

B = Bogus Ticket Sites

Look out and be very careful not to buy tickets off of fake websites or scams that don’t sell authentic tickets. Buy only from official outlets to avoid having your money taken, without receiving tickets. Thousands of would be festival goers lose their money this way each year.

C = Campsite

Make the most of it, a festival isn’t a festival without that real campsite atmosphere. Get to know the people that are camping around you and be pleasant to everyone. Don’t complain about noise, it’s a festival!

D = Deodorant

Essential. You probably won’t bother with showering so there is potential for BO. Simply apply deodorant throughout the day when you’re feeling sweaty, and avoid some turned up noses and dodgy looks.

E = Eating

Festival food isn’t great and it will leave a deep hole in your pocket if you eat it all weekend. Take supplies with you,

and a barbecue as it’s the best way to cook. Sit there in a foldable chair, chuck on some burgers and cook them for all of your mates, or sell them to hungry neighbours!

F = Friends

Get all your mates there. The more the merrier! Pitch all your tents together and give your camp a name, put up a flag, and party!

G = Green

Be Green! Try and recycle and dispose of your rubbish in a respectful and environmentally friendly way. All big festivals have a huge recycling initiative to reduce harm to the environment.

H = Hat

Pick up a wacky one from a stall, make one, or take one of your favourites from home, but make sure you take something to cover up your bad hair in the morning.

I = iPod

Take your iPod and some speakers, as the music doesn’t start until the afternoon, and it’s always great to chill out at the campsite with a few tunes.

J = Jacket

Take a jacket. It may rain and even if it doesn’t you’ll really feel the cold at night when you’ve been out in the sun all day.

K = Keep guard of your belongings

There are thieves at festivals and with little CCTV and so many people going in and out of tents, it’s a lot easier for them to get away with nicking stuff. Keep your belongings safe and don’t take any unnecessary valuable items. Use re-sealable cable ties to secure your tent, as they’re likely to put off the opportunist thief.

L = Line-up

Know the line-up and plan who you want to see, because some of your favourite bands may clash. It’s easy to miss some of the weekends highlights if you don’t know what’s going on.

Written by: Jack KaneDesigned By: Cat Davies

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M = Madness

Do something mad, crowdsurf naked in an inflatable dingy, draw all over yourself, wear fancy dress, go tent surfing, break into VIP or swim in the mud!

N = Navigation

Finding the festival site can be a problem, so make sure you plan your journey to the site, to ensure you don’t get lost and end up walking miles, as some festivals are in the middle of nowhere. Remember where you pitch your tent too and look out for noticeable points to locate your way back to your tent at night.

O = Offers

Festivals can be very expensive. You have to consider the cost of tickets, travel, food, drink etc. As a lot offestival goers are students, some festivals (including Bestival) offer NUSdiscount on tickets and travel companiesoften offerconcessions tostudents.

P = Photos

Capture some of thebest and most memorable moments you will ever have, on your phone or with a digital camera. Disposables are greattoo, because it doesn’tmatter as much if you lose them!

Q = Queuing

Be prepared for it. Whether it’s getting into the site, at the bar, or for the toilets; you may find yourself queuing a lot depending on how big the festival is.

R = Relax!

Kick back, sit there, go and see a few bands, crack open a beer and just chill out. Although festivals can be pretty hectic, there’s nothing more relaxing than lying in a field listening to great music in the scorching sun.

S = Sunglasses

Take a couple of cheap pairs or buy some from the stalls there. Be warned, sunglasses do and are likely to get broken, so don’t take your best ones unless you’re sure you won’t break them.

T = Tent

Tents come in all shapes and sizes. Make sure yours is a good size and easy to put up. If you’re at a festival like Reading, try and avoid pitching your tent near the walkways as things can get pretty hectic on the last night, and you may find that your tent has made the perfect fuel for a fire!

U = UV Protection

Bang on a bit of suntan lotion before you show your body off, so you don’t go home sunburnt, as well as dirty, tired, hungover and poorer.

V = Variety

The best part of a good festival is musical variety. Its great watching your favourite bands and watching the big names on the main stage, but go check out some of the other tents or stages as you may see next year’s headliners. Big festivals like Reading, Leeds and Glastonbury have hundreds of different bands and artists to see.

W = Wellies

Essential. Take some wellies just in case it pours down. Glastonbury is notorious for being wet and muddy and no matter how hot and sunny it is, there’s sure to be mud lingering at any festival.

X = Xtras

Anything else you can think of that may make your weekend even better. Take a Frisbee, a guitar, a flag, maybe even bongo drums. A rubber ring can make a great chair. Use your imagination!

Y = You!

Look after yourself, be safe and make sure you have the best time that you can! It could be one of the best weekends you have all year.

Z = Zzzzzzzzzz

Sleep will be a problem; get it in when you can, preferably before or after the festival. Or you can always take a nap in the day chilling out to one of your favourite bands.

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Then and Now

On the 19th September 1970, Jimi Hendrix died and it was the weekend of the first ever Glastonbury Festival. Then, the entrance fee was only £1, with free milk from the farm and only 1500 attending the small festival. Today Glastonbury has become the world’s largest open air festival and last year 134,000 attended for the full weekend at a cost of £155. How times change!

2009 Lineup

The Glastonbury website said “No acts have yet been 100% booked to headline in 2009,” so expect the unexpected.

Reading and Leeds (28th-30th Aug 09)Reading and Leeds always pulls out the big names and with the NME and Radio 1 stage, it always offers the hottest in new popular music. It’s probably the most commercial festival there is and attracts the youngsters.

Then and Now

Reading is one of the oldest UK music festivals and originates from the National Jazz Festival held at Richmound Athletics Ground in 1961. In 1971 it found its name and permanent location in Reading. In 1999, the festival created another sister festival in Leeds as demand for

tickets was so high. Today, Reading and Leeds has become the most popular festival with weekend tickets selling out within hours of release.

2009 Lineup

With the Kings of Leon, Arctic Monkeys and Radiohead headlining across the weekend, this year looks like it could be the best ever.

Bestival (11th-13th Sept 09)Choose Bestival for a smaller festival that still gets the big names and lots of smaller acts. Also it’s on the Isle of Wight which is great for Pompey students. It’s also the last big festival of the season.

Then and Now

Bestival is a new festival that first started in 2004 with mainly dance acts, including Basement Jaxx, Mylo and Fatboy Slim who are headlining that year. It has become a festival tradition to dress up in fancy dress on the Sunday. Last year’s theme was underwater and this year’s festival is set to be out of this world with a space theme.

2009 Lineup

Contains some big names like Kraft Work, Massive Attack, Elbow, MGMT, Klaxons, Lily Allen, Soulwax, Friendly Fires, Little Boots and The Horrors.

Which Festival? By Jack Kane

Then and Now

On the 19th September 1970, Jimi Hendrix died and it was the weekend of the first ever Glastonbury Festival. Then, the entrance fee was only £1, with free milk from the farm and only 1500 attending the small festival. Today Glastonbury has become the

tickets was so high. Today, Reading and Leeds has become the most popular festival with weekend tickets selling out within hours of release.

2009 Lineup

With the Kings of Leon, Arctic Monkeys and Radiohead headlining

tickets was so high. Today, Reading Isle of Wight (12th-14th June 09)One of the first festivals of the season with a great history. This year’s festival will be held at Seaclose Park in Newport.

Then and Now

The first festival was only one day long in 1968, with Marc Bolan headlining the UK’s first great Rock Festival. In 1969 the hippies returned to the Isle of Wight to see none other than Bob Dylan as the headline act, and the following summer saw Jimi Hendrix take in the position. The festival started again in 2002 and still attracts big names in Pop music.

2009 Lineup

This year look out for The Prodigy, Basement Jaxx, Pendulum, Ting Tings, Stereophonics, Razorlight, The View, Maximo Park, Neil Young, Simple Minds and The Pidgeon Detectives.

Glastonbury (24th-28th June 09)Glasto is probably the best festival there is for variety and never fails to deliver great performances and surprises in the line-up. Last year, Jay-Z’s acoustic cover of the Oasis song Wonderwall, brought one of the most memorable moments in the festival’s long history.

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To date, what has been your biggest gig/proudest achievement? H: Finally penning my ideas and producing a track. It’s a pounding Tech Trance tune and I’m really happy with the result. I’ve also got one or two tracks of my own in the pipeline. Production is the next level in my career as a DJ and I’m really enjoying working in the studio.

Who’s your inspiration? H: I take a lot of inspiration from those closest to me. Some of my friends are doing really well for themselves in other genres and the fact that they enjoy my music means a lot. I’m a musician and so positive feedback from anyone is a real boost. I would describe myself as a cross between Jochen Miller, Simon Patterson and Ronski Speed.

Do you have any forthcoming gigs?

H: Twisted Mayhem at Venus Vodka Bar (Portsmouth) 15th May Vision Control at The Honey Club (Brighton) 5th June Together Twisted at Empire Club (Bournemouth) 11th July

What does the future hold for you? Where do you see yourself in 2 - 3 years time?

H: I’m looking to advance my production skills further and hopefully get a few successful releases under my belt. I’m happy with my rate of progression and have a bright future ahead of me working with Vision Control and their record label. Finally, what are your three top trance tunes?

H: 1: Simon Patterson - Us (Original Remix) 2: Ferry Corsten - Out Of The Blue 3: Kirsty Hawkshaw - Outsiders (Jose Amnesia Remx)

I purchased a midi-controller for my computer and started mixing MP3’s. Then once I got to a stage where I could beat match, I purchased my pioneer CDJ’s. I’ve been mixing for two years now and love every minute being on the decks.

How did you become involved with Vision Control?

H: Through a friend of a friend, Dan Identikal (the label manager), listened to my demos via my house mate. I became involved with the label and played at their launch party in London. When Vision Control moved down the coast to Hardsouth, I’d already played in the trance room and so was invited back for Vision. I was made a resident DJ in January this year and am really enjoying working with them. Are there any tracks you are working on at the moment?

H: My house mate (Lee Walls) is a very talented producer/engineer so I have worked with him. We currently have a track called Assault which I hope will get massive support. We’re currently working on two remixes and hope to start a second original track after these. I also cut and chop tracks to fit my sets, be it create an intro mix or add/remove a vocal.

Written by Steph Hall

iLLuMIDanCe is the only dedicated Trance event in the south representing trance sounds, from progressive to hard, with techno and electro sounds in between. The event is held at Venus vodka bar (above V bar) every first Friday & Saturday of the month and showcases the best in up and coming DJs. I spoke to one of them, Digital Harry, to find out more about him and his influences.

Hi Harry! Firstly, what’s your style of music?

H: I play and produce Driving Melodic Tech Trance. For anyone unfamiliar with you as a DJ, how would you describe your sets?

H: I love being behind the decks. It gives me power to express my music. I love getting technical and using all the equipment available to me to get the crowd really going. I have lots of energy behind the decks and love playing off the crowd to get people singing and having a great time.

How did you get into DJing? H: A love for the music really. I really got into Trance music around 2003/2004 and wanted to be able to DJ.

New Music: TranceWhich Festival? By Jack Kane

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Album ReviewsLamb Of God- Wrath

Here comes the new testament according to Lamb of God. Wrath is a fresh take on what they have done in the past, now working with the metal masterminds at Road Runner records. Mind you, this isn’t the best Lamb of God album you are going to hear (Please, oh please, refer to Ashes of the Wake).

When I first heard the album I hated it. I just didn’t understand the direction they were taking. This album has been playing on my stereo for two weeks and I began to realize that this was more than just a reflection of the band’s past work. This album was a statement on its own.

It’s one skull bashing track after another and when you think the album is slowing down, think again. It begins with an epic track courtesy of The Passing and slams into the chugging In Your Words. From here on out the album doesn’t look back and just keeps on slamming.

The tracks to listen to: Grace, Broken Hands and Set to Fail are the ones that shine most.

4/5Gerrick Reyes

Pet Shop Boys- Yes

Another return of an old group from the eighties, although they never really went. The new album Yes has brought the Pet Shop Boys back into the public eye, but nothing much has changed. In fact, it’s strangely familiar. The recent trends of popular music have turned a full circle back to the eighties, with bands like Empire of the Sun expressing the wonders of cheesy synthesisers and delicate vocals. Maybe it is the popularity of the retro eighties style that has opened the window for the Pet Shop Boys to climb through and take advantage of the current trend. Anyway, back to the album. Despite being heavily synth based, Yes includes a good amount of variety. King of Rome

has a delightful lounge jazz quality to it, Beautiful People sounds like a futuristic song from the sixties, with more disco orientated flavour provided by Vulnerable and More Than a Dream. It’s a hard album to hate, but even harder to love. Simplistic song writing combined with a mysterious atmosphere make this new effort a nice album to relax to, but it’s probably not the most exciting thing you’ll hear this year. A perfect album for a Sunday drive or for use in an ironic Quentin Tarantino torture scene; only I can’t imagine anyone cutting their ears off during this album.

4/5William Preston

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Album Reviews Gig ReviewsIt’s been five years since Take Me Out burst onto the indie scene, and Scottish band Franz Ferdinand have gone from strength to strength since then. Touring to promote their latest album Tonight, the quartet headed by Alex Kapranos took to the stage in front of a sold out crowd. The Southampton Guildhall appears to be a challenge for sound engineers, some bands sound great there and some don’t. Unfortunately, Franz Ferdinand didn’t quite get it right. The bass was overwhelming the guitar sound and Alex appeared to be shouting to be heard over the thumping drum and bass. A real shame, as apart from that their actual performance was good, although there was very little by the way of interaction with the fans.

They played a healthy mix from their three albums, with the older material generating the loudest cheers! Old favourites and past hits got the fans jumping like pogo sticks, singing along and dancing in any available spaces. The band were onstage for merely an hour when they said their goodbyes and exited the stage. A somewhat miffed crowd encouraged them back for four more songs, then that really was it. I overheard some feeling quite seen off by the length of the performance, and some muttered unhappily about the sound quality. It was disappointing considering they are a big band who really should know better!

3/5Alyson Bain

Franz FerdinandSouthampton Guildhall, 10th March 2009

Bloc Party’s biggest headlining act so far was one of only a handful of dates in the UK this spring, with the majority of their time taken up touring the world.

Opener, One Month Off, though devoid of electronic trickery, was as angry and as dance-able as ever. Driven by a simple drum’n’bass beat; it set the trend for the rest of the gig – scratchy guitar lines on top of powerful beats.

They played a mixture of songs from their three albums, but their second album A Weekend in the City seemed somewhat underrepresented, as many of the tunes don’t translate well into a live environment. At the start of Where is Home? front man Kele Okereke looped his tribal cries into frenzy

before the beat kicked in – much more exciting than the album intro.

Highlight of the show was Mercury; it shocked fans when it was surprise released last year and is still strikingly different from the rest of their set. Starting with Kele’s cries of My Mercury’s in Retrograde, the tune is driven on by a complex beat courtesy of drummer Matt Tong. The song builds with the looped vocals until it erupts with a crazy guitar riff and squelchy urban synth-bass; the crowd and the band going wild.

The London based band played an eclectic mix of songs influenced by myriad genres. The big-beat, half-rap, half-war-cry of Ares closed the set and had the seething crowd shouting back

at the band as much as they did for the rockier Helicopter, showing how their recent sonic experimentation hasn’t made them any less incredible live.

4/5Chris Boyd

Wet Paint/Foals/Bloc Party London Olympia, 11th April 2009

Photo: Dan Smyth

Photo: Gemma Denise on Flickr

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Postgraduate information days• Thursday 27 November 2008 • Tuesday 17 March 2009• Tuesday 8 September 2009

11.30am–2.00pm and 5.00pm–7.00pm.

Purple Door, 28 Guildhall Walk Portsmouth P01 2DD. Drop in or book an appointment online at www.port.ac.uk/postgraduate

Do a Master’s, change your life

Instant application in the workplace‘It’s about taking a holistic view of the company and making everything from

the top down work better. Doing a Master’s on top of your day job shows

a real commitment – employers like that. It isn’t just about me gaining an

education; in effect my employer is getting a consultancy service because 90

per cent of my assignments have been focused on my organisation.’

Phillip Down, MSc Strategic Quality Management