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Media Groups by BCUSU www.bcusu.com/media SS15 TRENDS VIDEO GAMES BEST how to hunt a job ISSUE 4 Free to a good home MARCH APRIL

The Scratch - Issue 4 (2014/15)

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The March/April edition of The Scratch, bringing you news, sport, entertainment, geek, fashion & beauty, student life, and much more from Scratch and the wider BCU community. The Scratch, part of Scratch Media by BCUSU.

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Page 1: The Scratch - Issue 4 (2014/15)

1@TheScratchBCUMedia Groups by BCUSU www.bcusu.com/media

SS15 TRENDS

VIDEO GAMESBEST

how to hunt a job

ISSUE 4Free to a good home

MARCHAPRIL

Page 2: The Scratch - Issue 4 (2014/15)

On the cover Scratch TV

CONTENTSEDITORIAL

comittee

@TheScratchBCU

Scratch TV have been very busy recently during Scratch Media Week 9th-13th February. How? They launched their first live broadcasts on YouTube with the help of members from all of the Scratch Media Groups. Throughout the week there were two live episodes of Scratch Chat every day apart from Wednesday which saw the return of Scratch Media Festival. During these chat shows guests from Societies and Sports teams turned up to talk. You ma y have noticed Calum our sports editor on Thursday’s

episode as part of Men’s Football and our Geek Editor Kris with the DJ society on the Wednesday.Between interviews the presenters introduced videos that had been made for the week, including Scratch does Come Dine with Me, New Year New You and Valentine’s Day Cookies. All of the videos are now on the Scratch TV YouTube channel to re-watch or you can find them on the Scratch Media website at www.Scratch.Media

Follow them on twitter and like them on Facebook to keep updated on all things Scratch TV.

NewsHolly Barry

SportCallum Sexton

EntertainmentLaura Peberday

GeekKristian Birch-Hurst

Fashion & BeautyKaterina Mutafchieva

Student LifeLisa Williams

NewsDiscrimination against hair colourSt. Patrick’s Parade New Cocktail Bar and RestaurantScratch Reacts

SportEuro ChampionshipBCU CheerTop 5 Most Obscure Sports

EntertainmentWho did the Super Bowl benefit?Bigg BossHas Celebrity Big Brother had its day?Upcoming events at mac Birmingham

Fashion & Beauty Top fashion items to have in your wardrobeWays 2 Wear: Winter accessoriesSS15 Fashion TrendsTop Beauty Items

GeekNo closure for gamers Best Video Game Conclusions

Student LifeLife after universityHow to job hunt like a proWhat I learnt in my first yearThings you’ll only understand if you studied Marketing at Universitycoordinator

James Dix

head designerFrancisca Borzea

design TeamHannah Morris

back cover Andreea Calina

Page 3: The Scratch - Issue 4 (2014/15)

3@TheScratchBCU

With the general election just around the corner The Scratch Magazine is launching its very own politics section online as part of Scratch Media! Impartial and informative, The Scratch will fill you in on key info, let you know what’s going on around BCU and keep you updated on where you can go to access more information.

Want to be a contributor for The Scratch Politics? We are recruiting for new contributors to help lift Scratch Politics off the ground. Whether you have written for The Scratch before or want to get involved for the first time contact [email protected] for more information.Don’t forget the elections for executive officers is also happening in March, so make sure you vote.For more details on the elections go to www.BCUSU.com you can even choose to stand.

arch is an exciting time for us here at The Scratch as we are soon to be holding elections which present an awesome

opportunity for people to really shine. Since I joined The Scratch I have been given the opportunity to really shine and expand my skills and horizons. I’ve been given the opportunity to really develop and go to places that otherwise would have seemed out of reach. The reason I’ve been able to do all this stuff? The Scratch. So with the elections upon us, now is really the time to get involved, be it voting or running for a position because you

have the chance to really shape how we go forward. I myself have thoroughly enjoyed my time working on the Scratch including the events we have covered such as Comic Con, but there is still so much more we can do. This makes the work we do more fun and worthwhile so now is definitely the time get involved. To find out more about The Scratch’s elections keep a look out on www.Scratch.Media there will be full details of all available positions and how to apply. Also check out The Scratch’s Facebook page, estimated election date 23rd of March.

Why should you get involved with The Scratch Elections?

By Mike Smith

m

Page 4: The Scratch - Issue 4 (2014/15)

Scratch News

t is more unacceptable now than ever to not discriminate against different skin colours. We have now evolved into

a multi-cultural country which means we are more accepting of different nationalities and ethnicities.

In a society obsessed with the way we look, there are always comments being made about someone’s appearance not being the ‘norm’, they are either too fat or too skinny. Even with our hair colours, blondes are said to be ‘dumb’, brunettes are said to be ‘boring’ and redheads have said to have no ‘souls’.

How ridiculous does that sound? Recently dying my hair to auburn tone, it made me think back to my secondary school days when we had to separate into groups according to our hair colours, this is where I was called names for my hair colour, which supposedly was auburn.

Can you just imagine if we had to separate into groups according to our skin colour? That would not go down well.

At the time, having auburn hair was considered undesirable and weird. Now, it’s a hot trend to have bright red/orange hair as more and more people are wanting to stand out and be unique with their styles.

Personally, it’s just as hurtful to judge someone on their hair as it is with body shapes. It’s still the way someone is and their appearance. We need to learn that everyone is different, the sooner we realise that, the better we all think about others.

SHOULD THERE BE NO DISCRIMINATION AGAINST HAIR COLOURS?

I

@TheScratchBCU

Birmingham has long been shaped by its Irish residents since the 1600s. The migration caused by Ireland’s potato famine gave Birmingham the fourth highest Irish-born population of any English or Welsh town in the mid-1800s. Today the city hosts one of the largest St Patrick’s Day parades in the world, attended by an estimated 100,000 people. The parade will take place on Sunday 15th March at 12 noon in Digbeth. The event organisers are planning on having a photographic exhibition accompanied by stories of how and why Irish people came to work and set up business in Birmingham.

They want families in Birmingham to add to the history of the impact of the Irish on its development - so if you’ve got any stories to tell, get in contact! http://stpatricksbirmingham.com/

As well as the parade being mostly about the Irish community. The parade increasingly mirrors the diversity of our ethnicities as we welcome guest appearances from other communities. Munster will be the leading Province this year followed by Irish Pipes and Drums band plus five other marching bands.

Be sure to get there early especially if you’re driving as it can get very busy!

ST. PATRICKS DAY PARADE BIRMINGHAM 2015

This year’s St. Patrick’s Day parade is promising to be bigger and better than ever with this year’s theme being ‘Irish contribution to Birmingham’s development’.

by Holly Barry

by Holly Barry

Page 5: The Scratch - Issue 4 (2014/15)

ScratchNews

5@TheScratchBCU

T he bar and restaurant is planned to be the perfect place to go to socialise with friends, classmates and colleagues and is located in Birmingham’s city centre. As well as serving up a seasonal taste

of home comforts and European cuisine for diners, Gas Street Social will offers a tantalising classic cocktail menu, featuring handcrafted signature creations and sharing drinks created by the award winning team at Shaker Consultancy.

David Pardoe, retail manager at the Mailbox, said: “Gas Street Social is a fantastic new addition to our existing range of bars and restaurants here at the Mailbox, which is sure to be really popular when it opens.” Centred on the concept of sharing and socialising, Gas Street Social will feature large sharing tables, intimate booth areas and a cosy ‘snug’ area, providing the perfect venue for quick bites and lazy lunches in between

For more information about Gas Street Social, you can sign up for the email newsletter at: http://gasstreetsocial.co.uk, or join the conversation on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Gasstsocial and Twitter https://twitter.com/gasstsocial.

NEW COCKTAIL BAR AND RESTAURANT TO S H A K E UP BRUM

The much anticipated new bar, restaurant and social hub; Gas Street Social is set to open in mid-March.

by Jodie Perkins

lectures. This makes it a great venue choice for students studying at the Conservatoire or Margaret Street. Heading into the weekend, the venue provides a social hub in the city centre for late night drinks and dancing until 2am complete with the world’s first DJ Kitchen. A perfect addition to Birmingham’s vibrant nightlife. Adam Freeth, managing director and founder of Gas Street Social, added: “We are delighted to be amongst such great company here at the Mailbox, and as a Birmingham based company, we’re excited to be opening this venue on home soil.”

Page 6: The Scratch - Issue 4 (2014/15)

ScratchNews

In the age of viral videos, public appearances and ridicule go hand in hand. Amid the tragic attacks in Paris, the ever-informative Fox News conducted

an interview with journalist Steven Emerson, who was claimed to be a “terrorism expert.” However, this interview went rather pear-shaped faster than Emerson could sputter out his so called “expert” opinion. The Fox News report focused on “no go zones” within Paris, and apparently Britain too. In these zones “the Muslim density is very intense” according to Emerson. He then used the prime example of Birmingham, in which the population of the city “are totally Muslim” and is a place “where non-Muslims just don’t go in.” He continued: “The police just don’t go in, it’s basically a separate country.” Now, I’m no geography student, but I’m pretty sure Birmingham is not a country, let alone a “Muslim only” one. Apparently, London Police also “beat and wound” anyone who doesn’t dress in religious Muslim attire.”Emerson, the Executive Director of the Investigative Project on Terrorism, stutters and slurs throughout the interview, which gives away the fact he frankly has no idea on his own field of expertise. He later sent a written apology to Birmingham Updates stating there was “no excuse” for the mistake he made, and that he made a “huge error” on the “beautiful city of Birmingham.” Emerson also donated £500 to Birmingham Children’s Hospital as a symbol of good will.However, by this point the internet had already had its fun, with the hashtag #FoxNewsFacts steadily growing with hilarious posts. One user satirically tweeted: “Britain is home to Islamic regime “Mecca Bingo.”” Whilst another posted a picture of the bullring, claiming it was wearing a Burqa. Numerous parody videos have been uploaded, including one by Muslim

stand-up comedian “Guzzy Bear.”Speaking about the original fox News interview, Scratch’s Umar Hassan said: “To be honest, I reckon the majority of Birmingham laughed it off anyway. I’ve lived in Birmingham my whole life and its multi-cultural spots are what makes it so great.” A 2011 Birmingham census found that only 21.8% of Birmingham’s population said they were Muslim, a statistic showing Birmingham is far from being the “zone” that Emerson villainised in the Fox News report. Scaremongering and satire aside, Birmingham is known for and celebrates its diversity and culture. The students who live and study here from all backgrounds had a lot to say about Emerson’s blunder. Fox News has since been made on air apology, but it was week later, whilst Emerson held a phone interview on BBC Midlands today. He said: “I relied on incorrect research, it was totally irresponsible of me. It was not done out of any malice and I am mortified by it.

A spokesperson for the BCU Islamic Society (ISOC) said: “It is unfortunate that people revert to using false information to associate Islam with terrorism in a bid to scaremonger the general public. Mr. Emerson was very wrong in his interview as Birmingham is a diverse community, which is evident through the universities and colleges.”

SCRATCH REACT: ONE MAN ANGERS THE WHOLE OF BIRMINGHAM WITH JUST ONE SENTENCE

– BUT HOW?

“My career has not been marked by this mistake, but I am not protected by anyone unlike you at the BBC, I work for myself.”

@TheScratchBCU

Page 7: The Scratch - Issue 4 (2014/15)

Entertainment

7@TheScratchBCU

Who did the Super Bowl benefit?Advertisers or Audiences?

he start of February saw the return of one of America’s largest annual sporting events - The Superbowl, a trend which

seems to have found its way across the pond to the UK.

I’m sure I won’t be the only one to admit that, despite attempting to watch the game I had no idea what was going on, in fact the only things I could make sense of was the adverts (or commercials if we are sticking with the American theme). So much hype seems to be placed around these ‘commercials’ with big brands paying ridiculous amounts of money just for the smallest bit of air time, which got me thinking - what’s more important? The game itself or the commercials that everyone seems to be raving on about. The Superbowl has even set up its own web page dedicated to the ‘best and worst’ commercials of the Superbowl, and social media went into a frenzy of retweets, shares, favourites and likes, allowing viewers to share their favourite ads with their friends and followers. The idea behind the Super Bowl makes me question the nature of entertainment itself - are we now finding that adverts are becoming entertainment in their own right? Or have we just not realised that the two are becoming increasingly blurred together? Are popular events more for an advertisers benefit than they are for the audiences wanting to be entertained? New technology, social media and the fact large events can be broadcast around the world means that advertising methods have changed. Advertisers have realised audiences no longer have to sit through hours of trailers and adverts, it can be much more effective to blur them together in subtle ways - even allowing us to do the advertising for them in the form of social media.

by Laura Peberday

T

his year has been the return of Celebrity Big Brother in the UK, but did you know there is also an equally popular Indian version, Bigg Boss? The show started

way back in September and lasted just over 4 months. The Finale took place on the 31st of January where actor Gautam Gulati was crowned Bigg Boss Season 8 champion. This season was hosted again by Bollywood mega star Salman Khan, who was then replaced by Director Farah Khan to host Halla Bol, which another 5 housemates entered as challengers. This season has been filled with lots of controversy, drama, entertainment and romance. When looking back at some of the highlights of the season, Gautam Gulati has to be number one as he has been one of the most popular housemates ever in Big Boss history, with a huge following on social media. Gautam has provided some entertaining moments - who could forget the Gautam City task, where he ruled the housemates and came up with the catchy anthem ‘we love, we love Gauti’. Gautam came out on top and won the show due to his likeability, honesty and the fact that he entertained and was loved by many, although he was targeted by many housemates he remained true to himself and was crowned champion. This season provided many romances and love triangles such as Sonali Raut, Gautam Gulati and Upen Patel. Gautam also had some romance with Diandra Soares which sparked many rumours of romance following their Bathroom scandal, which Gautam in an interview says he regrets. Upen has also been romantically involved with runner up of the show model Karishma Tanna and also sparked controversy as she had a boyfriend outside. Another controversy that arose in the house were the remarks made by Ali Quili Mirza which offended certain housemates including Sonali Raut, which then resulted into her slapping Ali. Challenger Ajaz Khan was also kicked out of the house following his fight with Ali Quili Mirza. There were two gangs that formed in the house and also provided some entertaining moments, the P3G gang which consisted contestants Gautam Gulati, Pritam, Praneet Bhat and Puneet Issar and the Bedroom gang which consisted of Diandra Soares, Sushant, Upen Patel and Karishma Tanna who were known for gossiping about other housemates. Another housemate who was a favourite and provided a lot of fun and entertainment, was Expose Actor Sonali Raut with her constant hair flipping and her two invisible friends Chotu and Riya. The housemates have definitely been brilliant and many viewers are re-watching episodes as they miss the show and can’t wait for the show to returnlater this year.

By Jessica Chumber

T

Bigg Boss

Page 8: The Scratch - Issue 4 (2014/15)

ENTERTAINMENT

@TheScratchBCU

elebrity Big Brother is a very well-known reality TV show aired (now) on Channel 5. Presented by the ever-lovely Emma Willis, millions

tune in every night to watch the celebrity housemates who are locked away in a custom built house. They argue, they cook, they argue, they wash up, they do tasks, they argue and they… well argue. This constant arguing and what many have called an unbearable series has led me to think... has CBB had its day? Has this 15th series ruined CBB’s envious reputation for good TV? I’m sure we all agree that the show seriously needs to rank up the fun factor in the summer for the regular edition. This series just gone has seen minimal fun and minimal laughter as the show used to broadcast in previous years. Channel 5 have failed to deliver the one thing that could have ¬salvaged the series — decent tasks. The show used to focus around the celebrities doing funny tasks and making fools out of themselves, however this year we have seen very little of that. Instead we have seen constant bitching and arguing, Cheggers (Keith Chegwin) washing up and every night we have tuned into ‘The Perez Show’ - what started off as a joke, is in-fact completely correct. Channel 5 have well and truly handed over to the Showbiz Blogger from the US and given him 90% of airtime. Not only are the housemates missing out on what they hoped would be a brilliant experience, Big Brother’s loyal fans are also missing out on their beloved reality TV series - which they have looked forward to and watched religiously every night. Emily Nicholls, student at BCU said: “The show has kept its power over the public - everyone still has to watch the opening show just to see who’s going in but in terms of keeping viewers I think it’s lost its

touch, this series has been interesting but has mainly contained arguments and segregation which isn’t a healthy thing to be promoting and I think they have been too lenient with Perez and his behavior.” The first series in 2001 had an average of 5.2 million viewers whereas last year’s series where Gary Busey was crowned the winner had an average of only 2.1 million viewers - so is it safe to say that CBB has had its day? Has the British public grown out of the show? Have you grown out of the show?

If you love it or hate it tweet us at

@TheScraTchBcU

C

Has Celebrity Big Brother had its day?

By Jodie Perkins

Page 9: The Scratch - Issue 4 (2014/15)

ENTERTAINMENT

9@TheScratchBCU

t’s that time of year again. That odd time of year where you might be amongst looming deadlines but feelings of summer fun, parties and events are starting to creep in. But you don’t have to wait until

summer. Amongst the popular Flatpack festival and highly anticipated frontiers music festival there’s so much to look forward to this spring. Like every year mac Birmingham are also offering a variety of anticipated events. If don’t know who mac are then it’s time to come out and discover the home of great art, culture and brilliant events. From music, poetry, stories, arts and photography, to just the straight up party events there’s something for everyone. With so much great theatre, films and performances amongst special events this spring season themed “welcome” promises to be the best yet. Not convinced? Take a look at some of the upcoming events:

Mouthy poets on tour- 7th MarchThis spoken word team are packing their suitcases full of stories and coming to mac to perform a production to remember. This collective of 50 young people will give you an event to remember. The team explores how to open a can of fish, how the night was made and how relationships, politics, gender and waddling ducks make us stronger human beings. So there’s something for everyone. Featuring film, music, movement and paper planes, it will change your perception of what poetry is. With regional headliners handpicked by the marvellous geniuses Apples and Snakes this event promises to be hilariously brilliant.Mouthypoets.com / @mouthypoets / #mouthytour

Welcome Party Networking Event 9th March

Hosted by the Icing Agency at mac, this free event is one not to be missed. With talented acts, performers, poets, presenters and singers this is your chance to get involved and enjoy the local talent. With the chance to network with industry professionals from areas of arts, culture, music, literature over tasty snacks and food - the evening will be busy. Not to forget there may be a number of surprise activities and opportunities in store for you, so save the date!

macbirmingham.co.uk / @theicingagency / #NextGenBrum

How to get Big on the Internet Creative ‘How To’ session

17th March The last session of the popular creative career navigation workshops series this is one of a kind. With the aim to demystify the creative and cultural sector helping people find a route in, whether an employee, freelancer or as an entrepreneur this sessions have been packed with invaluable information, networking and skills. This last session takes on the ‘big’ world of the internet. What’s to gain from having bags of subscribers to your YouTube channel or thousands of followers on Instagram? In this session you’ll hear from arty types, who are big on the Internet, discuss the benefits of having an online following and figure out how you can build your own online network. macbirmingham.co.uk/event/ng-cht / @mac_birmingham / #hw2wkshop

The Social Exchange in partnership with Beatfreeks

9th AprilFor the anticipated return, this annual Festival of Social Change is bigger and better. The Social Exchange is a free festival and creative marketplace to share and celebrate youth culture and social action across the West Midlands

and beyond.The one day festival will be packed with live performances, talks, master-classes, workshops and surgeries. There will be industry experts and representatives from some of the country’s top innovation and social exchange organisations, advertising their programmes and offering opportunities to budding social entrepreneurs and creative young people.beatfreeks.com / @beatfreeks / #PoetryJam

One Hundred Thousand Welcomes Exhibition

17th Jan to 26th AprThe fab team of Illustrated Brum have teamed with mac Birmingham to collect creative, cultural and social engagements in the form of welcomes. So if you’re creative and the arty type this is your time to shine. Submissions are welcomed from drawing, photography, poetry, prose, artefacts, film, sound, or performance. Really anything creative! Your submissions will be counted towards a free gallery exhibition and season of events at mac Birmingham, as well as being documented as part of an online archive. So get your creative juices flowing and be part of something epic. macbirmingham.co.uk / @IllustratedBrum / #OHTWBrum

I

Get your diaries out!By Maniba Zariat

Page 10: The Scratch - Issue 4 (2014/15)

Fashion & Beauty

@TheScratchBCU

By Katerina Mutafchieva

very day, modern women are exposed to hundreds of adverts of clothes and fashion items available for them to buy both at shops

and online. With the constant presence of new hot fashion items from your favourite clothing brands, being a university student living on a certain budget and sticking to it may be a real challenge. It is very tempting to purchase everything that you fancy, but what usually happens in six-to-twelve months time is ending up with a bunch of stuff you don’t wish to wear anymore. Instead, be wise when shopping and try to always purchase classic must-have clothes that will be useful for your wardrobe for much more than one season and will be your saviours in those moments when you feel like you don’t have anything to wear. In the dynamic and changeable world that we live in, trends come and go almost every single month, so why not better spend on basic and simple but proven with time, universal must-have clothes? Not only will they point the attention at your beautiful features and characteristics, but will also make you look more stylish and classy. Don’t forget that a range of fashion experts and critiques obey to the fashion rule: less is more! When it comes to clothes, the first thing that every university girl should own in her wardrobe is a little black dress. Find the one that sits well on you and be prepared to spend that little bit more on it, since this is the item that you can always put on no matter whether you are going on a job interview, date, formal event or a crazy night out (just make sure you don’t ruin it). The next fashion item you better make sure to have is a basic black or white shirt or top.

Top fashion items every university student should have in her wardrobe

Combine it with another fashion essential – a pair of perfectly suiting skinny jeans for everyday wear, or with pencil skirt or classic straight trousers for a more formal occasion. For outerwear, count on a quality coat or trench with either slim-fit or oversized shape in a single or neutral colour(s). If you want to achieve a more feminine look, select the models with a waistline belt, or simply add it yourself. Make sure you also own a black blazer to combine with business and casual outfits. Try both traditional basics and the more extravagant ones (with leather or lace elements in the same colour). When you wear simple and classic clothing, accessories are the fashion items that make your outfit interesting. Save for a few months and spend more on a stylish genuine handbag of your choice. Another type of bag every university

girl should own is a cute evening clutch, there will always be an evening event you’ll need it for. Be prepared and don’t be afraid to go for glitter effect, embellished, leather or even feather!

Invest in a quality shoe brand and pick the pair you love the most! Whether you prefer heeled shoes like pumps or platforms, or more comfy shoes like ballet flats, everyday/sports shoes or boots; you may also wish to consider buying the single-coloured options, as you will then be able to wear them with more outfits. These particular models match with almost every clothing style, so choose between any of them depending on the weather, the occasion, and mostly, on your own mood!

E

H&M

Page 11: The Scratch - Issue 4 (2014/15)

StudentFashion & beauty

11@TheScratchBCU

Ways2Wear: Winter AccessoriesBy Maniba Zariat

Hulk up, bulk upThis season scarves have been the reigning statement accessory in their rightful way. Yes, they can be rather “extra”, get in the way, add complicated layers, blur your figure and become another thing to carry, lose, get flustered and tangled up in, but they are worth it! Scarves have become less of an accessory this season and more of a fashion garment in its own right.

If you have a statement scarf (tartans or heavy dark prints are back in!) you may find

yourself building an outfit around your scarf. Balance your heavy BIG

printed scarf with a sharp plain tight outfit. If you’re looking

to buy a new coat, buying a simple (cheaper) coat is on trend! The trick here is to make sure your coat doesn’t have a huge collar, isn’t padded or quilted and doesn’t come with too many of its own bells and whistles so your scarves can do the

style talking.

It’s all about the neutrals Winter can be a time of doom and gloom with dark colours and shades engulfing the time of year. However this year bright colours, hues and bold prints have taken pride of place.

But don’t be fooled when it comes to accessory colours it’s a whole different ball game. Although cheerful hues and bolds still work and are trend it’s the subtle neutrals that take the trophy home.

When people hear neutrals they often think boring! But there’s a trick. You can differ shades slightly when choosing items that are neutral. Neutrals can be bright and metallic too! Colours such as light peacock blue and golden tan are great bright neutrals and paired together are a killer combo. Also taking cues from your scarf and glove set will make browns and “boring” colours less stodgy.

It’s not just a BeanieThe ideal accessory to help finish off an outfit, the sartorial power of a great piece of headwear shouldn’t be underestimated. This year fur ball fitted beanies are a favourite. This cosy style has been a long most popular silhouette on the market, but due to the added fur detail it’s comfortable, easy to wear its now even more cute and stylish.

With countless colours to play with; dark maroons, navy, black, light browns, greys, off whites and dark purples and the added fur is a fun purchase. Whether teamed with a navy pea coat, cable knit and twill chinos for a heritage fisherman vibe or simple jeans and sweatshirt combination on a lazy Sunday, these beanies are ideal for weatherproofing your off-duty looks and covering up bad hair days.

It’s hard to look hot when it’s crazy cold. So bundling up in style with the hottest winter accessories is a must. If you’re wondering which accessories will not only keep you warm but also leave you looking fabulous, look no further. These are three must have purchases this year:

VERY

Page 12: The Scratch - Issue 4 (2014/15)

StudentLife

@TheScratchBCU

This is the time to take inspiration from the SS15 catwalks and put them into your 2015 wardrobe. Read more below to keep updated with what you can expect your 2015 clothes collection to look like.

SS15 Fashion Trends: This Season’s Style Guide

By Charlotte Smith

Feminine floralsSS15 is going to be attack of the seventies style, so get out your flares, fringe pieces and feminine florals! Straight from the era, Tommy Hilfiger sported retro festival fashion, while Henry Holland’s models looked hippie-chic in his latest runway show. You may be asking yourself, florals, for Spring? Nothing new there. But this year, the way of showcasing them is completely different to previous years. Graphic floral bags are also becoming all the rage this season thanks to Topshop Unique, Fendi and Marni.

Platform HeelsAnother key trend staple for2015 is a pair of mega platform heels.Saint Laurent, Tom Ford and Victoria Beckham all teamed their SS15 outfits with platform heels, and who knows better than these fashionistas? Platform heels can be worn with many items of clothing, especially when going out to hit the town or a drink with the girls. They’re great when showing off your pins and with black sheer tights.

pleatsPleats were a big trend in late 2014 and they’ve also followed through into 2015. J.JS Lee and Topshop Unique all utilised the fabric styling that is pleats, in chic skirts and drop-waist dresses. Fantastic for a touch of girly-chic or classic sophistication to any look. Pleats can be found at many high-street stores, particularly in the form of skirts and mini-skirts. So don’t forget to add this versatile staple

to your 2015 wardrobe.

SUEDE PIECESSuede pieces are all in this year, giving leather a run for its money. This material can instantly provide an outfit with an interesting textual dimension, making it look softer, expensive and luxurious all in one. Saint Laurent’s SS15 outfit combos consisted

of very cool and chic beige cardigan-like suede jackets, perfect to dress up any look. Try pairing a suede jacket with a leather skirt for a total fabulous texture mash-up.

MONSOON

H&M

H&M

H&M

Page 13: The Scratch - Issue 4 (2014/15)

Fashion & beauty

13@TheScratchBCU

Saddle BagsGracing many of the models shoulders at Michael Kors, Gucci and Jil Sander was the seventies inspired saddle bag. Saint Laurent and Chloe also sported this tanned leather bag, which works perfectly teamed with a utility white or dark trench coat, and a silk pattern scarf tied around the neck for an added touch of chic elegance. They’re practical and can be found in different variations in many high-street stores.

denim jacketsThe good old denim, who could possibly say no? This season, it is every designer’s favourite material, with many putting their own twist on the classic fabric. Jourdan Dunn was working a series of cropped mini denim jackets on the catwalk of Burberry, and you know when Burberry swaps anything for its signature trench coat, it’s going to be big. While Stella McCartney’s SS15 collection was primarily based off statement-topstitch denim pieces. Evidently, denim is going to be huge this year, with it being all about denim jackets combos.

Gingham prints The in print is check, a.k.a gingham. This cute print will definitely be all the rage for this Spring and Summer, it’s sweet, easy to wear and cool, whether it’s big bold squares or tiny picnic-like checks. Michael Kors’ and Diane von Furstenberg’s SS15 gingham dresses were nothing less than retro and vintage. Likewise, Altuzzara and Oscar

de la Renta sported this square print in their fitted, feminine pieces – including dresses, skirts, shorts with three quarter length sleeve tops and blazer jackets. Currently black and white gingham skirts are all in, found at many high street stores, like New Look and River Island. They’re great if you’re looking for a 60’s throwback look, especially when paired with long black boots, knee high socks, tights and a black turtle neck long sleeve top.

Off the shoulder dresses Unlike 2014 where the midriff was the hottest part of the body due to a surge of crop tops, the ‘it’

part of the body is now the shoulders. Off the shoulder dresses are the latest type of dresses that every girl needs in their 2015 wardrobe, they’re perfect for a night out or a date night. Topshop Unique started off this craze, with its models strutting their stuff in bardot tops and dresses. If you do bag yourself a sexy bardot piece this season, my advice would be to invest in a strapless bra!

DOT COM GIFT SHOP

MISS SELFRIDGE

MISS SELFRIDGE

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@TheScratchBCU

BADLY BEHAVED EYE-BROWSIf your eye-brows tend to do their own thing during the day and not

stay in place, then an easy way to control this is by spraying on a small amount of hairspray onto your brow brush, and brushing it into your brows. Goodbye out of place hairs!

Top Beauty tips you probably didn’t know

Olive oil as a make-up remover

Olive oil is full to the brim with natural oils and moisturisers, great for swiping off heavy eye make-up. Simply pour a little on a cotton ball and gently rub it over your eyes.

Shave your legs with hair conditioner

Out of soap, or shaving cream? Instead, lather your legs with hair

conditioner, this will soften the hairs of your legs, making

them easy to shave off! And your legs will feel smooth and supple.

TOOTHBRUSH FOR EXFOLIATING LIPS

Exfoliating helps removes any dead and dry skin, especially when used with a sugar-based scrub on your lips. After your done scrubbing,

rinse, pat dry and apply some lip balm.

Perfume 101Spray yourself in the warmest places on your

body: behind your knees, insides of your wrists, behind your neck and earlobes and base of your throat, to allow your perfume to diffuse all day long.

Cupboard ingredients for hair masks

Instead of buying expensive hair masks, make your own. Organic ingredients like honey, avocado, bananas, olive oil and eggs work just as well.

How to fix chipped nails

All you have to do is apply a topcoat of glitter polish, the light catching will distract from any imperfections.

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Scratch Geek

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By Charlotte Smith

All is not lost though, there’s still some reserve energy which could see systems come back online should the machine see light from the sun again - a prospect that scientists say is very likely. The mythical fountain of youth sort of became a reality: Of course in this instance “the fountain of youth” is simply a metaphor for a new potential solution that aims to reverse the effects of ageing. That’s right, we may finally have a cure for the thing we fear most - old age. Using intricate experiments with mice by which the blood of a young mouse was circulated through the body of an old mouse, scientists finally think they’re on the road to accomplishing sustained youth. The older mice were seen to regenerate muscle tissues more efficiently and become fitter and healthier as if the effects of ageing had been reverse. It sounds like science fiction but in fact, it couldn’t be more real. Human trails have already been proposed and are due to start this year. Inception was achieved without the plot holes: The idea of “incepting” someone’s thoughts to give them false or altered memories seems as ludicrous as the movie’s plot displays. But it’s not. Using miniature beams of laser light to trigger specific nerve cells in the brain, the memories of mice could be seemingly deleted and replaced. In a step further scientists realised they could also switch emotional memories, turning bad into good. While this work is still in the early processes of research, with more advancements and breakthroughs the technique could be used on humans in a bid to relieve sufferers of the effects of emotionally crippling ailments like bi-polar disorder and post-traumatic stress.

ith the end of term looming it only seems logical to present a customary recap of the last twelve

months of science. It’s been a busy year, things have happened and man is one step closer to the world of tomorrow - figuratively and literally speaking. So just in case you were hiding under a human sized rock for the best part of a year, here’s a quick rundown of humanities most recent scientific achievements: ‘normals’ and scientists alike got spooked by AI: With remnants of the Terminator and the Matrix still thoroughly lodged in every action / sci-fi fan’s brain it’s no surprise that the daunting prospect of real working artificial intelligence has folks running scared. Even the world renowned genius Stephen Hawking expressed his concern over the matter, suggesting that: “AI could spell the end for the human race”. Although this polarising ethical debate has been making the headlines a lot this year, AI still has a long way to go before reaching world domineering status like we’ve seen in the movies and as of yet hasn’t confidently passed the Turing Test (a test devised to measure the intelligence of computer programs) so everyone can put the paranoia on ice… for now. We landed a probe on a moving comet and then it broke: That’s right, often in science a mass breakthrough can be followed by a crippling setback and to many a human’s dismay this is exactly what happened with the little Philae probe. We were treated to wild celebrations littered with scientists going mad with joy, fully justified of course. This was the first time the human race has ever landed a working robotic explorer onto the face of a comet and was the culmination of a mission that was set in action over 10 years ago.

Geek Editorial by Kristian Birch-Hurst

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No Closure for Gamers

loruse is a tricky issue for games. In essence gamers never truly get any real closure. This applies to all varieties of gamers be it the

hard core MMO player or the casual candy crush saga player. Now you may be thinking that once you have beaten a game or completed the story that could be considered closure, but I challenge you to think otherwise. Often the best video game stories are the ones that leave the end open to interpretation and deliberately take the choice of closure away from the gamer. A prime example of this in recent times is The Last of Us which after 2 years on being on general release is still hotly debated across the internet. There are of course other examples such as the Mass Effect Series. Many would point to the fact that these are somewhat narrative driven games but the principles are still applied to other genres and non-narrative driven games. While I point to the story not always leaving players with closure, franchise game series also contribute to removing that choice from gamers. The Assassins Creed series has for many years been delivering entertaining and engaging stories

which open and close which each game. But with each game comes an overarching storyline that ensures players want to find out more. While the main character story has come to an end, the overall story continues onwards, ensuring no real closure for the player unless they continue to play the subsequent sequels. While we have looked at individual stories and franchises, the very nature of the games industry doesn’t allow for closure. With every new game release, another is only days away. The industry is set up to support this with regular teasers and events for the games often years in advance. So even if you manage to finish a game, there is another one already waiting for you to play. Factor in the popularity of gaming achievements that has rapidly increased over the years through Steam, XBLA and PSN, we are doomed with a vicious cycle. While many things in life usually come to an end and result in a period of reflection, for gamers this never seems to be the case. Closure is hard to come by, but it certainly keeps things constantly interesting for us.

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By Mike Smith

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Scratch Geek

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Best video game conclusions

Batman Arkham Asylum/ Batman Arkham CityI adore both these games for many reasons, but their endings I equally appreciate and regard as special. Arkham Asylum’s for that memorable final piece of dialogue to conclude your showdown with the titan filled Joker delivered by Batman, summing up their relationship and eternal conflict perfectly. “I’ll never let you win, never”. Arkham City’s ending, for the pure shock and courage of Rocksteady Studios to do such a thing. Months after its release the internet and forums were ablaze with theories about whether the ending is actually true, due to little clues during the final few scenes potentially indicating it’s a ruse. The following piece of DLC further amplified this but now with the sequel, Batman Arkham Knight, revealed and detailed, it looks like the clown prince of crime is indeed dead.

Red Dead Redemption You can spend many months growing fond of John Marston and his quest to right his wrongs and secure the release of his beloved family. The journey is epic and vast with many western-shootouts and many miles ridden on horseback across dust laden terrain. So when the game is drawing to a close, the objective complete, family and ranch secure, for it to all be brought to such an emotional and sacrificial end was truly unexpected and impactful. John sends his family on horseback out the back of the barn, opens those doors to over a dozen rife-armed men staring right at him, and draws his pistol one last time before being gunned down where he stands. Be prepared to be stricken with sorrow. It may not have been the ending you wanted, but it’s certainly a memorable conclusion.

Halo Reach The ending to Bungie’s final entry into their Halo franchise is probably the apex of last-stand moments of heroic proportion in video games. Come the completion of your final objective

and that all so important package secured, you see multiple aircrafts approaching that proceed to deploy multiple ‘elites’. Your current objective soon becomes to purely survive which appears centre screen, but you know how unlikely it’s going to be. But, you still fight on, holding onto that small belief that you might make it through if you have the best few minutes of Halo you’ve ever played. Shields down, life-bar exposed and soon plummeted, that camaraderie final scene plays out, seen through the cracked visor of your helmet you’ve taken of. You are removed from the body of your character and witness his fall right in front of you. That valiant and courageous sacrifice will be remembered.

The Walking Dead I have a rather shameful confession, I did not actual play this game. I watched it being played on YouTube but was still completely captivated and engrossed in TellTales’ creation, despite having to wait for the next video to be uploaded. So much so that I cried just as much as the guy playing the game did come that strikingly emotional scene that all who have played it will know all too well. Those final fifteen minutes are deeply moving because whatever small final decisions you make, you still meet your end however peaceful it is and you leave that young girl you’ve protected like a father all this time in such an ugly world. R.I.P Lee.

The Last of Us The ending to arguably one of PlayStation’s best games will stand the test of time not because of its emotion or epic scale, but because of its underlying ambiguity and most importantly its stance. A game such as The Last of Us could have ended very stereotypically, Joel (the protagonist) leads the girl Ellie who is immune to the virus that’s plagued the world to a medical facility who then use her blood to cure humanity. But it doesn’t. Instead Joel kills the medical staff before Ellie is treated on and likely killed in the process, kills the leader of the faction in control of the facility and leaves for a safe haven. When she asks what happened back there, Joel lies and says they gave up on the cure before the credits roll. Why? Does this make Joel the bad guy? It’s up to you to question and form your own conclusions upon the man you’ve controlled for the past twelve hours, but that’s the resolution nonetheless. It’s bold, morally questionable and controversial which is why I value it so much.

By Tom Lynch

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SPORTScratch

@TheScratchBCU

uro Championship qualifiers! Crunch time for teams across Europe looking to qualify for France 2016 will face another

round of qualifiers this month. Needless to say our campaign has got off to a great start, whether we decide to carry that into the finals in France next year is a completely different story. I feel like it’s a difficult job to pin point exactly what went wrong with our Brazil campaign. We had shimmers of hope from young players such as Sturridge and Sterling which was very entertaining to watch, but all be it similar to what Rooney, minus the goals, would offer to the England Squad when he broke through. I guess the sceptics don’t have much to complain about at the moment as we are sitting at the top of the qualifying table, but come the 31st of March Roy will certainly have a point to prove in a friendly against the Italians. Exciting players I’d like to see get their break in the international squad are few and far between. The name on everyone’s lips at the moment is surely Harry Kane. The spurs front man has been on fire recently, and fingers crossed he’s carrying this form long enough to be noticed by Hodgson. On 15 goals this season he’s certainly not shown any signs of slowing down just yet but only time will tell.

EURO CHAMPIONSHIP

EBCU Cheerleading reaching final preparation for May Competitions. Reigning champions, a trophy to show for it and a fresh new group of first years, is there any wonder why BCU Cheerleading are feeling the way they are ahead of their biggest competition of the year? Not particularly. In May they will return to United Kingdom Cheerleading Association Competition to compete to regain the title after leaving victorious last year. It’s all or nothing for the Cheerios, but social secretary Kelly McCleery claims that the team are handling it well. “There’s definite pressure but I think it helps to have that on us.” Said Kelly, 21. “We know the standard of the competition and the standard of the team last year and that’s helped us to hopefully push for another great result this year.”. Auditions for the team took place in October for the newcomers to impress the president, Ellen Tufft, and the rest of the seniors for a positions in the team. They were content to see the least with the amount of talent the first years had brought. “Before auditions us second and third years were joking we may lose our place, the talent is that good! Every year we seem to get more and more talent, we’ve been really impressed with the new recruits this year.” Moving her eyes onto the prize, Kelly believes the team have put in the effort to reap the rewards. “Since October we’ve been practising regularly and we expect full commitment from the squad.” Come May, Kelly is confident the team will do the job. I know as a team when you’ve spent the last few months dedicated towards a joint goal, to bring home the trophy again would be the ultimate result.”

BCU Cheerby Calum Sexton

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Scratch Sport

TOP 5MOST OBSCURE SPORTS

19@TheScratchBCU

Student sport fans, you might be bingeing over your favourite sport over the TV or radio. However, there are some wacky and downright insane obscure sports that you might have never heard of. Here’s The Scratch’s Top 5 Most Obscure Sports:

1 Quidditch

Well that’s our top five most obscure sports. If there are any obscure sports you can think of, tweet us at

@TheScraTchBcU

Harry Potter fans will know that Quidditch is one of the sports in J.K. Rowling’s best-selling series. The real-life equivalent fuses elements of tag, dodgeball and toy helicopter together to create something that isn’t just sweeping broomsticks across a field.

Unlike ice and field hockey, there’s a form of hockey that’s played underwater. Known as “Octopush”, the hockey stick is replaced by a pusher, which acts as a blade. If you’re willing to play underwater hockey, expect to have a strong pair of lungs!

Two teams, two jammers and a single track. Roller

derby is a predominantly female sport which has resurged in the last decade. The “jammer’s” job is to lap players on the other team to score points, but injuries are very common in the sport. It’s not a sport for the weak or faint hearted!

We don’t know where to start with this sport that originated here. Every year on Cooper’s Hill in Gloucester, this annual event sees a herd of competitors chase a block of Double Gloucester cheese down a hill. The first person that crosses the line wins.

UNderwaterHockey2

Snow PoloCHEESE ROLLING

ROLLER DERBY3 4 5 The modified form of the sport played on land is very similar to the snow version. First originating from Switzerland, but has gained recognition internationally. However, if you have a wallet full of cash, then you’ll have to be filthy rich to play snow polo.

By Umar Hassan

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Student Life

@TheScratchBCU

ou’re probably looking forward to a well-deserved break after a marathon of uni assignments, exams and tight deadlines. But whether you’re in final year or first year those constant reminders of getting a part time job,

internship, placement or graduate job just aren’t going away. If you have completed few applications or none at all, the dread and confusion you might experience is normal. Translating genuine career enthusiasm into a sincere job application is a fine art, especially if you’re on your fourth application of the week and you would much rather watch Game of Thrones, so we understand! Before you attempt another application take a look at our four top tips.LEARN THE ART OF EDITINGTo avoid a cliché-filled application, ask friends, family, colleagues or mentors to proofread your application. You can even give them the role profile and ask them if you have given the right evidence to convince someone you have the skills and experience to do the job. This will help filter out unnecessary information and ensure you giving just enough to answer the job spec, not too much and not too little. Elicit their intrigue rather than going for the hard sell. Remember all you need to do is say enough to make the reader want to meet you.EVERY APPLICATION IS UNIQUEOften we don’t do enough research and just opt to copying and pasting from application to application. STOP! There is no point to your application the minute you start to do that. People who read your application are experts in knowing how much effort and consideration you have put into it. Instead explore the job’s website, read their recruitment brochures, read about their relevant work in the news, and find out about industry-wide issues to demonstrate the extent of your interest.DON’T ECHO THE JOB SPECAnyone can be guilty of this- I know I am. We often fall down by constantly repeating phrases from the role profile. Be careful as the reader is looking to see examples, skills and experiences that bring alive these phrases, not just a brief mention of what is mentioned in the job spec. So, instead of talking about ‘working well as a team’ say what you did as part of that team and what you contributed to the final outcome. Remember to detail what aspects of the job you are most interested in and why, rather than just detailing your achievements. Remember you have to show them you give 110%.GIVE YOURSELF TARGETSGraduate applications can seem endless and internships applications often ask A LOT of various things, ranging from pets to your social life to your failures. So if the application is long don’t be put off. It helps to set small targets and steps to complete the application. Pull it apart; what is the easiest section to complete, what is the hardest, what you should do first. E.g. even though some applications ask for references and portfolio work during the end arrange that first, as it might take some time to get. Look out for specific things they ask for first and make sure you have all the right material before you begin.

can’t figure out whether I’m scared of graduating or really excited, one day I’m really eager to start a career in something I love and possibly having the

chance to move and discover a new city, but other days the whole graduating thing sounds absolutely terrifying. Two out of five graduates are still looking for work six months after graduating, whilst one in four are still job hunting a whole year after leaving university. We’re always hearing about graduate unemployment, moving back in with the parents and having to work at pubs or restaurants instead of starting your career, so I asked a few graduates about life after uni to see if it was as bad as it’s made out to be. Todd Collier is a Film and Video graduate, “I knew that life after university would be more difficult than life as a student, and I knew that I would have to get a full time job. This meant that I would actually have to get up for things in the morning.” I also asked Imogen Spicer who graduated from Kingston University after studying Film. “Honestly, for the last few months of uni I expected I’d be on a production training scheme at the BBC as I got so far through the interview process. I had the ups and downs all worked out in my head, but to be honest the main thing I wanted was to live in London with my friends working hard and having a good time.” So what is life after uni actually like? Imogen moved into a family-friend’s house in North London after she graduated: “I soon became less reckless with my money and definitely consumed far less cider. It took me about 2 or 3 months to get into a proper full time job, and when I say proper full time job I mean working as a Christmas temp at Waterstones. There’s so much pressure, especially in new media graduates to go and work anywhere, keep creative, blog every five minutes and make ten short films a year. That’s all great if you can do that. I’m now living in Oxford with my parents, for the first time in my life I don’t live in London and I’m happier than I have been in so long. I’m working in a secondary school and sixth form as a Drama technician and teaching assistant of all things and I can’t wait to go to work on Monday. I’m saving to go to America at the end of the year and when I get back I’m planning on moving down to Brighton to earn and save and live with my friend and just see what happens. I might love teaching and go get myself a PGCE, I might open a florist. I have my aims and interests and I’m driven but I’m not going to count myself as a failure if I’m not working for Channel 4 and if I don’t live in Zone 2 by the time I’m 22.” I asked Imogen for some advice for anyone who is graduating soon: “Do lots; experience everything, say yes to opportunities and it is okay if you have to move home for a bit. Suck it up and work in a factory sorting fruit until you have enough saved to go to Cambodia or San Francisco or move to London or whatever you want. You get pushed off the plank and don’t know which way is up for a while but you find your bearings soon enough and if you find yourself treading water for a while that’s fine. Throughout your life you’re always told if you work hard at school and get to university then you’ll get a good job, but that’s obviously not the case anymore. From what I’ve learnt it sounds like there’s going to be a lot of rejection but I reckon resilience is the key to success.”

How to Job Hunt Like a pro

by Lisa Williams

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LIFE AFTER UNIVERSITY

By Maniba Zariat

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Student Life

21@TheScratchBCU

our first year of university is all about finding your feet, in your course and in the vibrant city centre of Birmingham.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of spending your student loan like it’s going out of fashion and to put partying before university work. University takes a lot of adjusting to, let alone moving into student accommodation with strangers and having to cook and clean for yourself and taking your first steps into adult life. However, these new skills and experiences don’t come all at once, here is what I have learnt in my first year at BCU.

A lot is expected of you at university and it’s not all flat parties and rogue traffic cones in the living room. Higher education is not compulsory and you have decided to enrol, so no one will be chasing after you for work or attendance. The rules are simple, you turn up and do the work or you leave, which would be a massive waste of opportunity and money.

A night out is not always the best idea especially before a 9AM lecture or a day full of University work. Talking from experience after Welcome week, those Parkside stairs feel like Everest the morning after. Although I stand by the idea that first year is all about trying new things and taking every opportunity to enjoy yourself, it’s not good practice to go out all the time as both your wallet and work load could take a big hit.

However, Birmingham nightlife is second to none! This may seem contradictory, but there’s nothing better than a student event in a club, which is cheap and cheerful. From themed events at Lounge North to Broad Street block parties, it seems that students in Birmingham will find an excuse to party for any event or occasion. It just takes knowing what you can afford and what your limits are in terms of drinks and the inevitable lack of sleep. Tiring yourself out just because of a normal weekly student event is not worth it, plus going out less makes the times you do go out even better.

Money doesn’t grow on trees, one day you may be making it rain over the Bullring and Broad street but the next you’ll be scraping pennies from the floor of the street just to afford a tin of beans. The golden rule of University is a boring one, but budgeting is a must. Buy your food shopping at the start of the week and split the rest into laundry money, nights out and anything else you may need.

People can quarrel over the smallest things, including the cleaning.Although the student stereotype is to live in squalor surrounded by pizza boxes, it’s best to keep on top of the boring chores. Remember that you are living with strangers who may not be so lenient with the towering pile of plates in the sink, or the 5 bin bags left by the door. Keeping on top of the cleaning and splitting the workload will make it easier, so you will no longer be the student Cinderella.

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What I learnt in my First Year By Sophie Hack

By Maniba Zariat

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Student Life

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Spending hours on Adweek and YouTube totally counts as research.

Pretty pictures, pretty adverts, pretty campaigns everywhere. Just one more, no two more, maybe another hour… oh uni work can wait.

You choose the lift over the stairs just in case you get to make an ‘elevator pitch’

You’ve heard your lecturer go on and on so your imagination goes wild. What if this is my elevator chance. “I’ve got an idea to make …” and BAM you become a millionaire as a result.

You have a prepared speech for people who don’t know what marketing is.

“So it’s like sales then”. No… no, NO IT’S NOT! Sales, marketing, sales, marketing yep I see how you could confuse the two!? “So it’s like business then”…

When you create content for your family or friends new projects and immediately

count it as a portfolio piece.It’s still work. It’s my work. I say it counts… No one needs to know.

You get real angry with people who keep getting rich with your dismissed

creative ideas THAT WAS MY IDEA! It was mine, mine, mine (sobs)

Watching shows like The Apprentice/ Dragons Den is justified

But you instantly regret it. “You can’t create a marketing campaign with just 1 minute of market research”- you find yourself yelling. THAT’S NOT HOW IT’S DONE!

Hearing about a friends, friends, friends new project/company

Do they need marketing, do they need promotional content, do they advertising, what do they need? I can help, I can help!

Lecturers make it their life’s mission to remind you how hard marketing is.

“You need experience, skills, ideas, an endless portfolio and you need to present flawlessly. Remember be unique, be a blogger, be a writer, be a social media pro. If all above fails don’t worry use your contacts”. Uh ok contacts? Where’s my contacts at (confused cry face)

When you’re told how much you will earn if you go freelance

Oh ok, I can survive on nothing. Moving back in with my parents it is then.

When you have to constantly network and expect to be a pro

I don’t know what to say, I hate this! What shall I say, I’ll talk about the weather, oh no I already have. I have to say something, anything, something quick “Could I have a job please!”

When you share your excitement on working on “real” adverts to non-

marketers“Well done. I didn’t know you work in Media”… I give up

When the person you networked with becomes your client, then your boss

and then your competitorOh, it’s a cruel cruel world. The marketing world is small, ever so small.

Counting small competitions/ One Minute Briefs as experience

Its creative, it takes time and… I am proud of it therefore its work experience. In my portfolio it goes.

You now sympathize and have a new found respect for sales people

We may be from similar fields but I still don’t want to stop and talk to you. I feel your pain though, honest.

Contacting companies for research, PR or eventsHello again. Unfortunately I

am still waiting for that information you promised 2 months ago…. dial tone.

When you excitedly talk about a new campaign but turns out it’s no longer

“new” Marketing moves fast. Leave’s you looking like a lost confused idiot but it moves fast indeed.

Things you’ll only understand if you studied Marketing at University

In our last issue Holly wrote a fab piece “Things you’ll only understand if you studied Journalism at university” based on the Cosmopolitan article. But what about us marketing students?

By Maniba Zariat

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