Y O U R W i n t e r I S S U EINSIDE THIS ISSUE:Housing - Jane Kitson Prize- Live music previews- Film reviews - drinking debates & more...

FREEWinter ISSUE 2014

ED’S

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Hello and welcome to the Winter 2014 edition of SHUlife - the student magazine of Sheffield Hallam Students’ Union. SHUlife is a lifestyle magazine that covers a wide area of topics and issues. Aimed at students aged 18-25 representing over 37,000 students, SHUlife is a voice for any Sheffield Hallam student that wants to be heard.

This edition is especially made to help you get the most out of your winter holidays as a SHU student!

#HALLAMTILLIDIE

Catherine, Holly & JohnSHUlife Editors-in-Chief 2014/15

Contact us at:

enquiries@shulife.co.uk

SHUlifeHallam Union, The HubsPaternoster RowSheffieldS1 2QQ

The views expressed in this magazine do not necessarily represent the views of Sheffield Hallam University or Sheffield Hallam Students’ Union.

Please dispose of this in an environmentally-friendly manner.

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WE’RE ONLINE:And when you are done with the mag, log onto shu-media.co.uk. There we regularly update you with all of your favourite topics.

You can also check out our Facebook page at facebook.com/SHUlife and follow us on Twitter @SHUlife.

SHULIFEDecember 2014

meet the teamEDITORs-in-chiefCatherineChristy

HollyEvans

JohnCartwright

music editorsKatieHetherington

Charlotte Callingham

sports editorsLiamKent

Damon Traverse

lifestyle & culture editorsSian Hodkin

Amy Donohoe

fashion editorsEthanHuntington

EmilyMatthews

NEWS EDITORSNicolaGrummett

KarishmaRavalia

film editorJosh Powlesland

Technology EditorJosh Powlesland

food editorLouiseGebhard

Special thanks to Deborah Berman, Sophie Amos, Kirsty Mann, Dr Lily Canter and Tania Clayton.Cover image via Shutterstock.

contents

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4Student Housing: Don’t panic when it comes to finding a place to live next year

18Music: Bring Me The Horizon, Christmas songs and Live previews

30Feature: Creating a global community at Sheffield Hallam University

6News: TV Licensing, living at home and a surprise wedding proposal

21Food: Gluten and wheat free recipes that won’t break the bank

32Sport: Sheffield Hallam Active, Students’ Union work and Ultimate Frisbee

8Graduate of the Month: Journalism graduate Rachel Cummins

22Film: Interstellar, Horns and Nightcrawler reviewed, and top Christmas films

35Agony Aunt: Homesickness, clubbing and budgeting tackled

10Lifestyle & Culture: Alan Davies, mental health and Christmas decoration tips

26Technology: Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, and the new consoles: one year on

14Fashion: Winter skincare, Samuel Barber and shopping in London

28Debate: Do you need to get drunk to enjoy uni life?

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Want to help shape the next issue of Shulife?Email us getinvolved@shulife.co.uk

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For more articles visit: shu-media.co.uk

We have come to the time of year when student housing is at the front of everyone’s minds and soon enough you will feel estate agents and landlords breathing down your neck telling you to sign up soon or there will be nothing left when that isn’t the case at all.

Here at SHUlife, we have teamed up with your Welfare and Community offi cer, Emmet Cleaver to remind you not to panic and take your time when it comes to choosing your next home in Sheffi eld.

The fi rst thing we want to address is why students feel the need to panic when it comes to accommodation. One student, who wished to remain anonymous, told SHUlife: “I felt that landlords were putting a lot of pressure on students at a time where they were very vulnerable. When we started looking at houses for the next academic year, we were in the middle of deadlines and exam

preparation, meaning that house hunting was something we wanted to get out of the way quickly.”

Emmet agrees with this statement and told us that “for many students, this is a big step into adulthood and gaining independence so there’s a bit of eagerness to get it sorted quickly.”

What students need to remember is that house hunting is something that should be done in your own time, when you feel most comfortable. There are a lot of elements that need to be considered before you sign on the dotted line such as location of the property, budgeting and contractual agreements.

You also need to look out for

which landlords are accredited by Sheffi eld Hallam and Sheffi eld City Council under the Snug scheme that was launched last year.

The scheme, which was offi cially launched during last year’s Housing Fair by your Welfare and Community offi cer has been pivotal for students

who have signed up for houses before

restarting university in September. Emmet explains that: “Choosing a Snug property means that

you’ll be moving into a property

that has been properly inspected,

making sure the maintenance of the accommodation is in working condition and meets legal health and safety standards.”

Why you shouldn’t panic when it comes to student housingHolly Evans - @hollyyevans

“Sheffield has more bed-

rooms than it does students looking

for housing”

who have signed up for houses before

restarting university in September.

explains that: “Choosing a

Grab a copy of our Don’t Panic Toolkit from the Students’ Union Advice Centre or hallamstudentsunion.org/adviceandhelp and make

sure you talk to an Advisor if you have any worries or concerns.

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So what about landlords? Why do landlords want us to sign up early? Why do they feel the need to panic?

Emmet said: “Sheffield has more bedrooms than it does students looking for housing, so the people that are really panicking are landlords and letting agents wanting to make sure their properties are occupied the following year. There’s also a tendency for students to not be able to negotiate anything with their letting agent or landlord if they sign up earlier in the year, whereas later in the academic year it may become more of a priority for the

landlord.” Emmet believes that negotiation is key if you find the right house but at the wrong price. If you wait until later on in the year when landlords will be desperate to fill their houses, they will be open to discussing prices with you and you could find yourself saving a lot of money.

Another issue that students, especially freshers, face is that you’re going to be living with people who you may only have known for a relatively short amount of time and you need to take some time to make this decision. Are these people you trust? Do you think you’ll be happy living with them? What if

someone drops out?Issues like this are addressed in a handy pack that is available on the Sheffield Hallam Students’ Union website, called the “Don’t Panic Toolkit.” In this, there is a lot of useful advice on the tricky bits of renting private accommodation and it also tells you where you can go to get more information on anything that may be bothering you and your friends when house hunting. As well as this, it also provides you with an inventory that you can complete once you have moved into your new home so if there is any existing damage, you won’t get charged for it at the end of your tenancy.

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Opening your confirmation letter for university, panicking to sort out your accommodation, the excitement of finding out who you’re living with; all part of the fun of moving out.

And for most once university has finished the thought of going home isn’t an appealing one. However, a recent study by Experian claims that 62% of young adults are quite or very happy living at home.

For most university students home comforts are the things we miss the most; having someone to cook for you, clean for you etc. As Lewis Ward, a student at Hallam said: “It avoids the stress of moving away, you don’t have to give up hobbies at home and it’s cheaper.”

Unsurprisingly, the cost of rent was the most common reason people didn’t want to leave home with a third of

participants stating this.

As you start to near the

end of your degree, the real world dawns and saving for the future

becomes a factor.

According to the survey over a fifth

of young adults said this was another reason why they didn’t want to move away. Planning and saving for the future would be easier to do whilst living at home.

On the other hand, of those who have already moved away, 42% said they enjoyed their freedom and independence and used that as the reason

for leaving home. And moving away to university is the first step of independence for most.

Peter Turner, MD, Experian Consumer Services UK&I, said: “The research paints a true picture of the reality faced by the 3 million young adults living with their parents in the UK today.

Whether you are happy to stay put for the time being, saving for a mortgage, or hoping to move out into rented accommodation in the near future, it’s important to start planning for your financial future.”

However, moving to university and actually moving from your family home are different. Moving to university can teach you many valuable skills you’ll need and probably fuels the reasons to leave slightly more.

Moving out or staying at home after uni?Karishma Ravalia - @karishma1

“It avoids the stress of

moving away, you don’t have to give

up hobbies at home”

For more articles visit shu-media.co.uk6

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news

For most young people, going to university is the first time they will leave home. As a result it’s also deemed as the first time students start to become independent and look after themselves.

In particular watching TV is something students probably took for granted as most UK homes have a TV licence that covers the whole property. Most student accommodations now have a TV which is covered by a licence (but an individual licence may be required by the students), whereas within private accommodation you’ll need to purchase one individually or for the entire property. It is therefore important to check if you need to purchase a licence or not.

Matthew Thompson, spokesperson for TV Licensing, said “On average, students own three devices capable of streaming live TV so it is important they understand

the law when it comes TV and devices. Watching live TV on any device is illegal, without a TV Licence, and could result in prosecution and fine of up to £1,000.”TV licensing recently revealed that 27,000 young people aged between 18 and 25 were caught over the past year watching live TV without a TV Licence.

Out of the 27,000 young adults, over 300 were Sheffield residents. As a result first year students are being reminded to check the laws around TV licensing to avoid breaking the law.

So why have 27,000 been caught out?

Many people believe they won’t or can’t be caught. 24% think they can’t be caught watching live TV on a device other than a television. Whilst one in ten students believes the licensing company have no way of

catching them.

TV Licensing are urging students to purchase a licence, however they understand that some students might avoid buying one due to financial issues.

Matthew Thompson, spokesperson for TV Licensing, said “if you’re a student and you are worried about paying for a TV Licence, get in touch. We know some people struggle to pay which is why we have many payment options available to spread the cost in smaller, more manageable chunks. Once covered, you’ll be able to relax and enjoy TV legally.”

If students are in any doubt about whether or not they need a licence then they are encouraged to check by visiting www.tvlicensing.co.uk/studentinfo or by calling 0300 790 6113.

Over 350 young people caught without Tv licences in sheffieldLuke Robert Allan - @lukerobertallan

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Rachel studied Journalism here at Hallam and has graduated with a first class honours degree. As well as this, Rachel has become the first recipient of the Jane Kitson Prize for outstanding female radio journalism.

Last year, she was one of our editors-in-chief here at SHUlife and worked tirelessly to make sure the magazine is as big as it is today. We wanted to know what she had been up to since

she finished her degree in June. This is her story...

What job do you do now?I’m a PR Account Executive at McCann Manchester, which is part of a global marketing agency. My client is Aldi, so I travel the country opening stores and securing coverage. It’s good fun and I’m lucky to work with such an expanding clientele, who allows me to write so much copy. I also work on PR for Aldi recruitment.

How did Hallam help prepare you for your career?Hallam not only taught me the necessary skills to work in PR and journalism, but they gave me the confidence to believe in myself that I could succeed. I started Hallam as a confused kid but I’m graduating a determined woman.

What was the best thing you got out of working for SHUlife?Working for SHUlife was a really proud moment for me

Grad

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Rachel Cummins: Journalism graduate and Jane Kitson Prize winnerHolly Evans - @hollyyevans

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Graduate of the month

and it was very emotional to leave. Not only was it fun working with friends, but I was immensely proud of what we achieved together. Being editor has taught me how to manage a team and juggle a boat load of deadlines at once. I hope everyone had as much fun as I did.

What was your favourite moment as a Hallam student?Wow, that’s a tough one. Where to start? It would have to be running on the pitch at Hillsborough and bagging an interview with Howard Webb straight after Hallam won Varsity for the 9th year in a

row. It was incredible.

What advice would you give to any students graduating next year?Two words: work experience. I wouldn’t be in a job right now if I hadn’t worked so hard gaining experience over my three years of study. It’s never too late! My current job was offered to me during a 2 week placement; it is the best way in! And of course.., enjoy it! It will fly by.

What do you miss most about Hallam?My friends! Living in a house with your 9 best mates is unbeatable. But I also miss my

course. I was lucky enough to work on modules I loved, such as radio. We had a good laugh.

What are your hopes for the future?I see myself sticking in PR even though I never expected it. Sometimes these things just click. But I also see myself going in-house eventually and working for a company that I whole heartedly believe in and want to succeed, such as a charity or sporting organisation. I’m very driven, so intend on working my way straight to the top! Watch this space...

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Life Is Pain was your fi rst UK tour in over a decade and it was a massive success, how did that meet your expectations?Well I didn’t know what to expect really, I did the show in Australia and it went very well there. It was nice to have some material as I had some stages in stand-up where I didn’t have material. I wanted to do gigs but didn’t have any material. It was a bit of a catch 22 so I’m quite pleased there was eff ort put in to get a show together. I was pushed into it by our Australian promoter and I am pleased he did that. I started jotting down and kept accumulating ideas and I had enough material for the second tour. It’s been good.

So Australia is halfway around the world, what’s it like to be well known there as a British Comedian?They’ve had a lot of British TV shows like Jonathan Creek and Q.I. for years. Much of the comedy there doesn’t rely much on the local areas compared to the U.K. so I was lucky in that sense to go and do my comedy there without really changing it much.

Your latest tour is called the Little Victories, what is your little victory?Firstly, it was trying to get around my dad when I was little and whatever you wanted, you had to get around my parents. Really, the title of the show was to show it is completely diff erent to my last tour. My last tour was called Life is Pain although I wanted to call it Sex

is Pain but I was told that I couldn’t and my team said we didn’t want to attract the wrong crowd. So in the end I opted for the name that it was.

You’ve been on Q.I. for the past eleven years which is over a decade, what have you learnt as a comedian over the years?We’re all really comfortable on the show. I did learn that it’s good on the show to mix up the guests, to try new people and to keep reinventing yourself as well as having diff erent ideas and not be complacent with it. Q.I. is in quite good health at the moment and it’s a lot more diff erent to when we started. Many of the research team have been there since the beginning and they are the ones that do it all really. All the

research is passed to Stephen (Fry) and

then we wreck it once it’s all passed over to the rest of the comedians.

What has been your favourite

show you have done so far in your

whole career?I did a show in 2001 called Bob and Rose which was a drama I was very proud of and very pleased to be involved with. There were good writers and great actors in it so that’s something I look back on and am very proud of.

Do you prefer stand-up or TV shows since you do both?I think stand-ups are what I do best and I think of myself as a comedian - I certainly did in the early years of my career. Now, when I write down occupation on a form, I write “Comedian”. If Q.I. fi nishes tomorrow and everything else stops, I’ll be doing stand-up.

Do you have a specifi c strategy to get the crowd going as you obviously go to diff erent towns and everyone is diff erent?Well I like to talk to them about where we are, about

the town, who’s in the room and fi nd out how far people

have travelled - just getting a general conversation going with the audience at the start. Otherwise, they’ll just end up feeling like they’re sat there watching a TV show.

How rewarding is the experience when you make an entire hall laugh every night of your tour?It’s defi nitely a nice thing to do for a living, especially when you see people laugh. They’ve been working all week and it’s on me to give them a night of entertainment. It’s nice and very worth it.

And fi nally, what is your advice to aspiring young comedians?You need to fi nd your own style, skill and your own comic voice and do as many gigs as you can. You need to be able to face people and keep talking. Obviously, you have to be a funny person!

SHUlife Meets:Alan daviesCatherine Christy - @itscatchris

“when I write down ‘occupation’ on a form, I write

“Comedian”.”

ones that do it all really. All the research is passed to

Stephen (Fry) and then we wreck

passed over to the rest of the

Image credit: Tony Briggs

This time of year can prove to be stressful for people with existing mental health issues. I spoke to first year Hallam student, Gabby Willis.

“You see how other people are having their Christmases and you think, why am I not having that?”

The 18 year old was diagnosed with EDNOS (Eating disorder not otherwise specified) when she was aged 14; this led her to being diagnosed with anorexia and other conditions that can go hand-in-hand with illnesses such as anxiety and depression.

“If you don’t put the effort into Christmas, you don’t enjoy it...it’s hard to enjoy something that’s become another day with a lot of hype added to it.”

The French and Italian TESOL student said one of the biggest struggles is the amount of food that is bought and consumed over Christmas. “It gets very overwhelming. There’s always so much food. Not only do we do a big shop, we have a big breakfast, snacks at friends’ houses and then dinner.” With the sheer amount of stress placed on her, Gabby felt like she was trapped behind a glass screen. This lasted for over 5 years where she felt like she had missed out on a lot.

As her illness became unbearable, I was told that Gabby’s mind would tell her what she could and couldn’t eat. “Compared to the illness I was small. I was nothing but a peasant.”

Things escalated to the point where

Gabby stopped eating meat and became a pescetarian. Even though her family made sacrifices

to try and help with her

condition, Gabby said that Christmas

was still taxing, with stress being a common factor that can trigger mental illnesses. “Sometimes people don’t understand to begin with, especially my grandma. It’s almost inbuilt for grandmas to feed their grandchildren. So this was stressful for both of us.”

It wasn’t just being around family that was particularly worrying for the student, accepting presents from friends and family became a source of anxiety too. When given the festive gifts of sweets and chocolate, Gabby would think “I can’t eat this.”

She went on to say “if people can tell you’re uneasy when given chocolate or something it may come across as being ungrateful; especially if people don’t know about your illness.”

Speaking out, Gabby said that she has overcome her condition and despite having

times of relapse (which are normal), she soldiers on when she feels dictated by malicious thoughts: “I want to use my own experiences to help other people and show that they are not alone.”

Nick Russell, a health advisor at Sheffield Hallam’s Wellbeing Centre said the service is very busy during the build up to Christmas. “This is due to students having had time to settle into their courses and realising they need support.” He continues, “for people who don’t have positive family relationships, going home for Christmas can be stressful, especially when everyone else is getting into the Christmas spirit.”

Over the Christmas period, the International Students’ support service will be holding a programme relating to the issues raised in this article, and a leaflet including all the details for this will be available during the run up to Christmas. More information can be found on SHU Wellbeing’s 24/7 online support service, Big White Wall. Information will also be available through their blog - https://blogs.shu.ac.uk/studentwellbeing.

“With the sheer amount of

stress placed on her, Gabby felt

like she was trapped”

Lifestyle & Culture

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Christmas: it isn’t all carols and candy canesJoshua Barlow - @JRBJourno

Helpful Numbers SHUWellbeing [@SHUSWB] 0114 225 2136

Samaritans [@samaritans] 08457 90 90 90 MIND [@MindCharity] 0300 123 3393 (or text) 84643 b-eat (beating eating disorders) [@beatED] 0845 634 1414

Image credit: Tony Briggs

For more articles visit shu-media.co.uk

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It’s four Thursdays until Christmas! Yeah, it’s that close. If you’re like me then you’ll have already crossed off more than half of the presents to buy from your list, and looking around for the cutest Christmas jumper going. To some, it seems crazy to buy Christmas presents so early, but what’s worse?

Rushing around on Christmas

Eve getting trampled on by fellow last minute

shoppers, and getting more and more

frantic at not being able to find the already sold out gift you’re looking for, or being

able to cosy up on the sofa

and watch The Grinch with a stack of

presents under the tree?

I pick the latter, every time. To me, it just makes sense to be able to do this sooner rather than later and then be able to

relax and enjoy the build up to Christmas, before the festivities are over.

Once you’ve got all the planning and buying out of the way, it’s great to be able to fully indulge in the Christmas spirit. Attending Christmas lights being switched on, throwing various colours of tinsel around your living room, and having all the time in the world to listen to as many Christmas songs as you want.

Also, I strongly advise you to not leave buying the traditionally loved tins of Roses and Quality Street until too late!

Why it’s better to be early for Christmas than late…Abbie Smith - @abi_smith

Why it’s better to be late for Christmas than early…Ciretta Paone-Hoyland - @cirettapillar

Has anyone else noticed that the Christmas decorations in shop windows, and adverts on television with fantastically unbeatable prices on presents for all the family, have crept up earlier and earlier each year?

Connoisseur Christmas pudding, packed with plump sultanas and covered in Courvoisier Cognac makes an unnecessary appearance on our screens in October, by that woman who tells us “this is M&S Christmas food” in that sultry whisper which has always baffled me.

Advent calendars gather dust in the back of our wardrobes until the 1st December when we can finally feast on the grim chocolate and realise it wasn’t

really worth the fiver in the end. I know what you’re thinking, but no, I’m not the Grinch incarnate – I enjoy this jolly festive season as much as the next person.

But is it really necessary to be counting down the “sleeps until Santa comes” months before his due date?

The reason we’re thinking about Christmas the moment Halloween is over (and more often than not even before the fake blood has been applied and scrubbed away), is the constant competition for profit amongst retailers.

We’re all puppets in the money-making scheme, paying twice and three times as much for a

product that’s worth the ‘bargain’ we get it

for in the January sales.

As the years go on, Christmas time begins earlier in the

year to allow companies a

greater chance of a sale over their

competition. Christmastime should start in December, and be about spending time with family and friends rather than excessive, inessential buying!

“To some, it seems crazy

to buy Christmas presents so early,

but what’s worse? ”

“I enjoy this jolly

festive season as much as the next

person”

For more articles visit shu-media.co.uk

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Lifestyle & Culture

Decorate Your Home this Festive SeasonRoseanne May Cross - @RoseMayCross

Christmas can start to get expensive with all the presents, food. However, you also want to spruce your flat up this festive season to make it feel a little more homely,

I know it might seem a little early to be thinking about Christmas but I personally love all things Christmas, especially decorating so I thought I’d share a couple of ideas on how

I plan on decorating for this festive season.

All the products photographed are from Poundland and Wilkinson so they are really inexpensive and I was really impressed by the quality of everything, despite the low price.

I decided to get a little more creative this year, so I bought

some ribbon and cord from Wilkinson to tie around some glass jars.

I also bought battery powered lights from Poundland and I think these look so lovely for Christmas. They really set the mood and create a cosy winter wonderland feel in any room. Candles are also great for this; either electric or actual candles.

Any Christmas decoration tips and tricks? Tweet them at us @shulife and we’ll share the best ones

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Fash

ion men’s Grooming Tips for Winter

Ethan Huntington - @ethan1808

Burberry Brit RhythmFor this winter, Brit Rhythm

by Burberry for Men should be at the top of your grooming list. Winter does make you feel dull at times and this fragrance provides a great energising zest scent. A great aftershave that actually makes you smell lush all day.Available at Boots for £29.99

Toni & Guy’s Sea Salt SprayLet’s face it, hair always looks great after a day at the beach. Winter is notorious for giving people bad hair days, such as hat hair. Toni & Guy’s Sea Salt Spray will give you a natural beach hair look no matter what the weather is.Available at Boots for £7.49

Norwegian Formula Hand & Nail CreamFor dry hands from all the winter wind, Norwegian Formula Hand Cream & Nail cream is the perfect solution. This isn’t just for men and should be just as good for women. This luxuriously rich hand cream will protect your hands from drying out and peeling while softening cuticles.Available at Boots for £3.07

clinique Anti-blemish solutionWe don’t know what it is but winter makes more unwanted spots break out. This daily treatment starts clearing blemishes upon application and also prevents new ones coming cropping up . Available from Boots for £20.00

Gillette proglide ComboThis pack of razors is a total life saver.

The Gillette Proglide Combo manual razor and 10 extra blades, works

wonders. Razor blades are usually so expensive just for 6 while this gives you 10 and will last you up to 37 weeks of shaving. Moreover, the blades cuts hair

effortlessly. Available at Boots for £25.00

For more articles visit shu-media.co.uk

15Visit our website: www.shulife.co.uk

Fashion

Soap & Glory hand CreamHand cream is a must have item to replenish your dry skin, in the cold winter winds. Soap and Glory have created hand cream heaven with luscious smells of mandarin and strawberry blended with floral essence. This product has a religious following and we can see why. It leaves your hands ultra-soft and doesn’t leave them greasy like other hand creams. Available at Boots for £5.50

Women’s beauty Tips for WinterChloe Martin - @xxchloemartinx

OGX coconut milk shampooWe can’t get enough of the OGX

hair care range at the moment, especially the hydrating coconut water conditioner that leaves your hair feeling weightless and silky. It is perfect if your hair is feeling lifeless and dull. Leave in for 2-3 minutes and your hair will feel rejuvenated and refreshed. Avaliable at Boots for

£4.66

Palmers Body ButterPalmers have created a

fabulous firming body butter that works

wonderfully. With shea butter, collagen and Vitamin E it tightens your skin, making it feel smooth, hydrated and most importantly lump free. This makes

it perfect for those Christmas months when

your body starts to go a bit pear shaped.Avaliable at Boots for £4.99

Vichy lumineneuseTinted moisturiser

is a must have over winter as

your skin loses that glow and you are left with

pasty, washed out skin. Vichy have created a radiant tinted

moisturiser that reinforces your complexion’s radiance whilst

protecting your skin at the same time.

Avaliable at Boots for £12.50

VaselineVaseline is everyone’s best friend over the winter period, whether that’s rubbing it around your stuffy nose or on to your chapped lips. It is perfect for locking in your lips’ natural moisture. Coming in a variety of flavours, it is a great pocket sized product. Available at Boots for £1.99

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Five minutes with Hallam Entrepreneur Samuel barberEmily Matthews - @emilyfmSam Barber, an Accounting and Finance student at Sheffield Hallam runs his own clothing company and we decided to interview him to hopefully inspire your Christmas shopping.

Why did you decide to start the company and how long have you been running it for?I had some spare time in the second semester of my second year at university and wanted to start a business. Having felt disillusioned with some parts of the finance industry, not producing anything real, I wished to start a company that did something physical, business that you could actually see and touch.

I researched a few potential

ideas and as I’ve always liked clothing and niche high quality clothes that last, I found a way for it to suit my lifestyle instead of finding a job and working around that. The website went live on June 1st of this year and I had been working on it for a few months previous to that to organise brands, stock and operations.

What brands do you sell? Peregrine Clothing made in England, Harris Tweed Scotland which is hand woven tweed from only four islands in Scotland and Pendleton Woollen Mills, USA from the US.

What are your favourite pieces?My favourites are the Pendleton woollen fitted shirts and tweed jackets.

Which items would you recommend as Christmas gifts for men and women?I think one of the Pendleton scarfs would make a nice Christmas gift.

Where can we buy your products from?From our website, www.samuelbarberclothing.co.uk or you might find us at a few specialist fairs throughout the year, such as the Sheffield Hallam Christmas fair on the 4th-5th of December this year.

Do you have a Facebook or Twitter account?Our Twitter account is @samuelbarberclo, our Facebook is Samuel Barber Clothing and our Instagram account is Samuelbarberclothing

For more articles visit shu-media.co.uk

Once you leave the train head down to the London Underground and get a day ticket so you can use the underground system as much as you like.

It would be wrong if Topshop was left out, considering the flagship is the largest Topshop in the world and just outside Oxford Circus station. The multi-storey shop is filled with all of Topshop’s different ranges and exclusive collections that you won’t find locally or online. The shop is filled with young fashion savvy males and females so it’s a great place to shop for couples. They even have a piercing parlour, hairdressers, beauty salon, yoghurt bar and even sitting areas for tired feet.

A must go to place for people who enjoy everything British is Liberty’s, which is just a short walk from Oxford Circus. You would be more familiar with this store with its show on Channel 4. This store stocks luxury goods but is also home to many

collections by independent British designers as well as one-off vintage designer items. Head to the 3rd floor to the haberdashery and take a look at the iconic Liberty Art Fabrics collection which can only be bought here. The store bursts with colours and patterns, it is a dream for anyone who loves crafts with a floor just dedicated to it.

For those who enjoy their designer fashion, nearby Regent Street is home to Burberry’s new flagship store which is the biggest in the world. The new store is meant to make you feel like you are walking into their online store. You could place a handbag in front of a mirror and it will tell you its history. They also have a huge screen displaying live bands playing. While the price tags will be considerably high at Burberry, the experience the store itself provides is worth walking in.

Speaking of high prices, bargain hunters will love this little secret. Make sure Kensington High Street is

in your shopping itinerary. The area is known to be one of the most expensive places to live in England, especially with Notting Hill just being a stone’s throw away. Kensington High Street is lined with charity shops with generous wealthy people dropping off luxury goods on a daily basis.

This means you can grab a bargain while contributing to some great charities. Head to Oxfam’s flagship store and look through to see what you can find, I have found Chanel Heels for £35, a Vera Wang black dress for £15 and a Gucci Suit for £50.

The fastest and most convenient way to get to London is by train. Direct trains from Sheffield to London St Pancras takes around 2 hours and only costs £30 with a 16-25 railcard. Alternatively, keep an eye on Sheffield Hallam Union Students’ website for any trips.

FASHION

17

Your London Shopping guideEthan Huntington - @ethan1808

Image Credit: yousef_ on flickr.com

18

Mus

ic

Bring Me The Horizon took part in a meet and greet with hundreds of fans on Friday 7th November at Drop Dead in Sheffield as they launched their new clothing line “Horizon Supply Co”.

I was invited behind the scenes to cover the event and see the last minute preparations for this special launch party.

Hundreds and hundreds of passionate BMTH fans waited in the pouring rain to meet their idols and be the first to get their hands on the brand new merchandise released by the band.

The treacherous weather conditions did not put off the large and dedicated crowd that came to meet one of Sheffield’s, and the world’s, biggest bands. Even with the event starting half an hour late, their spirits were not

dampened. There was some last minute dashing about from band members and shop workers alike ensuring that there were no further delays.

After the doors finally opened at around 4.30pm, the event ran smoothly and for many fans that had been waiting for hours, dreams were made. Starting downstairs with the hugely impressive BMTH lights shining over them, these were the first people to see the brand new clothing range.

The first 50 customers to make a purchase were also lucky enough to receive a free goody bag from the Drop Dead store, the home of frontman Oli Sykes’ own clothing brand.

But the best was still to come for those passionate about the Sheffield 5-piece, who

just last month released two new songs – Drown and Don’t Look Down – for Zane Lowe’s re-scoring of the film Drive.

After making their purchases, they then headed upstairs and were greeted by Oli Sykes, Jordan Fish, Lee Malia, Matt Nicholls and Matt Kean – collectively known as Bring Me The Horizon, of course!

There was a vast range of emotions from tears to pure delight and the bands took it all on board, graciously greeting every single fan that made their way up the stairs. There were photos, selfies, hugs, handshakes as well as autographs from the band members.

It has been an amazing year for Bring Me The Horizon, touring the world with hits from their newest and most successful album Sempiternal.

Bring me the Horizon launches Clothing line in SheffieldRyan Watterson - @ryan147com

For more articles visit shu-media.co.uk

Music

19

No matter who you are you will always have guilty pleasure songs. You know the type of songs that if they were played your foot would tap, your head will nod and you sing your heart out with no dismay. Now you may not of heard of these selected but these are songs that shouldn’t be disregarded.

Beginning with Rusted Roots - Send Me On My Way. Doesn’t sound familiar? Well if you’ve seen Roal Dahl’s Matilda or Ice Age then you have. This song is one that’s catchy, upbeat and highly underrated. The usual voice of front man Michael Galbicki really makes this song unforgettable.

Now if we are looking at past artists, Blondie cannot be forgotten. The song Maria is absolutely brilliant song. Blondie is one of the many

strong female artists that stood out- something that frankly our generation does lack now. It’s not about having sex, Blondie is about good music.

Following next in our fabulous line up is Spin Doctors with Two Princes. It’s just so good. It’s happy, original and full of life. It’s one then songs that put a smile on your face and makes you just want to dance along. You may not know the name but you will certainly know the song.

We cannot fail to include Wheatus with Teenage Dirtbag - seriously, who hasn’t heard that song? For most former teenagers this was practically a theme tune. Teenage Dirtbag is a song that is not played enough. Its the statue of the past and a song that everybody knowns. How is this song

forgotten?

And finally there is Rascal Flatts with Life Is A Highway. Now you may not of heard of this but the message in the song is to live life happily and with the added bonus of talented musicians is definitely an underrated song. Life Is A Highway is one of those songs that even if played first thing on a Monday morning you will wake up happy.

So with five songs that are feel goods for the reasons of them being happy and enjoyable. They will evoke the need to sing like a nutter. We all have guilty pleasures and maybe the ones above don’t meet your criteria, give them a listen enjoy. And if you don’t agree tweet us at @SHUlifeMusic with the hastag #FeelGood

Feel good songs you should knowKatie Hetherington - @ka_katieee

IT’S CHRISTMAS ... well almost, but that hasn’t stopped the Christmas music from playing in coffee shops, shopping centres and on your iPod. We all love them and find ourselves singing along every year.

A lot of the old carols we sing were not originally for Christmas, they used to sing them all year round for different holidays. Jingle Bells was originally written for the American tradition Thanksgiving, and the Hallejuah chorus is about Easter. But now

they’re sang at Yuletide instead. Each year we buy new Christmas albums, made up of our old favourite songs like Slade’s It’s Christmas, to Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas. We know all the words and which versions we prefer. Every artist seems to produce a Christmas album, even Justin Bieber.

They’re fun and catchy, with their upbeat melodies and happy lyrics. Even if a song only has one of those elements

(Driving Home for Christmas) they can lift your spirits, or send you into a panic over last minute Christmas shopping.

Carols instil the happiness that Christmas brings. Presents under the tree, the smell of Christmas dinner, the family together. Hearing them brings back the childhood excitement for Christmas.

Why We Love Christmas MusicCharlotte Callingham - @callingham94

Mus

ic

20

HARRISONS AND FRIENDS 27th December - The LeadmillThe band has had a string of critically acclaimed singles since they formed in 2003. After seven years the band have decided to end it with a special one off show back in their home city.

HAVANA ROCKS 30th December - BirdwellThe Sheffield rock band are coming back to their roots. The band draws their inspiration from classic rock bands, and they do them proud. With outrageous shows, good guitar rifts and a lot of attitude.

DETONATE NYE: WILKINSON + SHY FX + DJ EZ 31st December at 02 AcademyThree of the biggest names in Drum and Bass are taking over the O2 Academy for one specular night. If you haven’t heard of their names, you’ve probably heard some of the music they’ve helped to produce – Shy FX produced Dizzie Rascal.

SLIPKNOT PLUS KORN 16th January at Motorpoint Arena Two of the most heavy metal bands are back with their Prepare For Hell tour. After a six year break the band

released their first new album The Gray Chapter in October 2014. Slipknots shows have become the stuff of the legend and with new music and new masks it’s not something to miss.

LUKE JACKSON 16th January at Graystones This singer/songwriter from Canterbury should be used to performing by now – he’s been doing it since he was 13. He was nominated for both the Horizon Award for Best Emerging Talent and the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award in 2013, alongside his debut album More than Boys.

What’s On In SheffieldCharlotte Callingham - @callingham94

For more articles visit shu-media.co.uk

21

Food

There are many students who have food intolerances at university who struggle to whip out a cheap meal.

Such ingredients include gluten and wheat so a quick pot noodle is just not an option

for some. Free-from foods seem to always be costly and tough to cook. According to a recent survey, 30% of freshers miss their parents’ cooking more than anything else when they leave home.

This can be even harder for students with food restrictions. Thanks to Foods You Can, an advice website for people with food allergies, we have a few recipes at hand that defi nitely won’t drastically aff ect your student loan.

‘free-from’ recipies that won’t break the bankCatherine Christy - @itscatchris

Gluten Free Pizza1. Place gluten free wraps under a hot grill for 1 minute2. Remove and on the untoasted side spread with gluten free pesto, evenly top with topping of your choice and sprinkle with cheese.3. Return to the grill for 3-4 minutes or until the cheese has melted and turned golden brown.

Wheat free Chocolate Brownies1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.2. Melt 300g of chocolate and set aside to cool slightly.3. Whisk three eggs and 225g of Muscovado sugar with an electric whisk until pale and fl uff y.4. Fold in the melted chocolate and stir through a hand full of ground almonds and one tsp of baking powder.5. Pour into a lined baking tin (I use a Swiss roll tin) and bake for approx 40 minutes.6. Check it is fi rm to touch and leave to cool.

22

Film

Space is big. And humans are really small. That’s the main conceit of Interstellar, Christopher Nolan’s latest fi lm.

Interstellar is based around the idea that the Earth is dying, and humanity needs to fi nd somewhere else to survive. However, because Nolan is at the helm, this simple premise gets complicated. The twists and turns the plot takes are easy to follow, but you need to give it your undivided attention. But because Interstellar doesn’t know if it wants to focus on humans or humanity your attention is too divided to pay enough attention to the tight turns the plot takes in the third act.

The fi lm’s heart and soul is buried under a sea of cynicism about humans and humanity. Grand vistas of alien worlds are interspersed with humans pointlessly bickering with each other. It has to constantly remind you that the fi lm is about the wonder and majesty of space travel.

Everything Nolan does feels engineered to make you feel a

certain way. Most of the time he succeeds, mind you, but you can’t shake the feeling you’re being deceived. And because he’s trying to be honest and genuine this time around, the fi lm itself becomes the deception. It feels as though if you turned the camera around you would see Mr Nolan sitting in the director’s chair.

There was only one point in the fi lm where I felt any spontaneous emotion, and it was a cheap jump shock. I still cried at the emotional climax of the fi lm, but I was crying because Nolan made me cry, not because of the characters’ situation.

The fi lm is beautiful, and the dedication to physical sets over CGI does lend the fi lm some much needed authenticity. Every shot shows a respect for the subject matter, and you can really tell that Nolan is trying to make you excited for space travel.

Every single actor in this fi lm does their job wonderfully, too. Matthew McConaughey as the lead proves once again that the

world owes him a huge apology for the last 10 years of jokes about rom-coms and pretty-boy acting.

Michael Caine appears as the grandfather-fi gure (a trope of Nolan’s fi lmmaking at this point) in the form of an elderly NASA scientist who provides some impassioned readings of Dylan Thomas poetry. Jessica Chastain proves she isn’t a one-hit-wonder with her performance as another Earth-bound scientist trying to help Caine fi gure out how to control gravity.

Hans Zimmer returns to score, and as usual he does a wonderful job. The soundtrack has defi nite 2001: A Space Odyssey cues. Long, droning notes end each major scene, and seem to travel on forever through the depths of space.

Interstellar is defi nitely worth your time, and I did genuinely enjoy the fi lm. The entry price is worth it for the visuals and the attention to detail alone. Nolan just needs to remember that it’s okay to let humans be the good guys every once in a while.

INTERSTELLAR - REVIEWJohn Cartwright - @thejohncc

For more articles visit shu-media.co.uk

23

Film

There has been a lot of excitement over Horns since the trailer dropped a little over 3 months ago. Based on the 2010 novel by Joe Hill, the fi lm follows Ignatius Perrish (Daniel Radcliff e) who is coping with the loss and blame of his girlfriends murder. With the town against him and the evidence stacking up against him, Ig mysteriously grows horns which make whoever comes into contact with him tell the truth, with no recollection afterwards.

The big talking point of this movie was of course Daniel Radcliff e himself. Despite being 3 years on from the last Potter fl ick and starring in The Woman in Black and Kill Your Darlings since then, there were a lot of eyes on how well he could pull off this character in comparison to the famous wizard. This he does superbly.

A few minutes into the fi lm and his wizarding adventures are long forgotten - his accent is on point, he delivers his lines convincingly and sucks you into his battle with the town that despises him, his

family, the police and the horns themselves. The rest of the cast also give very good performances giving each character personality as well as strong development.

Horns doesn’t add much to the genre however. Being advertised as a horror/comedy, I imagined there to be more scares and twisted, satanic imagery which fi lms like the original exorcist did so well. Instead we get little in the way of horror with maybe one or two jump scares which are predictable and simply fail in their intention. The comedy aspect however acts as a crutch to the weaker horror elements. There are lots of funny moments - some of them unintentional (I’ll get to that later) - but the majority of scenes are well written and got many genuine laughs from the audience. I say majority as a lot of the exposition is told in the form of fl ashbacks from various characters. Most of these scenes last anywhere from 10-20 minutes, and this makes the fi lm feel really disjointed. At times scenes dragged on for so long I forgot the situation

leading up to the fl ashback, one such time forcing me to quickly remember why Ig was sat looking longingly at a ring in a parking lot whilst 17 journalists have a fi ght reminiscent of the scene from Anchorman, making the whole thing seems padded out and unnecessary.

The ending is also slightly lacklustre which was disappointing to say the least - the big crescendo the whole fi lm has been leading to is unintentionally comical in a so bad it’s good way. What they meant to be horrifying, jaw dropping and vile made the whole row I was sat in burst into laughter.

Despite all my criticisms I still did enjoy Horns, it just failed in its intention. Horns held my attention throughout with memorable characters and laugh out loud moments that still made me laugh hours after the fi lm had ended. I can recommend going to see it with a few friends for a good laugh and engaging characters, but if horror is what you’re looking for, this isn’t your movie.

Horns - reviewJosh Timmiss - @JoshTimmiss

2224

Film

After occupying the streets of night-time LA, construction site thief Lou Bloom (Gyllenhaal) stumbles across cameramen fi lming a gritty car wreckage. Taking inspiration after seeing the footage the next day on the morning news the slightly unhinged Bloom purchases his own camcorder and police scanner.

Following him selling some footage to local T.V. news director Nina (Russo), he descends deeper into his new found calling as a crime-scene journalist.

A loner drifting around the streets at night, lit by a blur of traffi c and streetlamps; it’s easy to identify the signifi cant infl uences Scorsese (Taxi Driver) and Refn (Drive) have had on fi rst-time director Dan Gilroy’s crime-thriller Nightcrawler.

However with undertones of tackling ethics within broadcast journalism and highlighting society’s obsession with documenting everything, Gilroy brings this fi lm (and its contemporary issues) exploding to our screens.

Gilroy perfectly portrays the events of Blooms arrival into broadcast journalism. We see precise and dreamy urban nightscapes of Los Angeles as

well as sharp dark handheld close-ups of the bloody carnage of the crime-scenes documented by Bloom. With full creative freedom when writing and directing; Gilroy takes what

Taxi Driver and Drive did and puts his own

vibrant, haunting and bloody twists on the already discomforting features.

Though the gruesome clips

recorded by Bloom and his new

assistant Rick, played by Riz Ahmed (Four Lions), are not to the displeasure of everyone. Bloom’s shots (which seem to have a comparable amount discarded limbs to the Saw fi lms and blood splatters Dexter would be proud of) are welcomed with a grin by morning news director Nina who is constantly looking for the next shocking story.

To her, Bloom’s footage is like gold dust, because as she says “If it bleeds, it leads,” regardless of whether the footage should morally be shown on T.V. and no matter how deeply Bloom invades the crime-settings.

The scenes fl ow smoothly between the long and well-presented shots of Bloom’s gloomy fl at to the quick-cuts of fl ashing blue and red lights refl ecting off the camera lenses of Bloom’s rivals (as well as the balls of crushed metal that was once two cars).

With this lighting plays a big part in enhancing the already asserted ambience of the fi lm. However at points the scenes do drag slightly, especially in between some sections of when Bloom is fi lming the crime scenes (with the added tedium of a not so exciting soundtrack).

What stands out the most isn’t the stunning scenery of LA or even the barrage of product placement, it’s the skilful and engaging performance by Gyllenhaal which shows us he has come far from the teenage days of (also) mentally unstable Donnie Darko and progressed further than last year’s Prisoners to show a precise and outstanding representation of Bloom.

He demonstrates the rigid personality (echoing Jesse Eisenberg in The Social Network) through endless business lingo, corporate knowledge and a slick look. He presents the cynical, unnerving manner of Bloom in such a strict and well-defi ned way, that this ensures Nightcrawler as his fi nest piece of acting yet.

With such a compelling performance from Gyllenhaal, as well as the misty sequences of driving (or chasing) down the golden-orange lit streets of LA (sometimes tainted with blood-splatter or a rogue body), Nightcrawler takes a spot within the best fi lms of 2014 and is well-worth a watch or two.

Nightcrawler - REVIEWCharlie Driver - @CharlieJDriver

“Nightcrawler takes a spot

within the best films of 2014.”

Taking inspiration after seeing and directing; Gilroy takes what Taxi Driver and Drive

did and puts his own vibrant, haunting

and bloody twists on the already

features.

For more articles visit shu-media.co.uk

2325

Film

The Santa Clause (1994)Overview: Ordinary man Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) inadvertently kills Santa on Christmas Eve, so he takes his son Charlie on a trip around the world to deliver all the presents. Afterwards the reindeers return them to the North Pole where he finds out he has to become the new Santa Claus. The Santa Clause is a classic childhood Christmas film, but is still as fun as it was twenty years ago. Most festive moment: When Calvin first dons the red suit, accidentally beginning his new role as St. Nick.Did you know: The role of Scott Calvin was originally written with Bill Murray (Groundhog Day) in mind.

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)Overview: Produced and co-written by Tim Burton, this cult stop-motion picture tells the story of Jack Skellington, king of Halloween Town. Jack stumbles across a portal to Christmas Town, (bursts into ‘What’s This?’) and tries to bring the festivities of Christmas to Halloween Town. We soon find out that the two holidays don’t mix well at all. Most festive moment: Jack finding the seven holiday doors and takes a look inside the one with a tinsel covered tree. Did you know: the poem written by Tim Burton (that the film is based on) was inspired by Burton seeing Halloween merchandise in a shop window being replaced by a Christmas display.

In Bruges (2008)Overview: More blood stained snow than the rest of your Christmas viewing; In Bruges is (unsurprisingly) set in the Belgian city Bruges and follows two hitmen awaiting orders from their merciless boss (Ralph Fiennes). Ray (Colin Farrell) hates the boredom of the city whilst his partner Ken (Brendan Gleeson) tries to convince him to stay and wait for orders. A dark comedy from director Martin McDonagh (Seven Psychopaths).Most festive moment: When Fiennes follows a dwarf onto the snow covered film set. Did you know: the word ‘f**k’ is said on average 1.18 times per minute.

It’s A Wonderful Life (1946) Overview: This classic Christmas movie is the story of George Bailey (James Stewart), a troubled businessman living in New York who is visited by an angel, Clarence (Henry Travers). Clarence tries to help George by showing him what life would be like if he had never been born. Dated but still great to watch on a cold evening at home. Most festive moment: When Clarence visits Earth, earning him his wings. Did you know: it is the only film in history to have originated from a greetings card.

The Grinch (2000)Overview: Based on the 1957 book by Dr. Seuss, The Grinch is the classic Christmas childhood film about a bright green creature (Jim Carey) who lives in a mountain shadowing the town of Whoville, The inhabitants of which are obsessed with Christmas. The Grinch decides one year that he is going to try and get rid of Christmas by impersonating Santa Claus, much to the dismay of the town and little girl Cindy Lou (Taylor Momsen). Most festive moment: During the song ‘You’re A Mean One Mr. Grinch’, when the Grinch makes his Santa outfit and make-shift sleigh (featuring its own single reindeer, his dog Max.)Did you know: no feature had included so many characters in such extensive make up since The Wizard of Oz.

Gremlins (1984) Overview: The story of a boy who receives a strange pet called a ‘mogwai’, with three instructions: don’t expose it to bright light, never get it wet, and most importantly never feed it after midnight. Surprise surprise, he does all three. Funny and furry comedy-horror written by Chris Columbus (Harry Potter, Home Alone). Most festive moment: when a Santa impersonator has a run in with a gang of Gremlins. Did you know: the set for Kingston Falls (where it’s set) is the same one used in Back To The Future. It’s the Universal Studios backlot.

What to watch this winterCharlie Driver - @CharlieJDriver

26

Tech

It makes sense to start with the fact that if you liked the fi rst Borderlands and Borderlands 2 then you will most likely enjoy Borderlands the Pre-Sequel. While not being made by the main 2K team (creators of the fi rst two), 2K Australia continue the solid development.

The graphics are cell shaded as fans of the franchise will be used to and they have done quite well with the gun and character models, as well as making the new environment ‘Elpis’ (the moon of Pandora where most of the game is set) interesting.

You have four characters from release, with at least one more announced to be coming: Athena the Gladiator, Nisha the Law bringer, Claptrap the Fragtrap, Wilhelm the Enforcer and the First DLC character announced, Jack the Doppelganger. I’ll go over the ones I have played as.

Athena’s skill is a shield called Aspis which absorbs damage hitting you from the front and allowing you to throw it for the amount of damage it has absorbed. Her fi rst skill tree is about increasing the power of Aspis, the second is about melee, bleeding and

gun damage, and her last is all about weapon switching and elemental damage.

Nisha’s skill is showdown, which automatically aims at enemies so all you have to do is fi re. Her fi rst tree is about getting stacks of law and order, giving her increased damage on melee and guns as well as a chance to heal double the damage taken. The second is about increasing you gun damage and movement speed as well as if using pistols gaining a copy of it your other hand. The last one is about increasing accuracy and fi re rate as well as decreasing recoil. It also gives ricochet to your bullets.

The other two I haven’t played so I only know their skills: Claptrap’s is random from a pool of abilities from the classes from the fi rst 2 games with some new additions such as ‘a big bomb’ which if it doesn’t hit something destructible will down you. Wilhelm plays with two drones; one that attacks your enemies and one that stays and heals you.

The game plays very well with an interesting new addition in anti-gravity, but suff ers from

two problems. Firstly, some of the side missions just aren’t that fun to do when compared to the others, for example one is to donate 50 common weapons and after a certain amount of time that begins to get boring and tiring, that being just one example of many other tasks that are just not that fun.

The other problem is the fact that weapons still have the ‘multiple ammo consumed for just one shot’ gimmick. While it is not as bad as it was in Borderlands 2 (where it was on nearly every gun in the game), I’m still not a massive fan of it and it feels unnecessary.

The story is interesting, particularly seeing Jack turned into Handsome Jack, the villain we all know from the sequel. The characters I have played have defi nite diff erent ways to fi ght with each skill tree, which is impressive giving that none of them are really all that similar to those from the fi rst two games.

Besides some side missions not being that fun (though there are plenty that really are) and the ‘multi ammo per shot’ gimmick, overall it’s a lot of fun to play with your mates and just have a laugh.

Borderlands: The pre-sequel - REVIEWStuart Douglas

For more articles visit shu-media.co.uk

Microsoft’s machine has an up-hill battle. Launching at £80 more than the PS4, the Xbox One stammered out of the gate. The price diff erence was to package in ‘Kinect’: a camera/voice peripheral that would ‘revolutionise gaming’.

It had a permanent share of the system’s overall processing power and would run in the background no matter what. It could be unplugged, but that wouldn’t free-up the resources. It was ‘integral’ to their vision for the console, and would be supported throughout the console’s lifespan.

Except it wasn’t. In May, Microsoft announced a Kinect-

less version at the same price as the PS4. Kinect now stands as an optional device, with its processing power no longer a drain on the system.

Whilst this means games can take advantage of these resources, Kinect is only a choice, not a requirement. This sounds like a good thing, but as people no longer need Kinect, the market for it will be smaller than planned, and it won’t be supported properly.

On the exclusives front, Titanfall came out to critical acclaim (though it did also launch on

360 and PC), and Sunset Overdrive was well

received. Forza Horizon 2 was met with lukewarm responses.

The Halo: Masterchief

Collection has just launched - a

HD re-master of all four previous Halo

games - and in 2015 Halo 5: Guardians will release. Rise of the Tomb Raider was also confi rmed as a timed exclusive for ‘holiday 2015’.

27

TechXbox One and Playstation 4 – One year onJames Davies

“[Kinect] was ‘integral’ to their vision

for the console. Except it wasn’t”

360 and PC), and Sunset Overdrive was well

received. Forza

In August Sony announced they’d hit 10 million consoles sold world-wide. This was a land mark for them as last generation, then-head-of-Microsoft Don Mattrick announced ‘the fi rst to hit 10 million wins the console war’.

With both processing and sales power greater than Xbox, it looks like the PS4 will be the dominant system of the generation. Mostly the power diff erence is graphical: resolution and frame-rate. But when the price is the same and one does ‘1080p, 60fps’ whilst the other can only do ‘720p, 30fps’ on the same game, why choose the weaker one?

A few new features have come to the console, including ‘remote-play’ and recently ‘share-play’. ‘Remote-play’ lets you run PS4 games on a

Playstation Vita via Wi-Fi, from anywhere in

the world. There is some lag so not all games work perfectly, and the Vita doesn’t have a second row of shoulder

buttons, nor ‘clickable’ sticks

so these are mapped to the corners

of the touchpad.

‘Share-play’ allows one PS4 to control another. Sony advertises this as useful when you’re stuck on a game and want a friend to do it for you, but doesn’t seem to have much use beyond this. Use is

restricted to an hour at a time, and at any point the ‘host’ can retake control of their game.

In terms of exclusives, Infamous: Second Son was regarded as being a visual marvel (if not the greatest to play) and DriveClub fi lls the gap for racing fans.

The indie space is overfl owing with previously PC-only games, and with the ‘cross-buy’ policy, purchasing one version gets you access to both PS4 and Vita, so you can swap your saves between them.

Upcoming exclusives Bloodborne and No Man’s Sky, as well as additions to series like Uncharted 4, means the system looks set for a strong future.

“the system looks set for a strong future”

Playstation Vita via Wi-Fi, from anywhere in

the world. There is some lag so not all games work

the Vita doesn’t

28

Deba

te

Despite hangovers from hell and the aftermath of empty, potent spirit bottles littering your fl at when you get chosen to host pre drinks, there are things involved with a night out that make us go back and put ourselves through the “I’m never drinking again” torture every week.

A few drinks help us to release our inhibitions and build self confi dence in order to socialise better. I can’t imagine I’d be as close with the people I’ve met at university without holding their hair back in Corp loos

while they’re throwing up a blue pint or drunkenly telling them how much I love them for letting me share their 4am kebab.

The bonds you make on a night out when you’re at your most open and doltish stay strong when you’re sober, too.

Laughing about last night’s

antics and cringing at the dance moves you pulled can

help break that initial awkward barrier

when meeting new people and leave

you with a long list of friends that know you at your worst (walking back

from a club barefoot because

your heels hurt or drunk-crying about

something that cannot be translated) and still love you anyway.

Do you need to get drunk to enjoy Uni Life?

Ciretta Paone-Hoyland - @cirettapillar

“A few drinks help

us to release our inhibitions and build self

confidence”

help break that initial awkward barrier

when meeting new people and leave

you with a long list of friends

For more articles visit shu-media.co.uk

29www.shulife.co.uk

Debate

There are so many diff erent activities that people can do instead of going clubbing. There are lots of things that don’t break the bank, might actually save you some money while still having fun hanging out with your friends.

Food is the fi rst one, whether that’s going out for food or making food in your fl at. Cooking with others is so much fun, and then you

can actually catch up with people as opposed to clubbing

when there’s not much opportunity to talk.

You can fi nd easy quick and cheap recipes online, something like fajitas or curry is something that most people like

and ingredients aren’t very

expensive. After eating then

watching a fi lm, either an old classic or going to the cinema (someone’s always got an

Orange Wednesday) is also something that I think a lot of people often forget about but going to the cinema can feel like a real treat as can staying in and getting while cosy and having a fi lm night.

There are plenty of other activities like taking an autumn walk/picnic in Botanical Gardens or maybe getting some gentle exercise and fun by going swimming. With people going home over Christmas arranging a trip to Centertainment and go bowling or ice skating.

Roseanne May Cross - @RoseMayCross

“Cooking with others is

so much fun, and you can actually

catch up with them”

instead of going clubbing. when there’s not much opportunity to talk.

You can fi nd easy quick and cheap recipes online, something like fajitas or curry

30

feat

ure

I am studying a masters in Coaching and Mentoring at Sheffield Hallam. I am proud to be part of a diverse student population. Did you know that Sheffield Hallam has around 4000 international students from 120 countries? Moving to a new country can be challenging for international students, as they are away from their friends and family, and it can be a culture shock for them.

Last year, I did some volunteer work mentoring five international students from Hong Kong, Malaysia,

China, India and Vietnam, in order to assist them to settle into university life and make friends. I enjoyed helping them adapt to British culture, as well as learning about their home countries and cultural traditions. It was fascinating! I achieved a Platinum Hallam Award which recognised the skills I had developed through volunteering such as cultural awareness, mentoring and organisation skills. I received positive feedback from my mentees.

I wanted to help more students, thus I also designed and

launched a peer mentoring scheme called Culture Connect, where experienced students mentored new international students. This included 44 students, who came from 22 countries. One student said:‘I found it useful to learn from the experience another and it has increased my social and academic confidence.’ Sohaib Hassan, from Pakistan

The scheme went well, so I launched the scheme again this academic year and there are currently 124 members from 31 countries and growing. I am excited with how the scheme

Creating a global community at SHUSamantha Jane Logan

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31

feature

is developing. Feedback from students includes;‘Culture Connect helps me to get friends from all over the world, have fun, learn experience and improve my skills such as time management, communication skills, and so on. It makes my university journey more meaningful.’ Bui Huynh Thi Nhat Thanh, from Vietnam

‘It brings together the university community because it gives British students fi rst-hand experience of engaging with international students. The media constantly portrays international students in a negative light and this can have a negative eff ect on their perceptions of foreigners studying and working in the

UK. Culture Connect dispels media falsehoods.’ Sami Riaz, from Britain

‘As an international student I know how hard the fi rst year in a diff erent country is, so I want to help new students here. I learned a lot from my mentee, like how to manage my time, my communication skills have improved a lot and I’m more confi dent now.’ Youzhi Bi, from China

‘You get a friend who walks along with you as you get to know about life at university.

I now have many friends and I feel fully integrated in the

university.’ Judith Khamoni, from Kenya

‘It breaks down all the fears that many people feel today; due to lack of understanding

of cultural diff erences and

language barriers. It embraces these

diff erences and you have the chance to make friends, try new things, and experience a new point of view. You are always learning something.’ Katrina Love, from Britain

“Moving to a new

country can be challenging for

international students”

university.’ Judith Khamoni, from Kenya

‘It breaks down

that many

today; due

SPOR

T

32

Want to get more involved in sport at Hallam? Then why not try out social sport with Sheffield Hallam Active.

The university offer over 30 sessions in over 20 different sports every week. All internally hosted sessions are free to Sheffield Hallam Active members and just £2.50 for non-members.

Wheelchair Basketball is a diverse sport and it is great to get involved with. The sessions are fun filled with other amateur wheelchair basketball players so if you’ve never done it before you won’t be the only one! Paralympic Athlete Ben Sneesby attends the sessions and is on hand to help you improve your skills.

The sessions are socially inclusive run by Ryan Foster, Samantha Taleentire and Stephan Naisbitt of Sheffield

Hallam Active. The Activators organise regular friendlies and tournaments with other Universities. The sessions are every Wednesday at Pearson Building.

The team recently took part in a tournament at Durham University, with teams from Nottingham, Northampton and Newcastle taking part amongst others. Hallam finished 2nd overall, after losing 16-10 in the final. The trophy captain Ben Sneesby lifted was the Durham University Wheelchair Basketball Tournament Runner-up 2014.

If you don’t want to endure the physical challenges of rugby then touch rugby is perfect for you. The sessions are run at Pearson Building on Thursdays, run by Nathan Dewar and Lewis Davison from Sheffield Hallam Active.

The sessions include drills and games to incorporate skill development and enjoyment. The final 20 minutes of each session is to develop gameplay knowledge and to help attendants to learn the rules of the game. There is a fixture against the University of Sheffield in the Intra Mural Varsity.

Swimming with Sheffield Hallam Active is also available. There are two sessions each week on a Wednesday at 12:30 - 1:30pm and on a Thursday 7:15 - 8:15pm. Participants for swimming are able to carry out their own programme or they can follow a set programme provided by one of the Hallam Swimming Activators. These sessions are £2.50 each and it is the cheapest way to swim in Sheffield!

social sport with Sheffield hallam ActiveDamon Traverse - @DamonTraverse

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33

SPORT

I think it’s safe to say this year has been an exciting one so far! There hasn’t been a better time to be part of sport at Sheffi eld Hallam. We have the most facilities we’ve ever had, partnerships with other Sports Offi cers in the country who are envious of us and we’ve really strived to improve coaching for the teams.

I feel there is a great positivity and sense of pride surrounding sport at the moment. I’m proud of the work I did with Hallamnation and Voodoo to re-launch the baby that is Hallamnation at its new venue, Crystal. It has hit capacity every week and feedback has been unbelievable!

The transport to and from training is still running successfully, thanks to the work of Steve Cox and Nielsons; this is a prime example of “you

said, we did”. We are currently 25th in BUCS rankings - with University of Sheffi eld ahead of us in 22nd - so I guess Varsity starts now!

We also had some great recruitment of elite athletes again this year, thanks to the work done by the team over at the University. Sports fair also had the highest footfall ever and trials completed exceeded expectations.

Moving forward, I shall begin my long endeavour to create research that supports free sport at Sheffi eld Hallam. This will take time and an awful lot of analysing but in the end if I can help create this for the

future that would be amazing; however I can’t do all this on

my own it will require students to really

engage with the research I send out.

I have a lot of objectives to get through and

will continue to work hard for you,

the students.

Let’s carry on working hard to improve ourselves as both athletes and people, and strive to work hard at everything we do. And remember, The Pride Starts Here.

Melissa Penny is your Sport and Physical Activity Offi cer at Sheffi eld Hallam Students’ Union and is based at the HUBS on Patenoster Row.

Sports at the Students’ union: What we’ve been up toMelissa Penny - @HallamSports

“There hasn’t been a

better time to be part of sport

at Sheffield Hallam”

my own it will require students to really

engage with the

out.

Image credit: Roddy Munro

SPOR

T

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Ultimate is a fast-moving team sport enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of players all around the world and over the last few years Ultimate Frisbee in the UK is becoming one of the most talked about sports. It’s a self refereed, unique, limited contact sport played with a flying disc weighing 175g. The objective of the game is to score points in your teams opposing end zone, similar to an end zone in Rugby or American Football by passing the disc amongst your team.

Ultimate players require speed, agility and endurance, something that many who are unfamiliar with the sport fail to understand. Team Sheffield Hallam’s squad has noticed the rise of popularity in the sport and have found the 2014/2015 academic year to be the most popular yet after receiving more sign ups than ever before. Since September they have already competed in three beginner’s tournaments

and brought back two trophies for Hallam. They are now in the middle of their regional tournaments and if successful, will go on to represent Sheffied Hallam at nationals.

The 2014/2015 academic year has brought forward an entire new committee for Sheffield Hallam Ultimate Frisbee from a new chairman to new male and female captain’s, with each individual bringing forward fresh new ideas for the team.

Anthony Wilson, Open Captain: “I felt that there was a lot of pressure as captain going into this year, especially with me being the only person left from the team that I have spent all my university years playing with. However with a great start to the season with the beginners winning their tournament in Sheffield and finishing only one spot out of nationals qualification it has filled me with a lot of

confidence as we look towards the outdoor season.”

Anna Brakel, Women’s Captain: ‘With most of the girls having finished university in summer 2014 and having only been playing the sport for just over a year myself, I was looking forward to recruiting a fresh new team of women and introducing them to Ultimate. Just 8 weeks after the Sports Fair at the start of term the women’s team have brought home the Women’s Beginner’s trophy, will be competing alongside the men at Mixed Regionals and then go onto Women’s Regionals. I am already incredibly proud of all the girls here at Ultimate and am looking forward to what the year has to offer.’

To find out more about Ultimate Frisbee at Sheffield Hallam, go to:

Facebook: Hallam UltimateTwitter: @HallamUltimate

Ultimate frisbee, the ultimate gameAnna Brakel - @anna_cornelia1

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Agony Aunt

I left home and I’m not coping with being away from my family, friends or boyfriend. What can I do to make it easier?Moving away is stressful, it is for everyone. This is the time in which you will grow up and become an adult and feeling lonely isn’t unusual. Scheduling regular calls with the ones you miss can make it easier - but don’t spend all your time missing others. Go out and make the most of being at university. Join societies, join the gym, go to course nights out and go out with your fl at mates. Isolating yourself is the worst thing to do- you need to enjoy your time at university because it will fl y by.

I’m worried that this year is too hard, what if I don’t succeed?Everyone has doubts in their abilities as it’s just human nature. Don’t start assignments or even seminars with the attitude that you can’t do it. Simply try your best. It may not go to plan but you’re not paying £9000 a year for your tutors to not lend a hand. Ask them, interrogate them even go to the extent of spamming them with emails if you think it will help. You won’t fail if you ask for help. Remember when there is a will there is a way.

I’m not much of a club person but my fl atmates are. How do I get to know them without constantly having to go out to clubs?Clubs aren’t the greatest way to get to know people as it usually ends up with a drunken ‘I love you’ at the end of the night. Why not suggest a games night, go out for a meal, a fi lm

night or even go to a pub quiz. There are always alternatives to club nights, you just need to make a few suggestions and fi nd out what common interests you have but don’t think you have to go if you don’t want to.

I want to be more a part of the university lifestyle but I’m not sure how I can do that, is there any advice you have?The best thing to do is look at the opportunities that are available. Sheffi eld Hallam has a brilliant Students’ Union that is all about supporting you. Look at the website hallamstudentsunion.com and you can fi nd the various societies that they off er. Joining a society is a way to meet friends with common interests and a great way to interact with

university life- whether that is a hobby, interest or a sport, there will more than likely be something that will interest you.

I’m really struggling to budget, I keep spending too much money and I’m not sure what to do. Can you off er any advice?As students, cash is always going to be short especially when most prioritise a night out above the weekly food shop. What you need to do is recognise how much you have per week, and then break it down into what you can aff ord. So you can’t go out? That’s not so important in the long run. Students aren’t adverse to living on noodles- basically the cheaper the shop the more you save. For more tips look at the students union website hallamstudentsunion.com/advice_help/money/

Homesickness, clubbing and budgeting: SHulife’s agony aunt is here to help

Don’t like your flatmates? Worried about deadlines? Email enquiries@shulife.co.uk with the subject line ‘agony aunt’ and check the next issue for our advice

35

42 SPORTS, 2 UNIVERSITIES,

ONE WINNER.

VARSITY IS COMING...

LOOK OUT FOR THE LƒTEST UPDƒTES & fi XTURE ƒNNOUNCEMENTS