Issue No 11

The Independent Trinity Newspaper since 2007

IN BRIEF 2

FEATURES 4

COMMENT 6

Kindly sponsored by

travisty.co.ukFriday October 24 2008

The world is about to end. Our financial infrastructure is on the verge of implosion; the UK is on the brink of recession; and, for the foreseeable future, our economic life is going to be grim.

Prêt à Manger will be replaced by a soup kitchen feeding hungry men before they join the other queue at the job centre. Topshop will open a bring and buy section. And we’ll only be able to get Sainsbury’s Basics lemonade if we run in at 8am and fight off the other cheapo fizz drinkers. Perhaps Prêt will survive, though many of us feel that the grown-ups are making a big fuss over nothing. It seems to us that there are financial ‘crises’ every day; and if some of the numbers are down, then no matter – the UK has survived this long. At any

rate, there’s no possibility of the business suits and spikes on the graphs interfering with the pristine lawns and stuffy lectures halls of Cambridge. It is exceptionally easy for us to feel thoroughly disconnected from the turmoil in world markets as life goes on as usual in the University. ‘Current Affairs’ means Varsity and The Cambridge Student, with headlines about the Union’s take on condoms and Deans opening fake Facebook accounts to spy on wine-guzzling students. We’ve been desensitised - stock markets now break records every day and ‘credit crunch’ is a punch line in comedy quiz shows rather than a real phenomenon affecting real people. Our parents are only worried because they remember living through the high inflation and unemployment of the 1980s. Our generation has no experience of them beyond being told mechanically in economics lessons: “inflation is bad because it costs a lot to print new menus when prices change, and the trips to the bank wears out your shoes.” Maybe we’re not scared because we don’t know what to fear. But perhaps there isn’t much to fear.

Studenthood protects from most things – the government will always provide a loan to fall back on; we don’t have to search for accommodation; and extension of study is a wonderful alternative to entering the job market. Inflation rose to 5.2% in September, but most of the rise was because of increases in the cost of household energy consumption – from which we are insulated (ho-ho-ho) by Trinity. The biggest downward pressure on prices was food - so no need to get worried about Hall becoming too crowded or about Sainsbury’s using up even more of your overdraft.

Articles warning against skimping on pension plans seem irrelevant, and you’re lucky if your savings exceed the £50,000

Credit Crunch CornerThe financial crisis in which the rest of the world is currently embroiled seems very distant to those of us living within the security offered by Trinity. Yet while education may be an excellent shelter for now, there will come a time when we can avoid the repercussions of the credit crunch no longer. Soumaya Keynes offers a few words of wisdom.

A Summer in Sierra Leone

>> REVELATION

>> hALLOWE’EN WPR

3 7

2 IN BRIef friday October 24 2008travisty.co.uk

editor’sLetter

guaranteed by the government. You may not have had time to work up a bad credit rating and you won’t need a mortgage for a while.

Trinity does act as a wonderful cocoon but, at some point, our lives are going to be affected by the crunch. Some things may improve – work experience in the City may get easier to find as the suits take advantage of cheap tea-brewing photocopiers.

Slightly further into the future (don’t worry third and fourth years – far, far into the future), and if the pessimistic forecasters are correct about the UK sinking into recession, then the job market will be flooded with older, wiser, more qualified and more experienced applicants in competition with us freshly examined graduates. Time to start bulking up that CV. Start a society – get something else to write about in that ‘describe a time when you have displayed team leadership skills’ box. ‘When I decided what pizza to get for everyone that time’ may no longer look so impressive.

The housing bubble bursting might be quite good news for us as ‘first time buyers,’ but before we start dreaming of being able to put blue-tack on our walls and before our parents start dreaming of getting a lodger, we should remember that the ‘credit crunch’ part of the crisis has meant that banks are going to be quite cautious about lending to people with no credit history (us).

Both Bono and Greenpeace are about to find their jobs get a whole lot harder as politicians will switch their rhetoric away from environmental issues and foreign aid, towards the ailing economy. Obama and McCain’s debates have been dominated by the banking mess, and the next election here will surely go the same way.

So, although for the time being, we may associate ‘crunch’ more readily with ‘corner’ than ‘credit,’ we should be mindful of our cocooning here. Eventually, we’re going to have to make our way into the real world and then, we’ll feel the full effects of this stumbling in the global economic system.

Talk to Cambridge students and you will quickly come across a popular opinion: Cambridge life has always involved a

significant amount of alcohol – and it always will. But this is a stereotype that the Colleges appear to have recently set out to quash.

Headline news is, of course, the new format for Formal at St. John’s. There, students cannot take in wine and are instead served it by the glass in an attempt to promote sobriety. It seems Trinity has taken its first steps along a similar path. With the new rule of allowing only wine purchased from the Buttery or the Bar to be taken into Hall, there seems to be a new, more authoritarian feel to Formal Hall. At the Formal I recently attended, diners were asked by bar staff to make their way to Hall at 7.40pm – much earlier than the conventional last-minute dash and heavy congestion of previous years – and, once inside, there was renewed vigour on the part of the catering staff when it came to ensuring all diners were wearing their gowns at all times.

But what does this mean for the future of Formals at Trinity? Admittedly, no drastic changes have been made to alcohol consumption just yet, but Freshers’ Formal this year did follow the new “St. John’s” format for the first time; and it’s not too hard to imagine such a ‘by the glass’ arrangement being rolled out to include all Formals in College. And, looking at it rationally, it’s not difficult to see (and perhaps appreciate!) the justification behind such a move. With catering staff being abused at last year’s Freshers’ Formal and drinking levels (as well as frequency of alcohol-fuelled incidents) appearing to be on the increase, a move from the powers-that-be in College to buck this trend is at least easily predictable, even if you can’t bring yourself to accept the need for it quite yet.

I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what decisions the College wants to make. In the meantime, we can console ourselves with the fact that, while we may be unable to bring in our favourite Sauvignon on special order from the Cambridge Wine Merchants, we can still purchase plonk (and not-so-plonk) from the Buttery: a bottle of wine each is still a bottle of wine each, whatever the vintage!

Too Formal for Formal?Formal Hall has long been a defining factor of Cambridge; and excessive amounts of alcohol has long been a defining factor of Formal Hall. However, this new academic year has heralded a new order, with many Colleges introducing stringent rules aimed at limiting drunken behaviour. Andy Brown reflects on these changes.

When the inaugural issue of Travisty was published in Easter Term 2007, I think the aspirations of those on the Committee would be best described as humble: merely a wish that the paper would last beyond that one issue. Being here to welcome in a second generation of freshers may not be a great achievement for many, but it is unquestionably a proud landmark in the short life of Travisty so far.

Providing Trinitarians with a forum in which to express their opinions is the primary reason that Travisty exists at all. For this reason, we have introduced a new Comment section on pages 6 and 7. In this issue, Rupert Compston encourages us to inject a little musicality into our lives; and two Second Years describe their charitable summers. Seeking out new contributors is a perennially difficult task, but perhaps some of those amongst you will feel inspired by these pages to write something of your own - at least, we certainly hope so!

Our aim is to constantly improve, reinvent, and innovate Travisty - if you have any suggestions, don’t hesitate to get involved. We wouldn’t be doing a very good job if those living in College could find nothing of interest in a paper designed for Trinitarians. And, on that note, I very much hope you enjoy this issue!

friday October 24 2008 travisty.co.uk TCSU 3

REVELATION!!!Sunday Nights at Revs are Back...

georgia harteNTS OffICeR

Last year, Sunday nights at Revolution were one of the best and most popular nights out in Cambridge, regularly selling out the Tuesday before! Following the devilish success of our Freshers’ Week event with John’s, TCSU has decided to resurrect what was a fantastic night out.

Cambridge isn’t exactly spoilt for choice when it comes to clubs, but we really do think Revs is the best of the bunch - especially as, thus far - and fingers crossed - the plumbing at Revs is in full working order! Nobody likes queuing; and that’s why we’ve made our event ticket only. You can get wristbands from TCSU for only £3 and they offer you amazing deals once inside! Why queue for a 2nd or 3rd rate club when you can walk straight into a decent one?

And, while I’ve got you, in exactly a week, it is the beloved celebration of Hallowe’en and, of course, we are ushering in the ghoulies and ghosties by throwing a fantastic (although obviously very chilling and creepy) party for you all FOR FREE! I swear we have so many decorations I am not sure you are all going to fit, but I hope to see many a scary costume and maybe even some pumpkins!

See you there!

Overheard in Trinity...As everyone knows, it is best to be free and single when it is time to mingle; and the beginning of this term certainly proved this point. Almost enough valuable information has arisen from these few short weeks to satisfy even my appetite for gossip, but here are a few classics...

>> Father-daughter incest is run of the mill for a certain league of College family >> One sexy fresher has had a few older boys come to spats over her... Shame she’s taken for now!

>> Murder on the dancefloor... Love on the pub tour?!

4 feaTUReS friday October 24 2008 travisty.co.uk

Miss Advise...Travisty’s resident agony aunt

What’s Hot

Dear Bashful in Blue Boar,

Many an unwise student has ended a drink-fuelled night with a careless choice of ballad directed at some unknowing individual. If the Bar was sufficiently busy, he may not have noticed. Worry not: you may still be able to attract his attention.

A few words of caution on this point. Even the most attractive woman is can be very unappealing if she is completely drunk. Try striking up conversation about something other than your next order. If you find yourself unable to master the art of general parlance, try to win him over by ordering crisps, peanuts or some other typical bar snack. While he may become concerned (or impressed) by your appetite, at least you will no longer be at risk of drunkenly embarrassing yourself.

However,while I acknowledge the possibility that you may sing like an angel after a night of drinking, I think it is far more likely that you were more howling banshee than Aretha Franklin The chances of him failing to notice this are minimal. Select other prey; try drinking less; and confine your urges to sing to the confines of the shower.

With best wishes,Miss Advise

Dear Miss Advise,

Last Friday night began in much the same way as any other: I was celebrating the end of a hard week , getting merry with some friends in the College Bar. In such familiar surroundings, frequented by such familiar people, I was hardly expecting to come across an Adonis . Imagine my shock, then, when I noticed a truly gorgeous bartender!

Trying desperately to find a reason to speak to him, I walked up to the bar to order a drink. Seeing that I had had one too many, and was in no state to be rifling around in my purse for the correct change, he gave me the drink for free. This only made him even more endearing! Feeling too shy to make any form of meaningful conversation, I just kept going up to the bar all night and getting more drinks.

Needless to say, the rest of the night is a little hazy, but I am pretty convinced that I ended up singing “Say a Little Prayer for You” along with the jukebox whilst gazing wistfully at the said bartender.

Have I totally blown my chances with this guy? Or is there still hope?

Bashful in Blue Boar

>> THE MAKE-UP STOREIt is to MAC what sushi is to fish and chips: perhaps not for everyone, but so much better. It has fake eyelashes that would make a blind man stop and stare. The calamity is that it hasn’t even hit our rainy old country yet. This Swedish company has reached Sydney, Singapore, and even Mexico, but, apparently, London isn’t quite exciting enough for it. So, if you are off plundering the Dunlevie Fund any time soon, hit that. >> DIAMONDS FOR MENThe new face of Giorgio Armani’s male perfume is Josh Hartnett and that is what makes this scent the hottest thing right now. Someone very close to my heart once dated a Hartnett lookalike... and that makes his unattainable beauty even worse. The ad literally makes you want to bathe in this perfume if that would get you closer to his chiselled physique, cheeky smile and deep brown eyes. Perfume always sells via beautiful people, but here Armani has outdone itself. Oh, and Diamonds smells alright too... Shocking.

>> PUCCIEvery fashionista dreamed of owning a pair of red soled Louboutins until places untold such as *New Look* began copying the greats. But what happens when regular folk follow the greats among us? The greats raise the bar - that is exactly what Pucci has done with its patterned soles, so catch up everyone!

>> glADRAgSI think that it is safe to say that this year’s Freshers’ Week went swimmingly. We were all especially pleased at the impressive dressing up efforts made by the whole of College: with Daleks. Ninja Turtles and Incredibles galore, what more does a party need?! Two enthusiastic thumbs up for such efforts and fun for all!

...Farish

friday October 24 2008 travisty.co.uk feaTUReS 5

What’s NotFresher Fashion:the Where, the What and the Why…With lectures, Formal and a trip to Cindies often all occurring in one day, dressing to fit the occasion can be a bewildering experience in Cambridge. Victoria Kleiner, Trinity’s most sophisticated fashionista, is on hand to help.Let me begin by saying a huge welcome to Cambridge and, even more importantly, to Trinity (the most stylish of Colleges, of course). Now that Freshers’ Week is finally over, you will find that life here suddenly becomes a little less hectic – although certain pressing concerns remain. Alongside the worries of settling in; meeting friends; and dealing with the work, you will also need to cope with the stress of wondering what to wear for various occasions. Do you opt for the safe option: a pair of jeans that can be teamed with anything and everything? Or are you a fan of old-fashioned glamour, relishing the opportunity to take out the black tie again and again? Whichever category you fall into, here is a brief guide to the world of Cambridge fashion.

During the DayAs you may already have had the opportunity to realise, Cambridge is not the warmest of places. And – apologies to those of you to whom this may be a shock - it will only get colder. The advantage of this is that it allows you to wrap up in as many layers as possible and so offers the opportunity to invest in endless pairs of gloves and scarves – useful accessories that can enliven any outfit. It is essential to find at least one winter coat – choose wisely, since this will be your companion for many a long day in both this term and the next.

Apologies for sounding like your mother in the previous paragraph. There will also be plenty of sunny days when you might glance out the window and be encouraged by the sight of blue sky to wear some brighter colours or unusual patterns. If you are happiest in

jeans, then stick to your style – jeans are the most versatile of clothes; can be dressed up easily by a smart polo-neck or v-neck; and are a failsafe option when it comes to those early morning lectures. Alternatively, if you feel like standing out from the crowd a little, choose a fitted day dress or a stylish skirt, and team with some wow-factor tights.

As for shoes, a pair of comfortable boots is a must. Cobbles are not designed to make life easy for the busy student, and heels are a definite challenge – though a far from impossible one. They are also often well worth the extra effort. If you’re still worried about negotiating Great Court after Formal, bring a pair of ballet pumps in your bag and perform a discreet exchange when necessary. And that brings me onto my next topic…

The Cocktail Hour, Formal and BeyondIt is entirely up to you how smartly you dress for Formal. A jacket and tie is usually encouraged, although this is relatively flexible. For girls, there is an even wider choice – find a stylish Little Black Dress and jazz it up with accessories, or choose any other knee length dress you enjoy wearing, and put your own personal twist on it. One word of advice: don’t wear anything too special if you’re planning on experiencing Cindies or Soul Tree afterwards! You will also have the opportunity to attend black tie functions relatively frequently, and these are a chance to really wear something a little out of the ordinary – extra effort will always be appreciated.

But, of course, as stylish Trinitarians, you know all this already…

>> CHANCEDIT.COMSaw someone you fancied a few months ago but never got up the nerve to cross the dancefloor? No worries: you can totally hook up via the internet where other people with just as much time on their hands are... networking.

>> BARE MINERAlSSwirl, tap and buff? Who has hours and hours to paint their skin with layers and layers of some kind of dust to make it look, ooh... just about the same!!!

>> REAllY ClEVER SCIENTISTSUS researchers have just found that regular exercise could ‘blunt the fat gene.’ Several genetic variants have been inconclusively linked to obesity, but, apparently, scientists have proved that with more active lifestyles, fewer people would be obese, as in ‘historical times.’ You know, like when everyone was a farmer and had to walk everywhere. Thank God those researchers are around to keep us in check; there was me thinking weight gain and exercise were completely unconnected. Pathetic.

>> NOT NAMINg NAMESAs much as I adore dressing up and - if you know me at all - making a fool of myself is pretty much on everyday’s agenda, it does have its downsides...

Big snaps for keenness. but may be a little less flesh on Hallowe’en?

...Rubin

6 COMMeNT friday October 24 2008 travisty.co.uk

RUPeRT COMPSTONOL’ BLUe eYeS

ellie reedsNaTIONaL TReaSURe

Best Served Chilled...

Charity Begins At HomeMany moments in my childhood, especially during long holidays, were spent skipping around stately homes in my favourite role as Lady of the Manor, with occasionally imaginative

forays into servitude when the Marie Antoinette mood hit me. Perhaps for some Trinity students, this was more like their reality; but for me, the National Trust and its heritage properties were delightfully novel. As I’m far too old to pretend to the aristocracy, the last two summers I have dedicated myself as a volunteer to experience the realities of the National Trust. Through the apparently oxymoronic Working Holidays scheme, I spent a week in July this year living and working at the Gibside estate in County Durham. It was a chance to explore the land of the Geordies (whilst desperately falling in love with the accent) and to

learn about the ancestral home of the Queen Mother. Our work on the estate included preparation for; assistance during; and clearing up after a series of concerts on the land, which is not as glamorous as working at Reading Festival seems to some students. I shovelled grit into pot holes whilst it was raining; I helped direct irate drivers into parking spaces whilst dressed as a ‘70s throwback for Abba night; I litter-picked after no sleep.

Yet possibly the hardest activity was cooking for 14 people every night – red wine was often involved and the “coven of witches” (comprising of one honorary man as well) even had to resort to subterfuge (disguising leftover curry) to placate the group leader. At times the group dynamic was difficult but, then again, it is to be expected when men and women of all ages and backgrounds try to live in two dormitories for a week!

...cont’d opposite

‘By and large, jazz has always been like the kind of man you wouldn’t want your daughter to associate with,’ - Duke Ellington’s words, partly in jest, and fully in earnest. The four-letter word at the heart of untold controversy; the prodigal son that ditched the starched collars of the concert halls for the exoticism of the New Orleans bordello. Welcome to the world of jazz.

It is all too easy to forget the long and arduous road travelled by jazz - in the most general understanding of the genre - as we look at the prominence and respectability it now enjoys. Yet, despite a notable representation in this year’s Mercury Music Awards, and millions of record sales worldwide, our very own Trinity has had little to say for itself. Until now...

Hold that thought. Jazz, you must understand, is, contrary to popular belief, a shy, retiring little creature. Blink and you miss it. It’s there one minute, gone the next. It happens, and either you’re in, or you’re out. To let you into a secret, life and jazz have one thing in common: they’re best when improvised. Which is not to say that today’s jazz lines tomorrow dustbins. Far from it: the best jazz is anything but tabloid – simply that music, like life, moves on. Jimi Hendrix knew a thing or two about music. ‘Music doesn’t lie,’ he said. ‘If there is something to be changed in this world,

then it can only happen through music.’ He’s quite right in many ways. Music does change people and moods and places. Any self-respecting musician knows that. And anyone who has ever visited a silent College Bar will testify to it. So why not see if Jimi’s right? Trinity is privileged to count amongst its own some of the finest young jazzers in this country, let alone this University. Fancy that - on our own doorstep! The options are practically endless. A live jazz set in the College Bar would redeem even the stalest of pre-Formal conversations. And who wouldn’t don their blue suede shoes for a little after-dinner action? From folk, to acid, via township jive and fuzz funk: as I say, the sky’s the limit. Or, to be more exact, could be. College Council are, so I’m told, at present thinking about investing in a little equipment, to help us in the right direction, if you like. Drum kits may be a definite no-no within domestic College rooms, but there are certainly inroads to be made in other venues. Perhaps a PA for budding Ellas, Ninas, and Franks? (I know you’re out there...)

The bottom line is, team, and I hope you’ll forgive me for saying this: where there’s a will, there’s a way. So, if you’d like to see any or all of this happening – or, in fact, none of it – whatever manner of jazzer you be, just let us know. It’s good to talk. Not least because Trinity has always been proud, and rightly so, of its considerable, and progressive, contribution to music-making over the last five hundred years or so. These are exciting times: let’s be on the case, together.

friday October 24 2008 travisty.co.uk COMMeNT 7

ROCCO faLCONeRReSIdeNT dO-gOOdeR: aBC4aLL

Sierra Leone is the poorest country in the world. After a brutal civil war which wrought it to a bloody wasteland, it is struggling to recover - to find its feet and to develop. It is a country whose attraction lies in the optimism of the post-conflict peace. That optimism though, must be conditional on significant, far-reaching changes; and it was the prospect of involvement in those changes that drew me there this summer.

I made contact with a local Freetown resident, captured during the war by vicious rebels. His deliverance convinced him to do everything he could to improve his country. Together, we registered as a company and started to found small groups - networks around the city and the provinces - that tried to focus on self-help. The intention was to pool the skills and resources of communities to help one another.

But help like that was never going to take the giant leaps needed to take to go from a whirling poverty cycle to a more stable, secure existence. We needed to do something more, something substantial, which would give people some sort of capital.

A site came up near one of our groups in the centre of Freetown, where hundreds of people live crammed together and where the chance of most children getting educated is near zero. We had to do some work to the building, and we had to find

some teachers, but with the chance we were given, we didn’t think twice about using the building for a school, hosting adult education classes and community events. Though we started off with a summer school, we also hope to get a medical clinic there in the future. With little money available for advertising, spreading the news about the school was done through word of mouth. Going to bed the night before registration was due to start, I was worried that effort and money might go to waste if few people showed up. Were we wasting the precious few resources we had?

When I arrived at the site to start registration, a queue of patient men, women and children stretched around the corner of the street. Having hoped for at least 90 children to make the project worthwhile, we were overwhelmed by the 470 children we registered. Loath to exclude children so keen for an education, we as the teachers worked double shifts to cater for the huge number of kids we had.

There’s much more to do in Sierra Leone. As a charity, education and health are our first priorities. The continued running of the primary school we established, along with the internet café and farm we created to fund it, is the primary task. I’m not convinced that development does come from international assistance; however, supporting local initiatives, investing in the people who will become the country’s future, and trying to start sustainable projects that assist and support local people is, if not the best way, one way in which I felt I could learn a hell of a lot from a country as fascinating as Sierra Leone. And if I could help as well, without only partaking in some sort of sick tourism, well, that at least helped me sleep in the horribly humid heat of Freetown.

A Better Community For All

In some ways, my charitable summer was selfish – I admit that having fun doing something a bit different as well as the improvement it could exert on my personal and employable qualities motivated me. The inspiration of all those stately home visits, however, never left me. The National Trust may not at first appear to be a worthy cause comparable to the work of NGOs battling disease and poverty; however, the National Trust deserves its charitable status and so does

my summer. In my opinion, a public service was undertaken during the Gibside concerts in allowing local people to enjoy the land. It may be homely and unremarkable, but an affordable and rewarding challenge awaits us all within the National Trust. Equality of access to what was once the privileged refuge of the rich is something of which we should all be proud.

The Travisty CommitteeEditor.......................Fan YangDeputy Editor........Georgia HartPhoto Editor...........Jase Taylor

This Issue’s ContributorsAndy Brown Rupert CompstonAndrea Dower Rocco FalconerSoumaya Keynes Victoria KleinerFiona Mackenzie Ellie Reeds

Trinity College Tea Society Sunday26th October,2-5pm in the

Junior ParlourTea Partyis proud to present

Michaelmas term’s first

All are welcome. An entry fee of £1 applies to non-college members.