Platform Magazine - Fresher's Edition 4

welcomeTRENT ARMY

a l l n e w r e c r u i t s

Issue 04 September 2013

www.platform-online.net

www.trentstudents.org 2www.trentstudents.org 3 March 2013

www.platform-online.netPEOPLEEDITOR’S NOTE

Contributors: The 2013-2014 Committee, and it’s dedicated writers

CONTACT PLATFORM

/platformmagazine

@PlatformOnline@Tel: (0115) 848 6200www.platform-online.netPlatform Magazine, NTU Clifton Campus, Clifton Lane, Nottinghamshire, NG11 8NS

Hello NTU! To those of you who are joining us this year, welcome, and to those of you who are returning again for another year, then welcome back! I am certain all you Freshers who have just started will be sure to have some of the best times of your lives here at NTU.

It has been a long and stressful few months in the run up to the new academic year and at Platform we’ve been getting ready for Fresher’s Week

and the brand new Fresher’s Edition that your reading right now. We have now formed our own Trent Media House under the Societies banner which means Trent Media can now work even better as a collective. We are continuing in to print this year, after being granted the funding and welcoming even more NTU students in to one of Nottingham Trent’s biggest societies. We are so proud of the success Platform after last year and hope we can continue turning it in to something you can all be proud of.

In this Fresher’s edition we have a busy line up including a gig guide to Nottingham, what to wear during Fresher’s Week and profiles of some of the societies and sports clubs at NTU.

This first edition speaks for itself and shows the work that has been put in from everyone, from the section editors to the writers, and the photographers to the SU. All of us look forward to meeting all the new fresher’s this year and hope that you all would love to get involved with Platform.

If you want to get involved in our next edition and for the rest of the year, find us in Fresher’s week, email one of the editors, or find us on our Facebook and Twitter pages. It is never too late to get involved in your union activities so keep following us throughout the year, to hear what’s going on!

Sophie DavisEditor-in-Chief

www.starterblacklabel.co.uk

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TSG-AD-AW13 - A6.pdf 1 11/09/2013 10:22

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EDITOR

SOPHIE [email protected]

DEPUTY EDITORSHANNAH BYRNEALANNA LINTIN

[email protected]

MARKETING & PROMOTIONSRHEA WARREN

[email protected]

NEWSWILLIAM WILSON

[email protected]

MINTJADE CRAGG

[email protected]

MUSICROBIN MURRAY

[email protected]

FASHION & BEAUTYPRIYA SUND

[email protected]

CULTUREJOSHUA GILTRAP

[email protected]

LIFESTYLESOPHIE [email protected]

SPORTSGEORGE [email protected]

GAMING & TECHTOM BERESFORD

[email protected]

PHOTOGRAPHYCRAIG PROUD

[email protected]

DESIGNERSLIV WILLIAMSKATIE ABEY

SOPHIE DAVIS

September 2013



PRESIDENT

JO SOUTHWELL-SANDER [email protected]

VP SERVICES & COMMUNICATION

MARCUS BOSWELL

VP WELFARE & COMMUNITY

KATIE WRIGHT

VP EDUCATION & REPRESENTATION

LIBBY FARRIER-WILLIAMS

VP ACTIVITIES

LIZ MCCLUSKEY

VP SPORTS

PADDY ATKINSON

BRACKENHURST LIAISON OFFICER

HANNAH NICHOLSON

CITY LIAISON OFFICER

COSTA CHARALAMBOUS

CLIFTON LIAISON OFFICER

CHANTELLE FARR

Welcome back returners and hello to the newbies! This is an exciting year to be at Trent, there are so many great things that are going on! We have a new library over in Brack, major redevelopments over in Clifton and a glistening new Union building in City. Not only that, you have a new team of elected officers that have been working tirelessly over the summer to make sure changes are made to ensure you get the best time while here at NTU

Don’t forget that the Students’ Union is run by you, our members. You have a say as to what services we provide, who runs your Union and where the money that you spend in your shops and bars is allocated. Whether it’s taking the time to vote, standing as a candidate in the Elections, or just giving up a few hours per month to improve your learning experience as a course rep, there are a range of opportunities that you can get involved with and make a real difference to your experience and those around you.

Whatever path you choose to take at NTU and however you want to get involved with NTSU, I wish you the best of luck for your time spent here at Trent!

See you around!

Jo Southwell-Sander, NTSU President.

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0115 982 5577September 2013



With results day having been and gone in a flash, and Fresher’s Week now truly over after months of ago-nized waiting, you can now really be-gin to focus on your future; namely your university education and what potentially could be the best few years of your life.

So firstly, let me say on behalf of eve-ryone here at Platform magazine, welcome to NTU and more impor-tantly to the Trent Army. This may have meant nothing to you before Fresher’s Week but hopefully you will now truly understand what it is to be part of the Nottingham Trent Army. I hope by now your loyalty to-wards Nottingham Trent is one which will last a lifetime and one you will constantly remind your friends from home of over the Christmas break.

Over the past month or so and throughout Welcome Week, here at Platform, we have been providing you with everything you need to know to make your transition to university life as smooth as possible and we hope for the majority of you it is one which has been comfortable and enjoyable.

We hope you have made it out to at least one SU night out by now and enjoyed the full-frontal nights that are Ocean Wednesday and Point Fri-days. The SU nights are really some-thing that pushes your inhibitions to

the limits and bodies even more so.

Platform will be here throughout the year, updating you with SU events, re-views, features, style tips, beauty re-views, music gig updates and gaming debates.

Articles will be posted regularly so make sure you check back and follow us on Twitter (@PlatformOnline) and ‘like’ the Fa-cebook page for even more updates and news at www.facebook.com/platformmagazine. If there’s anything in particular you would like informa-tion on that isn’t already there or isn’t being picked up on then please get in touch and send us an email at [email protected]. If you’d like to get involved with Plat-form as a contributor, photographer or with promotion & marketing – just contact the relevant person for more infor-mation. Contact details can be found here on the website at www.platform-online.net.

That’s all for now, hopefully with our help the next few weeks till the end of your first term at University will go without a glitch and you’ll continue reading Platform throughout the year both online and in print format. We’ll be out and about during the year so make sure you come and say hello.

6www.trentstudents.org 7 September 2013



MINTFIVE TRENT EVENTS YOU CANT MISS / THINGS TO DO IN NOTTINGHAM

From Freshers Week to Graduation Ball, the NTU calendar is packed with a host of massive events all year long that make your time at Trent the best three years of your life. Here, Platform Magazine has picked out five of the best to mark in your diaries for the year ahead...

Grad Ball 2014While the Graduation Ball name hints that the event is only open to students bringing their time at NTU to the end, the event is open to all students looking to celebrate the end of the academic year in style. With big acts including Example, Rudimental, Labrinth and The Macca-bees gracing the stage at the Capital FM Arena over the past couple of years, the event has become one of the best in the country, thanks in part to the notorious after-party until 6am.

5TRENTEVENTSyou can’t miss

1The First Climax In The New SU

Luckily for you Freshers, the brand-new, multi-million pound City Student’s Un-ion building will be opening its doors this summer, and with it comes the re-turn of a cult hero. Saturday night Cli-max will finally return to its spiritual home this year and the first Climax of the year is going to be one not to miss, to truly open your new SU in style. 2

Varsity Ice HockeyThe crown jewel of the Var-sity calendar, the Ice Hockey encounter between Trent and UoN has become one of the biggest nights in the NTU calendar, with a sold-out, rau-cous 11,000 crowd creating an incredible atmosphere within the Capital FM Arena. The Ice Hockey matches are certainly unforgettable events, with the chance to throw all kinds of ‘banter’ at the Uni Of contin-gent making it one of the hot-test tickets in town.

Christmas/Halloween/Last OceanOcean Wednesday’s. A staple part of a Trent student’s weekly diary. A chance to don ut-terly ridiculous fancy dress, pack into the unique Ocean and enjoy some of your best nights out at Nottingham Trent. While the regular Ocean’s are memorable, the stakes are raised on the big three nights of the year. Halloween and Christmas give us the chance to go all out with our costumes, while the last Ocean of the year is the one everyone fights for a ticket to.

NTSU Elections Results NightWhile the elections may not sound like the most ex-citing part of life at Trent, it is arguably one of the most important times of the year, seeing the new Stu-dent’s Union exec commit-tee get elected. The culmi-nation of a long few weeks of campaigning and voting comes with results night, where the candidates, their supporters and the rest of the student popula-tion come together to see who’s elected, giving you the chance to share a shot or two with your new exec.

Simon Paice

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5Photograph by Media Arcade

September 2013

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LIFESTYLESTAY SAFE IN FRESHERS / IN THE CITY / BEAT THE FRESHERS BLUES / SURVIVE A DIP IN THE OCEAN / INTERNATIONAL AND HOME STUDENTS

Fresher’s 2013 is fast approaching NTU, for those undergraduates who are preparing to move away from home for the first time it can be quite a daunting experience. So what can you do during fresher’s week on and off cam-pus?

There a load of stuff happening on campus dur-ing the day, firstly you’ll have your course induc-tion were you get to pick your modules for the year. Later in the week you’ll get the chance to join sports and social clubs at the fresher’s fair and on Saturday you’ll be competing against other blocks in Saturday antics.

So what is there to do in the day in Notting-ham? Firstly I’ll have to be a lad and mention the football, Nottingham breathes football, with the oldest professional club, Notts County and Nottingham Forest.

Nottingham is a huge shopping based city. With Bridlesmith gate featuring brands like Paul Smith, Jack Wills and Ted Baker. And the two shopping centres, Victoria centre and Broad-marsh, which have various shops. You can shop till you drop, hopefully not into that overdraft. Nottingham also includes The Corner House which is home to Cineworld cinema, Genting

casino, Just the tonic comedy club and various eateries. Located in the Lace Market is Capital FM arena which hosts gigs, comedy and more. Next door is the national ice skating arena where you can watch the Nottingham Panthers ice hockey team or just go for a skate about.

For those of you who feel slightly more sophis-ticated take a visit to Nottingham Playhouse, visit Nottingham castle, top at the foot of the castle for a pint at the Ye Old Trip to Jerusa-lem, Britain’s oldest pub, go underground in the caves or perhaps visit the Galleries of Justice for some good old corporal punishment tours.

This is just a small portion of stuff you can do in the day, there’s plenty more. So get yourselves out and explore! I highly recommend getting a tram and having a wonder to the outskirts of Nottingham, worst you can do is get lost and miss a lecture.

Connor Wooley

Nottingham Cars Taxi Trent work with Nottingham cars so you can rest assured you’ll get from doorstep to club safely, put their number in your phone so you can ring them whenever you need them 0115 9700700.

Register with doctorsSave the fuss and register when you enroll. City doctors - Radford Medical Practice 0115 848 6481 opens at 8amClifton doctors - Sunrise Medical Practice 0115 848 3100 at 8.30 amBrack - Southwell Medical Centre, The Rope-walk, Southwell, NG25 0AL 01636 813 561

NOW and NTU are your go to sites as they have all the information you should need regarding what’s going on at NTU, your course and everything you need to know.

One final reminder… store your new flatmates/housemates numbers - just in case you end up on your own it’s good to be able to contact them!

Freshers’ is undoubtedly an exciting time, however it’s important to stay safe par-ticularly if you’re in a new city. Here is a short guide of things to do to and num-bers to store in your phone to help keep you safe during your time at university…

NOTTINGHAMthings to do in things to do in

Photograph by Liv Williams Photograph by Liv Williams

S T A Y S A F E I NF R E S H E R S

September 2013

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Freshers’ week promises to be one of the most exciting times of your life: new sur-roundings, new friends and new opportuni-ties. But whilst this is true, it is very common and totally normal to struggle with adapting to life at university.Here are some tried and tested tips for combating the freshers’ blues.

Keep yourself busy. Perhaps start by hang-ing out in your flat’s communal areas to get to know your flatmates, and meet people with similar interests by joining societies. Universi-ty presents so many opportunities so be sure to get involved with new hobbies and always have something to keep yourself busy with.

Call home, but not too often. It’s a good idea to contact home regularly, but try not to spend hours on the phone every day: it’s important that you make an effort to build a home from home at university. Similarly, resist the tempta-tion to visit home during the first month: sticking around for the first few weeks is crucial for real-ly getting to grips with your new surroundings.

Establish a routine. Giving your new life some structure during your first term at university can really help get you settled in. Eg. You may have sports team training nights on Mondays, dance class on Tuesdays, Ocean social on a Wednesday.

Look after yourself. Although takeaways at 3 am are a student specialty, take time to cook yourself decent meals. Take breaks from al-cohol-driven escapades and do something non-alcohol related to give your body a rest.

Don’t bottle your feelings. Talk to your new friends about homesickness & you’ll strengthen new friendships or if you’re having a really tough time, make an appointment with student sup-port; they’ll help you with any worries you have.

Finally, just remember it takes time to adapt. There truly is a reason why university is re-nowned for being one of the best times of your life. There are so many amazing new experi-ences to be had during your time at NTU, so stay strong and positive, relax, and have fun!

CAMILLA STRIDER

beat the fresher’s blues MoRunning is calling on Nottingham runners to get their moustaches at the ready for the all new Nottingham MoRun, arriving in Wollaton Park on Saturday 23 November 2013.

MoRunning fever is spreading to Nottingham, bringing the popular fun and friendly running event to the city. There are 2000 places up for grabs and MoRunners can choose from a 5km or 10km route around the grounds of Wollaton Park.

The Nottingham MoRun is a non-competitive run for all ages and abilities, from complete be-ginners to experienced runners. Teams of fami-lies, friends and workmates are all welcome to join in and raise funds for funds for men’s health charities by fundraising for the event’s official charity, Movember.

Every MoRunner is encouraged to wear a mous-tache, whether stuck on, drawn on or carefully grown for Movember and there are prizes for the best fancy dress. Everyone who enters re-ceives a unique moustache medal, MoRunning headband, full race chip timing plus Movember goodies.

Along with Edinburgh and Leeds, Nottingham

is one of three new MoRunning locations in 2013, and there are now 11 MoRuns taking place in cities across the UK and Republic of Ireland during Movember.

As the official running partner of Movember charity, MoRunners are encouraged to raise sponsorship to support Movember and fun-draise for men’s health. In 2012, MoRunners raised an estimated £200,000 and in 2013 Mo-Running is aiming to raise over £400,000.

Entries cost £16 for 5km and £22 for 10km plus booking fee.

Runners can enter online at nottingham.mo-running.com

23rd September 2013Wollaton Park

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www.platform-online.net15THINGS EVERYTRENT

FRESHER

☐ Join a sports team or society

☐ Go to all the Varsity games against

UoN

☐ Get involved its RAG week in May

☐ Cook a homemade meal together

withyourflatmates

☐ Do a bar crawl with an Irish man...

and survive.

☐ Have a photograph on the Lion in

Market Square

☐ Complete an Ocean bar crawl and

actually make it to Ocean...

☐ Have a photograph with your society

or sports club on the Robin Hood

statue

☐ Go out on a night out and spend zero

money

☐ Have a bath in the fountains in

Market Square... (We’re joking)

☐ Go to a lecture in your Pyjamas

☐ Become pally with your tutors, you

may need it when you realise you’ve

missed all seminars on a Thursday

☐ Buy a Trent University hoody

☐ Create yourself a fancy dress box

☐ Get involved with your university

studentmedia:Platform,FLYand

Trent TV

Now you should know as a NTU fresher, there are certain things you MUSTdothroughoutyourfirstyearatTrent.

Pull out this guide and use it throughout the year to see how well you’re doing…

Make the most out of every opportunity whilst you are at Trent and you’llbeleavinginafewyears,afully-fledgedmemberoftheT.R.E.N.TArmy.

SHOULD DO

SOPHIE DAVIS

September 2013

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Ocean is a popular student nightclub among students of both of Nottingham’s uni-versities, offering special nights for each – with Trent taking over on Wednesdays.

“So what’s so special about this Ocean?” I hear the newbies ask? Well…nothing. It’s dirty, it smells, the music is terrible yet I’ve found myself returning week after week just as you all will too. Remember these survival tactics before your first Ocean adventure and you’ll get by just fine. You may even enjoy it.

OCEANStarting university is very exciting, but for some students it is entering unknown territory. But don’t fear, both international and home students can now rejoice in the knowledge that Not-tingham Trent has put in place many activities to ensure you can join in with university lifestyle with ease.

P R E D R I N KPlatform cannot actively encourage alco-hol consumption, however if you do decide to ignore all health warnings regarding the safely consumable number of weekly vodka units I can confirm that you will benefit from higher Ocean tolerance from the outset.

W E A R A D I S G U I S EOcean Wednesdays are all about the dress up. Where’s Wally, superheroes, ani-mals, 118, geeks, hippies – these are just some of the themes you may find your-self adhering to on a Wednesday night.

1

2

3 A V O I D T H E “R E D B U L L”Just trust me on this one.

L A D I E S: T A K E Y O U R O W N T O I L E T P A P E R H A N D S A N I T I Z E RIf after 30 minutes of waiting you man-age to bag yourself a cubicle, well done, but don’t expect it to have a lock, a seat, tissue or a working flush mechanism.

S A M B U C A I S N O T Y O U R F R I E N DAnd never forget it.

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S U R V I V E A D I P I N T H E

H E A T H E R C O L L I E R

INTERNATIONAL

JADE HILLIER

CITY CAMPUSStudent Services Centre, Newton Building

16th -20th – 11:00 until 15:0021st- 22nd- 10:00 until 15:0023rd – 27th- 11:00 until 15:00

CLIFTON CAMPUSLee Westwood Sports centre

20th, 23rd and 24th – 11:00 until 15:00 21st and 22nd- 10:00 until 15:00

For international students, ‘Welcome Points’ have been set up for you to visit upon your ar-rival. To find out more about the international student welcome events and to have any ques-tions answered about life at Nottingham Trent pop down to:

The international student welcome events in-clude a trip to Wollaton Park, Sunday brunch, a treasure hunt, a student BBQ, a bowling trip and much more. There are also a set of student reps which will be assigned to you when you get to fresher’s week, to make sure you can enjoy all of the night life that the city of Not-tingham has to offer.

For students that are not living in halls you also have the opportunity to go to a barbeque with

live music, orientation talks, and you will be provided with an early evening meeting space so you can socialise before a night out during fresher’s week. You will also be assigned stu-dent reps that will give you a night time meet-ing point to ensure you remain involved.

The most important thing to remember when starting university is to have fun, and be your-self. You will have an unforgettable time. Good luck!

A N D H O M E S T U D E N T S

September 2013



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ROCK CITYBoasting a capacity of over 2,000, the legendary Rock City is Nottingham’s biggest gigging venue. Bands from all over the world travel to this historic club, so it’s the place to be if you’re looking to see bands at the top of their game. 8 TALBOT STREET, NOTTINGHAM, NG1 5GG

RESCUE ROOMSRescue Rooms is the perfect destination to catch some of the UK’s most upcoming and prom-ising bands. Rescue Rooms is a place that will no doubt be-come very familiar over the coming months. 25 GOLDSMITH STREET, NOTTINGHAM, NG1 5LB

THE MAZEAt the top of Mansfield Road lies The Maze; a small venue which plays host to a number of local Nottingham bands. The likes of Jake Bugg and Dog Is Dead were regulars at this intimate venue in the embryonic stages of their respective careers. 257 MANSFIELD ROAD, NOTTING-HAM, NG1 3FT

BODEGABodega is one of Nottingham’s best venues for intimate gigs. The intimacy can often make it feel like you’re on stage per-forming with the band. 23 PEL-HAM STREET, NOTTINGHAM, NG1 2ED

MILES KANEOctober 3rd

AftertouringwiththeArcticMonkeys,theWirral-born singer has played a series of

criticallyacclaimedsell-outshows.£17.50, Rock City

RobinMurray&HarryHammett

NINA NESBITTOctober 19th

Nina is the latest to break onto the scene with her brilliant ‘Stay Out’ and has since followed up with the equally impressive

‘Way In The World’. Check her out. £9.50, Rescue Rooms

CLEAN BANDITOctober 20th

If you thought fusing classical music with house with pop was impossible, think again.

£9.50, Bodega

H.I.M.October 26th

They are one of the biggest selling rock bandsinFinnishhistory(they’reonlyjust

behind Metallica in terms of record sales!) Well worth seeing!

£20, Rock City

ALUNA GEORGE October 30th

CombiningFrancis’dulcettoneswithtwist-ed, spiralling synths seems to have done the trick for the duo, who will no doubt dazzle.

Rock City. £13, Rock City

THE DILLINGERESCAPE PLAN

November 9thThere is no band on earth quite like this,

as they perform songs that are so painfully complex.

£13.50, Rock City

VENUESBEST

FOR LIVE MUSIC IN NOTTINGHAM

If live music is your thing, then you’ve come to the right city. In arecent survey

carried out by the Performing Rights Society, Nottingham was voted as the third best place in

the UK for live gigs, beating London which is in 5th. Here are just some of the best venues for gigs in Nottingham.

Nottingham has a thriving bass scene. Whether you’re into drum & bass, house, garage or reggae, you’ll find a night that’ll get your bassy taste buds tingling. Here are some of the best:

DETONATENottingham’s prime night for drum & bass fans. It usually takes place on the last Fri-day of every month at Stealth, hosting labels from Hospital Records to Metal-headz.

DOLLOPThere is no doubt you will soon find your-self at a Dollop night if you’re a house fan. Dollop is arguably the most anticipated night in Nottingham, so be sure to get your ticket early or face missing out on what is sure to be a top night.

nights for base lovers

G I G Sup-coming

IN NOTTINGHAM

MUSICUP-COMING GIGS IN NOTTINGHAM / BEST VENUES FOR LIVE MUSIC IN NOTTINGHAM

RobinMurray&HarryHammett

September 2013



GAMING &TECHNOLOGYWRITING FOR THE GAMING SECTION / A GAMING GUIDE TO NOTTINGHAM

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So What Do We Do?At Gaming and Tech we aim to provide our readers with a host of gaming and technology related articles designed to advise, entertain and all around expand the experience peo-ple have with their beloved gadgets and pass times. We have everything from reviews and opinion pieces to news and previews, all cov-ering video games, game culture and technol-ogy, all of which are written by our team of dedicated writers.

Why Should I Read Gaming and Tech Arti-cles?As much as possible our articles try and pro-vide a fresh and original outlook on the gam-ing and tech based industries. Furthermore, we are always looking for new ways to make what we do even more exciting and appealing to our readers.

Why Should I Get Involved?Gaming and Tech offers people a chance to share theirs about something they are pas-sionate for. Got something that truly annoys you in games? Or something you love and feels deserves praise? Then become a writer and tell people. Not only that but it is also great to put down on your CV, especially if you have plans about going into a creative writing based industry.

How Do I Become a Writer?Becoming a writer is simple. Just get in touch with us, either by speaking with us personally or via our Facebook group ‘Platform Gaming and Tech 2013/ 2014’, give us an example of your writing and if we like it, you’re in.

For fans of video games Nottingham is a city that has got you covered. Whether you’re wanting to buy, sell, play or learn about video games there’s a place that for you. But where are these places? And what events are there for the avid gamer? Well that’s what this little guide is for, a break-down of the where’s and when’s to keep you on the right track.

Buying, selling and trading:There are two Game stores within easy access of the city campus; one located on the Old Mar-ket Square and the other in the equally close Victoria shopping centre. For those after more of a bargain the Victoria Centre also houses Granger Games, where competitive prices are offered and there is a CEX store just off of the Old Market Square.

Playing:For those looking to play and talk about their games with somebody the Nottingham Trent Gamer society offers just this, a friendly envi-ronment for both hard-core and casual players. More information can be found at:http://www.trentstudents.org/groups/gamer/nav/nottingham-trent-gamer-society

Events:Nottingham plays host to a number of gam-ing events. Some events such as GameCity

are annual events while others are held more frequently. This is a break-down of when and where these events will be taking place for any-one who should wish to attend.

GameCity Nights- Antenna, Nottingham: GameCity Nights take place on the last Thurs-day of the month, from 6pm-11pm. The events offer people the chance to explore games and gaming culture in a relaxed and adult environ-ment, with guests, demonstrations and much more. http://nights.gamecity.org/

Bring Your Own Bangers- Bodega Social Club, Nottingham:Held every Monday, this event allows fans of retro gaming to bring along their old devices and play them in the company of like-minded people while listening to music.More information at: http://www.bodeganot-tingham.com/

GameCity8- All over Nottingham:By far the city’s biggest gaming event, GameCity has for the last 8 years invaded Not-tingham during the month of October (19-26). With literally tonnes of gaming related activi-ties on the table, from previews, demos and educational courses. It is sure to be the best GameCity yet and a definite must for any fans of gaming. More information at: http://gamecity.org/

Tom Beresford

w r i ti n g f o rTHE GAMING SECTION

Tom Beresford

2 3a g a m i n g g u i d e to

NOTTINGHAM

September 2013



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FASHION &BEAUTYFANCY DRESS IN FRSHERS WEEK / BEAUTY TIPS IN FRESHERS WEEK

Freshers has arrived. A new city, new people and a chance to let your hair down after the stress of moving into halls. However, we all know that alcohol can cause horrific hango-vers and serious skin issues. So, here are some cheap and easy ways to stay looking fresh in Freshers.

Your parents are bound to have bought you plenty of fruit and veg to go in your uni fridge – probably in the fear that you are going to live off junk for the next three years. Rather than using it in a salad for the sake of taking a picture to send to your Mum, why not use it as a way to feel fresh after a night out? It has anti-inflammatory properties and can leave your skin looking and feeling fresh. Chuck a few slices on your eyes to defeat those tell-tale signs of a heavy night and use on your skin to keep you looking fresh.

You can only make a first impression once and Freshers is certainly the time for first impres-sions – everyone wants to look their best, and for many girls this means false eyelashes. Af-ter many nights of wrestling with falsies to get them to actually stay in place, your real lashes could end up feeling damaged. The so-lution? Gently remove all traces of mascara and eyelash glue and apply a layer of Vaseline to your lashes. It is perfect for protecting and strengthening lashes and the glossy shine can even make them appear longer.

Late nights and one too many Sambucca’s can easily lead to a spot big enough to warrant its own postcode. The best way to combat this is something that every fresher can afford (main-

ly because it’s free) and that’s water. Drinking plenty of water will not only rehydrate you af-ter a night out, but will also help to keep your skin in decent condition. Some people even swear by drinking water before you go to bed to stop a hangover the next day. Anything is worth a try, ey?

So before you rush off to spend your student loan on something to keep you looking fresh – remember to raid the fridge first!

Everyone knows what the first week of uni-versity life is like; it’s all studying, library vis-its and quiet nights in nights out, hangovers and, of course, fancy dress. In the past year I have seen all sorts of fancy dress outfits, and I’m sure this year will be no different!

The one place in Nottingham that will fill all of your fancy dress needs is Luvyababes in the Victoria Centre; whether you need banana sunglasses or a mask of Prince Charles this place will have it.

The most important fancy dress night is Trent Army. This night can be done on a very low budget, especially if you buy in advance. All you need is Poundland face-paint and a me-

tre of camo fabric for £1.99 off Ebay to be wrapped around heads, legs, arms, and any other limb. Voila, you are a Trent Army soldier.

The beach party is where you can really let your imagination run wild! If you are on a budget then a bikini, shorts and Hawaiian Leis is all you need. But you don’t have to play it safe this night, by far the best costume I saw was an octopus (lots of padded out tights if you are interested!) so don’t be worried to stand out.

So that’s it, every night can be done on a budget, you just have to get a bit creative! Hit up Ebay and of course ‘Primarni’ to get you through each night on a mere £10; leaving more pennies for jagerbombs and shots!

India Stowe

fancy dressin fresher’s week

Bec Burnage

Photograph by Sayuri Standing

beauty tipsbudget

September 2013



CULTURE & ENTSTOP TV OF THE SUMMER / GUIDE TO NOTTINGHAM

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LTU

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Top of the LakeMad Men’s Elizabeth Moss stars in this New Zea-land set, Twin Peaks-esque crime mystery show. Watch out for a second season as things con-tinue to become darker and stranger.

LutherLuther’s terrifying third season reminds us just why Idris Elba should be remembered for more than just his role as Stringer Bell in The Wire. Also, Ruth Wilson’s Alice Morgan gives us the most weirdly engaging psychopath on TV since Dexter.

The ReturnedLike Top of the Lake, this French horror series has a creepy David Lynch vibe to it. It also has a fantastic soundtrack by Mogwai.

Breaking BadThe final eight episodes of Vince Gilligan’s mas-terful drama have, so far, not disappointed. It goes without saying that if you’ve yet to start watching Breaking Bad stop what you’re doing, disregard everything and go and watch it.

Arrested DevelopmentNow that the hype-dust has settled around the Netflix-exclusive release, it may not have had as many laughs as it used to, but it is still way above the standard of the average TV comedy.

The NewsroomThe second season of Aaron Sorkin’s latest show takes a darker turn, but has still retained its wit and charm. For fans of The West Wing and shows like it, The Newsroom is a must watch.

SHOPPINGNottingham’s Vintage Stores Nottingham is in the UK’s top 10 destinations for shopping and there’re a handful of good value vintage stores around Lace Market, including COW and Backlash. Watch out for Lou Lou’s Vintage Fair throughout the year.Oxfam Books and Music, Market Street This is a go to when you’re inevitably running low on cash and need a book for your course. You can find material on pretty much any subject here for as little as £1. Oh yeah, and they have an awesome record collection too.

CULTURENottingham Playhouse Boasts a diverse range of shows. September productions include stage adaptations of 1984 and A Clockwork Orange. They also host Music Mondays which showcase the best of up and coming local bands. Notting-ham Contemporary Whether you’re an arts stu-dent or not, this is a great place to go if you’re in need of inspiration and entry is completely FREE! Be a Tourist and take a trip to Notting-ham Castle or Nottingham Contemporary.

NIGHTS OUT You’ve come to the right city! From Forum on a Monday to Rock City Thursdays there are a lots of great clubs in Nottingham. Or head to the home of delicious cocktail creations, Coco Tang particularly on a Wednesday for great student offers. There are also venues such as Market Bar or try Baa Bar, a shot bar in Hockley. For a more extensive guide visit Platform’s website.

EATING OUTFade The Hard To Find Cafe on Mansfield Road is the place to go to for proper food at a good price (mains start at £5.95). They also have live bands and comedians in the evenings. After a few weeks on a diet of noodles and baked beans, a hunger will begin which can only be quenched by gorging upon unlimited food at a set price eg. Peachy Keen’s on Upper Parlia-ment Street which offers pretty much anything you can name.

AND IF YOU’RE BORED...Nottingham has just started a bike scheme, for just £4 for the day or £5 for the week you can cycle around. We recommend a bike ride up to Wollaton Park - the home of Batman.

Lilly Brannan, Sophie Colquhoun & Shara Samra

In the city

The summer has been full of disappointing Disney flops, and predictably awful comedies on the big screen. The small screen however, has been a goldmine of brilliant acting, writing and direction from around the world. Here’s a list of some of the best examples of this that have emerged over the summer.

Josh Giltrap

Photograph by Liv Williams

T O PTVof the

summer

September 2013



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SPORTSPORT IN NOTTINGHAM / WAN T TO PLAY SPORT AT NTU?

So you’ve just left home and all of your familiar surroundings. In Fresher’s Week you’ll become accustomed to the nights out, the shops, the uni – but what about those of you pining for live sport? Luckily, you’ve picked the right city.

Nottingham boasts the closest footballing derby in England, with Nottingham Forest and Notts County separated by just 0.7 miles. Forest are the bigger of the two having won consecutive Eu-ropean Cups in the 1970’s, and their iconic City Ground home is a real sight to behold.

On the other side of the river are indeed Notts County, the oldest professional football team in the world. The Magpies may play one tier below their city rivals, but Meadow Lane provides one of the best atmospheres in the league when packed.

But if you don’t love football, then don’t worry – you can still visit Meadow Lane. The ground is shared with Nottingham Rugby Club with match-es often played on Sundays, providing decent entertainment if you want to see bone-crunching tackles. Nottingham also hosts the British Elite

League ice hockey champions in the Nottingham Panthers, if you’re looking for something differ-ent to watch. The Panthers play at the Capital FM Arena and won the title for the first time in nearly 50 years last season, and with one of the largest fan bases in the sport offer a brilliant atmosphere.

Of course there’s also Trent Bridge, just yards from Nottingham Forest’s City Ground. The ven-ue, which hosted an Ashes Test this summer, is usually home to Nottinghamshire Outlaws who are one of England’s leading county sides.

With some of countries largest sports clubs based in the city, it’s easy to forget the sporting event that matters most to Trent students – varsity. Un-fortunately, Uni Of have got incredibly lucky for the last two years and beaten us, but this is our year. We face off against ‘that lot from Beeston’ at a number of sports, ranging from football to la-crosse, cricket to American football. Some of the events take place at venues like Meadow Lane and the Capital FM Arena, and are a brilliant night out. Whatever you do, don’t miss the ice hockey clash – for some, the biggest night in the academic year.

Photograh by Media Arcade

Opportunities define university. There’s so many, and they’re so varied, but sport argu-ably offers the most - especially at Notting-ham Trent. Whether you’re heading to uni as a seasoned sportsman or woman on your home patch, or coming with the idea of taking up something completely new, you’ll find all you want across the Clifton, City and Brackenhurst campuses.

Paddy Atkinson, the Student Union’s union ex-ecutive for all things sport, knows what he’s talking about. He says “getting involved with a sports club at Trent is one of the best things you can do at uni! And with over 50 different clubs to choose from everyone will find a club that suits them.”

And there really is over 50 clubs. From your expected sports like football and rugby, right the way down to your unexpected belly danc-ing and ultimate frisbee, if you’re coming to uni with the intention of joining a club, you really have no excuse at Trent. They even class darts as a sport here. Honestly.

For many students though, the best bit about being in a sports club comes after the final

whistle is blown, the showers are switched off and the kit’s on the way to the laundry... Be-cause that’s when the night out can begin. Pad-dy agrees: “I’m not going to lie, the social ben-efits of being involved with sport is one of the main reasons I joined a club. Teams get into the most ridiculous fancy dress costumes and head on a bar crawl ending up at Ocean.” If you do indeed join a club - or, to be honest, even if you don’t - you will come to know and love Ocean.

It’s not all about freshers either. If you have never quite got round to joining a sports club as yet, whether you’re going into year two, three or even starting a masters course, it’s not too late. And also, if you fancy a change of sport, then why not have a go! “The majority of clubs welcome students who have never tried that particular sport before,” explains Paddy. “All students should try and go to as many taster sessions as possible; there will be a sport that stands out above the rest.”

You’ve got the perfect chance and opportunity to do something completely different, make new friends and travel to new places. University really is all about opportunities and there won’t be many better than these. Grasp them.

George Solomon

NTUWANT TO PLAY SPORT AT

NOTtSport in

inghamSAM WILDMAN

September 2013

www.trentstudents.org 28www.trentstudents.org

Platform Magazine - Fresher's Edition 4

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Transcript of Platform Magazine - Fresher's Edition 4