Volume 2 Issue 3

Z a y e d U n i v e r s i t y C o l l e g e o f C o m m u n i c a t i o n a n d M e d i a S c i e n c e s

Editor's Letter

Contributors

This issue , Escapade is bringing you its latest edition with a green twist. Escapade has gone eco-friendly for this issue. Papers used to print this issue have been recycled. I would like to dedicate this page to the environment. We are very sorry to have cut down forests and used endless amount of paper. We are sorry that we disregarded the fact that paper is worth a lot more than we could have ever imagined. We are sorry to have been so ignorant. We hope by creating this Escapade in a green manner we will influence the rest of the ZU body to do the same. To all you Escapaders, reduce, reuse and recycle; we have heard it so many times it’s time to do something about it. Next time you are printing an assignment , click on double sided and save paper. If you have no longer use of any piece of paper place it in the ZEIN recycle bins located around campus.

Note: Escapde wants you to contribute in any way you can as well as looking for a new team, please contact escapade.editor@zu.ac.ae for more information.

Fatma Al GhaithEditor-In-Chief

Fatma Al Ghaith

Editor-In-ChiefFatma Al Ghaith

Co-EditorShoaq Al Fardan

Design Coordinators

Amira HabibMeera Al Siri

SupervisorWill McCarthy

Abdulrahman AlmarzooqiAmel Mohammed

Arwa Al MazrooeiFatema Al SayeghHamda Ali Al FalasiHunoof HamadKhadija AlAbbasKhadija HadiMaitha Al GergawiMaryam Al NumairyNoor Al Fardan

Nouf Abdelghani Raja Abduljabbar Rishi AvalaShamma Ahmad

Designers Aisha TahnoonKhadija Hadi

Khawla Al Zarouni

ContributorsAbdulrahman AlmarzooqiAmel Mohammed

Arwa Al MazrooeiFatema Al SayeghHamda Ali Al FalasiHunoof HamadKhadija AlAbbasKhadija HadiMaitha Al GergawiMaryam Al NumairyNoor Al Fardan

Nouf Abdelghani Raja Abduljabbar Rishi AvalaShamma Ahmad

Designers Aisha TahnoonKhadija Hadi

Khawla Al Zarouni

10.10.10A date with the

environment (1) The New Sheriff In Town (2)

Zumi (3) PALs the Pathway to success (4)

Memoirs of a ZU freshman (5)Memoirs of another ZU freshman (6)

No Women with Ambition, Please (7) “Las Princesas del baloncesto” (8)Noor Ali Rashid (9)Student Council ’10-’11 (10)

Hot collaborations (11)Fall Trends (12)

Huda H. Kattan (13) MSG The Food Nicotine (14)

Useless Facts (15) 10 must-have apps for

ipad (16) 10 effortless ways

to become and A student (17)Fat Burner (18)

Contents

(19)

10.10.10A date with the environmentBy Fatma Al Ghaith

On a date that will only happen every 1000 years, the Zayed Environmental Impact Network (ZEIN) collaborated with 350.org to launch the “Global Environmental Salon, Consume Wisely” on 10.10.10 at Zayed University, Dubai.

Renowned Environmental leaders attended the conference including HE Sheikh Abdul Aziz ALNuaimi and. Mr. Kenneth Volk, Head of Outreach Programs at Masdar.

It was a day to celebrate climate solutions. The goal of The Global Environmental Salon is to bring many communities together on the same platform to raise awareness and reduce their emissions. Rishi Avala, ZEIN participant, said “The much awaited event was welcomed with all the enthusiasm by all of us, the auditorium looked stunning.” Dr. Sulaiman Al Jassim, Vice President of Zayed University, gave a speech in Arabic. Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al Nuamai, known as “Green Sheikh” delivered a motivational speech at the event about the impact of the increasing levels of carbon dioxide on climatic change.

The event was focused on raising awareness about 350ppm and solutions for the climate crisis. The second phase of the day was workshops by green companies who demonstrated hands on practical solutions to reduce carbon footprint. Avala said, “the most informative and knowledgeable resources were

discussed. We really appreciated all the companies to come forward and educate all of us.”

Leading international environmentalists Roz Savage and Robert Swan sent a DVD recording to participate in the event. Savage was the first person to sail across the Atlantic Ocean on a boat made from plastic bottles and Swan was the first person to walk both the North and South Pole.Avala hopes he can come back

again next year with many actions and activities to share. “Let us all start working from now, let us reduce our emissions and have a true work party in the coming year!” Rishi Avala said.

N o u f Abdelghani, Director of Development at ZEIN, said “ZEIN is committed to developing and leading practical projects at the local, national and international levels that will serve to reduce energy and water consumption”. She added, ZEIN focuses on 4 sectors, policy, recycling, transport, and conservation. “The Policy sector will work

with organizations, with the aim of drafting policies that will ensure the continuity of environmental stewardship”.

The Recycling Sector works with clients to implement a profitable recycling scheme. ZEIN also studies alternative transport solutions. Abdelghani states, “The aim of ZEIN is to reduce the reliance on single occupancy car usage.” The Conservation Sector focuses on reducing water and electricity usage.

ZEIN was born on October 2009 by a group of students and Dr Usama Al Alami, Associate Professor in the College of Health Sciences.

The much awaited event was

welcomed with all the enthusiasm

by all of us, the auditorium looked

stunningRishi Avala

Rishi Avala, Nouf Abdelghani (left, right)

Photo by Raja Abduljabbar

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The New Sheriff In Town

There’s a new sheriff in town, and she’s packing. Her name is Renee and goes by the title of Associate Dean of the CCMS. She strode in at the perfect time; while the CCMS is transitioning into a new era. We were all waiting with bated breath to see how our new Assistant Dean will match up to the one we all knew and loved, Dr. Ron Wolfe, and she has not disappointed.

With a Bachelor’s degree with a double major in English and Mass Communication, as well as a Masters degree and a PHD in Communication, all from the University of Delaware, Dr. Renee is perfect for our Communication College.

Dr. Renee was struck with the architecture and design of Zayed University, calling the atrium much more beautiful than the universities in the US, but her first actual impression of the inhabitants of the university was meeting the Hala girls at the beginning of the semester. One of the things that impressed her was the college’s partnership with “du” and ZUMI, yet we still managed to engulf her with the craziness that is add/drop week, factoring in curriculum transition, with 25 girls easily lined up every hour.

She has come from a co-ed background with her experience in teaching being in the US, so it was a little challenging dealing with an all-female student body and having the university act as your parent, as opposed to universities in the U.S who allow their students more

freedom. Because of this, there might be a possibility of senior self-registration next year. Although the Emirati culture isn’t easy to grasp, it does affect the difference in dealing with students here and the ones back in the US.

“Ron has prepared me well for most of this.” We have Dr. Ron to thank for not giving our new Assistant Dean such a shock upon being thrust into the bubble that is ZU. Without his constant persuasive discussions on coming to Dubai and ZU, she wouldn’t be here right now.

For Dr. Renee, there is much she wants to accomplish in the college. Creating a brand and logo for the CCMS to help market it to the university and help build student enrollment, as well as organizing the college and access to equipment is on top of the list. But top priority goes to smoothing out the transition of curriculum and getting accreditation.

The biggest change happening in the CCMS is the overhaul of curriculum, and Dr. Renee has come at just the right time to help the transition go ahead smoothly. So what’s the deal with the new curriculum?

The new curriculum has been designed with accreditation from The Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) in mind. Zayed University

aims to become an internationally recognized university, and gaining this accreditation will get the college and the university ahead. The change to the four new specializations will allow for accreditation as well as creating more job opportunities.

AEJMC is asking for a more liberal program and this is what one of the biggest differences between the old curriculum and the new one is. The new curriculum has a solid base in liberal arts as the students will have more electives to take outside the college, while the core programs will give the students the skills they need. The four new specializations are:

• Converged Media: combines print, broadcast and web to develop new digital media systems and to update existing media products• Visual Communication: develops students’ visual storytelling through still photography, digital video and audio. • Integrated StrategicCommunication: combines public relations, advertising, promotion and marketing in the planning and execution of communication programs and campaigns.• Tourism and CulturalCommunication: prepares student to become communication experts in the tourism, heritage and culture related industries in the U.A.E and worldwide.

We’re very excited to have you on board Dr. Renee, and hope good

things lie ahead for the college.

By Shoaq Al Fardan

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ZUMI is the Zayed University Media Initiative. It is a state of the art center located in Dubai Media City that serves academia, the media industry and students.

Giorgio Ungania, Creative Director of ZUMI, describes ZUMI as a single place where a lot of things can be achieved through seminars and workshops while relying on the internet as a main feature.

Z U M I ’ s mission is to incubate new ideas that push the notion of what is possible through the latest media technologies and distribution paths. Zayed University’s media students and members of the business and creative strategists community are selected to develop innovative projects while learning and exploring new avenues of online digital communications.

From international webinars and teleconferencing, to new Internet centered training courses, livestreams and innovative digital media production; ZUMI will offer to media providers, technology manufacturers and media professionals a space to launch new products, express ideas, and create conversation around media production and consumption.

ZUMI’s first big project will be managing the You Tube channel for Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF). The You Tube channel is one of the main media components for DIFF. A team of Zayed University media students will produce the content that will go online. This ambitious project will be a new experience for students to use new media. Individuals

from around the world can look at real time coverage as opposed to post coverage. Students will be editing and uploading videos onto the YouTube channel of what happens during the international

festival. Ungania also adds, “this is a tremendous opportunity for students”.

ZUMI also offers intensive training programs that will rely

on online media as a marketing strategy. You Tube will be a key component for ZUMI.

ZUMI offers an opportunity for training on span of 1 or 2-3 days at a low cost. The first training program will be held November 1st . The training program will be “Switch2Mac”.

Ungania sees this as a kick-start program for people that have recently gotten a Mac computer. ZUMI is collaborating with Apple to jumpstart the training program. The program, which will run regularly, will tackle a Mac newbie’s first problem, which is the switch from PC to Mac. There are around 13 seats per session, and the session runs from 9-5pm. Future training programs will include tourism and how to use the Internet to foster tourism.

Tackle technology with a smileGiorgio Ungania

This is a tremendous

opportunity for students

Giorgio Ungania

By Fatma Al Ghaith

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The Peer Assistance Leaders Support Program (PALs) has been launched by the Office of Enrollment management at Zayed University to help students navigate their way to success while playing an important role in the Academic development of their peers.

Peer Assistance Leaders ( PALs) Support is based on the belief that highly academic and motivated students can play an important role in the academic development of their peers. They are available to strengthen the impact of academic success when students work together. With this type of joint partnership between peers, better academic decisions are made by students.

PALs provides additional support to Zayed University students. It is set up to coexist and complement with existing student support mechanisms in the university. The PALs mission is to provide undergraduate students with accurate assistance to help them fulfill their academic and career goals. The overall PALs goal is to allow students to take advantage of the knowledge and experience of the upper level students. It will also help the students to become more self aware of themselves and the university and encourage better interaction within the university.

To be a member of PALs you have to meet the minimum requirements: The student must have a good academic standing with a minimum GPA of 2.5 and minimum of 3 semesters in the university. Eligible students need to demonstrate excellent academic and personal management skills. The student involved should also be enthusiastic, self motivated and supportive of the program.

Being a member of PALs is important, it demonstrates leadership and community commitment. Students generally find it helpful to speak with a fellow student when they are concerned with any university issues, or about their academic work.

For more information on the PALs

program or to apply for PALs please

contactPals@zu.ac.ae

the Pathway to successBy Amel Mohammed

PALs

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Memoirs of a ZU freshmanBy Hamda Ali Al Falasi

I put my hands on my face and lowered my head in an attempt to shake away the unnecessary fears. I looked at my cousin, who was sitting beside me in the car, to find reassurance. Something to tell me that it’s ok and that there’s nothing to worry about. Her expression: blank. She must be experiencing the same feelings as mine. I lay my head on the window and I started thinking about what lies ahead. I imagined myself lost in the university’s corridors; trying to look for classes but can’t find them. I imagined myself confused in a classroom not understanding a word the professor says.

All these scary imaginations bottling up inside my head made me realize that I’m not entering a safe realm. “It’s going to be something completely different from what I’ve experienced in my past seventeen years,” I said to myself. It

won’t have the school’s sense of security;

the place I called my

second home. It won’t have the warmth of my friend’s hugs and smiles, the friends whom I call sisters. It won’t have the easy-going relationship I had with my teachers and principles, since they are all familiar with me for they have taught me ever since I was a child. Now, it’s professors who might not even have the chance to memorize my name since they’re going to be busy teaching many other classes.

Suddenly, the commotion increased inside my head. I still

don’t know what I want to major in; I don’t know how my interests are going to help me build a solid foundation for my future. I felt sick; I didn’t want my driver to reach the university. I’m not ready for this; I’m still young. I’m still the girl who switches on her Playstation and plays for hours, I’m still the girl who makes a mess in her room ad expects it to be clean by the time she comes back. I’m still the girl who runs crying to her mother when facing a problem, I don’t want responsibilities and I don’t want to grow up.

I stopped for a second, and I thought to myself: “Why am I focusing only on the negatives and

not on the positives?” This might be a new experience but it doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad one, it’s up to me to make it a meaningful learning journey. I am the one who decides how these four years will influence my life. This doesn’t have to be the end of twelve beautiful years in school, but the beginning of four new exciting ones. This is going to be the first steps I take toward the future I have been waiting for, to make a positive difference in the world by excelling in what I do best. No one expects me to grow up over night, I’ll take my time in exploring my options and more importantly myself.

I t ’ s okay to be puzzled, after all, we’re all imperfect humans and we all have doubts. I did it again, I let my foolish side get the best of me and fill me up with all these silly suspicions, I laughed at myself and voila, a sudden mood shift! I got out of the car and headed towards the university like a champion eagerly awaiting her prize. This is where my story unfolds; This is the beginning of my new beginning!

Why am I focusing only on the negatives

and not on the positives?

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Memoirs of ZU freshman^anOther

We were very impressed with the campus from the very beginning but what truly amazed us was how welcoming the administration and faculty were. With such a first impression, we had already begun to feel that we are indeed in good hands within these grounds.

Even though we were already informed about the Academic Bridge Program, a program that aids students in need of stronger English language skills, we were still somewhat concerned about how professors would interact with us in means of support, attention, and understanding, especially since there are many universities that have a low level of tolerance with struggling students. Fortunately, this concern was soon diminished due to the obvious: the faculty and staff showed high levels of patience and care to us as individuals and as classes as a whole. We were also given information about where and who to go to in matters such as financial aid and advice.

It was surprising when we first found out that not only has Zayed University started to accept male students, but also students from different countries other than the UAE. This would be quite useful for the national student population within campus and the international population. It is important that all the people who reside within this country,

locals or expats, are presented the opportunity to interact together and to be able to learn more from each other on practically a daily basis.

Last but not least, we would like to thank ZU for giving most of us the chance and ability to work in support of our financial states and study in support of our academic progress. For this, we are indeed grateful.

By Abdulrahman Almarzooqi

We had already begun to feel that we are indeed in good hands within these

grounds.

One of the most difficult decisions an Emirati woman can make today isn’t whether she should invest in a Chanel or an Hermes bag, or whether ditching her BlackBerry and opting for an iPhone would grant her peace of mind. Not even close. It’s wheth-er she should receive her higher education at home or abroad. Such a decision has the potential to rock her world, and she may one day live to regret her deci-sion, whichever one she chooses.

Putting aside the quality of education she would receive here compared to that of abroad, an Emirati woman risks facing society’s cold shoulder and the heat from that magnifying glass perched high above her head. Most importantly, an Emirati woman may reduce her chances of finding a husband and settling down which counts as a major accomplishment one can make in Emirati and Arab society, as well as being a crucial rite of pas-sage.

In most cases, an unmar-ried Emirati woman returning home after studying abroad for an average of 4 years won’t al-ways be welcomed with open arms. Instead, she faces disdain, scorn, and condescension from members of society, be it to her face or behind her back. It may be harsh, but the reality is that such a woman is now seen as a role model for young and up-coming ambitious ladies of what not to do. Some may say that her ambition cost her her chances of finding a husband.

Others may argue that it is not the matter of ambition that is causing them growing concern. After all, being ambi-tious is an honorable trait. The root of the problem, however, is the –sometimes-unrealistic– ex-pectations of potential grooms of what their wives should be. Spending a portion of your life, no matter how small it is, abroad without parental supervision can immediately put a woman on a potential suitor’s blacklist.

Let’s not forget that in the Emir-ati culture, perception is every-thing. Young women studying abroad are generally perceived as being westernized, too open-minded and liberated, and not in the good sense.

An article in The National titled “Emirati Men Shun Wom-en Who Study Abroad”, penned by Amna Al Haddad highlight-ed the points I just mentioned,

No Women

Pleasewith

By Fatema Al Sayegh

Ambition,

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and then some very confusing (for lack of a better word) rea-sons as to why women who have studied abroad are in social Si-beria. The fact that a woman who has studied abroad not only comes back home with a higher-education degree under her Aba-ya but with a strengthened sense of independence escapes the typical male Emirati. The Emi-rati men who were interviewed for the article made some, in my opinion, laugh-worthy reasons as to what compels an Emirati woman to study abroad. Yes, a double standard does exist in this matter. One would see the beaming face of a young Emirati male who has returned home after receiving a Bachelor’s De-gree from a university abroad in the local newspaper. If it were a woman instead, everything would be more hush-hush.

For the sake of an argu-ment, most Emirati men who oppose a woman’s education abroad would have you believe that spending an average of 4 years abroad would somehow diminish her Emirati identity and loyalty to her home. Simply speaking, 4 years abroad would overcome the 17-odd years she spent living in the U.A.E. Howev-er, it has been proved in a study by Samineh Shaheem from the Human Relations Institute at the Knowledge Village that the time young Emirati’s live abroad only enhances and strengthens their Emirati identity rather than weaken it.

I’d swear that the whole basis of this tug-of-war revolves around the good, the bad and the ugly of empowering a woman.

I mean, what husband would want his wife to be more suc-cessful than he is? What husband would want his wife to be the one who wears the Kandoura in the relationship? I’m going out on a limb and say not many, if not at all. Which is why women studying abroad acts as her platform to be all that she can be and to achieve the success she ventured out in

the world for. Who knows? Life never goes as planned, so who’s to determine that she’d find herself a suitor if she bottled up her ambition, threw it aside and stayed home? What scares suit-ors the most isn’t that she wants to study abroad, but that she can, and she very well knows it.

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Your attention please ladies and gentlemen, this is a boarding call for flight ZU2010 from “Dubai, BetterWatchOut” to “Valencia, OhGodHelpUs”, doors closing in 3-2-1. The 29th of September was the day we said “bon voyage” to our precious basketball team with our hearts filled with pride, joy and love, and off they went to take part in the 12th IFIUS World Inter University games to make the UAE proud.

The first ball to go into the hoop of extinction was their fear. No more fear! With their skills and talents they played and their hearts beating with excitement they led. They might have not won a title, but nonetheless they have done it again. They put the UAE on the map of the basketball world. Last year, the 11th IFIUS World Interuniversity games took place in Italy, making them the only GCC country to take part in the competition. This year was different; this year was an achievement, Zayed University’s basketball team was the only Arab team to participate in the 12th IFIUS World Interuniversity games. They are also the only national team in the UAE formed only by Emarati women, unlike other national teams that bring their players from all around the globe.

The opening day was when they played against Turkey, the first out of five games they played, followed by Italy, Spain, Russia, and Belgium. Compared to last year’s scores, this year has been close to the cut, with the other teams

winning them by a small number of points. The basketball team’s coach, Wissam AlShanoufi, expressed her thoughts on basketball being a game of surprise, where one could score in the last seconds of the match, which is exactly what the team faced when playing against Spain. That was the day that shook the team as they watched the scoreboard change from (47-47) to (47-50) in the last seconds of the match. Optimism is what makes you stronger, which is exactly what this team is about. Instead of dwelling on their loss, their coach told them,” “No need to rush for the medal, we will improve every step of the way.”

The one story that moved our lip corners upwards, and left us tee-heeing, was the coffee shop incident. Sit upright, wear your glasses, and feel the pride run through your veins, here goes the story as quoted by Shamsa Darwish, a member in the basketball team. “We were all sitting in the coffee shop hanging out with our coach, when suddenly a Spanish woman started pointing at us then at the newspaper, then back at us and back at the newspaper. We all just sat there trying to understand her actions, when she came over and showed us the front page of the newspaper. Our group photo covered the

front page with the words “Las Princesas del baloncesto” on top. What an honor it was to be named “Princesses of Basketball” by the Spanish press. Into glory they rode. They were being recognized for their amazing performance, skills and ability to fight passionately ‘til the last seconds of every match. Hend Khalifa mentioned how amazing that day was, “We became famous and people at the coffee shop, restaurants, and at the airport recognized us, too bad it was the last day or else we would’ve lived the fame for a bit longer.” Good luck in 13th IFIUS championship in Holland next year!

“Las Princesas del baloncesto”By Khadija AlAbbas and Arwa Al Mazrooei

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“Las Princesas del baloncesto”Wissam AlShanoufi, the basketball team coach, confirms that the team will hopefully win at least two games, and she knows for sure that they can do it. They are getting better and more experienced. With the same enthusiasm Latifa Al Mansoori, a member of the basketball team, stated, “Next time we are coming back home with a title.”

Beware! Holland, Here come the winners.

2011 Expectations:

“My basketball family...We really are a family, I love how you all worry about each other, love each over and cover for each other. I’m so attached to you all, and love you very much. You are all my daughters; I really do feel like your mother, a mother that knows you all very well, each and every one of you. I have taught teams in Tunisia and other UAE teams, but never have I encountered a group of honest, incredible and warmhearted girls like you. I am truly very proud of you, you are representing not only the UAE but Emarati women by both your performance and mature behavior”. Wissam AlShanoufi

A message from the coach to the “Basketball princesses”:

The team members are:

Shamsa Al ShihiSarah Al Qassimi

Rodha KhamisNouf Ali

Noora Ibrahim Al QassimLatifa Al Mansoori

Hend KhalifaFatma Al Mudharreb

Buthaina Al MarriAzza Al Nuaimi

Aya Ali

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Noor Ali Rashid: from a photographer… to a lasting legend!!

After spending five decades taking photographs and capturing precious moments, the legend Noor Ali Rashid passed away in August 2010. Noor Ali Rashid was the first pioneer of photography in the United Arab of Emirates; he captured the beginning as well as the rising history of the United Arab Emirates before the union.

Rashid gave the world of photography in the U.A.E a whole new meaning; he passed to the new generation his passion for photography, and a great treasure of books and photographs that are estimated to be more than 2.5 million pictures.

What made Noor Ali Rashid so special to the U.A.E and its leaders is not because he was the first photographer, but because Rashid showed his loyalty to U.A.E from the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed, to the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan may they all rest in peace. Most photographers at that time were brought from either the United Kingdom, or free lancers that would take these pictures and

move it back to their home country. Noor Ali kept all his pictures and photograph’s within the U.A.E, and devoted himself to this country, their leaders and to its people.

According to the young and local photographer, Khameis Al Hefaity “Noor Ali Rashid was a great photographer and a person, I met him five times in public occasions, and each time he always insisted on showing me his wallet that contained a mini-treasure inside it, with old pictures of the UAE leaders, that I have never seen before. His death was a loss for the photography world.”

Nour Aldeen Alyousef , presenter, added, “Noor Ali was one of a kind in our history, photography will not change after his death, but surely no one will replace him.”

Noor Ali Rashid was born in December, 1929, in the fishing port of Gawdar, that was considered before a part of the Sultanate of Oman, but nowadays is considered Pakistani territory. He was sent off to the U.A.E to start a new life in business after his father was fed up with his passion of photography.

By Maryam Al Numairy

In honor to hiswork, Zayed University has created an award un-der the name of Noor Ali Rashid for photography. Before he passed, Rashid

used to select the win-ning photograph as well as give the award to the

winner

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However, by the time he reached the U.A.E he become the leading photographer and later on the Royal Photographer for the Emirates.

Student Council ’10-’11

T h e Student Council (SC) is a liaison between the students and the administration. It builds students’ p e r s o n a l i t i e s and makes the university more than just an academic field.

SC 2010-2011 includes 20 members from different colleges. In each year the Student Council holds two major events: National Day celebrations and the Zayed University Carnival. In addition, the Student Council provides more than ten workshops and lectures each year for the general student body. What is new this year? And what are the changes that we will get this year?

Sanaa Al Marzouqi, the Student Council President was pleased to answer a few questions about the new plans and the upcoming events.

As the president of the Student Council, what is your vision forthisacademicyear?My vision is to involve all the students in creating an academic and social environment that satisfies them, and to highlight the role of the Student Council in achieving that.

What are the differences wewill see in the SC 2010-2011 as comparedtothepreviousyears? 1. By the end of the year, we want

to have more than two major events that involve a wider number of students than the previous years. 2. This year, the students will see the members walking around the campus, introducing themselves as Student Council members, making sure that all the students know where to turn to when they have a concern about the university, whether it was a complaint or a suggestion. 3. The interaction between the Student Council members and the university’s students would be more personal than ever, and as a result, there would be better changes in the campus and more fun and beneficial activities for the students. 4. The student council this year plans to increase the communication with other student councils in Dubai such as Dubai Women’s College. Thus, there will be an effective exchange of experiences that would also result in better outcomes throughout the year.

What is the message that you want to send to the students through Escapade?I would like to ask them all to get more involved in the university’s activities, and to feel free to contact us for any suggestions or complains through our email: dxbstudentcouncil@

zu.ac.ae or our Twitter account: @studentcouncild or our Facebook group: ZU Student Council - Dubai.“The Student Council is here for the students, and without their

feedback, it would not be as effective. We welcome suggestions or critiques of any kind.” -SannaAlMarzouqi.

Hessa Abdalla, the vice president of the Student Council, was also on hand to answer a few of our questions.

What does the Student Councilmeantoyou?The Student Council members are students who volunteered to make a change in the university’s life. We always work together to get ideas, thoughts, and events that will make university life better”.

What are your main goals as a StudentCouncilmember?We, as SC members, want the students to trust us and to feel free to communicate with our members. We are the students’ voice, and we are trying to make a change. We are also trying to get the students to break away a little from the study atmosphere. We are here to make the student feel that the university is more than just an educational institute. “In the SC we learn things that we never learned in any lecture. We are here for you and your voice will be heard.” –HessaAbdulla

By Maitha Al Gergawi

New Plans

GreaterIdeas

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My obsession with makeup and beauty started from when I was a child. I remember being nine years old and interested in at home beauty remedies, which as I got older, became a makeup obsession. By the time I was in high school, I began sharing beauty tips and makeup tricks with all my friends. When I went to university, I basically decided I wanted to share everything I had learned with everyone all over the world. I decided when I started my blog I would share everything with everyone who is interested, no holding back! My blog is now my way of sharing everything I have learned from Hollywood and the rest of the world with beauty lovers everywhere.

Starting with the right basics is essential. I love a good moisturizer and one that seems to work for all of my clients, no matter what their skin type, is Kiehl’s All Over Moisturizer. I love it so much I use it on myself! It also helps keep your makeup on all day and also has SPF 15, which helps protect against the sun!

I love a good cat eyeliner! It looks beautiful, exotic, and still timeless. The best eye liner I have used to date is the Bobbi Brown Gel Liner. It’s super dark and goes on smooth, leaving you with a perfect line every time!

My absolute favorite tool is the MAC 187 Stipple Brush. It is a mix of synthetic and real hairs, which gives you a perfect airbrush application every time. It works great with any type of makeup from liquids, to creams and powders. I always keep at least one of these brushes on hand during a shoot!

One of my favorite nail polishes is the Revlon Red from Revlon. It is quite possibly the best quality polish I have used to date and the color is the perfect shade of red. If you are in a hurry and need one coat, this is your answer, not to mention it dries literally in seconds. It’s the perfect timeless red, which explains why Christian Louboutin used this color to create his famous red soles!

Whatisthemostcommonquestionaskedbyyourreaders?

I am constantly asked about skin–how to fight wrinkles, prevent acne, and get rid of scars. My answer always starts with what you eat. Eating the right foods can literally help with all of the areas. For instance, asparagus is packed with vitamin E, which has great healing powers for your skin. I truly believe what you eat shows through your skin. Eating foods that are full of vitamins and antioxi dants will give you skin that radiates beauty!

Brows are so important. It’s very rare to find a beautiful woman that has uneven, misshaped brows. There are so many myths when it comes to eyebrows. The basic rules start with the shape of your face. It’s important that your eyebrows balance your features. Many people believe that brows frame the face, and that is essentially true, but they also do so much more. Always start with a fresh face, pull your hair back and determine the shape of your face. Then try to find a brow shape that complezments your features. For instance, if you have a long face, go with brows that are straight, and if you have a square face, try brows that are arched. Doing this will add harmony to your face and will immediately make you look more attractive.

By Hunoof Hamad

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Useless Facts!ThechickenistheclosestlivingrelativetotheT-Rex

Youcan’tblockMarkZuckerbergonfacebook

Theaveragetreecanprovide enough wood for 170,000pencils.

Cows that are given namesproducemoremilk

Hummingbirdscan’twalk.

Thefirstsongsunginspacewas‘HappyBirthday’

Shakespearecreatedthephrase‘knockknock,who’sthere?’Shakespeareinventedtheword‘Assassination’1 gram of DNA

holdsasmuchinfo as 1 tril-lion CDs

Beethoven poured water on his headwhencomposing

Youreyeballsstaythesamesizefrombirthtodeath

In an average life,ahumanwalks3timesaround the earth.

Barbiehashad125careerssince1959SuperMariowasorginiallycalledMr.Video

Phobophobiaisthefearofphobias

Coconutskillmorepeoplethansharks

Humanscanblowupballoonswiththeir

ears

It snowed in the Sahara Desertin1979

Chickenscansufferfrom depression

NorthKoreaisn’tonGoogleMaps

Pepsi was originally calledBrad’sDrink

Hitlerreceived1,000lettersamonth of fan mail

A woman will own an average of 111 hand-bagsinherlifetime.

HenryVofEnglandinvented the passportThedotabovethe‘i’iscalledatittle

By Shoaq Al Fardan

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10 effortlessways to becomean A+ student:

Staring down at that endless list of assignments and quizzes that we all have pending, you’reprobablysayingtoyourself‘whatdidIgetmyselfinto?!’ Being a straight-A student all throughuniversityisnevereasy.Aftercompleting2longyearsinuniversity,IthinkI’mqualifiedenoughto put the stamp of approval on these 10 tips. So why not give them a test run for the new semester,theymightactuallysurpriseyou…

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1That’s right! The best way to be a good student is to actually go to class!! Not only do you miss out on lectures and assignments when you skip, but the professors usually notice the ones that hardly attend. The majority of the professors also take into account attendance when it comes to grades. If you have a strong attendance, be sure that it will help push your grade to a higher level.

2Arriving to class late is not only disrespectful to the students and the professor, but also the important information is often given at the beginning of each class. Showing punctuality will work in your favor when asking your teachers for any assistance or pardons.

3Sitting in front helps you tune out all distractions and concentrate on the class. It also has its benefits with the professors, who tend to quickly pick up on the names of the students that sit in the front.

4You can’t go through university without mastering the art of taking notes. It makes a big difference and has a huge impact on your marks. Your notes should be detailed enough to tell a complete story so that you can look back on them for any quizzes or exams.

5You are responsible for how much you take in during a class. Questions help make everything a lot easier for yourself and your professors. They also give your professors the opportunity to understand your personality and capabilities as a student.

6Keep all your papers and assignments organized according to class so that you don’t lose any important handouts and keep your papers wrinkle-free. To-do lists are also very helpful for keeping track of your daily tasks and all due dates. It’s the best way to avoid the horrible feeling of walking into class and suddenly realizing that you’ve forgotten something.

Attend class

Be on time

Sit in front

Take notes

Ask questions

Be organized

7This is always the difficult part because students don’t like compromising with deadlines while neglecting their social life. Usually most of the students who hand in their assignments on time require less studying for the exams, which is an added bonus!

Finish your assignments on time

8 Know yourstrengths & weaknesses

Students vary in how they respond to different types of testing. Don’t feel bad if you’re not good at something like your friends; just find your own strengths. If you have a weakness in one of these areas, simply learn what it takes to do better. It’s also a good idea to first make sure you understand what your professor wants from you.

9Keep your*enemies* close

“Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.” This is exactly what you have to do! To students, professors are their worst nightmare! Try to build a positive relationship with your teacher and get on their good side. It’s a smart idea to drop in during office hours for one-on-one time to show that you take their class serious and that you’re concerned about your performance. You never know, you might actually start liking your teacher! Take it Easy

Don’t stress yourself! Just think of it as more of a routine and make it a habit. This way it will take less effort and energy from you.

By Noor Al Fardan

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10must-have apps for iPadBy Shamma Ahmad

Apple has made thousands of applications to satisfy iPad owners’ needs. But the question here is, which of these applications are worth paying for or using as a student? We’ll reveal our top 10 must-install apps if you want to get the best out of your iPad.

1Pages: As a student, this app will help you work and type your assignments and/or notes easily wherever and whenever. Even though it lacks HTML markup support, it is still worth the $9.99, especially if you’re always on the go.

2iBooks: This is the app that separates the iPad from the other Apple products. It’s synced with iTunes and is obviously used to store and read e-books, whether for knowledge, or just plain entertainment. You can get it for free at the App Store.

3Arabic keyboard: This $0.99 app makes up for the fact that the iPad does not have a native Arabic keyboard. The downside is that the keyboard can only be used in this app and not throughout all typing apps.

4Infinote: We recommend this app for the student who loves her sticky notes! You have multiple boards where you can go nuts with the notes! Adding them on is as simple as tapping at the screen. Infinote can be found on the iTunes App Store for $1.99. 5

Twitter: Seeing as how Twitter has become the new fashionable social media, you must have the app to keep up. With this free, easy to use app, you now can easily keep up with the latest news and trends around the world.

6Dictionary.com: This app provides speedy access to over a million words and 90,000 thesaurus entries. If you’re the kind who keeps looking up words, then this free app will definitely make your life easier.

7Labyrinth 2 HD: Seeing as not every app needs to be education-based, why not a little entertainment to pass those long breaks by? Although a little pricey at $7.99, it will keep you entertained for hours on end with its many levels. Just don’t get caught in class with it! 8

AirSharingPro: With this app, you can move various files, such as .doc, .mp3, images, and movies from your Mac or PC to your iPad using Wi-Fi. You can also email a file, print it, or share it with other devices around. You can get it at the iTunes App Store for $9.99.

9Articles: For those Wikipedia enthusiasts, this is the app for you. Articles let you browse and discover any Wiki entry you might be looking for. Or shake things up a bit and give your iPad a little shake and let Articles pick out an article for you. Found at the iTunes App Store for $4.99.10

Ebuddy: Once you download this app, you will be able to open multiple accounts from AIM, MSN / Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo, Facebook Chat, and GTalk, to MySpace, Hyves and ICQ all at the same time. With this free app, you can also have your various contact lists all together in one list.

There you have it readers, our top 10 picks for the Apple iPad. From your notes, to your Wiki articles, and to your much-needed entertainment, it’s all here.

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