SpaLife Spring 2013

Bath Spa Students’ Union Magazine Spring 2013

Article 4What is it and how will it affect you?p . 34

A History of BondShaken not stirred. Is that the key to success?p . 26

Bath Lit Fest - Comedy Cavern - SU News 18 Months Reviews - Finding HousingPLUS!

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4 SpaLife Magazine | Spring 2013

12Bath Spa, You’re Having a LaughCome one, come all and step right up to the Comedy Cavern. by Andy Farquhar

STUDENT ART SHOWCASE

07IN THE TUB

Editor’s Note

Rowling into TownWe’ve got you covered on the biggest event at Bath Lit Fest. by Laura Bentley

08

FEATURES

44 31

WHAT YOU LIKED, WHAT YOU DIDN’T

145 Reasons to Visit Bristolby Greg Henley

18Long Distance RelationshipsThe good, the bad and the ugly of the dreaded LDR. by Joele Forrester

20You’ve Graduated! What Now?by Luke Taylor

24Stress-free Student HousingHow to find the best house with-out the hassle. by Jem Gunnell

26A History of BondA breakdown of the spy that charmed the world. by Nicky Cooper

facebook.com/SpaLifeSU 5

08

14

14

What is Article 4?In which we ask who, what, where, when and -- most importantly -- why? by Cecily Mumby

36Update: Student Protestsby Chelsea Hopson

34

OPINION, FACTS AND NEWS EXTRACTS

28

40Calendar

38 SU News...Tweetedcompiled by Juna Abrams

28A Guide to the Oscarsby Jenny Banks

31Album Review: 18 Monthsby Chelsea Hopson

33Book Review: A Possible Lifeby Andrew Strutt

THE BACK

44Creative Writingby Juna Abrams


CONTRIBUTORS

Head EditorJuna Abrams

Co-ordinatorsAmy StringerIzzy Shepherd

DesignersJamie EnglandJuna Abrams

EditorsAdam Hale

Alice CresswellBenjamin Franks

Jenny BanksJohn Palmgren

Luke RapleyRhian Whittington

ContributorsAndrew Strutt

Andy FarquharCecily Mumby

Chelsea HopsonGreg HenleyJem GunnellJenny BanksJuna Abrams

Joele ForresterLaura Bentley

Luke TaylorNicky Cooper

Cover Art Visual Mashups

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SpaLifeSUTwitter: @SpaLifeSU

6


Happy spring, SpaLife Mag readers! Once again it’s that time of year where I find myself knee-deep

in textbooks with an ever present list of deadlines looming just over the horizon.

The only thing that keeps me going (besides the extortionate tuition fees of course) is the thought that perhaps someday you -- yes, YOU -- will pick up this magazine and get a kick out of the stuff we write, edit and design every term.

That’s why I’d just like to say in this, the penultimate magazine I’ll edit here at Bath Spa, that I hope you’ve enjoyed reading the magazine as much as I’ve enjoyed putting it together.

Good luck to all on your deadlines and I’ll see you on the other side of summer term.

Juna Abrams Head Editor

Email us at [email protected] or give us a shout out on facebook or twitter to tell us what you thought of a piece, suggest ideas for an article or submit student artwork. Don’t be a stranger, now!

EDITOR’S NOTE

7


Rowling into Town



Rowling into Town

We all know her to be the author of

possibly the world’s most loved book

series and the creator of the world

famous wizard Harry Potter. Rowling first came

into the public eye in 1995 when she released

her first novel Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s

Stone; it goes without saying that that the book

was an instant hit with children and adults the

world over.

The newly

dubbed Pot-

ter Fever only

increased

some three

years later

when in 1998

she published

the second

novel in the

series of

seven, Harry

Potter and

the Chamber

of Secrets.

Seeing

such global

success the

movie rights

were rapidly snapped up and in 2001, a year

after the release of Rowling’s fourth Potter novel,

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the first in a

line of eight Potter movies were released.

The world went wild. Potter Fever raged

with a new energy and the new faces of

Potter Fever raged with a new enegy and the new faces of the franchise: Daniel Radcliff, Ruper Grint and Emma Watson were instant stars.

“ “

Image: JK Rowling

will be in Bath for this

event, 8 March.

by Laura Bentley


BATH SPA’S FIRST

MULTICULTURAL

FESTIVAL

IS COMING

‘DIVER-CITY’

APRIL 19TH 2013

MORE DETAILS COMING SOON...


for adults; The

Casual Va-

cancy. Two

months follow-

ing its release

in September

2012 Rowling

hinted at the

possibility of

the novel be-

ing turned into a BBC drama. Is this the first sign

of potentially another global hit for the author?

We will just have to wait and see.

This is an amazing opportunity to meet

possibly the world’s best known author, a true

once in a life time opportunity, and a must for

any Potter fans. Following the talk Rowling will

also be on hand to sign copies of her new novel,

The Casual Vacancy.

the franchise: Daniel Radcliff, Rupert Grint and

Emma Watson were instant stars with millions

of fans all over the world; not back for three

children barely in their teens. Over the next ten

years the franchise worth in excess of £7 billion

went from strength to strength, until in July 2011

with the release of the final Potter movie and to

the distress of Potter fans all over the world the

series reached its conclusion.

Just six years on from the release of the

last instalment of the Harry Potter series J K Rowl-

ing is back on Friday 8th March here in Bath for

the Bath Liter-

ature Festival.

Rowling will be

talking about

her first novel

since Harry

Potter and

her first novel

Rowling hinted at the possibility of the novel being turned into a BBC drama.

“ “

For more information go to:

bathfestival.org.uk

or you can call 01225 463362



Bath Spa, You’re Having a

LAUGHby Andy Farquhar

As a result of living with two second year drama students, both of whom participate in the optional ‘Stand-up Comedy’ module, I found myself sitting in Comedy Cavern at Burdall’s Yard on January 31st preparing for an evening of pure hilarity.

“”

The fifteen comedians you see throughout the duration of the evening will have you in stitches.

The performance featured comedian Jonny Awsum.



Student Art Showcase

“”

‘Ten Acts in Ten Minutes’ is a fast-paced act enabling ten of Bath Spa’s finest to show off their wit in an intense timed performance.

by Andy Farquhar

As part of the evening’s line-up which in-

cluded BBC’s ‘Funny Business’ star Geoff

Whiting, the students studying Stand-up

are given the opportunity to perform as part of

an ensemble entitled ‘Ten Acts in Ten Minutes’.

This is a fast-paced act enabling ten of Bath

Spa’s finest to show off their wit in an intense

timed performance, the winner of which gets

a five minute slot at the next Comedy Cavern.

Geoff Whiting, as compere for the evening, was

incredibly funny, with his use of audience partici-

pation leading to my instant regret at sitting near

the front. Comedians from all over the world,

from Wales to the United States, come across

to perform at these events, and at only £5 for

a ticket with a Bath Spa Student ID, the fifteen

comedians you see throughout the duration of

the evening will have you in stitches!

Casey Breeden, who has participated

twice in ‘Ten Acts in Ten Minutes’ and even

reached the final two in his debut performance,

gave a brief comment on the monthly event;

“The opportunity that was presented to me

through this module has enabled me to pursue

a passion I didn’t even know I really had until

September! I love seeing all my class mates per-

form, they never fail to amuse me with the new

material they come up with every week.” Joe

Munday, who has previously done stand-up gigs

in his home county of Cornwall but was perform-

ing for the first time in Bath said, “It’s always a

daunting experience, but the feeling you get

when being applauded and laughed with is

definitely worth it. It’s also a fantastic opportunity

to mix with professional comedians.”

The winner of this month’s competi-

tion, Dan Luck, will be filling a five minute slot

in the next Comedy Cavern, alongside Kevin

Shepherd, William Peck, Zahra Barri, Carl Jones

and Jack Brown, as well as long time MC, Geoff

Whiting. Who knows, the next Michael McIntyre

may be there!



5 Reasons to Visit

BRISTOLby Greg Henley

A city sometimes overlooked by Bath Spa students, Bristol is easy to get to and is very student-friendly. From hunting for bargains at St Nicholas Market, to visiting the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, to catching some of the hottest bands at Thekla or experiencing experimental performances at the Bierkeller Theatre, the attractions are as diverse as the city’s inhabitants. Here are the top 5 reasons for exploring Bath’s neighbouring metropolitan.

”“The South West’s biggest city is host to an eclectic and diverse range of nightclubs and live music venues.


1. Cheaper ShopsWith a variety of shops to accommodate wallets both bulging and beggared, Bristol is a

great place to splash your cash even on a student budget. The Horsefair shopping street is

home to places such as Primark and Cex, so definitely the place to explore for affordable fashion

and entertainment.

2. The NightlifeThe South West’s biggest city is host to an eclectic and diverse range of nightclubs and live

music venues. The Syndicate nightclub can be found on Nelson Street and caters for more

than 2000 party animals every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday (Wednesday is student night), play-

ing today’s pop anthems, while Thekla (East Mud Dock) and Bierkeller (All Saints’ Street) provides a

more alternative and heavier scene.

Fea

tures

Fea

tures

Primark at Broadmead. Photo credit: Gusset

Club goers on a night out.Photo credit: /northern/git


”“Only a fool, student or otherwise,

would say no to an all-you-can-buffet with pizza, pasta, noodles, nachos, burgers, ice cream and cake.

4. Have lunch at Za Za BazzaarOnly a fool, student or otherwise,

would say no to an all-you-can-buffet

with pizza, pasta, noodles, nachos, burgers, ice

cream and cake on offer. Za Za Bazzaar can be

found on Canon’s Road, which is a 15 minute

walk from Bristol Bus Station. Lunch costs £9.99 on

weekdays before 5 p.m. Mmm...

3. See Great Art, For Free!Both M Shed on Wapping Road and

Bristol Museum and Art Gallery on

Queen’s Road charge nothing for admission.

Plus, anybody can take the Banksy walking tour

and see the work of one of the most respected

artists in the world. His art is dotted all over the

city, which can make exploring Bristol even more

fun!

Banksy in Bristol.Photo credit: Heatheronhertravels


”“Bristol does a great job of accommodating for student budgets.

Fea

tures

5. Explore With Your PhoneIf you have the iTreasure app on your smartphone, you can play Bristol’s version of the

game (otherwise, it cost £1.99 to download). You can also follow the Harbourside Smart-phone Trails and discover more about the city’s history, an app set up by Show of Strength Theatre

Company.

Great Stuff, But How to Get There?By train: there are frequent services from Bath Spa and Oldfield Park to Bristol Temple

Meads. A return ticket costs £4.45 with a 16-25 railcard (£6.70 without).

By bus: the X39/339 service departs from Bath Bus Station regularly and travels through

Newbridge and Newton St Loe (outside The Globe) before arriving in Bristol. A South West day rider

ticket costs £5.90.

Bristol Harbourside.Photo credit: James Clay

LONG DISTANCE RELATIONSHIPSSo, you’ve left most of your old life behind to start the exciting ad-

venture of university. But the one thing on your mind is your partner who wants anything else but for you to leave. Parents and

friends often say ‘why go to university in a relationship? Think of all the people you will meet’ and ‘you won’t see each other so it won’t work out. ’However, regardless of what manypeople say, a long distance relationship can work. It’s natural for a flood of emotions to come pouring out as it’s a big decision and commitment to make. Long distances are going to intensify the good and the bad but it’s a true test for both of you. It all depends on you as a couple as you are the only people who can make it work. But here’s some tips to help you along :

1 As easy as it sounds, talking is essential. Communication is important in any relationship and even more so when you will be spending weeks apart from each other. So if you miss them why not let them know? Speak honestly about how you feel as they will appreciate it and feel reassured that you miss them too. Speaking on the phone could get expensive, so Facebook and free Skype calls can be the cheaper op-tion. There is nothing nicer than being able to see each other on screen and hearing a friendly voice makes everything that little bit better.


2 It can be difficult making time to see each other when you are both busy. Therefore try to plan your journeys in advance so you can manage your work and you’re not overloaded when they come to stay. As costs might be expensive, take it in turns to visit each other and once you commit, don’t let them down. Investing in a railcard will save up to a 1/3rd off train journeys and you could both put a little bit of money aside each month to help cover travel costs. Also, booking train tickets in advance will be much cheaper than buying them on the day. When you do see each other try and make the most out of it by exploring places, cooking to gether and meeting up with friends.

3 Keep the effort up - even if it’s a text every evening to tell them something interesting about your day because then they won’t feel excluded. Work with your timetables to set a dedicated time for Skype calls every couple of days so you won’t be waiting around; it also keeps things consistent. Why not be an old romantic and send a nostalgic postcard or letter to tell them anything – from how you feel, to what you’re having for dinner or how much you miss them? Or go one step further and send a present in the post, whether it’s their favourite sweets or some clothing, a surprise is always good.

Every relationship is different, as is every university experience, so it really depends on how committed you are to each other that will determine whether it will last. But don’t be afraid to be honest and communicate. But, as they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder.

By Joele Forrester



You’ve GRADUATED!...Now What? Bath Spa is known for its

diversity and creativity!

Many believe that study-

ingcreative degree is a cop

out and your future is forever

doomed. But there is work out

there, and despite haters of

the creators, the underlying

fact is that first impressions

and the way you present

yourself is what really matters

when entering any industry.

You may have all the skills in

the world, from performing

like Anne Hathaway to creat-

ing music like Mozart, but

sometimes you are still unable

to find work. For many it is the

constant battle with nerves,

but for most it is the fear of

rejection. They key to getting

all the boxes ticked is prepa-

ration and self-belief, and

with a little bit of optimism life

becomes much easier.


RESEARCH The most impressive attribute when going for an interview is proof of research. Don’t just go

for a job at Aardman animations because you love Gromit, go because you have done your research and you know what the position and com-pany is all about.

NETWORK For some is becomes clear how important it is to build up an iPhone of contacts whilst

studying, and not just names for the guest list at the BOMB, but contacts of industry experts. Making a first impression happens to everyone almost every day, and it is that image which will remain in the minds of those you approach. Building up your social capital is one the most beneficial facts about coming to university. You meet so many interesting and tal-ented people, and it is them who you will benefit from in the long run; it’s not what you know, it’s who!

CONFIDENCE Struggling with confidence and presenta-tion is something we all experience. What

many fail to realise is the help that is out there at the click of a finger. If you are graduating this year you still have time to find your voice, pre-pare for interviews and become a name people remember. You can find more information on confidence and interview techniques at careerhub.bathspa.ac.uk by reading information on the website or booking an ap-pointment to speak with a careers advisor at Newton Park library.

With a guide to confidence, you’ll slip straight into the industry of your desire before you know it! Re-

member, you have that one chance and you need to make sure you shine!

7 TOP TIPSTurn Over For:


There are thousands of companies and websites and post-grad courses. Focus on what you find meaningful, what you enjoy, and what you’re good at.

Contact Bath Spa Careers (www.bathspa.ac.uk/careers) to ex-plore your options.

(It is estimated that) 70% of jobs aren’t advertised. Use Google to search for organisations and make personal, direct approaches to employers.

Read about the trends, and the who’s who. Write down peo-ple’s name and make a personal, direct approach

Connect online (Facebook/LinkedIn/Google +) with everyone you’ve known well at university and at home. You’ll all have great jobs one day and could use each other’s networks.

Presentation is important. What shape is your CV in? How often do you smile at interviews? Is your Facebook page photo ap-propriate? It seems obvious: first impressions count.

Don’t forget, if they like you there’s a higher chance you’ll get hired. Trust, listening, motivation, discipline, caring, authentic-ity, and ‘inter-personal skills’ are all in short supply today. You’ll have an edge over the competition if you embody these qualities.

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7By Luke Taylor


STUDENT HOUSINGHow to find the best house, stress-free.To all of you first year students who were lucky enough to get places in Waterside, Charlton or on campus housing, the time has come to spread your wings and experience true univer-sity independence!

Independent housing comes with a lot of responsibility, and there will times when you feel stressed and you might often wish for the chance to return to Waterside or Charlton. The other side to this is that it will probably lead to some of the best times you’ll have at Uni, you’ll do a lot of growing up and your housemates will quickly become like your own weird little family.

Moving into your own house means you and the group you choose to live with will be re-sponsible for sorting out your own bills, setting up internet, gas, electricity, and even TV (yes, unfortunately you will need a TV license). This does at first seem daunting, but it does effec-tively mean that you can be in control of what you’re paying for, and if you want SKY or Virgin then you can get it.

But before you get to experience any of this, you need to get your house sorted. This is some-times easier said then done, but hopefully this riveting article I’m writing will be able to help you.

When it comes to finding a house in Bath there are several estate agencies that are used to dealing with students, for example Roman City, Apple, and Tangerine, there are also many private landlords to choose from. Some people are reluctant to go private but having done so myself I can vouch for it, (Shout out to R&G Let-tings). You get a much more personal relation-ship with your landlord which it makes it much easier to get things sorted if anything goes wrong. It’s important to pick as many places as you can, and make sure you view them ALL, take pictures, ask the current tenants questions, find out as much as possible. Where are the nearest shops, pubs, bus stops? How far from town? The last thing you want is a 45-minute walk home after a night out!

To all of you first year students who were lucky enough to get places in Waterside, Charlton or on campus housing, the time has come to spread your wings and experience true university

independence!


STUDENT HOUSING

Houses in Bath go quick especially the nice ones, if you find a house that you and the group you’re living with like then go for it, at the end of the day the house is what you make of it. Look for a nice sized living room, with a decent sofas, you’ll find that you’ll spend most of your time at home in there. If you can find a house with a washing ma-chine and tumble dryer, even better.

After you’ve picked your house and you come sign the contracts don’t be worried if your deposit is a crazy amount (£350+) this is normal, you’re not being scammed (or at least hopefully not). If you take care of the place you’ll get it back at the end of your contract.

Most importantly, remember to

enjoy it, and try not to trash it.

“ “

By Jem Gunnell


A HISTORY OF BONDWhen Ian Fleming first lavishly enter-

tained British readers, way back in 1953 with his adventure novel

‘Casino Royale’, the first to feature MI6’s finest, he was not to know that he was creating a worldwide icon. During Fleming’s service in the Naval Intelligence Division he planned to become an author. It is docu-mented that he once said to a friend, “I am going to write the spy story to end all spy stories” and how right he was. He wrote ‘Casino Royale’ at his aptly-named estate, Goldeneye. Over his life he wrote fourteen more action-packed novels with the last two being published after his death in 1964. Although Fleming was never to know, having only seen the release of two Bond films, the

legacy he left behind was to be the birth of a legend and the longest running film franchise of all time. So loved were these novels that despite the passing of their author, Bond was to continue saving the world. No longer from the pages of a book however but on the silver screen. A couple of years before Fleming’s death the first feature-length film was released by Eon Productions in 1962 with ‘Dr No’ and a Bond we would all be more familiar with was coming together. It introduced us to many of the series sta-ples: the fast cars, fantastical gadgets and maniacal villains. Sean Connery famously portrayed Bond to high praise; others too have played him over the following years and each brought a new dynamic to this complex character. Whilst Connery’s Bond was rugged and powerful, Roger Moore

would later depict a more debonair type of super spy. Over the series

seven actors have portrayed the character and ensured

it as one of the longest running film series to

date. And it’s still going strong.

Skyfall: A new beginning

And so the adventure continues. But I was beginning to feel that Bond films of late have forgotten their roots, evolving into something unrecognisable to the long-term fans. ‘Skyfall’ has changed all of that. A continuation of the latest portrayal of Bond by Daniel Craig, ‘Skyfall’ does everything in its power to remind people why they loved these films in the first place. It is exciting, dramatic, funny, intense and poignant all in one. Judi Dench gives her best perfor-mance to date as the all-important M and the character of Raoul Silva (Javier Bar-dem) steals the show. Bardem even, in my opinion, competes with big names such as Goldfinger and Scaramanga for the best Bond villain of all time. As for what comes next? All I can say is the climactic finale liter-ally changes everything. The future of Bond has never been more exciting.

Check out if Skyfall is tipped for the Oscars on the next page!


A HISTORY OF BONDSkyfall: A new beginning

And so the adventure continues. But I was beginning to feel that Bond films of late have forgotten their roots, evolving into something unrecognisable to the long-term fans. ‘Skyfall’ has changed all of that. A continuation of the latest portrayal of Bond by Daniel Craig, ‘Skyfall’ does everything in its power to remind people why they loved these films in the first place. It is exciting, dramatic, funny, intense and poignant all in one. Judi Dench gives her best perfor-mance to date as the all-important M and the character of Raoul Silva (Javier Bar-dem) steals the show. Bardem even, in my opinion, competes with big names such as Goldfinger and Scaramanga for the best Bond villain of all time. As for what comes next? All I can say is the climactic finale liter-ally changes everything. The future of Bond has never been more exciting.

What You Liked, What You Didnt

Check out if Skyfall is tipped for the Oscars on the next page!


A Guide to the Oscars By Jenny Banks

It’s that time of year again.

Awards Season has firmly set

in, celebrating the most com-

mendable films that have been

released over the past year, which

culminate in the 85th Annual

Academy Awards to be held on

February 24th.

Contenders from twenty

four categories have been an-

nounced, with the films looking

most likely to win awards including

Steven Spielberg’s historical bi-

opic Lincoln, Iranian hostage film

Argo and comedy drama Silver

Linings Playbook.

Lincoln, the story of Abra-

ham Lincoln’s fight to pass a con-

stitutional amendment outlawing

slavery, has been nominated in

twelve categories including Best

Film. Following Argo’s unexpected

success at the Screen Actors and

Producers Guild Awards, Ben Af-

fleck’s film could prove to be the

dark horse of the awards. Other

films nominated include musical

Les Miserables, Quentin Taran-

tino’s Django Unchained and Life

of Pi, based on the Man Booker

Prize winning novel of the same

name.

Daniel Day-Lewis is

widely tipped to win Best Actor as

Abraham Lincoln, alongside other

nominees including Hugh Jack-

man for his role as Jean Valjean in

Les Miserables and Bradley Coop-

er in Silver Linings Playbook.


A Guide to the Oscars By Jenny Banks What You Liked, What You Didnt

Pi, a magic realist film featuring brilliant digital

effects.

“ “ The Best Actress award

is more difficult to judge, and this

year’s nominees comprise a di-

verse list of acting talent featuring

both the oldest and the youngest

ever nominees. The two biggest

challengers for the award ap-

pear to be Jennifer Lawrence for

her portrayal of a troubled widow

in Silver Linings Playbook and Jes-

sica Chastain, as a CIA operative

in Zero Dark Thirty, a film about

the capture of bin Laden that has

caused much controversy so far

for its alleged pro-torture stance

and access to classified informa-

tion.

Another coveted

award, Best Director, could go

to Steven Spielberg for Lincoln,

or Ang Lee for Life of Pi, a magic

realist film featuring brilliant digital

effects. Other awards include Best

Supporting Actor, Best Support-

ing Actress and Original Screen-

play, Cinematography and Music

(Original Song) which sees Adele

nominated for Bond theme song,

‘Skyfall’. This year’s Oscars will fea-

ture a special Bond tribute to mark

fifty years of James Bond.

Hosted by actress Emma

Stone and Family Guy creator Seth

MacFarlane, this year’s Oscars will

honour an eclectic list of films that

rise from the dominant franchises

of 2012, celebrating box office

smashes and smaller screen gems.

PHOTOCOPYiNG/ PRiNTiNG*

Black & WhiteA3 A4

&

A335p a copy

A425p a copy

@ Newton ParkUnion Office

*minimum spend £1*minimum spend £1Colour &

A310p a copy

A45p a copy

10p a copy

Colour Black & White

Drop & Collect SERVICE

Booklet, Flyer printing& Faxing

also available

see website for detailswww.bathspasu.co.uk


After a while of being off the music scene

whilst touring around the world, Calvin

Harris finally released his long awaited

third album, 18 Months. With Bounce and Feel

So Close both being released in the summer of

2011, it took a year for another song to be re-

leased. It was during this time away that Calvin

featured on the smash hit and widely (some

could consider over) played We Found Love

with American pop star Rihanna. It was from

there that the world seemed to notice Scottish

DJ Calvin Harris, and this formula seemed to

work and stick. On his new album Calvin fea-

tures stars such as Ellie Goulding, Tinie Tempah

and Kelis which are all songs to get the party

going, but the songs which are just Calvin rarely

have any singing and feel more like fillers in the

album, a real shame when compared to the

Ready For The Weekend album. Overall, I would

definitely recommend 18 Months as an album,

especially before a night out. It left me with 74p

for the week when I bought it, and I definitely

don’t regret it!


CALVIN HARRIS‘18 MONTHS’

Features stars such as Ellie Goulding, Tinie Tempah and Kelis which are all songs to get the

party going.

““

Rating:

by Chelsea Hopson

A Possible Life - a guaranteed success

IT’S NEVER TOO LATETO START SAVING

APPLY NOW www.nus.org.uk



A Possible Life - a guaranteed successSEBASTIAN FAULKS

The five short stories that make up the

novel cover a range of topics including: A

World War Two spy searching for love, the

trials of a young housekeeper in nineteenth

century France and the story of a scientist

in a futuristic Italy. They focus on the feelings

and emotions that span across the centuries

and link every human being together. The

overriding themes of love and separation are

apparent throughout and, due to the different

perspectives, give a unique account of life

and the way we view it.

Each story is so interesting and engaging

that it could easily stand alone. The depth at

which, not only the characters actions, but

their thoughts and feelings are described,

makes this such an enjoyable book. It zigzags

through time and the historical settings add

a further layer of authenticity to the stories.

Faulks shows a new side of himself by writing

about a not too distant future but fans will be

pleased to hear that he is as good as ever.

Overall, it’s a brilliant read for those familiar or

new to his works.

Sebastian Faulks, author of the best selling novel Birdsong, has produced another stunning read in A Possible Life, his fifteenth

novel to date.

by Andrew Strutt

Rating:


‘Article 4’ is a planning policy that’s been issued by Bath Council which proposes to re-

duce the number of “houses of multiple occupancy”. A “house of multiple occupancy”

(often known as a HMO) is a house where three or more unrelated people live together.

The main issue facing us students is that the majority of our student houses fit under this

bracket. In short, if the policy was to be proposed it would result in fewer student houses

in a city where students are already having to compete for good quality accommoda-

tion. Bath Spa student and part-time house hunter, Patrick Lawler said that “‘Article 4’

doesn’t make sense, students make up a big part of Bath’s economy and we need a

place to live as much as the next person.”

One of the arguments in favor

of ‘Article 4’ is that it will hope-

fully reduce the density of

student housing within small areas of

the city, which some people believe

is one of the main causes of antisocial

behaviour in Bath. Official crime statis-

tics however, have shown that Oldfield

Park has lower crime rates than other

parts of Bath, which are not known for

having a high student population. The

‘Complete University Guide’ has even

gone as far as asserting that Bath is

Britain’s safest major university city.

Bath is Britain’s safest

major university city!

“ “WHAT IS ARTICLE 4 ?

SpaLife Magazine | Spring 2013


WHAT IS ARTICLE 4 ? O

pinio

ns, Fac

t and

Ne

ws Extra

cts

Emma Weskin, Vice President Welfare

and Campaigns at Bath Spa, explained to Spa

Life about how Bath Spa and The University of

Bath’s Students’ Unions have joined forces – “We

have written articles and had stalls in the SU to

help make students aware of the matter.” They

have also lobbied the Universities and attended

council meetings where they voiced their opin-

ions regarding their opposing views concerning

‘Article 4.’ Weskin also added – “We have also

started up a petition against ‘Article 4.’”

In March last year, the council an-

nounced that they were to make a decision

regarding ‘Article 4’ within a year. So, if you

feel that this is an issue that concerns you, your

friends or even people that attend your Univer-

sity in general, then why not join the Students

Union and oppose ‘Article 4’?

You can sign their petition at http://democracy.bathnes.gov.uk/

By Cecily Mumby


In November of last year, Bath Spa stu-

dents braved the cold and wet weather

to head off to London, demonstrating

for student rights. Led by our Student

Union team, our mixture of all years and

all courses joined the hordes of people in

London to scream, shout and let it all out

with our placards and chants. A personal

favourite of mine was “we’re cold, we’re

wet, we don’t want student debt!” which

summed up our day entirely.

“You’ve had your education

systematically attacked across the board

by the coalition. And even if you get to the

other end, what have you got to look for-

ward to?” Spurred on by the words of the

NUS President, Mr. Burns, people gathered

in the SU to make signs and placards, a

show of the unity we all desperately need

when it comes to student rights.

We’re cold, We’re wet, We don’t want student debt!


Op

inions, Fa

ct a

nd N

ew

s Extrac

ts

Unfortunately I am yet to hear

of any more news on student fees and

rights, but that does not mean that we

will not carry on the fight! As long as

within a University people continue to

work together for unity, and as a country

we show the prevalence of students

within today’s society then with any luck

our hopes will not end up as dampened

as my feet were by the end of the day!

The posters around the SU

shouted out to question why others

should be treated differently based on

ethnicity, age or even gender; whether

you’re paying £3,000 a year or £9,000,

at the end of our degrees we all want to

be treated equally, preferably without

thousands of pounds of debt!


SU News...Tweeted!Short, sweet and to the point.

Check out your housing reps bathspasu.co.uk/elections

Supporting young women in creative industries... cherrykites.co.uk/

Do you want to be a trustee of a charity? Control a £1million turnover? Lead the SU? Nomi-nate yourself for election: bath-spasu.co.uk/elections

Re-design our logo! Our current one is rubbish... and you could win £100!

Third years! Have you filled in the National Student Survey yet?! bathspa.ac.uk/nss

SU Pres: Totally made it into the Guardian!! Marching at #demo2012

compiled by Juna Abrams


Vp Activities: Us sabbs now have regular Thursday morning office hours in the bungalow at Sion Hill, come say hi!

We now have Housing Reps, in every halls including indepen-dent housing – If you are in halls, remember to say hi to your rep.

Third years! Have you filled in the National Student Survey yet?! #GETINVOLVED

Just saw a full bus drive past a load of Bath Uni students. At least it’s not just us!! #whatjokes

Us sabbs now have regular Thursday morning office hours in the bungalow at Sion Hill, #comesayhi!

Bath Spa does ‘Take Me Out’ Wednesday 13th March, 8pm at the SU, #lettheladyseethegaga

Keep your eye out for Bath Spa’s 1st Multicultural festival #diver-city


CalendarDances ·

13 March

Volunteering OverseasMHG15, 1130-130

£FREEBook online on CareerHub

11 March

Industry Insights: Fine Art and 3D Design

Sion Hill Lecture Theatre, 1030-1200£FREE (requires CareerHub booking)


Ca

lend

ar

· Gigs · SU Events · Bath Spa Plus

14-24 March

Bath Digital Festival

Various venuesMore info at 2013.

bathdigitalfestival.com

13 March

Musica Viva: The Sulis Ensemble

Michael Tippett Centre, 110£FREE

14 March

Jazz NightBurdall’s Yard, 730

£FREE for BSU students

19 March

Skills South West

UWE Bristol Exhibition and Conference Centre, 930-3More info on CareerHub

ma

AtE

Enkhtuvshin’s 5DmkII


CalendarDances ·19 March

City to Countryside

WalkBath Tourist Office,10-2

£FREE guided tour of skyline

29 March - 7 AprilBath Comedy

FestivalMore information at bathcomedy.com

22 MarchHandel’s Messiah

St Swithin’s Church, 730BSU students £5 (free for Bath Spa Live members)

20 March

The SPARKies 2013 Awards

Kommedia, 6-1120 £FREE student tickets

available from CareerHub


Ca

lend

ar

· Gigs · SU Events · Bath Spa Plus

20 March

Musica VivaMichael Tippett Centre, 110

£FREE

1 May

Bath City ConferenceGuildhall, Bath

£FREEDrop in any time, all day

14 April

Bath 100More information ataction.org/bath_100

15-21 April

Bath in FashionMore info at bathinfashion.co.uk

lovestruck.


WE’RE

TRYINGby Juna Abrams

The most exciting thing I’ve ever done is

sneak out past curfew with my cousin during

a family reunion. I was ten and she was

seventeen. Our family high-tailed it to Colorado

every once in a while to say, ‘How have you

been?’ a million times over the course of three

days. I think the point of the thing was to talk to

each other – to sit in a circle and reveal, one by

one, the family’s newest accomplishments.

I don’t remember sharing my ambitions

with the Mormon side of the family, but I do

remember taking all of my clothes off to take a

shower, only to find the tub filled with ice and

beer. I ended up running down the hallway

in my towel, knocking on the first door I could

reach, and saying to the twenty-something who

answered, ‘Hi, can I use your shower?’ With a

glance at the Budweiser in his hand, I added:

‘We’re related.’

The lodge we stayed in was woodsy.

The buildings were made of the trees that once

stood in their place and were cleverly titled

things like Oak Centre and Pine Dining Hall. My

mom and dad never came to family reunions

because they had to work, so they sent me as

a representative of the Silverman branch. This is

why I spent so much time with my much older

cousin, Brenda, playing checkers in Oak Centre

“”

We saw a group of our uncles peeing on Oak Centre and we thought it was so funny that we tried to pee on the Cedar Guest Services building.



by Juna Abrams

”

The Back: Creative Writing

“”

You have to handle your shit. And I’m not just saying that because I’m a little buzzed. I mean it.

and eating in Pine Dining Hall. I stayed with her

family, all five of us crammed into one room with

two bunks and some blankets.

We had free reign of the lodge; the

only rule was that we had to be in at 11:00. My

cousin didn’t particularly hate curfews and she

didn’t particularly hate her parents, but she

loved Jeremy Hanson, a distant cousin of ours

who was her age. My memory is fuzzy as far as

who brought the beer and who tried to light the

sanitary napkins on fire. All I know is that by the

time Jeremy decided to go in, it was so far past

11:00 that we thought we were in deep enough

trouble, we might as well make a night of it.

We went as many places as we could

think of, jumping at noises in the dark and falling

over each other. We saw a group of our uncles

peeing on Oak Centre and we thought it was so

funny that we tried to pee on the Cedar Guest

Services building. We couldn’t aim very well, as it

turns out.

I couldn’t say at what time we finally

sat down in front of our dorm building, and

didn’t go in. My cousin narrowly escaped

plopping down into a puddle of pee – outdoor

urination was a huge fad in our family,

apparently – and I accidentally stepped on a

Miller can. The crack echoed into a thousand

cracks, a thousand cracks echoed into one

million cracks, and so on until not another

wave of sound could squeeze itself between

our ears. We both looked at the empty can for

a moment, sure that we were busted. Then,

when the trees rustled and the distant sound of

urination filled the air, she picked up the can,

almost reverently, and set it upright against the

wall of the building. I wanted to sleep and so did

she, so she lit a cigarette to keep herself awake.

‘Jeremy’s an idiot,’ she said, referring

back to the secret he had told us as we had

watched the napkin burn. Brenda made a half-

hearted attempt to blow rings. ‘If you screw up

and get pregnant, you should deal with it. You

can’t kill a baby just because you didn’t plan it.

And you can’t leave a girl just because she has

your baby.’

I didn’t know what to say. Someone in

the forest laughed.

‘Melanie,’ she continued, ‘you have

to handle your shit. And I’m not just saying that

because I’m a little buzzed. I mean it.’

I told her she didn’t need to worry



“

”

Brenda doesn’t know how to take care of a baby. She hates babies.

about me, mostly because I was tired and

wanted humorous company. We went inside

after that. The sky was beginning to lighten

and my grandpa was getting coffee from the

machine in the lounge. He waved at us and

then reached for an unlabelled amber bottle

wedged discreetly behind the machine with the

same hand.

The next year, my cousin planned to go to

UC Davis. She wanted to be a veterinarian.

Her dad was so excited – he told everyone

who would listen that his daughter planned

to go to college. She was going to be the first

college graduate in our entire family.

She had finished high school the

previous month, with a diploma and everything.

My grandparents took her to Hawaii for two

weeks to celebrate.

When they came back, she was

pregnant and had a tattoo.

She named her baby JosephBrian, spelled

just like that, without a hyphen or a space.

His daddy was Filipino and he stuck around.

Everyone was mad at them for a while during

the pregnancy, but he stuck around. Even now,

he can always say that – he can always say he

stayed.

She quit drinking and smoking cold

turkey after Hawaii. She didn’t bleach her hair

the entire time she was pregnant, so by the time

the baby was born, she had more brown hair

than blond. She quit the drugs, too. No one told

me, but I’m sure she quit the drugs, too.

Her dad said he wanted to be a

grandpa as long as he was sober. Once, an

empty shot glass in hand, he told me: ‘Brenda

doesn’t know how to take care of a baby. She

hates babies.’

I didn’t know what to say.

‘She never wanted to go to UC Davis,

either. She never applied.’

I said, ‘Yeah, but –’ and he shushed

me.

He poured a shot and offered it to me.

Without waiting for a response, he downed it

“”

I guess some people are just destined for failure.



The Back: Creative Writing

and laughed.

I went into the kitchen, where my

grandma was cooking. She took one look at me

and told me to sit down with her. In the dining

room, I made a pyramid out of wine glasses. My

grandma came in with two bottles: one wine,

one sparkling cider. Sticking her tongue out, she

took two glasses from the pyramid and poured

wine for herself and cider for me. I grabbed the

glass; I needed something sweet. I took a giant

swig.

Grandma said, ‘I don’t know what I’m

going to do with you.’

I said she could give me more cider.

She laughed, but the smile quickly

dropped from her face. ‘You know you’re

the last one. You have to make something of

yourself now that Brenda threw her life away.’

I stopped drinking, the glass on my lips.

‘You’d think she’d have learned from

her father’s mistakes, but I guess some people

are just destined for failure,’ she said. ‘And that

baby, he hasn’t got a chance in the world.’

With sparkling cider an inch away

from my mouth, and my breath fogging up the

wine glass, I thought of Brenda. I thought of how

fat she got when she was pregnant and how

brown her hair was, I thought of the cigarettes

she didn’t smoke and the beer she didn’t drink,

I thought of her boyfriend who stuck around. I

thought about Jeremy Hanson laughing to us

that he narrowly escaped parenthood. I thought

about the rum in my grandpa’s coffee and

the wine in my grandma’s stomach and the

sparkling cider in my hand and I couldn’t stop

myself from saying:

‘But Grandma, she handled her shit.’

She blinked at me, a scowl forming.

‘Who taught you that?’ she demanded. ‘You

should never say things like that.’

Antwerp by Anviss


Documents

SpaLife Spring 2013