IMPACT Magazine

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IMPACT MAGAZINE Holly Barry Profile on the Cork student behind fashion blog along came Holly Going on a J1? Travel Tips Inside Exclusive interview with YouTube sensation Clare Cullen Inside! Drinking Culture in Ireland Only drinking to get drunk? Your 2014 Summer Festival Guide Inside

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Magazine aimed at young people, focusing on youth culture, issues, art and entertainment. Produced by second year students at the University of Limerick

Transcript of IMPACT Magazine

I M PAC TMAGAZINE

Holly BarryProfile on the Cork student behind

fashion blog along came Holly

Going on a J1?Travel Tips

InsideExclusive interview

with YouTube sensation

Clare Cullen Inside!

Drinking Culture in Ireland

Only drinking to get drunk?

Your 2014 Summer Festival

Guide Inside

EDITOR’S LETTERS

What does it mean to be young in today’s society? What makes us different? The recession has created barriers for many of us, but it doesn’t mean that the youth of today cannot succeed and do something

great. IMPACT magazine has discovered that past this doom and gloom, there is a world of opportunities out there and young people

are grasping this with both hands. In this publication, we met some of the young people who have enjoyed success in

recent years, ranging from an entrepreneur to an artist.

This magazine shows that vibrant young Irish people have a lot to offer the

world and are making an impact. Clare Cullen is making her mark as a You-Tuber. Holly Barry and Robin McGonigle are making inroads through their fashion

blogs.Success comes in all shapes and sizes. While most of us will be enjoying home comforts, 22-year-old Féarghal Giobúin will be climbing the second highest peak

in the world in June. All our writers in this magazine are young journalism students who are trying to make a mark in the world. We hope you might see us all soon, with our names in

lights! 27 students, one magazine. We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed

producing it.

Leah Ring, Editor

Here at Impact, we hope to provide a space for youth, free from the tyrannies

of teletext and tracker mortgages. We have focused ourselves on bringing you a magazine filled with colour and energyWe have a variety of pieces to suit all sorts of interests, from our fabulous fashion section, to talk of sport and even politics (no, come back, we have fun

things too!). Our team has worked diligently to bring you an exciting product we hope you’ll

love.But why the need for such a product at all? Quite simply put, it is because

there’s nothing quite like IMPACT! We hope to burst forth with a resounding, fresh, youthful voice representative of

you, our reader. We have made every attempt to weave

together our words with an eye-popping, arresting visual design that we hope captures and keeps your attention better

than a boxy boring broadsheet. But we certainly don’t shy away from the tough topics, as you will see with a glance up to ‘The Issues’ category, where we tackle issues of note such as alcohol, drugs and politics in a way that doesn’t treat you like a child or bore you half to death. How will we make good on all

these wonderful promises? You’ll have to read on to figure it out!

David O’Donoghue, Deputy Editor

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Editor: Leah RingDeputy Editor:

David O’DonoghueHead of Social Media:

Orlaith McDonoghDeputy Head of Social

Media: Paul DalyHeads of Photography: Niamh Higgins, Shan-non Beaudelot, Nyrenee

BaileyDesign Editor: Clodagh

McGrath

Social media team:Melissa BrandNiamh Doherty

Melissa ShannonAnna Clancy

Philip WatsonSacha Noyes

Sub-editing team:Anna O’Rourke

Kayleigh CampbellLaura McAndrewEthan Larkin

Design team:Anne O’Donoghue

Michael KorsgaardLeah Ring

Sacha NoyesAnna Clancy

Adelina StorkaasKati AndersonConnor Lynch

Photography team:Anna ClancySacha Noyes

Niamh DohertyLeah Ring

Writing team:Kati Anderson, Nyrenee Bailey, Melissa Brand, Kayleigh Campbell, Paul Daly, Niamh Doherty, Sacha Noyes, Caoimhe Duffy, Michael Kors-gaard, Ethan Larkin, Laura McAndrew, Orlaith McDonogh, Kevin Molo-ney, Anne O’Donoghue, David O’Donoghue, Anna O’Rourke, Leah Ring,

Melissa Shannon, Adelina Storkaas, Philip Watson.

CONTENTS

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ProfilesDaniel Fox 4Entrepreneur Daire O’Shea 4Up and coming artistNiall McGarry 5 Founder of Joe.ie Clare Cullen 16YouTube sensationReda Kanane 17Moroccan rapperHolly Barry & 18Robin McGonigle Fashion Bloggers

IssuesDrinking Culture 6Transgender Bill 7Young Politicians 8-9Drug Usage 11

FashionBeauty on a Budget 19Street Style 20-21

SportMountaineer 22Capoeira 23

TravelLeaving Ireland 24Going on a J1? 25Travel Tips 25

Bits and BobsWhen I was.. 10 Ethnic Food 26Book Reviews 27Life Hacks 29Top 10 Apps 29Social Media 28

CraicFestivals 12Pub Spy 13

GalleryCity of Culture 14-15

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Counting Cards with the CloudDaniel Fox (22), a casino croupier, has de-

veloped an innovation for tracking players in casinos.

A Galway City native, Daniel has worked in a casino there for the past number of years.

He has brought his innovation onto Dragons’ Den for audition.

“I’ve come up with a system for casinos and players to use radio frequency identifica-tion cards instead of the current membership cards,” says Daniel.

“Casinos are already keeping track of players - what games they play and for how long - but this is going to be completely automatic,” he adds.

Upon entering a casino, the card-holders can be tracked wherever they go by the RFI read-ers.

The innovation employs similar technology to the Leap Card used in Dublin’s public transport network.The casino can record player details, including

average spend and preferred games.It also allows the casinos to appraise their

employees’ performance more easily by track-ing the hourly income per dealer.

“It’s a business analysis system for casinos, essentially,” says Daniel.

“We’re going to keep the information in the

cloud and sell it on to casinos for a monthly subscription.”

“I’m still developing the prototype but I’ve already had a lot of interest from investors,” he adds.

Scultpting His Own Future

Philip Watson

“In five years time I can see myself represent-ing Ireland in La Biennale di Venezia with a monu-mental sculpture,” said 20-year-old artist Daire O’ Shea.

The young artist, who hails from Cork, has been passionate about art from a very young age and hopes to represent Ireland in what is possibly the biggest art event in the world: La Biennale di Venezia.

“It’s a big goal of mine. A lot of the time I’m absent minded but

when it comes to art I’m ambitious and logical,” he says.

Limerick-based Daire is creative and enjoys using a wide range of materials in new innovative

ways when undertaking a new piece of work.

“I’m not the type of artist who paints and draws. I prefer building things and sculpting.

“If I could compare myself to another artist it would be Donald Judd. He was an American artist back in the 60s, very minimalistic. My work is similar to that.”

Nyrenee Bailey

PROFILE

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Niall McGarry, the founder and CEO of leading Irish websites JOE.ie and Her.ie is no stranger to success. The 35-year-old native of Castlebar, Co Mayo demon-

strated entrepreneurial skills from a very early age. As a young teenager, Niall harvested pump-kins and sold them to local shops in order to earn money.

“I always wanted to work for myself. I’ve always had a grow for it and when I was in school I used to run lots of mini businesses - that might have been running school discos, selling pumpkins, fire-works, you name it!” Niall says.

“I liked the idea of making cash. I wouldn’t say I am incredibly greedy. I think you have to have a certain amount of greed in you in business. I get more driven on by trying to create something new for my son than I do for myself.”

Niall grad- uated from Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT) with a degree in Marketing Man- agement and

in 2003 he established Impact Media

which was the first

advertis-ing and

marketing agency in the West of Ireland. In 2008, Niall recognised a gap in the market for JOE.ie, a male targeted website, but kept it on the back burner due to the recession.

Niall then pursued with JOE.ie in 2010. He no-ticed that there wasn’t any website that targeted the interests of the average Irish man out there and believed in its potential.

“The main reason for how I found the gap was that I myself was going to various websites like the Guardian for football, GQ for style, getting my GAA on Hogan Stand and places like that. I felt there was an opportunity to pull everything togeth-er.”

JOE.ie has become extremely popular nation-wide since its launch in 2010 and in 2012 Niall launched a female targeted site called Her.ie.

“We knew exactly what we were doing second time round. One of my big attributes is if I make a mistake I will learn from it quickly and I think it’s important to make mistakes.”

Combined, JOE.ie and Her.ie has the largest social media audience in the country which has played a vital role as a “strong cyber of traffic”, according to Niall.

“We have huge communities of Facebook and Twitter; we have about 300,000 on Facebook between JOE.ie and Her.ie. JOE has more Twit-ter followers than the Irish Independent, the Irish Times, the Irish Examiner, Today FM and most of the big media outlets in the country.”

Niall’s media empire is growing continuously and the only way is up for this young entrepreneur. The websites’ fan base is rising steadily and looks likely to stay this way going forward.

“Six months ago we went up 8,000 fans in 24 hours and it took us 22 months to get to 7,000 fans in the first place so I thought to myself – yeah this is all coming together nicely!”

Pumpkins replaced by media empire

Paul Daly

PROFILE

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When is drinking not your friend?

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Anne O’Donoghue

You walk into the party and everybody is in top form. The glitz and glam is second

to none, everyone is dancing. That girl over there, she looks really pretty right? You wanted to buy that yellow summer dress in River Island last week and you wonder how she got her eye makeup that intense and smokey. You go over to compliment her, tell her that you hope she has a good night.

Fast forward two hours and you see that very same girl being carried out of the nightclub by two bouncers. She is inebriated, there is sick all down the front of that gorgeous dress and her eye makeup is running down her face. Where did it go wrong?

What about if that girl was you?Did you ever wake and wonder

when those normal two or three seconds in-between conscious and unconscious would end? That wave of panic washes over your body. You ask your friends what happened and they can put some of the pieces together; you spend the rest of the day wondering in fear.

“That’s the only reason people drink isn’t it, to get drunk?” They are the words of one young woman, Tara, 20.

Tara never drank before she went to college, she now drinks on average twice a week. Tara recalls one night when downing spirits could have put her in a very serious situation if it wasn’t for the help of her friends. She was at a party and someone gave her a cup of vodka: “I downed it and blank! It was like a black-out.”

She thought she was asleep, but

her friends informed her the next day that she was actually con-scious and falling over. Tara says that being drunk and disorderly is common among her peers. How-ever, despite all this, Tara firmly believes this is just a phase.

Even through her optimism though, Tara admits that binge drinking is destructive for some people: “Everyone gets into a bad situation with drink. Some people are lucky, some people aren’t.”

Drinking culture in Ireland is neg-atively renowned across the

world. But is this truly accurate or is it all blown out of proportion?

It is no secret that most of us Irish enjoy the occasional pint of Guinness accompanied with the finest banter. But is that all it really is?

Maltese Erasmus student, Ales-sandra Baldacchino, is studying for a semester at the University of Limerick. She says, “The only difference between Irish drinking culture and Malta’s drinking culture is that you guys drink a lot of beer and we drink a lot of spirits.”

“I think the Irish like to think they live up to the stereotype more than they actually do. I don’t necessarily think ye are any wilder than other countries,” says Ales-sandra.

“In Malta we would also drink a lot and I am sure it is the same in any other country. We are just not known for it so there is no publicity highlighting the fact.”

Paul Daly

An Irish drinking culture?

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ISSUES

IRELAND has never been a country to jump the greater European bandwagon of social policy too quickly.

One of the less dis-cussed issues is Ireland’s non-existent legislation on gender recognition for transgender indi-viduals, which would enable them to apply for an amendment of their birth certificates to reflect their acquired gender.

Activist Leslie Sherlock submitted a proposal to the Joint Oireachtas Committee appointed to draft the Gender Recog-nition Bill 2013 spoke at the Oireachtas on the issue.

“From my perspective what’s been one of the problems is that they have listened to medical people more than they have listened to trans-gender people actually. I was struck by the lack of transgender people sit-ting at the table,” Leslie explained.

The Bill is very much modelled after corre-sponding legislation in the UK.

“I think with the UK law as well, what’s impor-tant to know, is that it’s 10 years old. It came through in 2004, and at this stage, it’s quite out-

dated. Other countries ei-ther amended their laws, or are amending their laws, or have brought in

much better laws, Germa-ny would be

one of them. The tide is turning in

Europe towards a model not based on medicaliza-tion, but more based on individuals, seeing trans-

gender as an identity as opposed to a medical or a mental illness, and believing people when they say ‘I’m transgen-der’, that that’s enough,” said Leslie.

According to findings in Transgender Equal-ity Network Ireland’s ‘Speaking from the Margins’ report, 37 per-cent of the respondents didn’t identify as either male or female, yet the proposal doesn’t ad-dress this issue.

“I would love to see it pushed forward to get more than two gender boxes. In Australia they now have a third gender box. There are places in the world increasingly, that are giving a third, or even an ‘x’ option - an undeclared - and I don’t see what the harm is in that. In fact that would benefit intersex kids as well. So when a child is born and the genitals are indeterminate, they can put down ‘x’,” added Leslie.

By Ethan Larkin

Gender Recognition Bill

Looking at the Dail it might seem like politics is only for men in their 50s, but there are several young politicians in the top of Irish Politics. Impact Magazine caught up with four people who made their life in politics before the age of 30.

Think politics is only for grumpy old men? Think again.

Lorcan Allen First elected at 21 in 1961 for Fianna Fail

* * *> My age was never used against me. Never. I was always treated 100 percent like my elders.

> In my first election I ran against four sitting TDs. I got elected and headed the Fianna Fail pole.

> I suppose I was quite young then. Only 21. But I wouldn’t think I was too young.

> I still say: ‘Politics is a learning day every day’ and maybe that is a good thing.

> I had some great friends who took me under their wing for the first couple of years. I found it a great help and I am eternally grateful to them.

> It was a big experience I must say, especially in that stage of my life.

Helen McEntee First elected at 26 in 2013 for Fine Gael

* * *> Enda Kenny was 24 and Damien English was even younger when they were elected. It’s what you decide to make of it yourself.

> My age has been a topic and some people would say that I was too young to be elected TD.

> I suppose the thought crossed my mind as well, but it was not a deciding factor for me.

> If you choose to give it your everything, then it is never too young to start.

> My age is never brought up negatively in the Daàil. If you have an opinion and if you have a voice, then you are listened to.

> When people hear I am a TD the general reaction is: “Oh, you are very young,” but it is never in a negative way.

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Denis Naughten First elected at 23 in 1997, Independent.

* * *> I don’t think my age was an issue, it was an advantage. It made me unique as a candidate at the time and it probably worked to my advan-tage.

> I was lucky in that i came in between elections and i got a lot of help from my senior colleagues. I could turn to them for advice.

> As you spend longer in parliament you be-come far more proficient, building up contacts that are vitally important as a politician in trying to get work done.

> I probably learned more in the first couple of years in the Dail than I ever have since.

> We need more young people and I think we need more women in politics. I think that’s need-ed to shake up the existing structure that’s there in Leinster House.

Looking at the Dail it might seem like politics is only for men in their 50s, but there are several young politicians in the top of Irish Politics. Impact Magazine caught up with four people who made their life in politics before the age of 30.

Think politics is only for grumpy old men? Think again.

Dale MacDermottPlans to be a TD, Young Fine Gael, 21 years old * * *> When I was younger my local TD came by and asked my dad if he had any question, he told him “No, but someone inside might.”

> People can comment as much as they want on the Journal, but they are not going to change anything. I say: Get involved!

> Is it worth it? Yeah, absolutely. But it is a tough choice for what I’ve seen.

> Our parliament would be a lot more progres-sive if we had more young people in the Dàil.

> I am often asked; “Why would you get involved in politics? You are only 21, give it a rest!”

> Politicians let down my generation in the last year. We have been forced in debt and forced to emigration. A lot of lives have been destroyed.

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IMPACT 9

This is the life. A sunny, spring afternoon in college, the University of Limerick to

be exact. There are students sprawled all over campus, lounging on the grass enjoy-ing a surprising, and brief, glimpse of the sun. The recession, the raging economic crisis Europe is living through, seems like a distant, unpleasant memory on days like this.

I am a young female in college, learning, furthering my career prospects. Soon I’ll be moving to Dublin, then Spain and after that, who knows. I can take on the world, or at least, I feel like I can. My life is full of endless opportuni-ties, I think. Life isn’t so simple for all of us twenty-something year-olds and of course, it is a struggle at times but it seems as though we really have landed on our feet.

Getting married, having children and being stay at home mothers are bizarre concepts that rarely enter any of our minds. How could they? We have some binge drinking to catch up on and a couple of hazy, and slightly shame-ful, memories to try to forget. We moan about preparing dinner for one after “long” days of study, and most of us usually opt for the easier option, any easier option. Cooking dinner for a family of five is some-thing I shudder to think of.

Thinking of our own parents’ lives and what they were doing at our age would

send many of us into a state of shock. “When I was your age,” my mother often tells me when I complain about the hard life I have, “I was married, living in a house we had built together and working full-time as a hairdresser to pay my mortgage.”

She grew up in a terrace house, with elev-en siblings and barely one bathroom. She was working full time by 15, by my age was

building a family and devel-oping a real, grown-up life. I don’t even have a student loan and just the idea of a mortgage makes me feel ill. My life could not be more different. Most of us would be content to roam around campus for another six to eight years, wait-ing to discover what we really want to be when we grow up. I seriously doubt many of us would be able to cope with the burden of children and mortgage repayments.

In 1980 there were 17,000 women in third level education. In 2012 there were more than 84, 400 of us. This country has in some ways come so far,

despite its continuing battle with the economic crisis. It is apparent that we are a blessed generation,

whether we wish to see it or not. Attending college is no longer a rarity, it has become the norm for so many of us. Our futures, our hopes for our lives, have far exceeded the idea of just finding a partner and reproduc-ing. The question is, do any of us actually appreciate what that means?

And as I stroll through campus I can’t help but think, “This is the life.”

When I was

The University of Limerick

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Leah Ring

your age

BITS &

BOB

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It is becoming apparent nowadays that drug use is prevalent in our everyday lives, particularly in college.

Whether it’s your friends using them around you or being offered them at that random house party, there is a strong chance that you will encounter them.

Impact magazine decided to carry out an online survey of young college go-ers, to establish thoughts and trends on drug use. The results of the survey, completed by 100 people, showed that half of all respondents have taken Class A drugs.

Some 76 percent of those had never engaged in drug use before going to college.

The survey, which examined drug use from a range of colleges across the country, revealed that 42 percent of respondents believed drug use was very common in their college.

Class A drug use has clearly become a problem amongst our youth. The survey revealed that 91 percent of respondents who have engaged in class A drugs have tried ecstasy whilst 73 percent have tried MDMA and 53 percent have taken cocaine.

The survey showed that 73 percent of respondents engaged in drug use because it “makes them feel good”.

Head of Student Counselling at the

University of Limerick, Declan Aherne, believes “the underlying reason for taking drugs is often to disguise deep rooted issues”.

Mr Aherne said that the continuous use of Class A drugs can lead to fu-ture mental health problems. “Bad trips and prolonged usage can cause major concentration problems,” he added.

He said that more often than not, students don’t see themselves as hav-ing an actual drug problem and it only becomes apparent to counsellors that they have after speaking with them on other issues.

With over 18 percent of respondents admitting to having lost count of the amount of times they have engaged in class A drugs, it is clear we havea problem on our hands, one that needs to be recognised and controlled sooner rather than later.

IMPACT 11

STUDENT DRUG USE: THE NUMBERS

Drugs have always been associated with college life. Orlaith McDonogh, Melissa Shannon and Kayleigh Camp-bell investigate drug use in UL to find out about students’ actual habits and get their views.

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Indiependence, 1-3 August

Cost: Currently €99 euro for a weekend camping ticket.Line-up: An electric mix including White Lies, Tom Odell, Public Enemy and Walk-ing on Cars.Location: The idyllic countryside backdrop of Deerpark in Mitchelstown, Co. Cork is a gorgeous spot for camping (if the weather holds up).

Body & Soul Festival, 20-22 June

Cost: €129.50 euro for weekend camping.Line-up: By day wander through gardens filled with art, be entertained by acrobats, belly dancers and drummers. By night, experience music by Goldfrapp, Darkside, Mount Kimbie and many, many more.Location: Just one hour from Dublin, this festival is set against the backdrop of Ballinlough Castle surrounded by private woodland and lakes.

Westport Festival of Music and Food, 28 & 29 June

Cost: Day tickets cost €76 euro while a weekend ticket will set you back €131 euro.Line-up: Canada’s fourth greatest export; Bryan Adams is headlining Westport (the guy, with that song, in that Robin Hood movie?) along with Sinead O’Connor, Da-vid Gray and Bell X1.Location: The campsite is a mere 10 min-ute walk from Westport town.

Oxegen, 1-3 August

Cost: This festival has become consider-ably more affordable in the last few years, with weekend camping down to €149.50 euro.Line-up: Promoters have declined to reveal acts early, so there are no artists confirmed yet for the three-day gig. Last year’s headliners included Calvin Harris and David Guetta, so expect a dance-themed line-up for this one, with solid value for money.Location: Expect cramped conditions but plenty of craic!

Sea Sessions, 27 – 29 June

Cost: €€€99 €euro for weekend with camping, €89 euro without.Line-up: There are some strong acts set to headline, including the Dandy Warhols, Ella Eyre and Walking on Cars.Location: Revellers are at the mercy of the elements here beside the Donegal coast, so this one is definitely not for the faint-hearted.

Melissa Shannon Kevin Moloney Anna O’Rourke

Summer Festivals 2014

Photo credit Allen Kiely

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Pub Spy Charlie Chaplin’s

If a nightclub isn’t your style and you’d prefer a more chilled out scene then Charlie Chaplin’s in Limerick is the place for you.

With student friendly drinks offers and a cocktails menu as long as your arm, Charlie’s really is an all round winner.

When we arrived at around 10.30pm, there were only a handful of people within Charlie’s. A large sign greet-ed us with a very welcomed “no cover charge” chalked across it, stating that Club House DJ Chloe was playing a set on the decks.

Taking into consideration that it was a Wednesday night we were not disheartened with the poor turnout of people. The lighting was moody, and the decor ap-pealed to a creative arts eye as large attractive posters covered parts of the walls.

It was clean all round, which is a big factor when it comes to ‘sit down’ orientated venues which aims to attract large groups of people who wish to stay togeth-er and not get lost in a hectic nightclub.

The staff were friendly and the sound levels seemed to have been adjusted to accommodate the punters who were just out for a ‘quiet one’ that night.

Cocktails range from €5 to €8 with a ‘buy one get one free’ offer to grab your attention. Or if your night out routine abides by LMFAO’s hit song ‘Shots’, then why not avail of Charlie’s €2.50 shots menu. They really have something for everyone.

If you are a diehard rugby fan then you are sorted in Charlie’s! With live coverage from the Six Nations and other sport events there really is no need for you to pay outrageous ticket prices when you can get an even better atmosphere at Charlie’s.

If your nights out are usually a little more Geordie Shore-esque then maybe Charlie’s isn’t for you. Perhaps you are renowned within your social circle for throwing ridiculous shapes or you may even enjoy the occasion-al rave to Hardwell - if so we suggest you think of an alternative venue for your night!

Charlie’s is located on Chapel Lane just off O’Connell Street in the heart of Limerick city. It’s in a good loca-tion with McDonald’s just a stone’s throw away.

With exquisite drinks and good craic - what is there not to love?!

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Paul Daly and Laura McAndrew Pictures: Paul Daly and Laura McAndrew

CLARE CULLEN: YOUTUBE SENSATION

Anne O’ Donoghue

Clare Cullen became an overnight You-Tube hit when her video ‘Shite Irish girls say’ went viral. Since then she has gone from strength to strength and is now one of Ireland’s leading vloggers. Clare has captured the hearts of many with her witty humour, her portrayal of ‘Irishness’ and of course her fiery red hair.

Q. Clare, you have over 26,000 subscrib-ers on YouTube, why do you think your channel has been so successful?A. Part hard work, part fluke and partly the red hair! Q. Your video ‘Shite Irish girls say’ has close to 1.5 million views; where did you come up with the idea for this and do you think it was a breakthrough moment in your career?

I had around 127 subscribers before it went viral so it pretty much made the whole YouTube thing happen for me! I basically saw all of the other ‘Shite Girls Say’ going around and had a think about what slant I could put on it, and nobody had done an Irish one yet.

Q. Where did your YouTube name Clisare come from? A. It’s a silly nickname a girl I met in the Gaeltacht gave me, and then YouTube wouldn’t let me change it. She’s still one of my best friends and the name was available on all social media so it’s win-win!

Q. Do you think your videos have a national and interna-tional appeal?A. I think so - a lot of people who have Irish ancestors, or are coming to Ireland or want to come to Ireland watch my videos for an idea of what we’re like, for a glimpse into Irish culture and, in the case of the Irish Bucket List, to see what cool stuff they can do when they’re here.

Q. You are a prime example of how people can use the internet for good, but it can also have very negative impacts. You spoke very openly about your opinions on slut shaming in The Irish Independent around the time of the Slane Girl incident, what do you think about the power of the internet and its huge positive and negative impacts?A. The internet is a very powerful thing that can tend to be used for negativity - the Slane Girl thing, neknomi-nations. However, it can be used for good - the #No-MakeUpSelfie raising over €1 million for the Irish Cancer Society shows that. I think we all just need to support the good stuff and not the bad stuff, instead of slam-ming each other’s efforts to start something positive (ie. those people complaining that you can’t cure cancer with a Facebook like - they shut down all good intended ideas without replacing them with a better idea).

Q. Do you think young Irish people have a strong Irish identity or are our younger generations losing it?A. No I think we’re getting a stronger one - it’s just more focused on laughing at ourselves online, which is great too.

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PROFILE

IMPACT 17

Rap the David O’Donoghue

Reda Kanane is a Moroccan rapper currently studying at the University of Limerick. His densely lyrical, often introspective rap is built expertly around heavy beats and an intense flow, mixing a love of poetry with an interest in the classics of hip hop as well as reflecting his national identity as a Moroccan.

Casbah

How did you get into rap and who were your

greatest musical influences?Well there’s a French rapper called Maî-tre Gims. The other one is Eminem. I got to rap as I started writing poetry when I was 10. At the age of about 17 I started writing actual songs and I learned to play the guitar. I was in a couple of bands. At the age of 18 and a half I met up with the True Blood Soldierz in Shannon and that’s how I started rapping. They had a studio and I was just hang-ing out with them. I heard them rap and I was like “I gotta try this!”

Is music a large com-ponent of your life?

It’s all my life. When-ever I have some-thing to say, I just write it down, I don’t get angry at people, I just get on with writ-ing it down.

How do you feel about the modern rap scene?Some of them are good. But most of them…they basically just curse, sing about girls, money, violence and drugs. I’m not like that. I’m more about… [rap] about real sub-jects. Most of it has to be real, like talking about how society neglects people with difficulties or [the topic of ] friendship.

Do you think social media makes it easier for up and coming musicians to get their work heard?It does and it doesn’t.

Bandcamp is alright. Most people actually download my songs from bandcamp.

How do you feel the artistic culture of Ireland compares to that of Morocco?

The subjects they talk about are differ-ent. In Morocco they mostly talk about thieves etc. Here in Ireland it’s more like normal life, usual life and the Christian faith.

PROFILE

19-year-old fashion student Robin McGonigle has been blogging for over a year. Her fashion blog, Jewel Studded Grunge, has generated over 30,000 views.

Robin, who studies Fashion Retail in Galway Technical Institute, has always been interested in fashion, religiously following fashion and makeup blogs since secondary school. She believes blogging is “a great cost-free method of getting yourself out there and creates contacts within the industry too!”

Jewel Studded Grunge uses only orig-inal content, with Robin’s younger sister Trudy often modelling for her pho-to-shoots. Because of this, the blog hasn’t only opened doors for Robin, but Trudy receives modelling gigs due to people spotting her on the blog.

The inspiration for Robin’s fashion styling and per-sonal style is mostly influenced by street style, fashion

advertising campaigns and photo-shoots. Robin often uses her creative eye to find locations for her pho-to-shoots.

Since she started her blog in January 2013 - with the aim of using it as a platform to showcase her creative work and interests – she has made numerous contacts through networking within the budding fashion industry in Galway and has met some “really good friends through it all!”

Robin is passionate about the industry, but believes Ireland is “only in its infancy when you compare it to London or Paris.” How-ever she thinks “it has huge potential…it’s

forever expanding and improving.” The blog is growing and Robin plans to collaborate

with Sinead Lally of Cotton Face Vintage in the next month where she will be photographing and styling a shoot with their latest stock.

Along Came HollyOrlaith McDonagh

“There are so many ways to express yourself but I love how you can almost tell someone’s personality from

what they wear.”Holly Barry from

Mallow in Cork is a part-time model and full-time Market-ing student in Cork Institute of Technol-ogy. Like many other young Irish today, she has a blog for some-thing she is passionate about – fashion.

“I needed a way to get into fashion, to

show off my interests. I’m not sporty or anything like that so fashion is really my hobby, you know?” she says.

Holly started her blog in July 2013 and has since gained huge success not only amongst her readers but

with businesses and advertisers as well. She says she had never considered herself a business

woman or entrepreneur: “I started this thing from scratch and it has become something I never thought it would be.”

On advice for the other young fashion savvy of today she says that a few basic items of clothing are all that you need in a wardrobe. “If you work with basics you can interchange your wardrobe well. I myself live in black jeans and I often pair them with different sweat-shirts and hats which make it a really easy way of do-ing things instead of thinking of new outfits every day.”

As for her own style icons, Holly says that she adores the style of Olivia Palermo and thinks that Laura Whitmore and Una Healy are great representations of Irish fashion, who she described as ‘totally fashion forward.’

Holly Barry’s blog ‘Along Came Holly’ can be found at alongcameholly.wordpress.com where she posts regular updates on Irish fashion, seasonal style and entertainment news.

Jewel Studded GrudgeSacha Noyes

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FASH

ION

Fashion

is a broad category into

which fashion, make up, skin care and hair are all incorporated.

It can be real chal-lenge to keep up with trends on average

college student’s budget. Aisling Conway is a second year student of Business and French at the University of Limerick (UL). and Kate Dundon is a second year Law student at UL. and both are highly interested in fashion.

How much do you spend on clothes a month?

Aisling: It varies de-pending on upcoming occasions,about €30-€60 a month.Kate: At least €50-€100 a month easily.

What shops would you recommend for students on a budget?

Aisling: I usually shop in River Island or Topshop when I have money, but if I’m on a budget I usually just stick to Penneys, or online stores like BooHoo which offer a student discount.do really good versions of catwalk pieces so I’d recommend River Island or Penneys and

also online shops like MissGuided or NastyGal.

Do you think social media puts more pres-sure on students in regards to fashion and beauty?

Aisling: Yes definitely as lots of people don’t like to be seen wearing the same thing over and over again. And with Facebook, everybody is going to be seeing what you’re wearing.Kate: Instagram and Pinterest are image focused and especially being Facebook friends with so many well-dressed college girls, there’s definitely more pressure for us.

Any advice for people trying to maintain beau-ty on a budget?Kate: Buy items like blazers, belts and neck-laces, you can mix and match with any outfit.

I spoke with pharmacy worker

Louise Walsh, Galway to get her perspective on the matter.

She said that while younger people buy a lot of Catrice and Gosh, older people lean more towards MaxFactor, Green Angel, Garnier and Simple, they are very affordable.

Beauty on a Budget!

By Kayleigh Campbell

BEAUTY

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Street

StyleSacha Noyes, Niamh Higgings & Anna O’Rourke

It’s tough to stay fashionable on a budget and yet most college students manage to keep up with the latest trends as we found out when we hit the streets and found some style savvy students:

“tries not to look like a gimp in general”

“I love Cara Delevingne, I’m trying to grow my eyebrows out now.”

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FAS

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“Skinnies are essential.”

“Vary it and be yourself.”“Wear what suits your body.”

“Be unique and be comfortable.”

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He was only 11-years-old when he climbed his first proper

mountain. Now, 11 years ODWHU��)�HDUJKDO�*LRE�LQ�LV�ready to conquer two RI�WKH�KLJKHVW�VXPPLWV�in the world, the famed Kilimanjaro of Africa and WKH�WRZHULQJ�(OEUXV�LQ�Russia.

“Two of the seven summits done, which is pretty cool when you DUH����\HDUV�RI�DJH�h�says the student, who is VWXG\LQJ�DW�WKH�8QLYHUVLW\�of Limerick. $Q�D[H���D��FOLPELQJ�

harness, a helmet, VQRZ�JRJJOHV�DQG�D�PDS

will all be needed when he and his seven friends take off in to climb July.

The first stop will be Tanzania, where the famed 6,000 metre mountain,Kilimanjaro awaits. Snow White and WKH�VHYHQ�GZDUYHVh�DV�WKH�RQO\�JLUO�LQ�WKH�JURXS�calls them, have much H[SHULHQFH�PRYLQJ�RQ�snow and ice before.

They are members of the university’s Outdoor Pursuit Club and have climbed in Ireland and abroad for years.

None of them has experienced the altitude that they are about to come across however.

)�HDUJKDO�KDV�FOLPEHG�LQ�Italy, Austria, Spain and *HUPDQ\�DQG�UHDFKHG�4,000 metre summits. “That is almost 2,000 meters lower than Kili-PDQMDUR�h�KH�VD\V��

His ability to adjust to the altitude will likely be tested. He usually takes notice of the effect at 2,500 metres and as he JHWV�KLJKHU�XS��WKH�ULVN�RI�JHWWLQJ�DOWLWXGH�VLFNQHVV�JURZV�g,�UHPHPEHU�RQH�QLJKW�

ZKHQ�,�VOHSW�RQ�D�JODFLHU�on 3,600 meters. I could not sleep. At all. It [the altitude sickness] affects everyone differently, but I had this headache, like

IURP�WRR�PXFK�FRIIHH�hSome are not able to

eat or drink when they JHW�DOWLWXGH�VLFNQHVV�DQG�thus some climbers don’t survive mountains

“This weekend we’re JRQQD�VOHHS�RQ�D�WRS�RI�D�PRXQWDLQ�LQ�.HUU\�h�VD\V�)�HDUJKDO��

On Kilimanjaro they will EH�JXLGHG�WR�WKH�WRS��,Q�RUGHU�WR�UHDFK�(OEUXVf�summit at 5,642 metres altitude, however, they will all have to rely on WKH�QDYLJDWLRQ�VNLOOV�WKH\�have acquired over the years.g,WfV�JRQQD�EH�D�ELW�

PRUH�RI�DQ�DGYHQWXUH�h�he adds.

An adventure like no other

By Adelina Storkaas

Adelina Storkaas

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SPORT

Fearghal and his fellow climbers in the Alps

Fearghal and company hiking in Ireland

A modern workout from an old art form

I duck my head as a foot flies in my direc-tion. The foot’s cir-

cular path crosses the place where my head had been seconds ear-lier. I look down at the floor, one hand protect-ing my face. “You can’t look down.

You have to always see your opponent,” says the man in front of me.

On the second floor at one of University of Limerick’s student housing complexes we are playing Capoeira in one of the seminar rooms. The music in the background is leading the mood when I at-tempt the dance and acrobatic movements for the first time.

The music is one of the three elements that combine the martial art with dance and acro-batic moves that follow the rhythm. Women are singing in Portuguese to Brazilian instruments. The songs are led by the berimbau, a single stringed musical bow, which tells the musi-cians what song and tempo to play and tells capoeiristas what game will be played. The ber-imbau is complemented

by the pandeiro, which is

similar to a tambou-rine, atabaque, a tall, wooden hand drum, and an agogô, a small bell.Capoeira is a Brazil-

ian art involving music, rhythm, fighting and acrobatics that is be-lieved to have started as a way for African slaves to practice self defense under the guise of dance.

“You have to keep your leg bent, other-wise it will break,” says trainer Brian Hogan about my outstretched leg when we practice attack.

With fluid movements and beautiful transi-tions, the dynamic

game is impressive to watch.

The dance normally starts with capoeiristas forming a circle, called a roda, and a player calls his or her opponent into the ring. This challenge, known as a chamada, is meant to test the other’s awareness and vulnerability. This Thurs-day evening we are the only three people in the room.

After 30 minutes, the circular kicks, head-stands and wheeling movements that are

all part of the game are starting to fall into place. I meet Brian, in the attack and defence exercises that make my legs burn and my arms wobble. I soon realise that the game will test my flexibility, strength, balance and fitness.

The Brazilian martial art is more like a show than a fight, but even though I am not afraid that the kicks will hit me in the face, I am rather safe than sorry. I keep ducking and when the hour comes to an end, a smile is stuck on my face. I cannot wait for next week’s class.

Kati Anderson and Adelina Storkaas

SPORT

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According to Eurostat, Ireland has the highest rate of emigration in the EU with a reported one person leaving every six minutes. Our young and educated

are leaving the country for greener pastures, travel-ling to Canada, Australia and the United States. Most only intend to go away for a year but end up staying for much longer. According to Eurostat,

Ireland has had a 315 per-cent increase in its emigra-tion rates between 2002 and 2012. Bronwyn O’Toole, who

is originally from Dublin, emigrated nearly three years ago and says she has no intention of return-ing to live in Ireland soon. Although she originally moved to the States to work, she now lives in Toronto, Canada and says she would consider perma-nent residency there. “I can go home at any

time so this is really a decision, me being here. I know a lot of people who cannot get work at home and need to be here. They literally have no choice; it is either here or home on the dole,” she said.Ms O’Toole explained that

life in Toronto isn’t that dif-ferent from life in Ireland,

but says that the biggest challenge of living away is missing her family. “I spoke with my older brother ev-ery day on the phone when I lived in Dublin and I am missing my little brothers growing up also.”Aoife McDonogh, who

also emigrated to Austra-lia, recently returned and is now living and working in Ireland. Although she stayed in Australia for lon-ger than she had planned to, her family and boyfriend back in Ireland ultimately made her decide to return home. “I wanted to go out there

for a year just to get a job and gain experience after graduating. I ended up

getting a really good job which made me stay there longer. There just weren’t the same opportunities for me back in Ireland.”Ms McDonogh, who lived

in Sydney, said that emi-grating changed her life. “I would definitely leave

again but in different circumstances. I have a job now in Ireland and the economy is better. Em-igrating made me grow up hugely, I’m a different person now,” she said. Some will come home and

some will stay away, but it's clear that emigration is about a lot more for the young Irish than leaving Ireland behind.

Half a million Irish people left their native shores in the wake of the recession, with nearly 200,000 of them leaving due to the massive congestion in unemployment lines.Since then, the Irish

job market has showing strong signs of improve-ment, but waving a pay cheque in front of the em-igrated will not bring many of them home.“If we compare the cur-

rent mass emigration with the one we saw in the late ‘80s, I would say that no more than 40 to 50 per-

cent will come back in an ideal scenario,” says lec-turer at UCC Piaras MacÉin-rÉ, who has co-written a paper on Irish emigration.Though unemployment

rates are still high in Ireland, the hundreds of thousand of non-returners may pose a threat the Irish economy in the long term, Mr. MacÉinrÉ says.“We are already look-

ing at labour shortage in different sectors, and if the construction industry recovers at some time it is likely that there will be skill shortage there as well.”

Down: drink a beverage quickly. Have good vibe: to feel good about something. Split: to leave in a hurry

Double double: a coffee with two creams and two sugars. Poutine: chips topped with cheese curds and gravy. Serviette: napkin,

Dunnie: the bathroom, also known as the loo. Hooroo: goodbye. Tinny: a can of beer

Gone for Good?Orlaith McDonogh takes a look at the stories two young emigrants in our main feature while Michael Korsgaard Nielsen talks to Piaras MacÉinrÉ about the economic side to emigration.

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WanderlustTo J1 or. . .

Not going on a J1? Here’s how to make the most of your sum-mer!

Contrary to what those who have been on a J1 will tell you, there are ways to have a great summer other than heading stateside to work 12-hour shifts for a pittance and share a bed-room with 30 of your closest friends. If this experience isn’t your cup of warm beer, maybe you should take a look at some other options for summer. Off the beaten track:

Inter-railing is an unusual and unforgettable experience, ideal-for those with a taste for travel. Using one ticket to traverse Europe is a great way to soak

up a variety of cultures in a short space of time and to become independent. Being organised is key, as good preparation will help you fit a lot into your trip. Remember to budget (this won’t be a cheap holiday) and pack light and you’re bound to have a ball. Get the best of a fest for less:

If you want to take in big acts without a hefty price tag, try vol-unteering at a music festival this summer. Many events around the country offer free entry and even camping and food vouchers in exchange for six or eight hour shifts as a steward or behind the bar. This is a really in-expensive way of enjoying great

music and a festival atmosphere.Happy campers: What do The Parent Trap, Dirty Dancing and Friday the 13th have in common? These classic films are all set at ‘camp’, where many American kids spend a few weeks playing games, swimming and sitting around campfires (if the movies are anything to go by). Counsellors with Camp America and Camp USA get room and board, a salary and 30 days after camp to travel ,but must pay a fee to cover flights, medical insurance and a work visa. An option for someone who wants to work hard and develop their skills, but must be cost-con-scious.

So you want to go on a J1 for the summer? Why? And where should you go?

There are a number of options you can avail of and here are a few of the possibilities.San Francisco, California.

You will meet some of the nicest, most relaxed people in all of America. San Francisco is known for having a quirky atmos-phere; a visit to Haight Street will ensure you see the best hippies San Francisco has to offer.

Pier 39 & Fisherman’s Wharf is the prime tourist destination in San Francisco, the shops, aquariums, bike rental stores and restaurants are known for hiring Irish during the summer months - make this your number one destination when you arrive.

Expensive hostels mean you should try to prearrange a place

to stay. Apartments/houses are also expensive so prepare for cramped living. Berkeley is located about a 15-20 minute Bart journey from San Francisco, it is the home of the Irish during the summer months. Make sure you check out the University and the local Frat houses. Also you haven’t lived until you’ve tried John’s ice-cream!New York, New York

You are living in the city that never sleeps; there is ALWAYS something to do. You can jump on the subway at any time of the day or night.

There are endless Irish bars in New York and they really look after their own. The Mean Fiddler in Manhattan is one bar you must check out.

House hunting is an absolute nightmare in New York. Be pre-pared to live outside the city in

places like Queens, Woodside, Brooklyn, Yonkers etc.

You cannot leave New York until you’ve tried a cupcake from Magnolia Bakery, a slice of pizza from Ben’s pizza and catch an outdoor movie in Bryant Park and get yourself down to the Hudson River for the July 4 fireworks.Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Sun, sea and sand, why not?The cost of living is much

cheaper than the West Coast and it’s easy enough to find ac-commodation; Fountain Bleu and Rainbow Court are prime Irish locations.

It gets VERY hot in Myrtle Beach and the humidity takes some getting used to – also be prepared for the occasional thunder storm.

Allie’s summer house from the film The Notebook is located in Charleston, not far from Myrtle.

Not to J1?Anna O’Rourke

Melissa Shannon

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Sample the world’s plate

Want really good food and a bit of culture in Limer-ick city? Adelina Storkaas and Kati Anderson found Irish, Indian & Thai, Japanese and Mexican res-taurants that are not to be missed.

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Badass BurritosMost people in Ireland can find Mexico on a map but have not been able to eat food from the region until now. Badass Burritos is a great place for friends to meet up for big, flavourful portions at a reasonable price for eating in, take out or delivery. For less than €a tenner diners can get a huge burrito and a soft drink or beer, while students can take advantage of the €burrito and drink deal for just €€€€€€€€€€6 euro. Groups of up to six can fit comfortably during slower times, such as lunchtimes and weekdays.

TaikichiThere’s no shortage of Japanese restaurants in Limer-ick, but one of the best has to be Taikichi on O’Connell Street in the heart of the city. The menu has something for every budget and appetite: sushi, bento boxes, udon and more. Service is friendly and food is brought to the table as it is cooked in no particular order. The atmosphere is casual, clean and inviting, but the interi-or is small, so reservations are a must. This is a great place to go to splurge on a special meal or grab a filling lunch, when the menu prices are reduced.

Copper and SpiceThe Thai and Indian restaurant’s warm colours and copper glasses and plates bring you far away from Cornmarket Row to a different continent and culture for an hour or two. If you feel like having a meat-free Monday (or any other day of the week), this is the place to be. The waiters are very helpful and reasonable prices there is something for everyone, even meat or fish-lovers.

The Locke BarIf you’re a terrible chef and miss your mum’s cooking, The Locke Bar & Oys-ter House is a great place to get tra-ditional Irish food. They have a broad selection of seafood as well as meat and vegetarian dishes with dinner prices ranging from 10 to €20 euro. It is one of the few places in town with organic meals on the menu and every Sunday you can get a traditional roast with dessert for under a tenner. With an old fashion style, trad music and friendly staff, the cosy Locke Bar is ideal for a night out with family and friends.

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A Good Read BOOK

S

Divergent by Veronica Roth is one of the many books that is now being re-leased as a film.

Nothing can compete with the suspense, intrigue and compassion you feel when you read Tris’ story. It is part one of a three-part series which explores the protagonist’s quest for her identity on a personal and social level. Based in a future version of Chicago, citizens are assigned jobs, living quarters and their lives are based on personality tests.

Her story is very relatable for young people; although based in another time she still goes through the same struggles; family issues, difficult choices and even boy trouble!

Sacha Noyes

The minute I saw the advertisements for the film The Railway Man I went straight out to buy the book. I’m a sucker for buying books once I see they have been turned into movies, especially when based on a true story – which The Railway Men was.

The author, Eric Lomax, tells the story of his own extraordinary life as he gives an exceptionally detailed description of his life in captivity during WW2.

Although a little hard to get into at the start, it will capture and enthral you in a tale filled with brutality, torture, forgiveness and compassion. The pages are filled with shocking accounts of his time as a prisoner of war in Japan.

Your faith in humanity will be restored after reading this book; it left me in tears. A wonderfully moving and poignant novel that I would encourage every-one to read.

Melissa Shannon

I’ve read my share of books, and all of them have left some kind of mark, but Unbearable Lightness by Portia de Rossi, left a lasting impression. It is well written, without being pretentious, and it is probably one of the most honest books out there.

The reader is taken on a journey that deals with the taboo topic of eating disorders in a way that is both incredibly personal, heart-wrenching and ul-timately thought-provoking. A book that should be on everyone’s reading lists.

Ethan Larkin

A Thousand Splendid Suns was a book I reluctantly read, but I had to even-tually surrender to the constant nagging of friends, family and just about everybody who had encountered it!

This is Khaled Hosseini’s second book; the award winning The Kite Runner was his first. Similarly, it’s set in Afghanistan, before and during the Taliban’s reign. The book focuses on the reality of a woman’s life living in such an op-pressive country.

As a female, this book changed the way I looked at life. It helped me to appreciate the freedom I have to express myself more. It can be at times dif-ficult to read about the brutality that was inflicted on the Afghani people but every woman, and man, should read this book.

Leah Ring

Social media is a big part of most people’s lives. People of all ages use it to keep up with things going on with friends, family, work, school, news

etc. I know for me it plays a big part in my life and helps me to keep in touch with friends and family back home while I am studying abroad in Ireland. Like so many other people, I am connect-ed all day, in some way.

But what happens when it starts to take over your life? Do you think you could give it up for a day? How about a week? Sye-da Fatima, a 21-year-old university student gave up social media for two months. She admits she was addicted to Facebook and would spend hours online sharing stuff, making Bitstrips and constantly logging in to see what was going on. She would login from her phone and laptop whenever she could. “I use Facebook the most but I now have a Twitter [account]. I use Facebook on my phone 90 percent of the time except on weekends when I’m at work and then I use it on the computer,” she says.

While on her social media hiatus, she said it was easy to not peek on her phone, but was

still frequently tempted to go on with her lap-top. Syeda says she was so busy with school and work, with little time for anything else. That is when she decided to take the social media break.

“I got a lot more accomplished without Facebook. I used those hours to get a lot of reading done for school and keeping up with

everything.” She says she often won-dered what new Bitstrips were online that she was missing out on.

Unlike other students, she has not had to use social media for any classwork or groups so that was not

an issue. Syeda says, “I use social media for keeping up with friends, family, sharing stuff, and getting inspired by quotes. I also read through a lot religious and inspiring pages which help me.”

To some, it might seem like Syeda went to extremes by totally eliminating social me-dia, but to others, it might be just what they need to try to get some productivity back in their lives. Social media does not seem to be slowing down any time soon, but as we can see with Syeda, people can still survive without using it every day.

social media

BREAKING AWAY FROM

Melissa Brand

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BITS &

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Essential life hacks

Leah Ring, Caoimhe Duffy & Niamh Doherty

1.Do you want a natural remedy for your Monday morning headache? Eating 10-12 raw al-monds will provide you with the same relief as two aspirin as both con-tain the natural pain-kill-ing agent salicin.2.Struggling with a hang-over and need to be somewhere? Eat Fruit. It is rich in vitamin C, which is said to com-bat the symptoms of a hangover.3.Apples provide you with a much better boost of energy than caffeinated drinks. Their high-fibre content prevents that let down feeling that is so common when the initial rush of energy from a caffeinated drink has worn off.4.When re-heating food in the microwave, shape out a circle in the centre of your meal to heat it more evenly.5.Reheat pizza in a mi-crowave with a glass of water. This makes sure the crust stays crusty.6.A cotton ball soaked in white vinegar will re-duce the darkness of a bruise and help it to heal quicker.7.Out of shaving cream? Olive oil is just as effec-tive.

8. If you’re struggling wih your oily skin all you need for a cheap and effective facemask is 1 banana, 1 teaspoon of honey and a few crops of orange juice. Mix together! Honey is also great for any skin blemishes. Place a dab on any imperfections at night and it will kill the bacteria and speed up healing.9.Ever lend to a much trusted friend and never see sight of your pos-session again? Take a photo of them hold-ing the item and you’ll always remember who has what!10.Accidentally close a tab on your browser? Not a problem! Just hit Ctrl-Shift-T and the page will pop up again.11.The sticky side of post-it notes help keep dust build-up off keyboards.12. If you’re struggling to study effectively, take notes using different coloured pens. Colours help jog our memories. Also use an incentive to motivate you. Jellies are usually quite effective, after each page give yourself one.13. Put your smartphone into an empty plastic bottle, it will create a speaker effect.

Niamh Doherty

1. Bus EireannThis app is for any one who has the ‘pleasure’ of commuting. It allows you to keep on top of your travels by viewing bus timetables and stops from all corners of the country.

2. Just EatThis allows you to order food from over 1,200 takeaway restaurants. Just sign up and have your favourite fast food delivered to your door.

3.TinderThe ‘dating’ app that is taking college life by storm. It allows you to look through someone’s

pictures and interests in your local area, giving you the chance to ‘like’ them in hope that they will like back. 4. ViberThis app allows you to make free calls and texts to other Viber users. It is a great way to keep in touch with friends and family for free. What could be better?

5. Dropbox This allows you to store your documents in 2GB worth of ‘cloud’ storage which is accessible from any device with the program installed.

Top 5 apps you need on your smart

phone

Bits &

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Editor Deputy Editor Deputy Head of Social Media

Head of Social Media

D e s i g n E d i t o r

Heads of Photography

Anna O’Rourke Anna Clancy

Anne O’Donoghue Ethan Larkin Kayleigh Campbell Sacha Noyes Michael Korsgaard

Melissa Shannon Adelina Storkaas Melissa Brand Niamh Doherty Kati Anderson

Caoimhe Duffy Philip Watson Kevin Moloney

Leah Ring David O’Donoghue Orlaith McDonogh Paul Daly Clodagh McGrath

Niamh Higgins Shannon Beaudelot Nyrenee Bailey

Laura McAndrew Connor Lynch