The Smoke January 2012

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SEPTEMBER 2011

JANUARY 2012

Smoke_8_Jan_2012.indd 1 09/01/2012 22:25

Welcome backSheena Pankhania introduces you to Smoke Magazine 3

Vice Chancellor’s welcome back message and a note from the UWSU President’s desk 5

News and OpinionThe latest developments at Harrow and Marylebone 6

24 hour library campaign success 6

National Student Survey 7

To help improve together 7

Sabb SpecialYour Students’ Union offi cers are back in action and tell you the latest 8-9

Your UWSU Presidents’ 2011/ 2012 Objectives in full 11

Help us make change 12

Lecturer of the January issue is… 12

Student LifeWhat course reps have been saying… 13

All those important University contacts you should note down! 13

Students to feedback on their feedback 13

Tarik’s Top 10 money saving tips 14

NUS Extra – Can you afford not to? 14

Money – The problem? 15

Managing anxiety 15

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON 16

Westminster climbing to the top of Africa 16

Events Listing - Where you need to be at and when 17

‘So Fresh and So Clean’… Enough said, get involved! 17

BEST OF SEMESTER 1, 2011- Are you in it? 18-19

‘Focus, my child’ by Syeda Sadeka Rahman 20

Student Conference: A students’ perspective 21

No slacking now, get out there and land your dream job! 21

The latest from our award- winning Smoke Radio 22

Want to win £££? Check out Smoke TV’s competition 23

Westminster’s Got Talent… 24-25

Music and CultureFashion Fix 26

This season’s fashion must haves… 27

Are festivals worth our penniless purses? 28

Our Top 5 Winter Wonders 29

Sports and SocietiesUWSU Societies – Events and stories so far… 30-31

Society Spotlight 32

DRAGONS ON FIRE 33

Want to play in a sports tournament? Check it out! 33

Westminster Jujitsu club elected Best in London 34

Sports training timetable 35

ContentsJanuary 2012

Smoke_8_Jan_2012.indd 2 09/01/2012 22:10

January 2012 The Smoke 3

EDITORIAL TEAM LISTEDITOR IN CHIEF:

Sheena Pankhania: [email protected]

NEWS AND OPINION SECTION EDITOR:Negla Abdalla: [email protected]

STUDENT LIFE SECTION EDITOR:Zeinab Hashim: [email protected]

MUSIC AND CULTURE SECTION EDITOR:Jennifer Anafi -Acquah: jenn_t@hotmail.

co.uk

SPORTS AND SOCIETIES SECTION EDITOR:Jayani Galketiya: jayani.galketiya@

my.westminster.ac.uk

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY:Anna Vye: [email protected]

MANAGING DIRECTORS: Jenny Ybañez: [email protected] Wong: [email protected]

CONTRIBUTORS: Jenny Chan, Tarik Mahri, Jamal Achchi,

Andy Smith, Andrew Mina, Viju Patel, Kirsty Beckingham, Syeda Sadeka Rahman,

Onyinye Nkemdirim, Frances Gow, Zoe Smith, Robert Beck, Gulum Alamgir, Ross McKirdy, Harry Dodd, Selin Kavlak, Marina Nancheva,

Nicholas Nash

Special thanks to: Deputy Vice Chancellor, Rikki Morgan- Tamosunas, Head of Student

Services, David Shacklady, Ilona Szilvasi, Nas Said and Tom Barbour

Interested in getting involved with Smoke Magazine or SmokeXtra?

Then please email [email protected]

Hello and welcome to the second edition of Smoke! Smoke Magazine is written by the students for the students and is one of the best ways to fi nd out what is going on at your university. For the rest of the year Smoke Magazine plans to bring you all the latest info on everything concerning students at Westminster. From the latest news on campus to the best fashion tips there is something for everyone!

For all you students I hope you had a great Christmas and a Happy New Year! The holidays are a time to relax and unwind from the stress of the fi rst semester and are a good time to refl ect on what has happened and what will happen for the rest of the year. For all continuing students and fi rst year students you are halfway through your year so well done! Whether you had a fantastic time or a slow start you have the rest of the year to make up for it and a good way to use those New Year’s resolutions. This edition of Smoke Magazine can help you along for the rest of this year whether you still want to join a society, need some advice on uni life or just good tips on fashion and music we are here to help.

In this issue, we have everything to help you from advice on exam stress to money saving tips (p14-15), or if you feeling that all you have left in your wardrobe is those Christmas jumpers do not fear check out our fashion must haves (p 26-27) you will be looking stylish in no time! As winter is setting in we have all the places to check out (p29) or if you are feeling more active check out our sports and societies section (p 30-35) or if just want to curl up with a book check out the update for the 24 hour campaign (p 6). This edition of Smoke has everything to get you through the rest of the year whether you are a fi rst year, refresher, or a fi nal year student make sure you enjoy it. I wish you all the very best for the year ahead and make sure you work hard and play hard!

Sheena Pankhania (Editor-in-Chief)

Message from Smoke’s Editor-in-Chief

you all the latest info on everything

Smoke_8_Jan_2012.indd 3 09/01/2012 22:12

ARE YOU TAking ThE bEsT cARE Of YOURsElf?

Come along to Wellbeing Day 2012hEAlThY Mind / hEAlThY bOdY

main event at Regent StReet: WEdnEsdAY 8 fEbRUARY, 11.30AM – 4.30PMAll sTAff And sTUdEnTs WElcOME

AddiTiOnAl Mini WEllbEing dAY AlsO hEld ATHaRRoW CampuS: TUEsdAY 7 fEbRUARY, 12 – 4PM101 CavenDiSH HouSe (Staff only): ThURsdAY 9 fEbRUARY, 12 – 4PM

FREE SERvicES and SuppoRt• Hearing tests and health and fitness checks• Quit smoking, healthy eating, and other lifestyle choices• Complementary therapy taster sessions• Going green and the environment• Book swap shop• Cooking demonstration and smoothie bike• Farmer’s market corner: Free fresh fruit, vegetables and plants.

FREE opEn claSSES• Pilates • Kick Boxing • Stretch Exercise • Zumba • Meditation

pRiZES to BE Won• Organic fruit and vegetables hampers• One month gym membership including a personal trainer session• Gym classes of your choice

For more information visit:Wellbeing Community on westminster.ac.uk/wellbeingday

EsTATEs And fAciliTiEs

WEsTMinsTER MindfUlnEss gROUP

libRARY And iT sERvicEs

sTUdEnT hEAlTh sERvicE

fAiTh And sPiRiTUAliTY

sPORTs And REcREATiOn

fEATURing sTAlls:

MINDBODYSPIRIT

Smoke_8_Jan_2012.indd 4 09/01/2012 21:22

ARE YOU TAking ThE bEsT cARE Of YOURsElf?

Come along to Wellbeing Day 2012hEAlThY Mind / hEAlThY bOdY

main event at Regent StReet: WEdnEsdAY 8 fEbRUARY, 11.30AM – 4.30PMAll sTAff And sTUdEnTs WElcOME

AddiTiOnAl Mini WEllbEing dAY AlsO hEld ATHaRRoW CampuS: TUEsdAY 7 fEbRUARY, 12 – 4PM101 CavenDiSH HouSe (Staff only): ThURsdAY 9 fEbRUARY, 12 – 4PM

FREE SERvicES and SuppoRt• Hearing tests and health and fitness checks• Quit smoking, healthy eating, and other lifestyle choices• Complementary therapy taster sessions• Going green and the environment• Book swap shop• Cooking demonstration and smoothie bike• Farmer’s market corner: Free fresh fruit, vegetables and plants.

FREE opEn claSSES• Pilates • Kick Boxing • Stretch Exercise • Zumba • Meditation

pRiZES to BE Won• Organic fruit and vegetables hampers• One month gym membership including a personal trainer session• Gym classes of your choice

For more information visit:Wellbeing Community on westminster.ac.uk/wellbeingday

EsTATEs And fAciliTiEs

WEsTMinsTER MindfUlnEss gROUP

libRARY And iT sERvicEs

sTUdEnT hEAlTh sERvicE

fAiTh And sPiRiTUAliTY

sPORTs And REcREATiOn

fEATURing sTAlls:

MINDBODYSPIRIT


Welcome back guys,

I hope you all had a great holiday and you’re ready for what is set to be another exciting semester. We’re now halfway through the academic year so there’s still lots to look forward to. With a New Year comes new aspirations, so I suggest that if semester one didn‘t go as well as you’d hoped, make sure to make the most of this one. I’m sure you all know how fast time goes by, and with so much stu� going on with the SU, it would be a shame to miss out on what we have on o� er.

As for those of you who had a successful fi rst semester, I urge you to keep up the momentum and continue getting involved with our sports teams, societies and various campaigns the SU are running. Remember if you’d like to keep up to date with everything UWSU is doing, make sure you regularly check out www.uwsu.com or

alternatively ‘like’ the Facebook fan page. Finally, to all new and continuing students, I wish you the best of luck in your studies and I hope to see you around uni soon. Work hard and play hard and you’ll be on course for the grade you want. Trust me, it worked for me :-)

Best wishes

Tarik Mahri (President)

From the President’s desk

Message from the Vice ChancellorWhether you’re returning from your Christmas break or beginning your studies with us for the fi rst time this month, I’d like to o� er you a very warm welcome to the University.

There’s lots going on at the University this semester, from the launch of the Student Charter to the exciting and much needed redevelopment of our Harrow and Marylebone campuses.

University of Westminster Student Charter

The University’s fi rst Student Charter will be launched on Monday 23 January, Chinese New Year’s Day. This signposting document makes a strong commitment to the student experience and you will receive more details about the Charter nearer to the launch date.

National Student Survey (NSS) and Student Experience Survey (SES)

The NSS and SES give undergraduate and taught postgraduate students the chance to provide confi dential feedback on their experience here, highlighting strengths and positive experiences as well as noting areas you would like to see improved. The resulting statistics provide the information for the University to target areas for enhancement and to plan how we invest in our facilities and activities.

Both surveys are completed online and will launch on Monday 6 February – look out for your email invitation and links on our website to the survey.

Harrow and Marylebone redevelopment

Redevelopment work on our Harrow and Marylebone campuses continues apace. We have put a lot of energy into planning how to manage activities and minimise disruption during the works. We have allocated a total of £60million towards transforming these key sites into dynamic, inspiring, and environmentally sustainable spaces for you. Inevitably there will be some inconvenience during the redevelopments but we can look forward to a much better experience on both sites once the works are complete.

You can read more about this exciting work at www.westminster.ac.uk/about-us/university-developments

I wish you every success for the coming year.

Geo� Petts (Vice Chancellor, University of Westminster)

Student Charter to the exciting and much needed redevelopment of our Harrow

Smoke_8_Jan_2012.indd 5 09/01/2012 21:22

NEWS & OPINION

6 The Smoke January 2012

24 HOUR LIBRARY CAMPAIGN SUCCESSAFTER A FRANTIC CAMPAIGN led by the SU and the Life Sciences Society (LSS) which included a fl ash mob, a documentary and a rap (by the President, Tarik Mahri), we now have 24 hour libraries across all campuses starting from March. After much negotiation with the university, an agreement has been reached that pleases all parties. From the 16th January 2012 Cavendish and Little Titchfi eld libraries will be open until 11pm 7 days a week, and from the 26th March they will be open 24/7 across all campuses. This amazing success proves that hard work, drive and co operation can yield results.

OVER THE COURSE OF THE FIRST SEMESTER the building works

to both Harrow and Marylebone

were becoming more evident,

with restricted access to parts of

the Harrow campus meaning the

library entrance was moved, and

prep work and

remodelling began at the

Marylebone Chiltern Building.

Th e overall aim is to improve

the on site facilities due to the

increase of students, as well as

the fact that the fees increase

means there needs to be an

improvement. There are plans

under way for more appropriate teaching space

based on the dynamics of teaching and the students

at both campuses.

This semester we will see the beginning of the second

phase which is due to run from this month up until

the summer and inevitably there may be disruptions,

including a temporary loss of catering facilities at

Marylebone until new ones are in place.

In Marylebone they will begin on building the

podium to make it more of a social learning place

by incorporating seating for students and staff in the

middle, 3 food places – main dining, juice bar and a

grab and go sandwich bar.

In terms of exams there will be alternative exam

locations and there will be no compromise to

assessments. The Students’ Union will communicate this.

BUILDING WORKS: LATEST DEVELOPMENTS AT HARROW & MARYLEBONE

Nicole Slavin, chair of the LSS had this to say “I think the students should be very pleased that their efforts yielded such a positive result. This fi rst step may seem incremental, but with the 24/7 pilot later this term it’s great progress and in the right direction“.

Gulum Alamgir, the head coordinator of the Little Titchfi eld campaign added “I’m really pleased with the results, and I hope that students will now make the most of the opportunity afforded to them. I certainly will”.

Jamal Achchi VP of Education stated “I would

like to add that without the help of the numerous volunteers, societies, Smoke Media, and SU staff it wouldn’t have been possible. I would also like to thank Carole Satchwell, Elaine Salter and Alfred Bauer for their continued support in making this change possible”.

By Negla Abdalla

Smoke_8_Jan_2012.indd 6 09/01/2012 21:23

By Jenny Ybañez

NEWS & OPINION


TO HELP IMPROVE TOGETHERTHE UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER together with the Students’ Union will be launching the new Student Charter on Monday 23 January 2012. This ‘partnership document’ simply emphasises what students should expect from the university and highlights the responsibilities of our institution.

The fi rst of its kind here at Westminster, the Student Charter aims to guide our students through their life here and to make sure that ‘together we can strive for and reach the highest standards’. It covers a range of principles ensuring you have the best possible learning and social experience and provide equal opportunities for our diverse community.

Deputy Vice Chancellor Rikki Morgan-Tamosunas said: “The goal is to improve our results on student experience. With this living document we hope it will continue to refl ect what our developing aspirations are and they won’t stop because we are a university who are forward looking.”

This ‘high level statement’ was designed to be a reference and provides links to the variety of online material to support students. Head of Student Services David Shacklady clearly underlines that, “It is not a contract but a portal for students to fi nd out everything they need to know”.

Students’ Union President Tarik Mahri said: “This is a big step forward for all of our current and prospective students. Especially with the increase in tuition fees, students have the right to get the best student experience possible from the University. It’s a positive move to see that students will see responsibility and accountability, and we are pleased to contribute towards this”.

Recent student focus group research lead by the Students’ Union was ‘invaluable’ to the making of this document to accentuate the importance of student representation. The Student Charter and its links to key information will be reviewed on a regular basis.

According to the Deputy Vice

Chancellor, being “an active learning community in which you will have the opportunity to develop and to achieve your potential,” is the core objective. In parallel to the University’s Mission statement of creating:

“A diverse, vibrant and inspirational learning environment”.Visit the Student Charter now on www.

westminster.ac.uk/student-charter

National Student Survey (NSS) By Zeinab Hashim

JANUARY AND FEBRUARY sees the launch of the National Student Survey (NSS) 2012 at UK universities and colleges. The NSS is your opportunity to give your opinions on what you liked about your time at Westminster and things that you felt could have been improved.

What is the National Student Survey (NSS)? The survey asks fi nal year undergraduates to provide feedback on their courses. There are 22 core questions relating to your student learning experience. Students are also given the opportunity to give comments on their student learning experience as a whole.

Who will be asked to take part in the survey? All fi nal year undergraduate students will be surveyed. Students on part-time courses will normally be surveyed during their fourth year of study. Students who have withdrawn from study during their fi nal year will be included in the survey as their feedback is equally valuable.

Are my responses anonymous? Yes, results will only be presented in the form of statistical

summaries reported by institution, subject or department. Ipsos MORI and HEFCE will keep all individual responses confi dential. Students participating in the survey won’t be identifi ed to their institution.

How do I take part in the survey? You can complete the survey at your campus and university staff will be on hand to help. Students’ privacy will be respected. The survey results will only be reported by institution, subject or department at www.thestudentsurvey.com

How have the survey results from previous years been used? The results are made available to prospective students and their advisors on Unistats.com to help them make informed choices of what and where to study. The results are also made available to participating universities, colleges and students’ unions to help them enhance the student learning experience in future.

So if you’re a fi nal year Westminster student, make sure you have your say when the 2012 National Student Survey is launched.

Smoke_8_Jan_2012.indd 7 09/01/2012 21:23


STUDENT LIFE

TARIK MAHRIPRESIDENTWELCOME BACK EVERYONE, I can’t help but start this piece by stating my disbelief at how fast the fi rst semester has gone by. As they say, “Time fl ies by when you‘re having fun” and this is certainly true from

my experience thus far as being President of UWSU. I can remember thinking to myself when I fi rst laid out

my 2011/2012 President’s objectives, how would it be received by the student body? Have I covered the relevant issues? Will I be able to fulfi l the pledges made etc? Thankfully, students and staff alike have shown positive feedback to the jobs/money & ethics proposal and I aim to continue addressing the various issues highlighted in my objectives.

Understandably, there’s always room for improvement and hopefully this coming semester will see a visible manifestation of some of the points raised in my 2011/2012 objectives. For instance, two key issues that I will be running as campaigns for the second semester are ‘fi ghting hidden course costs’ and ‘grad jobs for fi nal year students’. Both issues if addressed properly will be

extremely benefi cial for students and I aim to get as many students involved in the campaigns.

To stay updated with all that I do, make sure you add me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter or keep an eye an out for my video blogs on YouTube. I’m truly grateful for the support and activism shown by fellow students and colleagues and without your help, UWSU wouldn’t be able to do half the th ings it does.

It is for this reason that I’d like to end with a summary of some of the successful achievements UWSU has managed to accomplish last semester. We had the launch of Smoke TV which is set to do many great things in the future and we’ve had an exceptional increase in sports teams and society memberships. There was a long hard battle fought alongside the Life Sciences society to get 24 hour library services at Cavendish and Little Titchfi eld campuses and to wrap up the semester we held a Student Conference, which gave students the opportunity to have their voices heard and also showcase the work they’ve been doing alongside their studies. All in all, last year was a blast and I hope we can have even bigger successes this year. [email protected] Tarik on Twitter: @UWSU_PRESIDENT

JENNY YBAÑEZVICE PRESIDENT COMMUNICATIONSBIENVENIDOS A TODOS, accueillir, benvenuto, maligayang pagdating, welcome back Westminster! (Hope that was spelt right and sorry if I missed

out your language!) But wow can you believe it? The fi rst term has fl own by and it’s my favourite month already, January! But that does not mean it’s too late to be part of all things big.

Gratefully we here at the Students’ Union have had an amazing start to the year and I hope you have too. Without you guys we wouldn’t have been able to achieve what we have so far but we will not stop here in fact you have inspired us to work even harder to make sure you get the best experience a university can offer.

All of the successful campaigns like 24/7 for 2011; Student Conference, social events hosted by So Fresh and So Clean and all the money, jobs and ethics opportunities have been in the forefront of our calendars. Also, Smoke Media have been there to capture it all! If you want to be in the heart of all the news, events, sports and maybe entertain your peers along the way then join Smoke TV, Radio and Magazine now! Don’t think about it just do it! Visit www.uwsu.com to fi nd how you can get involved.

Lastly, it’s that time of the year where your stress levels are at their peak with coursework deadlines and exams left, right and centre but just remember success comes with hard work so aim big, do big, achieve big!Finally good luck, enjoy the rest of the year and I hope you make the most of your life here at Westminster! Stay blessed and watch this [email protected] Jenny on Twitter: @uwsu_comms

Sabb Special

Smoke_8_Jan_2012.indd 8 09/01/2012 22:13

student life


student life

Jamal achchiVice President educationIt’s been a hectIc fIrst semester and I’ve only just caught my breath. I started the role in July, and to be honest it has been one of the best experiences

of my life. Looking back on what has been achieved so far, I’m quite proud of the efforts of the whole SU team. On a personal level as you are all, no doubt, aware I created an education charter, highlighting the 10 key issues that I would work to correct at university. Well...I guess actions speak louder than words. We have been able to, with the help of Gulum Alamgir at Little Titchfield and in particular Nicole Slavin and the LSS, to get 24 hour libraries across all campuses from March 26th 2012 and extended opening hours at Cavendish from January 16th 2012.

Another key goal I set was to revolutionise the course rep system, and as the article on page 13 shows, we have more course rep participation in the first three months of this academic year, than the whole of last year. In addition to a course rep conference and greater training offered to course reps.

I also stressed the importance of having a visible sabbatical team, and to achieve that goal, we have a weekly outreach session, called ‘Meet your Sabbs’. This is where each member of your sabbatical team goes to a campus on a Monday, and speaks to students.

We also held the biggest student conference the Students’ Union has seen in many years, where sports, societies and your Students’ Union spoke about what they have been doing.

Apart from all the campaigning I have also been attending committee meetings, such as Academic Council, Academic Regulations, LTSS (learning, teaching and student support) and Student Forum amongst others. These meetings are where major decisions are made about your education, and I have been there representing your views.

I was also invited by the Global Ideas Society to speak on their panel regarding the UK Riots, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

We have 3 campaigns planned for the second semester, a campaign to improve personal tutors and feedback as well as a campaign to get all books on the core reading list online in the form of e-books.

I am also quite fond of Vlogs, as you may have noticed. For those of you unfamiliar with the concept, it’s a video blog, where I update students on what I have been doing. These are all available on the Westminster Students’ Union page. I also tweet frequently (in term time at least) and I also have a ‘like’ page on facebook.

That is all for now and if you see me about, be sure to say hi!

[email protected] Jamal on Twitter: @UWSU_Education

Jenny chanVice President actiVities‘so fresh n so clean’ was the launch of Westminster’s official nightlife and entertainment brand. So every time ‘So Fresh n So Clean’ is hosting an event

you are in for an unforgettable night exclusive to the students of Westminster, with guaranteed big artists like the legendary Ms Dynamite, talented Labrinth and many more to come!

Asides from the nightlife we also have a huge increase in the number of extra-curricular activities and sports available to you which never existed before! We have over 25 different sports that you can take part in whether it is just for fun or if your really hardcore, you can try out for our competitive teams know as the infamous ‘DRAGONS’. We have several new sports from swimming and American football to softball and jujitsu! The Dragons are top of the league in almost every sport!

If you’re not the sporty type, fear not as we have almost 80 societies which I assure will cater to you. We have religious and cultural societies like the Sikh and Afro Caribbean society to common interest societies like the Choral and Sisters United society. Even for those who need a helping hand on their course or just some advice from third years studying the same subject, we have schools societies which you can join like the Business society or Cognitive Sciences society. Whichever course you study it is very beneficial to join your course society. Societies have also made great achievements for you like the Life Science society’s successful petition for 24 hour libraries at Cavendish. We have strength in numbers! Make the most of your student experience and don’t let your fees go to waste! You’re only a student once so join a society, be part of the Dragons and get involved! What have you got to lose?

All info is available at uwsu.com. Even better, email me at [email protected] with any queries or suggestions to help me, help you.Follow Jenny on Twitter: @UWSU_Activities

Smoke_8_Jan_2012.indd 9 09/01/2012 22:14

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MEET YOUR


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sabbatical officers


the students!





us any questions!

MEET YOUR


10am-4pm





sabbatical officers


the students!





us any questions!

MEET YOUR


10am-4pm





sabbatical officers


the students!





us any questions!

MEET YOUR


10am-4pm





sabbatical officers


the students!





us any questions!

MEET YOUR


10am-4pm





sabbatical officers


the students!





us any questions!

MEET YOUR


10am-4pm





sabbatical officers


the students!





us any questions!

MEET YOUR


10am-4pm





sabbatical officers


the students!





us any questions!

MEET YOUR


10am-4pm





sabbatical officers


the students!





us any questions!

Smoke_8_Jan_2012.indd 10 09/01/2012 22:23

MEET YOUR


10am-4pm





sabbatical officers


the students!





us any questions!

MEET YOUR


10am-4pm





sabbatical officers


the students!





us any questions!

MEET YOUR


10am-4pm





sabbatical officers


the students!





us any questions!

MEET YOUR


10am-4pm





sabbatical officers


the students!





us any questions!

MEET YOUR


10am-4pm





sabbatical officers


the students!





us any questions!

MEET YOUR


10am-4pm





sabbatical officers


the students!





us any questions!

MEET YOUR


10am-4pm





sabbatical officers


the students!





us any questions!

JOBSI highlighted ‘fi nance’ as being one of the biggest issues facing students. With unemployment on the rise and students feeling the pinch I’ll be working very closely with the University’s Careers Department to help students fi nd jobs. I aim to promote the following services and anything relevant to jobs/employability skills to ensure that every student is aware of what’s available to them.

I’m Tarik Mahri your UWSU President. It’s my job to represent the Union and the views of the students on several University committees. However for the rest of the 2011/2012 academic year I’ll continue to take my role as President to a whole new level. So watch out for my Vlogs (video blogs), Rap videos, Tweets and Facebook posts online.

Follow me on Twitter @UWSU_PRESIDENT and join my Facebook group: UWSU President’s Group Page – JOBS/MONEY & ETHICS

Find out more about my objectives on www.uwsu.com

MONEYLondon is one of the world’s most expensive cities. Therefore studying in London requires careful planning and budgeting to ensure that you don’t end up broke. As your President, one of my main focuses is to “put more money back into students’ pockets” and provide tips and advice on budgeting.

ETHICSThe environment and living green is something which is very important to me and the Students’ Union. We can’t forget about the well being of students either. I aim to put social responsibility and sustainability back on the map.

STUDENT LIFE


PRESIDENT’S OBJECTIVESBY TARIK MAHRI

Smoke_8_Jan_2012.indd 11 09/01/2012 21:25


student life

At the StudentS’ union we want to make university life great for our students. This year we have embarked on an ambitious project to put us back in touch with all students. It has already seen us at the centre of making improvements in the university but we want to grow and improve on that work.

One of the ways that has put the union right at the heart of student life is through our focus groups. The student diary project involves groups of about 6 to 8 people meeting every two weeks talking about their experiences and feelings on university life. Also we have run focus groups on specific issues such as the library which again will be scheduled every 2 weeks. We would also like to run a “question of the week” over the e-mail where we ask one question and seek your opinions via the mail.

We want to expand. We need more people from all schools and all walks of life to come along and give their opinions. Changes are already being made in the university as a result of what is being said in these groups. We need your voice to be added to those

help us make changeBy Andy Smith

A former architect, Dr Ali Tajvidi changed his career to political science in 1993. He has been teaching comparative politics, foreign policy analysis, international relations and the politics of the European Union at various British and overseas universities since. He has a first degree in History and Politics from the

Open University and a Masters in Diplomatic Studies from the University of Westminster. His doctorate, from Westminster’s Centre for the Study of Democracy, was on United States foreign policy towards Iran. His research interests include EU-US relations, comparative politics and methodological

implications for social science research. He is currently working on a book on US-Iran relations.

lecturer of the iSSue

involved already. If you want to be involved in the

diary project or to attend ad hoc focus groups then please get in touch. We normally make some sort of payment for your time (please check, depending on the meeting) but more importantly we offer a genuine opportunity to help make student life at Westminster better.

To sign up then please drop an e-mail to [email protected]

and we will be in touch in the next couple of weeks outlining the opportunities to get involved and arranging the meeting times.

Finally we are seeking student staff to co-ordinate this work and there are two positions still available to look after the admin of the focus groups. The pay is £6.08 per hour and the hours are flexible to suit, for more information and an application pack e-mail Andy Smith at [email protected]

Dr Ali Tajvidi: For giving enjoyable and interesting lectures and inspiring students with his methods of teaching By Zeinab Hashim

For those who haven’t had the privilege oF being taught by him, here’s his proFile:

Let me give you a quote from the Greek

thinker Epictetus (AD55-135) “It is not

events that affect us, but our interpretations

of them”.

Smoke_8_Jan_2012.indd 12 09/01/2012 21:26

student life


You maY or maY not have seen the video on YouTube earlier this year with a student donning a black bin liner as a cape. Anyway, that was one of our course reps or course superheroes as they are now known.

Course reps have been thrust firmly into the spotlight in recent months with the union working to improve the support available for reps. Course reps are a vital cog in the representation machine and so far 78% of reps have raised learning and teaching issues at course committee meetings throughout the university. Library resources, in particular dodgy printers, came second on the list along with the usual suspects – feedback and personal tutoring.

Stripped down to the nitty gritty, course reps solve problems for you ranging from those dodgy printers in the library to issues with the quality of teaching on a module.

Students to feedback on their feedbackThe Students’ Union is pleased to announce its latest campaign, which will tackle the issue of poor feedback. Feedback is usually received after a piece of work is submitted, giving the mark received for the work, as well as comments on the work, and how to improve. Feedback can also be received before a piece of work is submitted, namely through listening to teachers recommendations, tips and criticisms. Receiving feedback is a key way to improve the quality of work. However, Westminster University rate quite poorly on the National Student Survey (NSS) on feedback and assessment. It is for this reason that we at the SU have taken this issue as one of our priorities for the coming academic year, and is one of the VP Education’s key issues he aims to improve this academic year.

UWSU VP Education Jamal Achchi had this to say about feedback, “Feedback is a right, not a privilege. All students should receive well informed, legible and clear feedback on their work, and although feedback before work is submitted is helpful, it cannot replace post coursework feedback. I also believe that students should have the right to see their exam papers, with feedback provided on their exam performance. Exams usually weight up to 50% of the module, and can often be more. Therefore it is ridiculous that students are not able to see their exam papers, in order to improve their performance in future exams.”

Further details are sure to follow in the coming months.

80% of course reps have been satisfied with the way in which the university has handled course issues so far this year. Feedback from reps has already surpassed last year and this goes a long way to improving the overall student experience.

UWSU VP Education Jamal Achchi had this to say:“We’ve been saying all year that course reps are the

most important part of the representation process and this has been one of the key goals on the education charter. In the first three months of this academic year we’ve already had more feedback from reps than the whole of last year. This means more of the issues that you’re concerned about are being tackled by the university. Committee and training attendance has improved and whilst it’s not perfect we have taken some big steps forward to improving the system.”

The first course rep training academy took place at the end of November with more to follow this term.

Follow on Facebook: search for UWSU Student reps

What course reps have been saying...By Tom Barbour

universitY student services contacts

student advice [email protected]

020 7911 5000 ext 66080 (central London)020 7911 5000 ext 4023 (Harrow)

student accommodation [email protected]

020 7911 5817

career development [email protected]

020 7911 5184

counselling [email protected]

020 7911 5000 ext 66899 (central London)020 7911 5000 ext 4023 (Harrow)

disabilitY learning [email protected]

020 7915 5456020 7911 5000 ext 66119

student health [email protected]

020 7911 5186 (central London)020 7911 5000 ext 4107 (Harrow)

Faith & [email protected]

Smoke_8_Jan_2012.indd 13 09/01/2012 21:26

For students wanting to call Student Finance England at a local rate number instead of using the

0845 number, call on 0141 243 3600. It’s much cheaper. For other numbers check out www.saynoto0870.com

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to get free IT (Microsoft/Adobe) training which leads to

certifi cation. Normally this service would cost you around £600 outside University but as you’re a student at Westminster you’ll get it for free. Sign up on the University intranet at www.wmin.ac.uk/page-20471

If you’re looking to either save or make money www.listmyunibooks.com is the site to sell and

buy your University course books at a discounted price.

To get the latest deals and amazing offers on a range of things, from cheap fl ights to free Odeon

Cinema tickets, sign up to e-mails from Martin Lewis on the MoneySavingExpert website: www.moneysavingexpert.com

Get TV legally WITHOUT a licence (or at least get 1/4 off it). You don’t need a TV licence for watching

on-demand over the net. If your parents have Sky then you can get Sky GO for your laptop - 32 channels, TV and movies on demand, even sports. All free. Get a cable to hook your laptop to your TV and we’re talking a lot of free viewing on no spend. If you do have a licence make sure you claim one quarter back for the three summer months you’re probably not in your house or halls.

Why not try ‘The Iron Budget.’ It basically means that if you decide on going out, you just take the

amount of cash you plan on spending and nothing else i.e. no debit/credit cards etc. This method casts your evening budget in iron - it cannot be broken.

For your fantastic student deals and discounts visit www.studentbeans.com Trust me you won’t regret it!

Ever thought about working at the place you like shopping at? French Connection offers a 40%

discount to its staff; however the best places to get a job if you fi nd yourself spending your cash there are The Body Shop, Republic, New Look and Lush - all have a 50% staff discount.

If you’re looking to pick up free stuff from people around London who no longer want it, join up to a

local group on Freecycle.org and get your freebies today.

Last but not least, get familiar with the KISS method of saving money. KISS (Keep. It. Simple.

Stupid.) Simple money saving ideas can be the most effective; make a shopping list, buy supermarket own brands, make a packed lunch, ride your bike. If you’re skint, ask - do I need it? Can I afford it? And if you’re not skint, ask yourself will I use it? Is it worth it?

Check out all of the President’s Objectives on www.uwsu.com

By Tarik Mahri


STUDENT LIFE

TARIK’S TOP 10 MONEY SAVING TIPSAs part of my commitment to helping students save money check out my top 10 money saving tips below.

NUS Extra card – Can you afford not to?.

Fashion, travel, sport, music, technology and going out are all aspects of student life - but they all cost money and when you’re a student every penny counts!

The NUS Extra card gives you exclusive student discounts from a variety of leading retailers, restaurants and leisure outlets.

For just £11 you will be entitled to savings from popular high street names like Superdrug, Odeon, Game, JJB Sports and Pizza Hut. Or if you prefer to shop on the internet you can get online student discounts from a range of sites including Amazon, Apple Store, ASOS, Cross Country Trains, Miss Selfridge and Ticketmaster.

The NUS Extra card is valid until 31 August 2012 - so you have the chance to save hundreds of pounds on your daily essentials and life’s little luxuries throughout semester 2.

Get your NUS Extra card today at: www.nus.org.uk/nus-extra

By Tarik Mahri

As part of my commitment to helping students save money check out my top 10 money saving tips below.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Smoke_8_Jan_2012.indd 14 09/01/2012 21:27

STUDENT LIFE


IT CAN MOTIVATE ACHIEVEMENT, competition and

to think more quickly. Anxiety also mobilises us to

deal with threatening situations.

Anxiety is very common and whilst some

level of anxiety is helpful, too much can cause

problems. For students there are particular

pressures that can cause anxiety – eg living

independently, managing study demands, passing

exams and looking to the future.

If you become too anxious, you may

experience symptoms, such as:

• Headaches

• Tense muscles

• Aggression, anger

• Worrying thoughts

• Sleep disturbance, disturbing dreams

• Breathlessness, over-breathing

• Sweating, fl ushing

• Palpitations, racing heartbeat

• Frequent trips to the toilet

• Nausea, light-headedness

• A desire to get away from the situation

YOU CAN TURN TO THE UNIVERSITY FOR HELP

• If your diffi culties are affecting your studies,

talk to your personal tutor so they can help you

with arrangements for coursework or exams

• The Student Health Service can offer support

and medical advice. Tel: 020 7911 5186 (central

London) or 020 7911 5000 ext 4107 (Harrow)

• You can contact the Counselling Service for

help and support with managing anxiety and

panic attacks. Telephone 020 7911 5000 ext

66899 (central London) or 4023 (Harrow),

or email [email protected] to

arrange an appointment with a counsellor. The

Counselling Service also runs workshops to

help students understand and manage anxiety.

Further information is available at westminster.

ac.uk/counselling

MANAGING ANXIETYBy Viju Patel

MONEY - THE PROBLEMBy Andrew Mina

THROUGHOUT UNIVERSITY THE ISSUE of buying costly books will always be prominent, especially now with increasing student fees and record unemployment levels.

Most students do their best to avoid purchasing a book but this has an adverse effect on the student - not allowing them to achieve their full potential and sometimes failing.

www.listmyunibooks.com - THE SOLUTIONlistmyunibooks.com offers a solution for all university students across the UK. This site brings students together to buy or sell books, enabling you to save money when buying and make money when selling.

HOW IT WORKS:Buyers don’t need to create an account in order to view books, which makes it more attractive as it is an extremely quick process. Search the book you want and you fi nd it, contact the seller by clicking the ‘Contact Seller’ button and you can agree how you want to make the transfer. Sellers simply input the ISBN number of the book and this should automatically generate the details - everything is user friendly and quick to use. Students just enter their selling price and the edition of the book.

This website will give students access to a wide range of textbooks designed for their course - when students list their books they are required to select ‘University of Westminster’ and their course, thus increasing accuracy in the searches.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE:Myself and other students have previously spent around £700+ on new books - this website aims to allow students to cut this huge initial cost to a much more manageable fee, and allow students to ‘recycle’ their books to students studying the particular module.

YOU CAN TURN TO THE UNIVERSITY FOR HELP

• If your diffi culties are affecting your studies,

talk to your personal tutor so they can help you

with arrangements for coursework or exams

• The Student Health Service can offer support

and medical advice. Tel: 020 7911 5186 (central

London) or 020 7911 5000 ext 4107 (Harrow)

• You can contact the Counselling Service for

help and support with managing anxiety and

panic attacks. Telephone 020 7911 5000 ext

66899 (central London) or 4023 (Harrow),

or email [email protected] to

arrange an appointment with a counsellor. The

Counselling Service also runs workshops to

help students understand and manage anxiety.

Further information is available at westminster.

ac.uk/counselling

Smoke_8_Jan_2012.indd 15 09/01/2012 21:29

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ONBy Kirsty BeckinghamAs we embark on our second semester, I’ve learnt

many lessons of being an independent adult the

hard way and I have persuaded myself that I will do

things properly this term! I am going to break this

article down into two sections; things I did wrong

in fi rst term, and lessons I’ve learnt for semester 2.

So let’s begin with the bane of the last few weeks of

term for a lot of us, severe lack of ££. Reduced to a diet

of cup-a-soup, cheap bread and water, in the middle of

November and knee deep in my overdraft from dizzily

having spent my entire loan, I completely reduced my

cupboard down to its original bareness and have vowed

never to reach that level of depravity again! So what have

I learnt? Try to have the basics in the fridge and freezer

as much as it and the fl atmates will allow you to. If you

fi nd yourself on the soup diet, Covent Garden soup is like

a godsend. Also a trend that I believe is becoming better

known - assassinating the reduced aisle of Sainsbury’s at

night as it’s usually brimming with beautiful bargains.

Then there’s the challenge of getting the balance right

between work and play. It’s happened a few times too many

that Monday has got too Messi for us all I’m sure. For me,

not one, but two Hungover Tuesdays have been spent

feebly attempting assessments, a very stupid mistake on

my part. Remembering that drinking is bad and we have

to concentrate on our studies, I simply recommend from

experience to try and bear in mind what tomorrow holds as

we have a long journey ahead of us in trying to get these

degrees under our belts.degrees under our belts.


STUDENT LIFE

WESTMINSTER CLIMBING TO THE TOP OF AFRICA By Jayani Galketiya

The International Development Society is defi nitely

aiming big this year. A team of 25 will be sent by

the society to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in aid of Dig

Deep a charity that seeks to improve the lives of

communities in Southern Kenya.

The group which includes students and staff aim to raise

£32,500 which will be used to dig a well in order to meet

the needs of up to 8,000 people who are in desperate need

of safe drinking water.

The charity works to provide access to sustainable

energy and particularly benefi ts young women who would

normally forgo an education to fetch water, a chore which

consumes most of their day.

The team will be spending seven days on the mountain

itself and will hike through the Savannah, tropical forests, up

barren rock fi elds and fi nally up to the snowy peak. It will be

a physical and mental challenge that is defi nitely not for the

faint-hearted.

So if you are interested in helping out, have fundraising

ideas or would like to be considered as a reserve for the

climb please get in touch with the expedition leader, Meg

Dyos at [email protected]

For more information about Dig Deep visit

www.digdeep.org.uk

Smoke_8_Jan_2012.indd 16 09/01/2012 21:29

WHAT’S ON IN REFRESHERS 2012 REFRESHERS FAIRS SOCIAL EVENTS SPORTS/SOCIETIES

Monday 16 January Harrow Refreshers Fair (The Street), 10.30am-4pm

Messi Mondayz. Undercroft, 8pm-2am

Tuesday 17 January Regent Street Refreshers Fair (Foyer/Deep End), 10.30am-4pm

Karaoke. Undercroft, 8pm-12am

Wednesday 18 January Cavendish Refreshers Fair (Foyer), 10.30am-4pm

Wet Wednesdays. Area 51, 10pm til late

Sports fi xtures

Film Society screening: The Miserables/Memento. Harrow Auditorium, 7pm

Thursday 19 January Marylebone Refreshers Fair (Courtyard), 10.30am-4pm

Creative Writing Society. Contact [email protected] for more info

Nutrition Society winter seminar: Bradley Elliott. Contact [email protected] for more info

Friday 20 January Happy Hour BOGOF 8-10pm. Undercroft

Monday 23 January Smoke Radio LOUD relaunch party. Undercroft,10pm-2am

Tuesday 24 January Student Charter launch, all campusesBring a friend to Cheerleading. Ark Academy, Wembley Park, 6-9pm

Wednesday 25 January Sports fi xturesBlack n Yellow 2. Area 51, 10pm til late

GET INVOLVED WITH ‘SO FRESH N SO CLEAN’!‘So Fresh n So Clean’ is Westminster’s offi cial nightlife and entertainment brand. So every time ‘So Fresh n So Clean’ is hosting an event, you’re in for an unforgettable night! We’ve already had big artists like the legendary Ms Dynamite and talented Labrinth gracing Freshers Finale and Jingle my Bells, and there’s many more to come!

We are looking for students who want to get involved with ‘So Fresh n So Clean’ to help organise events and trips. So if you want to make your own mark on Westminster’s entertainment get in touch! For more info contact Jenny Chan: [email protected]

Happy Hour BOGOF 8-10pm. Undercroft

Smoke Radio LOUD relaunch party. Undercroft,

Thursday 19 January

SPORTS/SOCIETIES

Sports fi xtures

STUDENT LIFESTUDENT LIFE


DON’T FORGET: Student Charter being launched across all campuses on Tuesday 24 January.Events may be subject to change, please visit www.uwsu.com/events for up-to-date info

Smoke_8_Jan_2012.indd 17 09/01/2012 21:34

Smoke TV Launch on October 19, 2011at the

Old Cinema in Regents Street

Student Conference 2011 held on December 13, 2011 at the Hogg Lecture Theatre in the Marylebone site

Best of Semester 1, 2011

Smoke_8_Jan_2012.indd 18 09/01/2012 21:42

For more images visit www.uwsu.com

Freshers Finale headlining Ms Dynamite on September 29, 2011 at One, Leicester Square

Sports Trials on October 28 and October 5, 2011 held at the Chiswick Sports Ground

Freshers Fairs held at each site back in

September

Best of Semester 1, 2011

Smoke_8_Jan_2012.indd 19 09/01/2012 21:50

20 The Smoke September 2011

STUDENT LIFE

Deadline this! Deadline that!

I fear my heart line will go fl at!

How to start that essay, review or report?

It will take a lot of thought.

Not to forget my dissertation,

Without that there’s no graduation!

To read.. or not to read....

I think I’m hungry, it’s time to feed.

Presenting to the class will make my stomach churn,

Can’t I just run away before it’s my turn?

‘No. Stare at a fi xed point at the back of the room.

And give a winning speech like you’re on the moon’.

Ok, here we go. My mouth starts to open.

Away I go, my words are doing locomotion.

5 mins over. I did it! I’m waiting for an applaud.

But all I see is blank faces looking very bored...

And lectures are not the time to sleep,

Eyes and ears wide open I must keep.

Make extensive notes to beautify the paper.

Wait! What did he just say? I cannot remember.

Test 1, test 2, test 3,

Tests my brain capacity.

Pending still are the big exams,

To race against the clock with an aching hand.

Not to despair, I’ll revise all night!

‘Delay your revision? That’s not very bright’.

‘Focus, my child. And get it done.

After the storm, you will see the Sun.’

..‘Stop procrastinating! Do your work!

And get rid of that silly smirk!’

I must get on, I will be strong.

The quest for knowledge will be long.

Good students need not all be introvert,

One must fi nd the right balance between life

and work.

I can socialise, attend events, help a society,

And still be a book-hugging friend of the library.

‘There’s too many distractions in this day and age!’

Then set yourself limits, learn self-control, I say.

Remember- Time is little, little is time.

So plan and implement and you’ll be fi ne.

And there’s always room to improvise,

So pull up your socks and be wise!

Focus, my childBy Syeda Sadeka Rahman

Smoke_8_Jan_2012.indd 20 09/01/2012 22:31

STUDENT LIFE


By Onyinye Nkemdirim

No slacking now, get out there and land your dream job!

Student Conference: a student perspective

The Smoke 21

It’s a busy semester for students, with exams fast approaching and deadlines looming. Haven’t you got time to get feedback on your CV or get valuable coaching for that job interview?

Do you ever tell yourself any of this?

“I’ll just send my CV as it is and they will see my potential…”

“I’ll just wing it on the day and they will see where to fi t me into their company…”

Right? WRONG!!Ever heard of the saying,

“Chance favours the prepared mind?” Believe it. It works.

There are a whole host of companies out there that spend fabulous sums of money to ensure that we buy their products. Why not spend just a fraction of the cost and time assuring that a company will buy you?

Effective self-marketing and perseverance will

ensure that you land the job that you want. Ideally, a face to face coaching session with a Careers Consultant will best prepare you for your job application and subsequent interview.

If you need help with your CV, you can fi nd out what you need to include and how to present it. We run 20 minute quick query sessions Monday – Thursday at Cavendish House. Book online at www.westminster.ac.uk/careers or phone 020 7911 5184 on the day.

If you have an interview coming up and you want to prepare, fi nd out how to effectively answer some typical questions and get instant feedback. Book a 45 minute mock interview by phoning 020 7911 5184. We have qualifi ed Consultants who deal with every career sector.

No career plan? Don’t panic! If you don’t know

what to do with your degree, come and talk to a Careers Consultant about the possible options.

Did you know that completing a work placement makes you twice as employable on graduation as someone who has not? Get help with looking for and applying to companies for placements and internships.

If you want to earn a bit of money while you study, part time jobs are a great way of demonstrating the skills that graduate employers value. Don’t

know where to look or how to apply? We have a unique online vacancy listing for Westminster students. Check it out, and then come to a quick query session.

You can access all this and more by signing up for FREE for our vacancies and events database: www.westminster.ac.uk/careers

Follow us on Twitter: @uw_careers and Facebook: facebook.com/uowcareers

Or if you prefer, just pick up the phone: 020 7911 5184

ON TUESDAY 13 DECEMBER 2011, the University of Westminster Students’ Union held its fi rst annual Student Conference, which was a great day to hold it as the weather outside was abysmal, and why not spend two hours of your time in the warm Hogg Lecture Theatre listening about how your university life will be made better.

During the conference all sabbatical offi cers, sports teams and societies gave a little talk about what they have done so far. As a member of a sports team, I thought that section was great! All speakers did great, and all the sabbatical offi cers have shown how far the Students’ Union have come in the short amount of time that they have been there, as what they have done for the students so far is amazing. Not to mention the free food. There was more than enough Nando’s for everybody present; some even went for seconds, great result!

By Frances Gow

Smoke_8_Jan_2012.indd 21 09/01/2012 22:32

HAPPY NEW YEAR & WELCOME BACK!Smoke Radio would like to welcome all of you back for 2012 after the Christmas break.

This semester promises to be a great one with a brand new schedule, the famous Marathon Broadcast and our massive re-launch party, LOUD at the Undercroft on Monday 21st January.

With new shows, events and parties, the new semester promises to be bigger and better than the last.

Visit www.smokeradio.co.uk to listen live to brand new shows!

‘The Smoke Radio LOUD Re-launch Party’It’s a new year, so the university’s student radio station is back with something new! And it’s going to be LOUD!

For Refreshers, Smoke Radio re-launches itself - down at Undercroft on Messi Mondayz 23rd January - 10pm - 2am!

Theme - come dressed in something LOUD!

Surprise celebrity DJ on the night, with free giveaways to hand out to the LOUDEST lot there!

Come and support your radio, your station, your Westminster

Smoke TV are running a month-long competition for

students to create an original 5-10 minute entertainment

programme. It can fall into any entertainment category

(i.e. drama, reality) but MUST be an original production,

not taken from course work or an idea that has already

been produced. The competition will begin on Monday

16th January and finish on Friday 17th February, when

completed videos must be submitted. £200 cash prize for the winner, £100 2nd place £50 3rd place. All three will be available to view under the Entertainment

channel on the Smoke TV website, which will automatically

be entered into the National Student Television Awards.

Specifications:

• CompetitionrunsfromMonday 16th January – Friday 17th Febraury

• 5-10minutesinlength• Originalproduction,notideaorvideoalreadyproduced• Nolimitoncrewnumbers• 1stprize-£200,2ndprize-£100,3rdprize-£50• [email protected]• visitwww.uwsu.com/smoketvtosubmityourvideoforthecompetition.

Find us on Facebook Smoke TV (for tips on making a video)

Smoke TV Competition_120105.indd 1 05/01/2012 19:27

Smoke_8_Jan_2012.indd 22 09/01/2012 22:33

Smoke TV are running a month-long competition for

students to create an original 5-10 minute entertainment

programme. It can fall into any entertainment category

(i.e. drama, reality) but MUST be an original production,

not taken from course work or an idea that has already

been produced. The competition will begin on Monday

16th January and finish on Friday 17th February, when

completed videos must be submitted. £200 cash prize for the winner, £100 2nd place £50 3rd place. All three will be available to view under the Entertainment

channel on the Smoke TV website, which will automatically

be entered into the National Student Television Awards.

Specifications:

• CompetitionrunsfromMonday 16th January – Friday 17th Febraury

• 5-10minutesinlength• Originalproduction,notideaorvideoalreadyproduced• Nolimitoncrewnumbers• 1stprize-£200,2ndprize-£100,3rdprize-£50• [email protected]• visitwww.uwsu.com/smoketvtosubmityourvideoforthecompetition.

UPLOAD YOUR UPLOAD YOUR UPLOAD YOUR UPLOAD YOUR UPLOAD YOUR UPLOAD YOUR VIDEO VIDEO VIDEO VIDEO VIDEO VIDEO AND WIN £200

AND WIN £200AND WIN £200AND WIN £200AND WIN £200AND WIN £200AND WIN £200AND WIN £200AND WIN £200

Find us on Facebook Smoke TV (for tips on making a video)

Smoke TV Competition_120105.indd 1 05/01/2012 19:27

Smoke_8_Jan_2012.indd 23 09/01/2012 22:34

WESTMINSTER’S GOT

T LENT

By Zeinab Hashim


STUDENT LIFE

So what do we know about Ben Jennings? He’s an undergraduate student at the University of Westminster currently studying Illustration BA, he’s originally from Hemel Hempstead, he’s a talented cartoonist who began selling caricatures to students and teachers at the age of 15, then later having his work appear in top publications including The Guardian... Oh and he’s managed to scoop up the ‘Political Carton of the Year award 2011’ awarded by the Political Cartoon Society. I catch up with Ben to fi nd out more.

Tell us a bit about yourselfMy name’s Ben. I draw satirical cartoons. I like Hip Hop, The Offi ce, animated comedies, fi lms and now and again drinking myself into a state of paralysis. I don’t like much other stuff.

A cartoonist seems like an exciting profession, when did you decide that’s what you wanted to do?Ever since I could grasp a pencil I’ve been drawing cartoons. I guess it’s the exaggerated aesthetics of a cartoon that

attracted me, as it does many others, as a child. But as people grew up and out of drawing cartoons, I didn’t. I use to draw caricatures of teachers instead of venn diagrams at school and pass them around the classroom, then at 15 I started selling caricatures to people. About a year later I was guided during my A-Levels to look at juxtaposing my cartoons with topical issues, which is where it begun.

Where do you get your inspiration from?Obviously topical events, as they’re a continuous source of inspiration and the purpose of my work. But mainly other artists from a variety of different practises as far as draftsmanship and ideas go. Procrastination is the enemy.

You have recently been awarded ‘Political cartoon of the Year 2011’, what else have you achieved so far?I’d probably say that is my greatest achievement thus far, and was certainly unexpected. But I’m also very proud to have been published in reputable publications like The Guardian, The Stool Pigeon, The Morning Star and The i newspaper, among others. I have also had my work displayed in The Cartoon Museum as well as an arts festival in Berlin. Plus I recently contributed

Smoke_8_Jan_2012.indd 24 09/01/2012 22:35

WESTMINSTER’S GOT

T LENTSTUDENT LIFE


to a Tate-Sponsored exhibition called ‘Emblem of my Work’, alongside artists like Ralph Steadman, Tom Gauld, Martin Rowson and Quentin Blake. I was also really pleased when a project I collaborated on with a friend, to make an animated music video for UK rapper Akala, was acknowledged by the rapper, who I’d been a fan of for years, who said he preferred it to the songs actual video and used it on his website.

Who are your role models?As far as cartoonists go, it was people like Gerald Scarfe and Ralph Steadman who got me into cartooning and still continues to inspire me. I admire most other successful cartoonists, particularly Martin Rowson and Steve Bell; who mentored me a couple of summers ago as I was picked to take part in a Cartoonist Showcase The Guardian were doing, which was a real honour. I also adore the work of people like Terry Gilliam, Robert Crumb and Ronald Searl.

But veering away from cartoonists, I’m a big Eminem fan - his energy, passion, narratives, anarchy and wit has been a great infl uence on my work and never fails to galvanise me. I’m also a massive Ricky Gervais fan who makes the awkward subtleties of life turn into hilarious scenarios. Finally I’m a big fan of animated comedies like The Simpsons, Family Guy and South Park (but who isn’t, right?), and I have a great respect for the people that write these shows, but in particular the guys who write South Park; Matt Stone and Trey Parker. It amazes me how they manage to make hilarious, surreal narratives about topical issues that beneath all the vulgarity has a moral message, they also write and complete an entire episode of South Park in just a week (with the help of a bunch of animators of course), which makes them geniuses.

What’s your favourite piece of work that you’ve done?I like different pieces for different reasons. Although I do end up disliking a lot of my work after a month or so as I always feel I can do better as time goes by. But I would say my favourite has to be my Gaddafi Treasure Map cartoon I done for The Guardian, just before Gaddafi ’s capture and execution that won Political Cartoon of the Year. I like it because pretty much anyone can understand it at fi rst glance - no matter how much they know about politics - yet it contains some intricate jokes that people who followed the story would understand if they study the image. Having said this I’ll probably loathe it by the time this is in print, ha.

Your work combines humour and politics to tell a story, are you a political person?I do like to keep politically aware as I think it’s important to know what’s going on in the society in which you live (as well as issues that affect the whole world) - rather than just watching voyeuristic reality TV trash like X-Factor. Although admittedly you won’t fi nd me camping outside St. Pauls, I put what I have to say on paper. I mainly like to lampoon society, as I don’t really side with any politicians... when I see them squabbling in the House of Commons I fi nd

it quite nauseating.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?Hung for High Treason ha! Ideally I’d love to have a regular gig for a newspaper doing my cartoons, as well as maybe delving into other areas like animation, writing, graphic novels etc. I wouldn’t like to have an exact plan though as it’s the not knowing part that I fi nd quite exciting; maybe I’ll be a dinner lady or a landscape gardener, who knows...

You’re very talented and an inspiration to students, any words of advice?Thank you very much. If you wish to pursue a talent it shouldn’t feel too much like work, it should be your life. Part of your identity. Also, the generic quote “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know” is defi nitely relevant. All be it simplistic, if you’re the best artist in the world but you keep all your work in a draw in your bedroom... Who cares? It’s essential to be assertive; get your creative talent online and search areas where people may be interested in what you have to offer, then start emailing your fi ndings like it’s going out of fashion... What’s the worst that could happen: No reply? Rejection? Big deal. Move on and keep doing it, take on board what you hear back from people. No one is going to offer you your dream job if they haven’t heard of you.

Lastly what do you plan to do once you have graduated? Well I’ve just been given a job to do a satirical cartoon every week for the i newspaper, which is quite reassuring that I have that before I leave Uni (providing I don’t mess it up), hopefully I’ll be able to build a reputation that will lead to fi lling more slots for the paper as well as other work elsewhere. That’s what I ‘hope’ anyway.

To see some of Ben’s latest work or to fi nd out more on what he’s up to why not visit his website: www.benjennings.me or check out his blog: www.satiricalsketches.blogspot.com

Smoke_8_Jan_2012.indd 25 09/01/2012 22:36

MUSIC & CULTURE


FASHION FIX

Campus: RegentCourse: Chinese and International RelationsTop: Abercrombie & Fitch, £60Jeans: Slam, £180Cardigan: Boggi Milano, £150Trainers: All Star Converse, £80TOTAL: £470

Campus: RegentCourse: HistoryTop: H&M, £5Leggings: Primark, £2Cardigan: New Look, £20Bag: French Connection, GiftEarrings: HandmadeBangles: Market, £5Boots: H&M, £50TOTAL: £82

Campus: RegentCourse: Business & International StudiesTop: Uniqlo, £5Jeans: Asos, £36Hoodie: Uniqlo, £30Body Warmer: Abercrombie & Fitch, £70Hat: New Era, £20Necklace: GiftBag: Ted Baker, £60Glasses: Versace, £200Trainers: Van, £35TOTAL: £456

Campus: Little Titchfi eld Course: LawJumper: H&M, £20Treggings: Zara, £26Glasses: Specsavers, £130Bracelet: GiftNecklace: GiftBoots: Marks & Spencer, £60TOTAL: £236

Campus: RegentCourse: HistoryTop: CX-city, £20Jeans: All Saints, £60Blazer: Zara, £40Watch: Swatch, £45Earrings: H&M, £3 Trainers: Puma, £40TOTAL: £208

Campus: CavendishCourse: Chinese Medicine & AcupunctureCardigan: Topshop, £30Jeans: Topshop, £40Blazer: Harrods, £100Bag: Esprit, £40Belt: Gap, £25Boots: Riding Store, £30TOTAL: £265

NAME: EMANUELE

NAME: ANNA

NAME: NAZ

NAME: SHABANA

NAME: GAZZA

NAME: SOPHIE

By Jennifer Anafi -Acquah Photographs by Anna Vye

BOYS

GIRLS

Smoke_8_Jan_2012.indd 26 09/01/2012 22:40

FUR

Modelled beautifully by our own Westminster students, fur is this winter’s biggest trend that adds a touch of glamour to every outfi t. Whether it’s a Cossack-style hat, vintage-style coat or a fur scarf, a hint of fur will make any outfi t red carpet-ready.

THE QUILTED JACKET

The quilted jacket is longer just a necessity for farmers, it has infi ltrated the streets of London and has quickly become the new must have winter jacket. You can pick yours up on most high street shops, from Jack Wills to New Look, and of course the home of the original quilted jacket, Barbour.

VINTAGE SATCHEL

Made popular by Alexa Chung’s Alexa bag by Mulberry, the vintage satchel has become a must-have for fashionistas across the city, non-more so than students. As well as being fashionable, as a fresher it is also very practical for carrying those all-important lecture notes (and of course your copy of SMOKE Magazine)

beautifully by our own Westminster students, fur is this winter’s biggest trend that adds a touch of glamour to every outfi t. Whether it’s a Cossack-style hat, vintage-style coat or a fur scarf, a hint of fur will make any outfi t red carpet-

VINTAGE SATCHEL

Made popular by Alexa Chung’s Alexa bag by Mulberry, the vintage satchel has become a must-have for fashionistas across the city, non-more so than students. As well as being fashionable, as a fresher it is also very practical for carrying those all-important lecture notes (and of course your copy of SMOKE Magazine)

VINTAGE SATCHELVINTAGE SATCHEL

MUSIC & CULTURE


FASHIONMUST HAVES

Smoke_8_Jan_2012.indd 27 09/01/2012 22:41

music & culture


With the time fast approaching

when we all start scraping our pennies

together in order to afford a festival

ticket, I want to know whether or not

festivals are becoming too expensive?

Festivals are one of life’s many

joys; being able to get absolutely

hammered at 7am right through ‘til the

next 7am, doing ridiculous things with

your friends or strangers and watching

your most loved bands. The majority

of people have been to a festival once,

although, the rise in prices of festivals

could be putting people off enjoying

something they once loved.

The Glastonbury festival is the

largest in the UK, so large in fact, that

they have a registration process to

make it easier for the vast amount of

people to trying to get tickets. When

Glastonbury first started it was a small

festival, which was free to go to. Now

Glastonbury costs around £200 per

ticket, which is a lot of money for us

cash starved students. Monsters of

Rock festival, which is now Download

festival cost only £7.50 when it first

started in 1980. Over eight years the

price climbed to £20, which is still

nothing compared to what people

are paying now. The average cost for

most festival tickets is approximately

£200, but what about the other costs?

Once you’ve bought your

overpriced ticket, you have a

bombardment of more costs. Car

parking tickets, petrol money, food

money, booze money (more important

than the ticket!) and any other

spending money you need. So, my

approximated costs for one festival

overall are £465 upward. But if you’re

really desperate to get a ticket, you

could be paying a lot more. If you’re

not fortunate, you can spend a little

extra and opt for the £500 a ticket on

various re-sale websites.

However it’s not all doom and

gloom. The prices can’t be that

expensive, as we’re all still paying

for them. Chris from Westminster

Uni said: “It may be overpriced, but

it probably works out cheaper. There

also wouldn’t be a music industry

without them”.

But, that doesn’t explain why the

prices have increased over the last

decade or so, nor does it explain

why we still pay these prices. Since

technology has come so far, it’s much

easier to access free music online, or

just download one song for 79p. The

music industry is constantly losing

money, so they need to make their

money somewhere. Without money,

the music we listen to won’t be able

to continue.

Therefore, even though the tickets

are overpriced and ridiculous, it’s

needed, and we understand that, so

we keep buying them. Without these

extortionate rates, there would be no

festivals left to go to. So the verdict is,

the festivals are too expensive, but it’s

worth being broke for.

are festiVaLs Worth oUr penniLess pUrses?

By Zoe Smith

Smoke_8_Jan_2012.indd 28 09/01/2012 22:41

By Jennifer Anafi-Acquah

music & culture


TOP 5 WINTER WONDERSOUTDOOR ICE SKATING

Enjoy a spin around on the ice at any one of London’s outdoor skating rinks. From Somerset House Ice Rink to the Natural History Museum Ice Rink (right).

WINTER FAIRS Take some time out of

your busy week and peruse through any of London’s winter fairs and markets, such as Covent Garden’s Winter Market. You may even find some amazing bargains.

COFFEE WTH FRIENDSHave a good catch up over some

coffee whilst recreating scenes from Friends at Central Perk, situated in the hustle and bustle of Soho.

INDOOR SKIINGFor the more adventurous of you, indoor skiing and

snowboarding may be just the adrenaline pumping thrill you need before coming back to Uni. The Snow Centre in Hemel Hempstead (right) offers year-round snow for winter fun.

KOKO IN CAMDEN

For an evening filled with love, laughter and live music head down to KOKO in Camden, where you can catch acts such as Emeli Sande, The Maccabees and Gym Class Heroes.

1

2

3

4

5

Smoke_8_Jan_2012.indd 29 09/01/2012 22:42

SPORTS & SOCIETIES


FILM SOCIETY – BY ROBERT BECK

We meet most Wednesdays at Harrow Campus to watch a fi lm (for free!) and last year we had a Q&A session with the director of the documentary Black Gold.

Our fi rst meeting of 2012 is going to be on Wednesday 18 January at 7pm in the Harrow Campus Auditorium.

We’re going to be watching a third year Film and TV graduate fi lm, The Miserables, which was nominated for a Student Academy Award! As this is only 20 minutes long we are also going to be watching the Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight, Inception) fi lm Memento, which is just as mind bending as Inception!We hope you can come along! For more info contact fi [email protected]

GLOBAL IDEAS SOCIETY – BY GULUM ALAMGIR

UK Riots: Results of a Society That Believes in Nothing?

The Global Ideas Society would like to share with you the footage of our fi rst event of the year. The footage of the event can be found in on the Global Ideas Society YouTube page. Financial Crisis Debate in February!In February we will be holding a debate on the Financial Crisis that has rocked the world. Capitalist economies of the world are facing their most critical crisis ever since the emergence of the Joint Stock Company. Some have described it as the self destruction of Liberal Capitalism, with governments resorting to intervention to bring a halt to this crisis. We will be inviting speakers from across the spectrum to debate; why the Financial Crisis took place? And what is the solution?For more information and updates please visit the following pages:Add us on Facebook: facebook.com/global.ideas.socFollow us on Twitter: @GlobalIdeasSocVisit us on YouTube: youtube.com/user/GlobalIdeasSociety

PALESTINIAN

SOLIDARITY SOCIETY

– BY SELIN KAVLAK

The Palestinian Solidarity Society is one of the newly launched societies at Westminster and we are already hosting an event every month at full speed.

For the second semester we have decided to hold events surrounding the politics of the issue, and have already begun to bring some ideas together, such as various panel discussions of the boycott of Israel, and the two-state solution, Boycott Sanctions and Divestment (BDS) workshops. We also will be participating in the national Israeli Apartheid Week across UK universities, possibly with mob fl ash mock

UWSU SocietiesEvents and stories so far

The Palestinian Solidarity

newly launched societies

Smoke_8_Jan_2012.indd 30 09/01/2012 22:42

SPORTS & SOCIETIES


checkpoint on a campus near you...To keep updated and attend our upcoming events please join our Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/Palestinian.solidarity.soc or join our mailing list by emailing us on [email protected]

We have also started a blog that all members may publish articles/campaigns on http://uwpalestiniansolidarity.wordpress.com

ST JOHN LINKS SOCIETY – BY ROSS MCKIRDY

We’re actively recruiting for LINKS in January at Refreshers and it would be great to see more fi rst aiders at university. LINKS offers you the opportunity to:• Learn fi rst aid• Provide fi rst aid cover at events• Improve your CV by gaining new skillsFor more information see us at the Refreshers Fairs or contact [email protected]

CHORAL SOCIETY – BY HARRY DODD

2012 marks both the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the 20th Anniversary of Westminster gaining university status. If you want to sing in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Music in a joint celebration concert to mark these two momentous occasions, then join the

University of Westminster Choral Society today! With guest speakers and rousing music, this will be a show to remember.Email: [email protected]: facebook.com/groups/uow.choral.society

ICE SKATING CLUB – BY MARINA NANCHEVA

Want to try ice skating? Join the Westminster Ice Skating Club, email us at [email protected]

UWSU SocietiesEvents and stories so far

Smoke_8_Jan_2012.indd 31 09/01/2012 22:43

What is the Oriental Society?

The Oriental Society (OS) is a group aimed at Oriental students and students interested in Oriental culture. With a new team this year (Yvonne Dang: President, Sarah O’Grady: Vice-President, Cam Vu: Publicist, Gazza Yooyai: Sports Captain, Robert Wong: Events Co-ordinator, Saima Mian: Treasurer and Steven Cheng: Photographer), we have adopted a different strategy to make the society bigger and better than ever before. Our aim is to strengthen the student community by organising a variety of social events throughout the academic year which members can attend to supplement their studies.

Is it just for Oriental Students?

Most defi nitely not – the emphasis is on uniting students from all backgrounds and the OS is not limited to Oriental students. As a society we promote diversity and cultural awareness not only for Oriental cultures but for other cultures too, an aspect which is refl ected by the diversity of our committee and our members.

What were the highlights and major events of last year?In the fi rst semester we have organised fi lm screenings, pool tournaments, clubbing events and a Xmas dinner to top off the year – all of which had a consistently high turnout.

One of the highlights would defi nitely have to be Freshers’ Week since this was the opportunity for the society to start afresh and we were able to get students from a variety of academic disciplines to sign up. The subsequent welcome

dinner that we held in October was also memorable since the occasion allowed members to mingle and it defi nitely set the standard for further events that we have held.

What is your plan for the coming year?

We still have lots more planned for the second semester! Here’s a little preview of events:• Football tournaments for footie mad OS members – we

shall be collaborating with other societies both within

our University and those from other universities.

• Chinese New Year (End of January 2012) – defi nitely will

involve lots of food!

• Bowling trip (February/March 2012) – a good

opportunity for any bowling enthusiasts to demonstrate

their skills!

• And an END OF YEAR SURPRISE which we will leave as

a surprise...

How can a student get involved with the society?

Simply send us an email at [email protected] and join our Facebook group – Oriental Society (UoW 2011) [https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/288664367827005/] and we’ll do the hard work of organising amazing events for you to attend.

As you can see...we are all about the socials! There will be plenty more opportunities for you to fully immerse yourself in our society in the second semester, so why not join the fun?

SPORTS & SOCIETIES


SOCIETY SPOTLIGHT: ORIENTAL SOCIETY

Are you interested in Oriental culture? Do you want to be part of a society which is all about socialising with others who share similar interests? If so, our society is for YOU.

Smoke_8_Jan_2012.indd 32 09/01/2012 22:43

DRAGONS ON FIREBy Nicholas Nash

Westminster sports teams have performed to an extraordinary standard in semester one. Out of the 15 teams entered into the BUCS (British University and College Sport) leagues, 9 are poised in the top 3 spots.

BASKETBALL

The Westminster Dragons Men’s basketball team are sitting 2nd in the SOUTH EASTERN 2A division with only a point separating them and top team Sussex.

The Women’s basketball team are sitting 5th in the league, however with 5 matches left to be played, victory is still a challenging possibility.

FOOTBALL

The woman’s team collected 6 points from the opening 4 games and are in second place, good form in the second half of the season may secure a second successive promotion.

All 3 of the men’s football teams

are within touching distance of promotion. The 1st team are currently top of the South Eastern 3B league with only one defeat out of 5 games. Unusually league 7C of the South Eastern Conference includes two of Westminster’s football teams, the 2nd team is sitting top and unbeaten and the 3rd team is only 2 points behind in 4th place.

RUGBY UNION

The men’s rugby union team are currently top of their respective league winning 4 out of 5 fi xtures.

CRICKET

The men’s Cricket team competed in the 1 day BUCS Indoor cricket tournament in Hertfordshire coming 4th place. The cricket season is not due to start until March so good luck to the team in the coming semester.

NETBALL

Having fi nished the fi rst half of the season sitting in 3rd position in the

league the netball team is well on its way to a promotion if they continue their current form.

VOLLEYBALL

Volleyball has had mixed results in semester one. The far more experienced women’s team are second in their league and are pushing for a promotion, the men’s team is placed at the middle of the league table. However, it is still not bad considering the fact that the team formed just four months ago.

The New Year will be a successful one for our sports teams, so get involved and represent your university. If you are interested, don’t hesitate to contact the Students’ Union within your campuses.

SPORTS & SOCIETIES


Smoke_8_Jan_2012.indd 33 09/01/2012 22:43

SPORTS & SOCIETIES


WESTMINSTER JUJITSU CLUB hit the mark once again when elected as best club in London for the year 2011 back in December. A result of the outstanding achievements the team had accomplished overall within that year alone.

This is after coming home with 3 medals from the Atemi Nationals, which were held at Sheffi eld in November. The Dragons returned with 1 British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) bronze medal won by Thanh Vo, and 2 medals in the open category - a bronze medal won by Thanh Vo and a silver medal won by Mo Shokrolahi. On top of that, they have also now doubled their membership.

Smoke caught up with Thanh to fi nd out what he felt and he said: “Winning those medals was such a great experience! As a green belt the competition is tough and therefore I was really pleased with this fi rst result of the year. Once

WESTMINSTER JUJITSU CLUB ELECTED BEST IN LONDON

you win a medal you just want to win more, so this competition has given me the motivation to outdo myself at the next nationals in February and win even more medals for our University. Go Dragons!”For more information visit www.uwsu.com

By Jayani Galketiya

UWSU BallThursday 5th April @ Stamford Bridge,

Chelsea Football Club, 6pm-1am

This event is a celebration of all the Students’ Union’s accomplishments throughout the past

year including our sports clubs, societies, course reps, Smoke media and volunteers. More info and

tickets available soon

Smoke_8_Jan_2012.indd 34 09/01/2012 22:44

SPORTS & SOCIETIES


American Football: Wednesdays 2-4pm ChiswickBadminton: Mondays 8-10pm Ark AcademyBallet Club: TBC. New sports clubBasketball Mens: Fridays 7-9pm Ark AcademyBasketball Womens: Fridays 5-7pm Ark AcademyBoxing: Wednesdays 7-9pm The StoweCheerleading: Tuesdays 6-9pm Ark AcademyCricket Mens: Fridays 5-7pm Harrow Sports HallDance club: Tuesdays 6-8pm (The Stowe), Thursdays 6-8pm (Ark Academy)Football Mens: Mondays 7-9pm Harrow SchoolFootball Womens: Mondays 7-9pm Ark AcademyKickboxing: Mondays 6-8pm Ark AcademyNetball: Mondays 6-7.30pm Harrow Sports HallQi Gong: Wednesdays 6-7.30pm Cavendish Campus N4.106Rowing: Wednesdays 12-6pm, Saturdays 9am-

2pm, Sundays 9am-1pm ChiswickRugby Union Mens: Mondays 6.30-8.30pm Chiswick Rugby ClubRunning club: Thursdays 6.30pm Harrow Sports HallSoftball: TBC. New sports clubSalsa: Mondays, Wednesdays & Thursdays 7-8pm, Regent Deep EndSwimming: Tuesdays 8-10pm Marshall St Leisure CentreTaekwondo: Tuesdays 7.30-9pm, Thursdays 6.30-8.30pm Regent GymTai Ji: Thursdays 6-7.30pm Cavendish Campus N4.106Tennis: Wednesdays 2-4pm Paddington RecVolleyball Mens: Thursdays 7.30-9pm Ark AcademyVolleyball Womens: Thursdays 6-7.30pm Ark AcademyJujitsu: Mondays 6-7.30pm, Wednesdays 7.30-9pm Regent Gym

SPORTS CLUBS TRAINING TIMETABLE

FEATURED SPORT: BOXING CLUB

Our Boxing club train every Wednesday evenings, 7-9pm at the Stowe club, Royal Oak. For more information and how to join contact [email protected]

Sports Tour 2012, Lloret de Mar9-15 April at Lloret de Mar, Spain. Several members of sports teams will be attending this event to compete in competitions against other UK universities. Sports that Westminster will be competing in are: Football men’s and women’s, Netball, Rugby, Volleyball, Basketball men’s and women’s, American Football, Cheerleading and Tennis men’s and women’s.

By Jayani Galketiya

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REFRESHER FAIR 2012Get rid of your xmas hangover!

Meet your sabbsJoin our sports clubs and societiesSmoke media coverageFree candy floss & popcornMake new friends and catch up with old ones

10.30am-4pm each

day

Monday 16 January:

Harrow (The Street)

Tuesday 17 January:

Regent Street

(Foyer/Deep End)

Wednesday 18 January:

Cavendish (Foyer)

Thursday 19 January:

Marylebone (Courtyard)

#UWSUR

EFRESH12

REFRESHERS

2012welcoming both new and continuing

students to the spring term

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The Smoke January 2012

Documents

Transcript of The Smoke January 2012