The Spoon Drawer

https://unsplash.com/photos/UCZF1sXcejo Dear 'First Years', This month, thousands of you are to descend onto the streets for the all-important fresher’s week, before beginning your degree with a newfound sense of independence (and a cracking headache). However, recent statistics demonstrate that unfortunately for many of you, the initial enthusiasm doesn’t last long. In fact, first-year dropout rates are beginning to rise . As a first-year dropout myself, who later returned - here is my advice: In my experience, we referred to first year as the ‘party year’. After all, “you only need 40%”. Partying and meeting new people often feels like it should take precedence over the main purpose of university (an education). Work subsequently takes a back seat as you settle in with new friends in your halls accommodation and relish in not having any parents around. But, first year isn’t a time to rest on your laurels. You worked damn hard to get here, do...

https://pixabay.com/en/courier-night-panning-warsaw-1214227/ For years we have been hearing from industry experts that ‘the gig economy is coming’. In fact, it has been impossible to miss the light and scrutiny that has been cast on this type of work. Politicians and economists have debated the pluses and problems alongside the ongoing legal challenges  the industry continues to face. Yet, there remains no agreed definition of which jobs constitute part of the ‘gig economy’, it usually refers to low paid, flexible work where people are offered their 'gig's through a website or app. The most well-known and popular companies currently operating in this phenomenon are Uber, Deliveroo and TaskRabbit. They are also often confused with zero-hour contracts , the key difference is that the individual is paid by the task performed and not by the hour on a rolling basis. But, the British workforce has already seen significant movement away from the nine to five structure...

Source: https://pixabay.com/en/comic-con-comics-books-star-wars-2216147/ This December will mark the fortieth year since Star Wars was gifted to the world by George Lucas, and in that time, has been elevated to cult status around the globe with millions of adoring fans. It is now a common sight to see Darth Vader and Princess Leia at various fancy dress parties, and fans young and old alike wearing Star Wars shoes or t-shirts referencing the films. The cultural impact of Star Wars has been a lot more extensive, and references to the films are littered in popular culture around the world, and are instantly recognisable to both fans and non-fans alike. This impact upon wider popular culture had not been seen at the time at the time of release, and it is unlikely that we will ever witness a movie have such a significant impact again. The Impact of Star Wars Upon Fashion It should not come as a surprise that the memorable iconic garments from the film have had a substanti...

There comes a time in every man’s life where he stops thinking about the best place to head on a Friday night when he instead realises that he would far rather stay at home with a glass of whiskey and ponder themes of politics and philosophy over an acclaimed read from Amazon. This momentous occasion in a man’s life usually throws a few key considerations into the fray, that haven’t previously been realised: He doesn’t really like whiskey yet… (he will, in good time). He doesn’t have Amazon Prime, so he’ll have to wait a few extra days for that captivating read. He doesn’t have anywhere where he can actually sit down and relax…he needs a man-cave! Now I’d like to firstly start by stating that I’m not particularly fond of the term ‘man cave’, though I understand why it came to be. Yes of course we are men, but to suggest that a fine leather interior and a sixty-inch television constitutes as a ‘cave’ is quite frankly, offensive. In this piece, I will instead opt...