5 Dissertation Snacks

During the last couple of months before our dissertations are due, we tent to let ourselves go, growing a mammoth beard, not showering and eating all kinds of junk. Well here at Student Speak we’ve found five of our favourite munchies.

As the advert says once you pop you can’t stop. Pringles truly are very addictive and it’s quite easy to be at the bottom of a tube before you know it.  There are some tasty new flavours available such as; BBQ and pizza however we like it old school with the classic original, salt and vinegar and sour cream flavours.

For those of us who like to be a bit healthy fruit is a great snack. However too much of it isn’t that good for you as some fruits are full of sugar. Supermarkets such as Asda and Morrisons do great little fruit packs for around a pound, usually including a variety of fruits. A nice healthy snack that keeps you fuller for longer.

And for those not so healthy are one of the greatest selection boxes around….Celebrations! Some selections tins contain only a few nice chocolates and the rest are vile coffee or strawberry cream flavour, but with Celebrations every chocolate is yummy! You get everything from; caramel to nuts and nugget to crispy bits. The only kind of celebrations you can have before your deadlines as well as after.

For all of those times that you nearly fall asleep in front of your computer screen all you have ever need is a quick rush of sugar. The tastiest way to do this is with Haribos! Student Speak can’t get enough of the Tangfastics at the moment however we also love the classic Starmix. They are impossible to put down, once you’ve finished one you’ll find yourself going back for another, until there’s no more left.

Another healthy option is a selection of nuts. Now I know they don’t sound as yum as some of the other options, but nuts are full of essential fatty acids and they are also apparently brain food.  It’s great to mix nuts into your diet a few times a week, studies have shown that people who eat more nuts are less likely to suffer from coronary heart disease.

So there you have it, a few of our favourite snacks to keep your sugars high and brain functioning through those hard days and nights.

By Amrit Pnaiser

Student Speak LOVES

Guess whose back to tell you all about what we love at the moment? Yep, the girlies behind Student Speak, of course! Read up on our latest obsessions right here, and don’t forget to tell us your thoughts too – we are only a tweet away! Get in touch: @_StudentSpeak if you agree, and if not, tell us the heck why!

 

Dayna loves:

Iron Man 3 and Robert Downey-Jnr

“Everyone loves a Marvel film right? And what more than everyone’s favourite man in an iron suit, Iron Man. After last years’ successful hit, Avengers Assemble, the hopes are high for the third film in the Iron Man saga. Iron Man 3 is a direct sequel from the Avengers film, in which Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jnr) and his super-colleagues feuded with Norse gods and aliens, destroying the majority of Manhattan in the process. These events have left him prone to panic attacks, and his worries are compounded by the arrival of two new super-villains on the scene, The Mandarin (Sir Ben Kingsley) and Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce). It’s hard to believe it was 5 years ago, in 2008 where we were introduced to the loveable character portrayed by Robert Downey Jnr. From the superhero franchise he has become one of the most known actors in the film world, especially for his roles as the superhero. Personally, I can’t wait for the release of Iron Man 3 in the UK as I’m a huge fan of the previous films, and of Robert Downey Jnr as an actor and what he has brought to the franchise.”

Hannah loves:

The Loveable Rogues: “What a Night”

“YES! They’re back! Remember the trio of dudes who wrote and performed their own eccentric and highly catchy songs on Britain’s Got Talent last year? How could you forget! You cannot deny that the cheeky chappies have that little something special about them. They are quirky, charismatic, entertaining...oh, and not to mention, very bloody talented! Their new single was released on the 21^st April 2013 and boy, is it a good’un. It’s bold, crude, rude...and that’s why we love it! Welcome back to the limelight, you mischievous fellas – we are glad to see you again.”

 Grace loves:

Vanilla Coke

“Vanilla Coke is back! Everyone has been raving about the refreshing beverage being back on our shelves. Celebrating 10 years since the launch, cans and bottles of the Coke with a vanilla twist have now returned nationwide. Cue all past fans of the fizzy pop raving on about this nostalgic sweet treat – I have personally seen many people hyping about it on my Facebook news feed, which really emphasises its popularity!  As the weather shows signs of getting warmer (kind of) the drink which takes a unique twist on ordinary Coke would be perfect to indulge in when sunbathing in the garden with a good book. Make sure you grab a bottle of Vanilla Coke if you fancy a sugary boost of something a little different.”

Amrit loves:

Transparent accessories

“One of this seasons hot trends is the see through look, and we’re not talking about clothes! Here at Student Speak we really love all these see through accessories now available in the shops. From Perspex shoes to neon purses, this new trend is really quirky!
And it’s not just for the girls; there are also men’s shoes available with this see through detail and other accessories such as satchels and belts. Shops stocking this chic look include; Forever21, Dune, H&M and Miss Selfridge. However if you do go for the see through look, be sure to have something underneath!”

Mcfly Review

Mcfly, everyone’s favourite foursome are back, after being quiet on the music scene, after various ventures of reality television and getting married, and as part of their latest tour, they rocked up to Birmingham’s 02 Academy on Saturday night, much to the joy of their fans across the city. Student Speak were there to see what the fuss was about.

They hit Birmingham with a bang with a packed out venue, that as soon as the lights dimmed, the loudest screams I have ever heard took over. Danny, Tom and Dougie appeared on stage starting off with an acapella version of ‘Memory Lane’, the crowd went wild while chanting the lyrics back to the boys. The curtain soon dropped, and revealed Harry behind on drums, and crowd screamed even more. They soon launched into fan favourite ‘That Girl’, which had the crowd jumping up and down. The boys kept them glued with their amazing energy on stage, gaining an amazing reaction from the crowd. Without a break, they launched into catchy ‘Star Girl’, before having a chat with their excited audience.

They next burst into a short rendition of Dougie’s song ‘Transylvania’, before launching into the recognisable tune of ‘Five Colour in Her Hair’, they’re first single, 10 years ago! This drove the crowd into frenzy, dancing away and singing the lyrics word for word to the Mcfly boys!

The boys revealed that they wanted Birmingham to be as loud as possible, and make this the best gig of their tour, which encouraged the audience to make much more noise! Danny encouraging the audience by saying “Nobody sits down at a Mcfly concert”. They next moved on to perform two of the bands ballads ‘Falling in Love’ and ‘Room on the Third Floor’. The crowds were screaming their names and singing along as loud as they possibly could. They next asked the audience if they knew which song was the first song they wrote way back in the day. The crowds shouted various songs from the band’s first album, which shot straight to number one in the UK, “Room on the Third Floor”. Before the band revealed it was in fact ‘Obviously’ when launching into the catchy tune.

Moving on to performing firm favourites ‘Lies’ and ‘I’ll Be Ok’, the audience were bopping along and singing and screaming at the top of their voices. Next the boys donned some trademark hats, and treated the fans to party favourite ‘Y.M.C.A’ with the crowds doing the dance actions right back at them.

Fans were then treated to firm favourites ‘Shine a Light’ and ‘One for the Radio’, but revealing to the audience that this would be their last song for the evening, ending where they started with the full version of ‘Memory Lane’.

After 5 minutes of screaming, shouting and chanting Mcfly, the boys appeared back on stage, much to the crowds delight, for the finale. They wanted to go out with a bang, and that’s what they did. Finishing off with recent ballad ‘Love is Easy’, Comic Relief single ‘All About You’ and lastly, ‘The Heart Never Lies’, changing the lyrics to “Mcfly are here forever”. The vocal power and presence of Mcfly, along with the audience made for such a powerful and energetic set and incredible atmosphere for all those there.

Mcfly are firmly back on the music scene, with the announcement of their 6^th studio album to be released this Summer. Let’s hope that they are forever!

By Dayna Farrington

It's Student Night at the Bullring!

Make sure you keep the evening of Thursday 25^th April free guys! Pop it in your diary now! For one night only, the ultimate student event at the Bullring is back!

Those with a valid student ID card can take advantage of exclusive discounts, offers and in-store entertainment between 4pm and 9pm. The Bullring will become the must-visit student destination! For one night why not forget about those last semester blues, put your revision and assignments on hold just for the evening, and why not treat yourself! You deserve it after all!

There will be double discounts from a variety of shops and restaurants at the centre including 20% off at Topshop, Topman and New Look! With exclusive discounts offered from many who don’t’ normally offer student discount, including 10% off at H&M. What more could you ask for! But don’t forget to register beforehand!

During the evening there will be music from Capital Radio on the Lower West Mall, provided by their breakfast DJ, Katy. There will also be tons of prizes to be won during the evening on Twitter as @Bullring run a series of retweet competitions to win a whole host of prizes! Make sure you follow them now! And make sure you add #BullringSU to join in the conversation.

For more information about registering and a full list of all the discounts and offers, visit www.bullring.co.uk

Follow the Bullring on Twitter @bullring

Become a fan on Facebook: www.facebook.com/bullringbirmingham

Follow them on Instagram @bullring

By Dayna Farrington

Student Speak LOVES

We Student Speak girls enjoy expressing our opinions at the best of times, but when we are introduced to the newest bits and bobs around us in modern society, we especially like to get stuck in and shout about it! This is our weekly instalment of what is lighting up our lives right now...

 

Hannah loves:

Evil Dead

“Everyone loves a bit of gore, don’t they? No? Well, you must enjoy being creeped out by scary films every now and again! If you want some no-nonsense chills, then you really have to pop into your local cinema and watch this blood-fest! Sadly, I haven’t seen the original, so I can’t draw any comparisons between the two, but as far as gory and disgusting horror films go, this remake is a pretty safe bet! It focuses on a group of young adults who have retreated to a cabin in the woods and end up awakening a terrifying demon which hastily begins to terrorise them. The film follows them as they attempt to survive the night and avoid getting possessed by the creepy spirit. It’s disturbing, it’s chilling, it’s gruesome...and totally worth a watch.”

 

Dayna loves:

Calvin Harris feat. Ellie Goulding – I Need Your Love

 

“The new song from Calvin Harris featuring Ellie Goulding is my favourite song of the moment. A big fan of Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding’s work separately, when I heard they were joining together for a new song ‘I Need Your Love’, I was very excited. With Calvin Harris’ catchy melodies and beats, combined with Ellie Goulding’s distinct sound, the first time I heard it, I was instantly hooked. It’s definitely going to be one of those songs you will be dancing to over the coming months, and blasting it out your car radio.”

 

 

Grace loves:

Off their Rockers:

 

 

“The adverts for this programme got me enticed when I first caught sight of them a few weeks ago. The ITV hidden-camera show is all about the elderly playing pranks on the younger generation, which is actually genius because of the way it has flipped the switch. You wouldn’t expect sweet old grannies and humble old men to make youth feel embarrassed, shocked and awkward with such crazy ideas, odd stunts and wild antics. But this is why it’s so great – it’s light-hearted fun, it has comedic value and it’s original. I’d certainly recommend Off their Rockers to anyone who fancies a bit of a giggle after a mundane day.”

Amrit loves:

Quaker’s Oats

 

 

 

 

 

“When you wake up in the morning ideally you’d want something quick and easy to make that’s going to fill you up for as long as possible, gone are the days that we have time for a full English. Well here at Student Speak we are loving these variety packs of Quaker’s Oats. Now we know what you’re all thinking, ergh porridge. However these variety packs contain some great combinations such as; apple and blueberry and golden syrup. They are really quick and easy to make, you empty the sachet into a bowl of milk, pop into the microwave for two minutes and you’re good to go. Not only do they taste great but they’re really good for you. These oats help to lower cholesterol and fight heart disease, containing lots of vital vitamins, calcium and iron. Quaker’s do a really decent range of different flavours and combinations and they are only around £2 a pack as well. Student Speak agree that these tasty little packets are a great start to your day and fill you up nicely ready for a long day at the library.”

Fancy an Ice Cream Sundae Promotions?

Two Birmingham students have put their studies on hold, to create their very own Live Events Management Company. However, this is not the end of their University days, it is in fact a project for their degree.

The two students, who study Media and Communication at Birmingham City University, have set up the Live Events Company, Sundae Promotions, for their final year project, and will be hosting their very first music event next week.

Formed in October 2012, Sundae Promotions consists of two passionate and hardworking females, Hannah Durham and Amy McArthur. Hannah and Amy have signed a number of musical talents from the Access to Music College in the city for the debut event that takes place at the Six Eight Kafe on Sunday 21^st April 2013 from 2pm. 

The girls are currently working with support from O2 to make the project bigger and better for everyone involved. 02 Think Big helps young people launch their ideas and programmes that benefit the places where they live and Sundae Promotions fall right into that category for Birmingham. They are seeking to benefit and strengthen the local community by holding events focused on arts, music and creativity.

They are also seeking to challenge the perception of unsigned music and traditional expectations of the industry by approaching music as an art form. Sundae Promotions searched high and low for a creative space rather than a traditional venue, before deciding on the Six Eight Kafe in the city centre.

The event will be showcasing some great emerging talent that Birmingham has to offer including, Call Me Unique, The Populars, Two Day Nation, Contrast, Mike Scarrott and Myles Minihan.

For more information and updates about Sundae Promotions, head to:

www.facebook/SundaePromotions

www.twitter.com/SundaePromotion

By Dayna Farrington

Dissertation Tips

It’s 1am and you’re cooped up in your room, hunched over your laptop, typing ferociously and scanning over endless sheets of notes, peering hopelessly at the screen wondering how many more words you can physically write without falling asleep. Yep, I’m talking about that dreaded time of year for final year students – the month before dissertation!

DON’T LEAVE IT LAST MINUTE

You may have got used to it in the past, but make sure you don’t leave your dissertation to the very last minute! It’s an extremely weighty assignment which is going to take a substantial amount of time, so you certainly don’t want to rush it. You’ll just find yourself in a panicky, stressful state if you do, which won’t be productive at all. So make sure you get it all done in good time, as this is one assignment you definitely don’t want to be cramming in an hour before the deadline! Remember the printing and binding as well, because that’s going to take a considerable chunk out of your calendar.

BIT BY BIT

As soon as you’ve finished procrastinating and finally cracked on with your dissertation, it may be tempting to just do it all in one big bulk to get it out the way. It may feel like you’re on a roll, but you will need to step back and take a break after a while. It’s all about time management, so you have to consider the deadlines and then prioritise your tasks. Frequent break times are crucial too, because they allow you to clear your head.

DON’T PANIC!

It may seem like everyone else is ahead of you, the deadline is right round the corner and you’re running out of time, which could send you into panic mode. But getting frustrated about how you wish you’d started sooner or organised yourself better isn’t going to change the past - you’re just going to have to get on with it. It is a stressful time and there will be moments when you feel the pressure building, but you have to reel in the tension and make sure the time you have left is productive, rather than getting het up.

ORGANISE YOURSELF

Keep a folder of all your notes and research, so it’s easy to refer back to. It’s easy to lose yourself in endless sheets, notes and textbooks, but you need to keep track of what you’re doing. Organisation is definitely important for this module; getting muddled and losing notes is definitely not desirable.

EXAMPLES

Ask people who have already completed their degree if you can borrow their dissertation to have a look at. It may be useful in terms of seeing how they set it out and the tone they adopted. Many courses will also provide example dissertations from previous years too, which is even better as these dissertations will be even more applicable to you in terms of topic.

DON’T NEGLECT YOUR SOCIAL LIFE

This is really important. You can’t just spend day after day with nothing but your laptop and a vast  selection of library books to keep you company. Finding the time to go out and relax is essential, whether that means watching a film, going out for lunch or treating yourself to a shopping spree.

TWITTER THOUGHTS:

@elladegenius: ‘Plan your time in advance, and do not underestimate how long each section will take to complete. Start your research as early as possible. Get someone else to proofread’

@be_n_: ‘I read an article in the Scientific American Mind about resisting temptations – it has some really good insights that can be put into action when you find yourself procrastinating (a great enemy of the dissertation!)’

@AnnaRuggs: ‘Chocolate helps.’

By Grace Montgomery

Reasons to Throw a House Party

You are probably wondering why anyone would need an excuse to throw a house party, but trust me, so many people choose not to for various reasons. They may be too scared to act as host, too worried about the responsibility, too panicky that the night will be a fail, blah blah blah...the only valid excuse to not throw one is that your folks are always in, or that they absolutely WILL NOT allow anyone in your house. If that’s the case, then bad luck, but I’m sure for the majority of you it isn’t, so why not throw caution to the winds and organise a house party of your own? I’m sure your friends would love you for it!

Its dirt cheap

Literally, they are the cheapest sort of party you could arrange. It doesn’t have to be a full-blown event; even if it’s just a handful of your closest friends, all you need is a multi-pack of beers and maybe a super-sized bag of cheese Doritos, and you’re good to go! Good times and great memories at little expense – what’s not to love about that?

You don’t have to worry about travelling there or back!

Commuting is the main stress of nights out; the whole effort of ordering taxis and waiting for them to arrive = LONG! Then there’s the whole issue of debating the extortionate fare at the end of the ride – trying to come to a reasonable compromise with the driver isn’t really an easy feat. You don’t have to worry about waiting in the cold by the curb for a taxi to pick you up after your night out either – you can simply crash out in your own bed, whenever you like! Simple and easy.

They are fun!

Du’h. I don’t think I even need to elaborate here, do I? Host a house party because it is fun – sure, they may be a mess to clean up the next day, and dealing with drunken friends won’t be easy, but the main thing is you’ll have fun and create loads of great memories.

Makes a change from going out clubbing

Of course, clubbing is great fun, but no-one can turn down the tempting prospect of a house party. You don’t have to stress about queues, busy bars, packed dance floors or grimy toilets, you can just focus on having a good time in your own house. Mixing it up a bit will enhance the fun, and be honest – what better place can you let your hair down and boogie than in your own living room?!

You can stay up as late as you like

Provided you don’t have grouchy neighbours, or parents/ siblings present, you can partay the night away to your heart’s content. Forget being forced out of your local club by the sour-faced beefy bouncer come 3am, here you can live it up until dawn, or even face the challenge of an all-nighter.

You can be hung-over in the comfort of your own home

Waking up groggy with a dry throat, cracked lips and a vile aftertaste of vodka? No problem – you can just bury yourself under your duvet and then crawl out slowly for a glass of water as and when you please. It’s your house after all, so you can do what you like, and you have the familiarity of your own room to make you feel that teensy bit better about feeling half dead. Comfort yourself with your surroundings, and your hangover won’t seem so unbearable. This is largely because you won’t have to deal with anyone else’s questioning parents or your gobby mate ushering you out of their house – just relax into the ambience of your own residence (and also throw up in your own toilet)!

By Hannah Montgomery

Awkward Moments (That Really Shouldn't Be Awkward)

Every now and again we endure embarrassing moments and have to fan our red faces after cringing. Saying that, these clangers aren’t that common (well, I hope so, anyway!), so they can’t really be deemed a problem. But what happens when you have to deal with awkward scenarios on a daily basis? I’m talking recurring incidents which could happen to anyone...I mean, who knew everyday instances could be so uncomfortable?

Walking past people

So, you are just casually walking down the street when you see someone coming towards you. Damn! This is your route and your pavement and they shouldn’t be there to get in your way! Okay, maybe not, but it is still annoying that they are going to be passing you and hogging up the space of an already pretty narrow path. They are fast approaching; what are you meant to do as they come towards you? Look at them? Ignore them and quickly glance at the floor? Or randomly turn and take in the scenery? Either way - just so awkward.

Answering the door

Its 12 in the afternoon and your hair is all scruffy and unkempt and you’re wearing your pyjamas (I mean hello, who gets dressed when they aren’t even leaving the house?) when knock, knock! Someone is at the door. You could ignore it, but it might be something important, so that isn’t really the best move. But answering it when you’ve pretty much just woke up and look half dead isn’t exactly desirable...even if it is just your old, wrinkly postman delivering a parcel. Vanity and laziness urge you to ignore but you shuffle towards the door because you feel you’ve got to do it. Then you couldn’t feel any less human as you face the visitor on the other side, with your eyes still crusted from your snooze. Just hope it isn’t the fit gas man, eh!

Bus stops

The long, awkward wait, the stretched out silence between strangers whilst uncomfortably loitering in the same space, the search for the bus...and that’ only the start of it. When the vehicle finally comes into view, you then have to give a geeky signal to the driver, your arm outstretched, whilst you linger, anticipating its park up. Then it’s time for the hurried fumble of change, the shaky stumble up the aisle as the bus lurches back into motion and lastly, the dilemma of choosing where to sit. An everyday occurrence, indeed, but this doesn’t make it any easier to deal with. *sigh*.

By Hannah Montgomery

 

The Chilli Festival is Back in Brum!

Looking for a different type of festival? Well Birmingham will be hosting its 3rd Chilli Festival for two days this summer. The event will be taking place on the 19^th and 20^th of July in Brindley Place.

Birmingham will be turning up its heat this July as it hosts a festival that will truly tickle your taste buds. With stalls selling various chillis from producers all around the country to chilli eating competitions, this will deffinatly be an event packed with hotbed activity.

The Chilli Festival first came to Birmingham in 2011 and saw chilli specialists and lovers of spice come from all over. As well as the variety of foods there was also some great entertainment such as live music and dancing. Live cooking demonstrations from some of Birmingham’s finest eateries such as; Thai Edge, Wagamama and Piccolino drew the crowds in.

And if that isn’t enough there will also be a live chilli eating competition which if anything will provide some great entertaining, eye watering and mouth burning moments not to be missed. The weather will hopefully be looking up by then so it should be a great event to check out and have some fun. More information about the event can be found on either the Brindley Place website of the ChileFoundry site.

By Amrit Pnaiser

This Season's Must-Haves: For Men

Summer is just around the corner and we have a sneak preview of some of this seasons must haves for the guys! It’s becoming increasingly important for men to look good, smell good and be up to date with all the latest gadgets and technology, so for those a little out of touch with it all, Student Speak are here to help.

According to men’s magazine GQ Sneakers are on the top ten list month this summer. Sneakers or pumps as some might know them are versatile and can be worn with pretty much anything, ranging from smart suits to trackie bottoms. You can get a pair of these bad boys from shops such as; FootAsylum, JD Sports and Office. Puma and Nike are doing a great rang of pumps that are really popular at the moment and will only set you back around £60.

Although the iPhone 5 has been around for a while and there will possibly be a 5s out in the near future, we still believe that the 5 is the snazziest phone around. It’s sleek and light measuring only 7.6 millimetres it slips into your pocket without you even noticing it’s there.  As its summer season we would recommend opting for the white, even though black might appear manlier, the white edition has that extra bit of class about it. The all-important device to store all those girl’s numbers.

Play by Givenchy is simply divine! Justin Timberlake was the Play campaigns model; you can’t get more manly than that. The range comes in two aftershaves; Play and Play Intense. Play is for the day time and contains some amazing ingredients such as; bitter orange, Caribbean amyris wood and grapefruit just to name a few.  It’s a light, warm and gauzy, its citrus twang leaves you smelling so fresh. Intense is for the evening, quite similar to Play but different at the same time. The ingredients for this aftershave include; pink pepper, mandarin and many more. It’s less citrus than Play yet richer. They retail at around £35 each, however if you were to get one or the other, they can both be worn at any time.

Every guy definitely needs one of these! Ok obviously a body like this takes years of hard work, but you’ve got to start somewhere right?  Boy’s skinny is not in anymore, girl’s want a bit of muscle to grab on to. Hopefully we should be encountering some hot weather this summer so we advise you all to start going to the gym and preparing your summer bod!

Pastels are all the craze this summer, whether it’s your socks, shirts or ties you need pastel in your wardrobe. It’s important to have a couple of pairs of jeans in your collection, but why not check out some pastel coloured skinny chinos.  Girls are always impressed when a guy dresses well so guys start experimenting with clothes, don’t be afraid to try new things. You can find a pair of these bad boys anywhere from Primark to ASOS, match them with a fitted t-shirt and some pumps and you’re sorted. Be brave and bold!

By Amrit Pnaiser

Springbreakers Film Review

Springbreakers is a gritty crime thriller about four college girls (Vanessa Hudgens, Selena Gomez, Ashley Benson and Rachel Korine) who are so desperate to get away on vacation that they rob a bank in order to afford the trip.

Their holiday doesn’t get off to the best of starts, as their reckless behaviour sees them thrown into jail. Suspiciously enough, the sleazy and reckless hustler Alien (James Franco) is quick to bail them out – but what would prompt such a kind act?

The tough thug wants the teens to get involved with his thieving schemes, so it is clear that they haven’t got off that easily. Soon enough the girls are drawn into his fast-paced, lavish lifestyle, but they soon discover the downfalls of living on the wild side when things start to go wrong.

This film seems to be a whole lot of nothing, yet at the same time, it seems to include everything. To elaborate, there doesn’t seem to be much of a plot, as the story is so disjointed, yet it fits in so much drama – threesomes, murder, robbery, drugs – the works.

What is really weird is seeing Vanessa Hudgens and Selena Gomez acting so wild! Usually seeing them as overly sweet and innocent goody-two-shoes makes it so shocking to see them in such a dark and overtly sexual light. I guess it shows their versatility as actresses, but still – so weird.

Conclusion: Literally just full of booze, sex, drugs and guns. The repetition is quite annoying and they definitely say “Spring Break” far too much, but get past this and it makes for a pretty decent watch. You HAVE to check out James Franco’s new look – he doesn’t appear quite so hot, unfortunately, but he acts out the sleaze ball really well. Overall, there’s plenty of nudity and action, but not much narrative, sadly.

By Hannah Montgomery

Student Speak LOVES

Here at Student Speak we like to be kept up-to-date with the latest goings on – whether that’s in the land of showbiz, current gadgets or just an amazing product – we are all over it! Here, our team of journalists discuss what is rocking their world at the moment...

Grace loves:

The return of Catchphrase

“How excited was I upon the discovery that a new and improved ‘Catchphrase’ was returning to our screens this year? With the wonderful Stephen Mulhern on board as host, the first episode was entertaining, fun and easy to get stuck into. It’s definitely one of those game shows that gets you shouting at the television, frenetically trying to guess the right answer before the contestants do. Then there’s that feeling of a ridiculous sense of pride and smugness when you get it right... Let’s face it, we all love a good game show every now and then, it’s a great form of escapism!”

Amrit loves:

Instagram

“Instagram has been around for quite a while but it’s becoming increasingly popular amongst us social networkers. It’s an addiction, Instagraming everything from our food or the snow in our gardens. The greatest thing about this App is that you can add different effects to your pictures so if you have a spot you want to hide or you want to blur someone out all you have to do is hit the button.
Instagram is also a great way of following your favourite celebs and feeling that little bit closer to them. Images such as Kim Kardashian’s baby bump Or Frankie from The Saturdays engagement ring were first aired on Instagram. You can follow fitness enthusiasts, make-up artists or fashion experts to keep up with the latest trends. It’s definitely an app worth having!”

Hannah loves:

Little Mix Feat Missy Elliot: “How Ya Doin’?”

“I have never been keen on Little Mix – I didn’t particularly warm to them on X Factor, and to me, their songs have always had that sort of wishy-washy, take-them-or-leave-them sort of vibe. But when I heard their latest offering, “How Ya Doin’?”, I was instantly taken aback. It’s reminiscent of a 90’s pop song, with its boppy beat, catchy lyrics and attitude-abundant tone. It also helps that the super-cool Missy Elliott is onboard, stamping her urban funk all over it and taking them to a whole new level with her distinct rapping. You’ll love it on the first listen.”

Dayna loves:

James Franco

“He first burst onto our scenes as Peter Parker’s gorgeous best friend in the ‘Spiderman’ trilogy, and he’s been appearing in hit films ever since. Blockbuster ‘127 Hours’, based on the true story of Aron Ralston, gained Franco an Oscar nomination for ‘Best Actor’, which established him as one of the most desired actors in the industry. My personal favourite would be the ‘The Rise of the Planet of the Apes’, where he starred as charming scientist who raises the ape Caeser with human-like qualities. The Hollywood heart-throb recently starred in ‘Oz the Great and Powerful’ as the wizard himself, and this month he’s back again in cinema’s again in ‘Spring Breakers’, where he plays Alien a dealer who gets involved with four college girls. James Franco is a favourite actor of mine, not only for his handsome good looks, but for his talent as an actor, and being able to portray different types of characters in every role he takes on.”

Holiday Souvenirs

As students, you may not feel particularly cultured or have much care for art and such, but you should really consider the beauty and delight of holiday souvenirs.

Think about it: when you go on holiday, you always have a good time – so why not buy a keepsake to forever remind you of those positive memories?

Whether it is a delicate trinket, a beautiful piece of jewellery or a funky artistic canvas, it’s nice to have that little something from another country there for you to keep.

For example, when I went to the Dominican Republic a couple of years back, I was enticed into buying a gorgeous painting, as I loved the stunning simplicity and vibrancy of the Caribbean design.

And the year after, on my travels in Ibiza, I came across a colourful hanging wind chime which is made of pink, blue and silver discs and dangles beautifully on a hook in my bedroom.

They may be fairly simple items, but they remind me of those places and fill me with a warm and fuzzy sense of nostalgia just when casting a glance in their direction.

So, next time you are holidaying in some distant location, have a cheeky peek at the stalls and see what they have to offer. I’m sure something will take your fancy – why not treat yourself to something special? There will always be something worthwhile, and at a decent price, too.

You can’t be on holiday forever, but you can take a little piece of it back home with you.

By Hannah Montgomery