The Indiependent • 4th April 2024

In Defence of BookTok: Why it Doesn't Deserve the Backlash

In March, I noticed a particular video on TikTok was garnering a lot of attention from the BookTok community. The video, posted by a user named Daisy, commenced with text that read “I’ll never forgive TikTok for what it’s done to literature.” A provocative opening gambit, that’s for sure. Next, she decried the platform for promoting “generic genre[s]” such as “good girl/bad boy” and “mafia boss”, before concluding the video with a courageous statement: “I miss when literature actually meant some

Nouse • 27th March 2024

‘I loved the smell of tear gas in the morning’: Former Ukrainian Ambassador Gives Talk at University of York

On Tuesday 27 February, former British ambassador to Ukraine Leigh Turner delivered a talk at the University of York. In light of his upcoming book, Lessons in Diplomacy, Turner’s speech was based around a number of central lessons learnt throughout his career as both a diplomat and an ambassador, interspersed with anecdotes and personal experiences.

Hosted by Nouse Political Editor Tom Lindley, Turner delivered his talk to members of Nouse, the University’s Ukrainian Society, and the York...

Nouse • 13th March 2024

An Argument for the Ban on Disposable Vapes

Recently it was announced by the government that disposable vapes are to be banned in England, Scotland and Wales.

For many university students, this is probably horrendous news.

I have never personally partaken in the fad of vaping (disposable or otherwise), but I know many people who will miss standing in the smoking area of Salvation or Flares with a cherry-flavoured device in hand.

Once an avid social smoker, I can't say that I miss the feeling of nicotine filling my lungs whilst four vod

Nouse • 6th February 2024

Are New Year's Resolutions a Thing of the Past?

Traditionally, January 1 tends to bring with it not only the excitement of a new year, but a bucket list full of self-improvements. The most common amongst these is: to lose weight, travel more, save money, cut down on drinking and make time for family. But in recent years, have we seen a drop in the amount of people making (let alone sticking to) New Year’s resolutions?

For 2024 I made three resolutions, which are written up on a virtual sticky-note on my computer home screen lest I forget...

Nouse • 28th January 2024

Fix First Win: First Bus Bring Back Free Zones Between University Campuses

On 25 January, YUSU Wellbeing Officer Hannah Nimmo announced on Instagram that her ‘Fix First’ campaign had won. As of 5 February, the free zone of the 66 and 67 First Bus services will be restored, as well as a reduced single fare buffer zone.
Both the 66 and 67 run from the York Sport Village to the York Railway Station. In September 2023, First Bus disposed of the free zones between East and West Campus and replaced them with the C1 and C2 services. These free buses run exclusively around...

Nouse • 25th January 2024

The Boys in the Boat: Slow and Steady, But Still Enjoyable

As a new member of the University of York Boat Club, one who has yet to shake off the shiny new feeling of sitting in an ‘eight’ for the first time, it’s no surprise that I was eager to drag my friends to the cinema to watch The Boys in the Boat.

George Clooney’s latest directorial project depicts the true story of the University of Washington’s junior men’s crew qualifying for (and ultimately winning) the 1936 Berlin Olympic games.

The action kicks off when the University announces that their

Nouse • 31st December 2023

YUSU campaign for £1 million in support of cost-of-living crisis

YUSU President Pierrick Rogers and Wellbeing Officer Hannah Nimmo have campaigned for £1 million from the University of York to support students during the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

YUSU has set up various initiatives since summer 2023 in support of the cost-of-living crisis, including cheap campus meals and the Fruit and Root scheme. The money has come from the University as a result of four months of campaigning and lobbying.

YUSU have provided a full breakdown of the areas in which the

All I Think About Now • 30th December 2023

Living with Migraine as a University Student

For as long as I can remember, I've suffered from migraines. One of my most distinct memories of primary school involves being sent home, curling up in my darkened bedroom, clutching a pillow to my face and crying because the searing pain through my left eye just wouldn't relent. This would go on for hours or even days. Paracetamol wouldn't touch it, nor would the litres of water I chugged.

As I got older, they seemed to become more intense. However, I also started identifying patterns - around

Nouse • 29th December 2023

The Pedestrianisation of York

We live in an age of walkable cities. The word ‘walkable’ has seen an increase of around 160 percent since1800, and has been on a steady incline since the 1990s. The benefits of walkable cities have been coming to light in recent years – they reduce carbon emissions, promote active living and minimise road accidents, to name a few. While it is important to note that walkable cities are not completely vehicle-free (they refer to cities whose infrastructure facilitates the accessibility of ameniti

Nouse • 28th December 2023

Nouse interviews YUSU Academic Officer Meely Doherty

On 17 November, Nouse sat down with newly-appointed Academic Officer, Meely Doherty, to ask her about her role.

What exactly does your role involve?

Unsurprisingly, the Academic Officer deals with academics! It’s assessment, feedback, timetabling, graduation issues and also employability. It means that the role tends to deal with less campaigning than some of the other SABBs [Sabbatical Officer] roles - it’s a bit more operational. I call them ‘little fires’ - we tend to deal with more departm

Nouse • 6th December 2023

Jeremy Corbyn argues for a wealth tax in latest York Dialectic Union debate

On 1 December, Jeremy Corbyn spoke at the York Dialectic Union’s final debate of the semester, arguing in favour of the motion ‘This House Would Introduce a Wealth Tax’. President Adam Moses chaired the debate in which over 350 students attended.

The proposition included Corbyn, former Leader of the Labour Party from 2015-2020 and Joe Seddon, founder of tech company Zero Gravity. The opposition consisted of Christopher Snowdon, Head of Lifestyle Economics at the Institute of Economic Affairs, a

Nouse • 5th November 2023

'It is impossible to create art without an education:' Is There Still Value in an Arts Education?

On 3 November 2023, the York Dialectic Union held their first student-only debate of the academic year (2023/2024). As proposed by president Adam Moses, speakers debated the motion ‘This House Believes There is Value in an Arts Education.’

Milo Morrod and Josh Chapman made up the proposition, whilst Henry Howard and Avvayar De Mel formed the opposition.

Morrod eloquently opened up the debate, believing a philosophical stance to be the most productive way to approach the motion. He went on to r

Nouse • 14th October 2023

‘For a long time, I lived for death’: York Dialectic Union Hosts Ex-Jihadist Speaker

On 10 October 2023, the York Dialectic Union invited Muhammad Manwar Ali to speak at their second event of the year. Ali is an ex-Jihadist who now works for the UK’s Home Office and Crown Prosecution Service. From the 1980s, he spent 15 years radicalising, recruiting and fundraising for organisations such as the Muslim Brotherhood.

The Union offered him the chance to reflect on his experiences of fighting, his reasons for turning to jihadism, and what we can do to combat the issue of radicalisa

Nouse • 10th October 2023

‘This House Believes There is Still a Case for a Conservative Government’: York Dialectic Union’s First Debate of the Year

On 6 October 2023, the first York Dialectic Union debate of the academic year took place. Hosted in the University’s Berrick Saul building, the motion ‘This House Believes There is Still a Case for a Conservative Government’ produced fierce arguments on both sides, and gathered over one hundred spectators.

The proposition consisted of third-year History and Politics student James Clay, and Deputy Chair of the North East Young Conservatives Matthew Smith. The opposition consisted of third-year P

Nouse • 28th September 2023

The Best Pubs to get acquainted with this year in York

As a York fresher, it is undeniably one of Your most important duties to acquaint yourself with the city’s vibrant pub scene. Forget the pre-reading and unpacking for a moment – instead, rally around your most(seemingly) alcoholic new flatmates and get a bus into town.

Pubs always have been, and always will be, a cornerstone of York. One of the oldest, Ye Olde Starre Inn on Stonegate, dates all the way back to 1644. A small handful even claim to be haunted (would a well-inserted joke about spir

Nouse • 11th September 2023

University of York Shortlisted for ‘University of the Year’ Award

The University of York has been shortlisted for the Times Higher Education ‘University of the Year’ award. The mark of recognition is widely referred to as ‘the Oscars of higher education.’ The nomination comes as the result of the University’s handling of the cost of living crisis.

Cost of living pressures have been rising across the UK since 2021. As a result, the University launched a number of initiatives to support affected students, including the introduction of a Cost of Living Hub, trai

Nouse • 7th August 2023

Emergency Grab Bags Installed in York City Centre

On 11 July, the City of York Council announced the implementation of emergency grab bags in York city centre.

Available via assigned staff at designated locations, the bags will provide support in the event of a terrorist attack or major incident. They are part of the Regional Protect and Prepare Group’s attempt to improve security measures in the city, and have been funded by the Safer York Partnership. Each bag includes both information and equipment designed to assist in the early stages of

All I Think About Now • 29th June 2023

An Ode to Pre-Semesterisation and my First Year of University

To be completely and utterly candid, I was terrified of going to university. At least a month before I was due to leave, I developed an incredibly unpleasant stomach ache that didn’t go away until I arrived. However, when that day came, I found myself overcome by a strange sense of serenity. I knew that I was ready, and all those weeks of fretting faded into obscurity. I’m still not quite sure how this happened, but I managed to evade homesickness entirely; whilst Freshers’ Week wasn’t anything

All I Think About Now • 14th June 2023

'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas': The Anti-Journalist's Journal

Hunter S. Thompson's hazy, semi-autobiographical account of a drugs-fuelled bender under Las Vegas skies has been on my reading list for some time now. As something of an aspiring journalist myself, I've been thinking of this book as a rite of passage;

something that everybody fascinated by print media should read. There is no doubt that what this book has to say about the American Dream, psychedelics, cops, casinos, cults, drag racing, foreigners, apes, the Sixties and Jefferson Airplane (amon

All I Think About Now • 27th May 2023

Five Slightly Unusual Things to do in York

York is a city best known for three things: a cathedral, some castle walls, and a winding Diagon Alley-esque street called 'The Shambles'. I don't deny the beauty or uniqueness of any one of these features; York Minster is undoubtedly breathtaking, the City Wall Walk is a pleasant way to spend a sunny afternoon, and The Shambles is host to a myriad of quirky little shops and cafes to amble round.

However, if you're a resident, a student, or even an avid day-tripper, then you should already be f

Nouse • 29th April 2023

Lancaster win the Open 1's table tennis

Tensions were running high this morning as both York and Lancaster’s Open First table tennis teams warmed themselves up for Roses 2023 tournament. The promise of a fast-paced, action-packed day was kept; and, following five intense hours of play, Lancaster secured a landslide win of 14-3.

For those who aren’t sure, the rules of table tennis are fairly straightforward - players compete for the best of five games, which then earns them a set. Games are won by reaching eleven by two clear points.

Nouse • 9th March 2023

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish - A Refreshing Tail

A deep-dive into the trials and tribulations of love, friendship, death, and immortality - what more could one expect from an animated comedy film about a renegade cat’s penchant for misadventure? Puss in Boots: The Last Wish tackles all of the aforementioned topics with a delightful tenderness that manages to appeal to children and adults alike.

Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) has exhausted eight of his nine lives, yet doesn’t seem to feel the weight of his reality until coming face to face w

Nouse • 2nd February 2023

Veganuary: self gratifying or inspiring change?

I am not a vegan. I have never, unless we count the occasional absent-minded swiping of a ‘Plant Kitchen’ sandwich off the supermarket shelf instead of a ham one, entertained the thought of turning vegan. In fact, I think I would be hard pressed to name more than a couple of ‘real-life’ vegans, even since arriving at university. I doubt that my position is solitary – recent YouGov research claims that between only 2-3 percent of the UK population practise veganism. Yet, despite the paltry figure

Nouse • 8th December 2022

‘And Then There Were None’ Review

Skimming over a plot summary of Agatha Christie’s 1939 murder mystery novel a week prior to DramaSoc’s ‘Fresher’s play’ didn’t immediately pique my interest – I knew I would be going to watch it, but I wasn’t entirely convinced that I would enjoy it. However, Cerelia Chamberlain and Tommy Haines’ electric adaptation dispelled my worst fears; this was a far cry from the staid, overly serious dramatisation I was expecting. On paper, the storyline doesn’t exactly lend itself to big laughs; ten stra