Isabelle Gray

Students “outraged” after new hall turns them away

“The Depot” accommodation block. Image: Aaron Loose

Over 610 students have accommodation cancelled after “grossly irresponsible” construction delays

Sep 2, 2019 – by Henry Jones, Aaron Loose and Isabelle Gray

Hundreds of new students have been forced to find new accommodation after being told that ‘The Depot’ will not be finished in time for September.

In a statement given to Exeposé, The Depot confirmed “Due to construction delays at The Depot which our contractor has been unable to fully mitigate, we will unfortunately not be able to open the building in time for the start of this academic year.”

The Depot accommodation block is currently under construction on Summerland Street, next to nightclub Unit 1. The new target is for rooms to be available from January 2020.

Boasting an “outstanding student experience” on their website, CRM Students was bought by German company Corestate for €17 million late last year. At the time of the purchase, CRM was described as “a highly professionalised real estate manager.”

Students were first informed of delays on 1 August. CRM said there had been “some delays” and so the “Games Room and Communal Lounge” wouldn’t be open in time for the start of term. However, the students were told that bedrooms would be ready in time. £100 was initially offered to students to compensate.

Then on 14 August all the affected students were emailed again: “Despite the contractor’s best efforts they will not be able to deliver a completed building on time. As a result, we regret to inform you that The Depot will not be able to accommodate students this year and you will need to secure alternative accommodation.”

The email emphasised that “the construction contractor is responsible for this delay”, although CRM will offer one week’s rent reimbursement “as a gesture of goodwill.” CRM also promised that the company would “shortly be processing refunds for all students” which will include booking fee and any rent that had already been paid.

It’s just so close to term and it felt like they didn’t care they were turning so many people away
Second Year English Student

Speaking exclusively to Exeposé, a second year English student said that students had been sent a list of alternative places to live in, but many of them were full or too expensive.

“It’s just so close to term and it felt like they didn’t care that they were turning so many people away” she said, adding that it was “grossly irresponsible.”

“I was supposed to be moving in with international students as well it was especially hard for them.”

The abrupt cancellation of the Depot contracts threatens to have a profound effect on international students. To sort alternative accommodation at a late stage often requires in person meetings with letting agents and landlords. This might not be possible for international students who travel to study in the UK.

Another student, who came to study in Exeter from abroad, told Exeposé “If you ask about my feelings, I would definitely describe it as devastating.”

“We feel outraged by the fact that CRM is only willing to compensate us with a single week of Rent as “a gesture of goodwill”, and given the situation that most of us aren’t in UK, plus the fact many budget accommodations are fully booked by mid-August, this arrangement is simply absurdly unfair.”

A University of Exeter spokesperson said: “We know about the delay to The Depot and will ensure that all the students affected find alternative accommodation. We are working with the team at the Depot to resolve any issues and will minimise any impact on students and local residents. We take our responsibilities to students and the community very seriously and we will provide the necessary support for each individual. Any student with concerns about the delay to The Depot site can contact: thedepot@crm-students.com “

The Exeter Students’ Guild are also offering assistance. A Students’ Guild spokesperson said:

“Following the announcement on 1 August, the Students’ Guild has been working alongside the University to ensure that all students affected by the cancellation are supported and compensated appropriately. Students have able to access the Advice Team, who were aware of the situation and provided with information to provide support to students. Any students who continue to be affected by the situation will be supported by the Advice Team to ensure a resolution by the time they arrive in Exeter.”

The Depot cancellation follows a similar scenario in 2018, when the brand new Atlas House accommodation told tenants to seek alternative housing just three days prior to the scheduled opening.

Guild to restructure ExTunes

The Guild has announced substantial reforms to ExTunes, which has raised concerns amongst committee members of the ExTunes Council.

Last Wednesday (15 May), committee members of the ExTunes Student Council were told that the student group will go through a significant restructuring in August. The Guild has concluded that ExTunes in its current format does not fit within the governing structures outlined in the Guild bylaws.

The University ceded responsibility for the provision of music to the Guild in 2016. ExTunes was then created to reproduce the musical services then supplied by the University. At this time, the Guild took no action to make ExTunes compliant with Guild governance.

the student group will go through a significant restructuring in August

When Exeposé asked the Guild to justify the lapse of time, a Guild spokesperson said ‘ExTunes and the associated music services were run by the University for several years. When the University decided that this provision no longer fit with their activity, the Guild took on the services to safeguard the facilities and provision for the benefit of students. How the governance of ExTunes fits with the rest of the has remained an unresolved issue since then that is now being addressed as part of the bylaws review.”

Six months ago, ExTunes committee were informed of plans for a music development scheme to redevelop the student group’s constitution. One of the issues cited was membership. Guild members must first buy an ExTunes membership before they can buy a membership to specific musical societies; a provision that does not exist in Guild rules. The committee were not informed of any concerns relating to Guild bylaws until last week.

The Guild held consultations with ExTunes committee members in January. Following these discussion, the Guild developed two possible operational plans to revise ExTunes’ governance structure.

During the Wednesday meeting, the Guild provided a document that outlined two proposed reforms to ExTunes’ constitution.

At present, ExTunes is defined as a student group that answers directly to VP Activities Sabbatical Officer. It consists of a committee of eight people, and arrangement would change under the new proposals.

The first solution suggests that the ExTunes President and the Music Society Officer would be re-merged into a single role. As a result, the ExTunes committee would be demoted to a sub-committee. Members of the sub-committee would support the Music Society officer in performing the representational work carried out by ExTunes.

ExTunes expressed dissatisfaction with the Guild’s handling of the consultations

In response to the first solution, ExTunes former Vice-President Harry Smith raised several welfare concerns. In a statement to Exeposé, they said ‘the reality of the Guild’s care about mental health is worrying it has sprung this change onto the ExTunes Committee with no warning, and in the middle of exam season.

They added “meanwhile, they are expecting a single student to, next year, fulfil the roles that two people (ExTunes President and Music Societies Officer) have undertaken in previous years.”

The second solution proposes that ExTunes becomes a society. This means there will be no sub-committee to support the President.

Furthermore, the matter of handling equipment will be the responsibility of Guild staff.

ExTunes President Katy Jones noted that the “proposed changes will impact over 1,300 members, yet only a fraction have been consulted.”

According to the Guild document, students are able to scrutinise the performance of Guild staff. However, according to the aforementioned document, the current way in which scrutiny is applied breaches employee law.

A Guild spokesperson said: ‘The lack of documents that outline the governance processes that relate to ExTunes leaves an area of ambiguity about the management of a number of Guild Staff member’s responsibilities, resolving the current ExTunes governance will address this providing clarity for students and staff.”

ExTunes expressed dissatisfaction with the Guild’s handling of the consultations. Smith felt that “What is very obvious is that student enjoyment is at the bottom of the Guild’s priority list. Instead, they are stubborn about needlessly having ExTunes meet the structure they want it to. It is frustrating and disheartening that, despite the passion and dedication shown by ExTunes members, the Guild is committed to working against the desires expressed by students in that meeting.”

“[the guild] are expecting a single student to, next year, fulfil the roles that two people have undertaken in previous years”

VP Activities Rosie McDonagh, who is working with the ExTunes committee throughout the transition, said: “It is important that within the current work on the Guild’s bylaws we find a way to accommodate the representation and social activity that ExTunes currently provides to ensure the voice of music students is given as much weight as any other group of students within the representative structure of the Guild.

I have been listening to feedback from the current ExTunes president, committee and membership to move this forward in a constructive way that meets the overall objectives of the bylaws review. We have delayed the election of roles that would be impacted by this work to ensure that we can listen to as many views as possible and incorporate them into how we move forward.

The Guild will be working with the incoming Music Societies Officer, as well as the other society officers to make sure that as many of their manifesto promises can be achieved and ensure that they are supported in their time representingthe views of their societies.”

The price of moving away

BEING away from home and being at university is at first a strange feeling, one that definitely takes getting used to. I felt this especially in the first year, as all of us probably did. You’re in a new place, you don’t really know what’s going on or where anything is. Now being in my second-year stint of university, I’ve realised a whole new feeling when it comes to being far away from home.

At first, I was missing my family a lot and the comfort of being at home, and now I’ve realised how that can work both ways. My family have unfortunate luck when it comes to illness; we’ve dealt with all the classics: asthma, a number of broken bones (clearly we have a clumsy gene), acne, mental health issues, accidents, the lot. As a result of that and being in a single-parent household, we all are a bit of a collective and look after each other when it gets hard. So when someone gets particularly ill, and you are a four-hour train journey away, instead of upstairs in your room, it’s a whole new territory to face. You can’t make that classic panic cup of tea that will make things feel better for that person for five minutes or so; instead, you become confined to phone calls and WhatsApp messages.

It was certainly a very surreal experience being in a lecture, checking your phone every now and then to see if there’s any news about a life-threatening surgery your family member is in. Of course, I want to learn about the wonders of William Blake’s Romantic poetry, but I also really want to be in that waiting room, to be the first to know any updates, not the fourth or fifth. And of course, the weekends are convenient for these matters, and being an English student, I am blessed with very few contact hours so quick trips home are always possible. But I think what people forget about illness is it’s often not the big gestures or the planned visits. It’s the things you don’t consider or plan, it’s the needed help you never think of, like helping reach for the soup at the top of the cupboard, or a hug, a rushed trip to the hospital or even just going out to get more milk.

It’s a sudden, strange reality of growing up where you realise you are actually needed as a reliable member of the family.

As you grow, your responsibility grows, and as your parents grow older, their reliance on you grows too. It is a weird complex of you yourself eating Coco Pops for dinner whilst checking in on the health and wellbeing of your own parent, not quite old enough to look after yourself but having no choice but to become responsible for those you love. It’s never easy to have that order of care reversed, but it is an inevitable part of life that can, in a bittersweet way, be quite rewarding. I have always felt the weight of all my family has done for me and giving back in any way I can is something I am always itching to do. But as I’ve mentioned, I am now a bit of a journey and a hefty price of a train ticket away.

University is often about learning to cope by living in two spaces all at once. People often mention that both your ‘homes’ never truly feel like one because it ends up that something is always missing, whether that’s physical or within yourself. And it’s a similar conflict when it comes to an illness in the family; you feel guilty for staying at uni but it’s something you know you have to do, and your family would want the same.

All in all, there is no real conclusion as to how to confront this conflict,other than to face things as they come. It’s far from an ideal situation and in life, acceptance of things being difficult is sometimes the best option you have. Perseverance helps. Looking out for yourself so that you can look after others will help. Sometimes feeling hopeless, scared, or ‘over it’ is what will happen. We have to juggle so much at uni as it is, so having hardship in your personal life, especially when it’s far away from you is never easy, but you find your way because you have to – for them.

4 people you’ll almost definitely work with in a group project

If you’re experienced with seminars, you’ll know that where you sit in the first few weeks can be crucial. Yes, this insane high school rhetoric can still be at large even at university. But not for popularity points, oh no, if only it were that simple. It is a matter of survival. The survival of what you ask? The gruesome, disgusting, terrifying thing that is group work. When I started at university, I thought this heinous form of assessment would be over for me, especially as an English student. And yet, here I am as a second-year student still being plagued with this terrible task. And so, this is where the seating plan comes into play. In my experience, tutors often do the easy option of grouping people in 3 or 4 people based on whose sat where. You hear them say the dreaded ‘you four, you three…’ And there we go, before you even know what’s happening you’re paired with potentials for disaster.

The keen bean

There are four main archetypes of people you can be landed within group work. First, you have the keen bean. The person who is very on schedule wants to meet up every other day to discuss the texts, who annoys you but inevitably saves you from getting a 3rd.

The not so keen bean

Next, you have the opposite, the person who doesn’t give a fuck, never replies to messages, and who you are forced to start to care about because that’s right, you’re marked not individually, but as a group. Before you know it, you’re getting the details of this person’s housemate drama and THAT’s why they haven’t been doing anything.

The in-between bean

Third, the in-between bean. They’re happy to meet up and will do what’s asked of them, but they can’t help but remember that this assessment is formative and a complete waste of everyone’s time (it me).

The golden bean

And last, you have the socialite, who is always suggesting to meet at The Impy and ends up convincing everyone to get pissed. This gem is rare, but when you get this one, it makes this painful that much less painful, with, well, drunkness. And chips.

Summer Blues

Throughout my academic life, I always thought of the last week of August to be the big Sunday. The last hoorah. The existential dread starts to kick in, it feels a little colder at night, the light late nights seem to become a distant memory. Nostalgia is a cruel thing that seems to hit us before, or even during something we know we’ll miss. Do you ever spend time with someone and start to miss them while they’re right there because you know they’ll be going soon? That’s like the end of summer for me, I’m already worrying about deadlines and relapsing my library-Lucozade addiction before it’s even happened. Which is ridiculous. I barely even know what modules I’m doing yet to even have the audacity to worry about deadlines.

So, in retaliation to this nonsense, I’d like us to go on a little calming journey right now. The way to beat this Sunday anxiety is to disguise Sundays like Fridays, or Tuesdays, if you’re a Cheesy Tuesdays fanatic (beware freshers – you have been warned), or any day that makes you feel good. In essence, summer doesn’t HAVE to be our only time for joy and relaxation. Yes, seasonal affective disorder is a real thing that can affect us all, and no deadlines are definitely better than deadlines, but it’s all about perspective. I definitely feel unsure of how the new academic year will go, but I know how I go into the year will undoubtedly make a difference. Instead of worrying about the actual uni side of it, I look forward to exploring the new IKEA we have been blessed with in Exeter, seeing friends again, and finally being out of halls.

Instead of worrying about the actual uni side of it, I look forward to exploring the new IKEA we have been blessed with in Exeter, seeing friends again, and finally being out of halls.

Another thing to remember is that for the most part, September in England can actually be pretty sweet. Enjoy having some pints at the Impy under the bench umbrellas in the beautiful sun, but bring a jacket. Enjoy not really needing much to take to the club and pay those obscene prices for cloakrooms. There are many upsides to appreciate if we choose to focus on them.

At the end of the day, we shouldn’t have to assign the academic year with turmoil. If we do, what’s the point in actively volunteering in higher education? We’re all here for a reason, whether it’s to get that job, develop our knowledge/interest in a particular craft, or have weekly access to Timepiece. Whatever your motivation, that’s what we have to remember as the term looms upon us. Summer doesn’t have to be the only time for fun and self-care either. In fact, we should all do our best to incorporate the best parts of summer into our autumns and winters. Obviously, the inevitable 9ams are not a thing in summer, but going out for fresh air is, having a lazy day is, even having a BBQ is (but again, maybe bring a jacket)!

We’re all here for a reason, whether it’s to get that job, develop our knowledge/interest in a particular craft, or have weekly access to Timepiece.

It’s also possible that some of you hate summer and its sticky, unpredictable weather, and you can’t wait to go back to uni and the cold nights of Exeter. If so, great! Or, of course, many of you are starting your first ever terms at uni this week. I remember being very excited for uni before I started, but also feeling as though the end of summer was also the end of many other things. It meant not seeing my friends and family for a long time, an end to a very responsibility-free summer, and essentially an end to being well…a little kid! Uni meant rent, making your own food, trying to keep your room somewhat clean without having your mum to nag you about it. It’s scary and unnerving but let me tell you something cool about this whole spinning-planet thing. Summer will roll around again. We will all get through this year whether we’re doing our dissertations or just starting out, trying to find where on earth the Peter Chalk building is or climbing the Amory staircases for the first time. Also, snow in Exeter is pretty lovely. There is always going to be something to look forward to (maybe like joining Exeposé and writing for us…just a thought!).

Check me out

Check-In? I’m out. The new ‘Check-In’ service installed by the university starting at the beginning of the 2018/19 academic service is ultimately, a waste of everyone’s time and phone battery. Not only is it a waste of time, but it opens up a conversation about mental health, our technology-obsessed generation, and even classism.

Let’s take it one step at a time. The reason that it is a waste of time is that it doesn’t add anything new to the registration process, as all seminars I’ve been to this term has also had paper registers, aka the old system that we’ve always had and had always worked. Not only that, but it is also faulty. I’ve heard from a number of students that their check-in system on their iExeter app doesn’t even work, meaning they are expected to go to their department faculty every single time they attend their contact hours to say ‘Yes, I was actually there but your app doesn’t work.’ So, bearing in mind students who study sciences that can have 20 contact hours a week, surely it is completely unreasonable to make them do this every time? Surely a paper register would save the student time, the tutor time, and the poor people at the faculty reception?

when the looming notification arrives of ‘remember to check in’, and I can’t for whatever reason, it’s more like a notification of failure

Furthermore, this expectation to attend every single one of your hours without fail can be detrimental to your mental health. Of course, that should be expected most of the time, but we are all human and things happen. Sometimes you do just need that extra sleep or time to catch up on other things. In the first year, before this system, I was under the understanding that lectures could be watched at home or in the library at another time if necessary, hence them being online at our disposal. So when the looming notification arrives of ‘remember to check in’, and I can’t for whatever reason, it’s more like a notification of failure. My attendance at a lecture does not affect anyone but myself, so why must I register my attendance?

Another important fallback of this new system is the tools needed to use the system. It requires students to be in possession of a smartphone, or a laptop with Bluetooth. It amazes me that, a university already under scrutiny and stereotype of mainly having middle-class students would fail to see the clearly classist mentality of the check-in system. It essentially says, if you are not privileged enough to have a smartphone or laptop, you must go to the walk of shame to your faculty, queue up for how long every single day and explain that you do not have this luxury item. ‘You are making everyone’s day more difficult because you cannot afford an iPhone. Thanks a lot poorer student.’, screams the system.

In addition, is it such a crime if I don’t feel like bringing my phone to university with me one day? Our generation is so obsessed with technology as it is, and it is dangerous and unproductive of the university to push us to constantly have our phones as an extension of our hands just to save our tutors five minutes typing up a register. This culture of needing our phones to survive every second of the day is unnatural and 100% can affect our mental health, which is fragile enough as students with all the pressure we can face.

Overall, this system is pointless but not only is it silly, and lazy, it is exclusionary and encourages a classist, student-turned-robot mentality, and literally helps no one.

What does diversity mean to comedy?

Ultimately, diversity is an essential element in all walks of life. In government, CEOs of corporations, lawyers, in music, and even in comedy. Everyone deserves to be able to have someone to relate to, and generally have representation. However, what is possibly more important is how this is carried out. A lot of the time in media, it can be painfully obvious when producers or casting directors have stuck the classic ‘token black guy’ (and other variations of this be it any person of colour, a disabled person and so on). Especially in comedy, this can be extremely cringey and awkward for the audience when the reasons for their casting are so obvious. A lot of the time, jokes to do with their race or whatever that makes them ‘different’ to their probably white-cis-straight counterparts are rarely in their favour.

However, there are some TV shows at the moment which are able to encompass comedy and representation, creating good quality and important television. For example, Orange Is the New Black has one of the most diverse casts I’ve ever seen. Granted, the fact that it’s about women in a New York prison meant they didn’t have much room to not be diverse but it’s how the characters are crafted, and how funny they all equally are. Futhermore, their backstories are all given fairly similiar attention, as well as their continued dedicated storylines. And for all those ‘politically correct people are taking it too far’ losers, the show is very happy to make jokes about race and class; but it’s done with integrity and spoken by the characters of that race and that class. They are able to take the piss out of themselves without being intentionally inappropriate in their comedy. I think a key part of this is who is writing these jokes. The Orange Is the New Black writers (although not perfect), are not just white guys; there are an equal amount of men and women, ranging in ethnicities – aka representation, aka people who know what they’re talking about when it comes to these issues. Comedy doesn’t have to be about dragging other people down or making light of serious issues in order to make people laugh. I believe true comedy doesn’t need that tactic.

“I didn’t expect much of the FRIENDS producers given the time it was made. FRIENDS is a hilarious show, but there is no diversity”

Of course, I am no angel. Shows that I have loved for many years have had their problems. For example, FRIENDS had pretty much no black characters until season 9, and Charlie only got a few episodes. Contextually though, it was the 90’s and diversity and a range of people in sitcoms wasn’t really a thing. It’s still not great, but I didn’t expect much of the FRIENDS producers given the time it was made. FRIENDS is a hilarious show, but there is no diversity. But, I am a white-cis-straight person, so it is easy for me to forget that shows like FRIENDS may be quite frustrating for others.

Another show worth discussing is Little Britain, which is probably the most ridiculous, boundary-pushing show I’ve ever seen. It is full of stereotypes and makes a mockery out of so many people. But, I’m not going to lie about it, it has made me laugh lots of times. The character who lets her adult son breastfeed from her IS funny. And even the woman who throws up everytime she eats something made by someone not white-cis-straight is funny. It’s crude and wrong, but it did make me laugh. Which of course, is an example of my privilege, but due to its record broadcast statistics, I’m not the only one. But – and this is a big but (haha) – the show simply would not survive today. It is genuinely offensive; this has been pointed out by one of the stars himself, noting that “Basically, I wouldn’t make that show now. It would upset people. We made a more cruel kind of comedy than I’d do now … Society has moved on a lot since then and my own views have evolved”. If they were to ever make a revival, the inclusion of all these diverse people on- and off-camera would give it the chance to be something truly wonderful.

The best example I can give of representational, but slightly crude humour is Key and Peele. If you have never seen their sketches, I urge you to find some on youtube immediately. Pretty much every single one makes me laugh out loud. They play a whole range of characters and touch on a range of issues, but as they are both men of colour, they do so in a way that is not cringey, but representational and actually funny! And of course, the infamous Get Out, another great work from Jordan Peele, which again has geniunely good comedy whilst touching on things that matter.

Comedy should be a form of relief for everyone involved; no one should have to sit down from a long day and filter out the Netflix shows that doesn’t have anyone that looks like them, or actively makes jokes against them. Comedy should be fun, and could become a key example to other forms of entertainment, or general life in how to do representation and diversity right.

Interview: Rejjie Snow

it’s more just being responsible. And thinking about others.

A little while ago I had the amazing opportunity of interviewing Rejjie Snow about his debut album and the UK tour that followed. To my expectations, he voice was as dreamy, and he himself was extremely humble and kind. We got to talking about his dreams, his relationships with others in the industry, and the importance of being yourself. Albeit a slightly awkward start, with my extreme nerves and his intimidatingly cool, calm and collected stance, the ball got rolling. I was eager to find out about his experience performing in Exeter, as it was definitely one of the weirdest gigs I’d experienced myself.

Hi Rejjie! I’m Iszy.

Hey Iszy, you good?

I’m good how are you?

I’m just chilling.

Cool. I saw you perform in Exeter a few weeks ago. It was quite a weird night wasn’t it?

Yeah, it was fun tho.

A very interesting crowd… how did you find performing here for the first time?

It was cool but it seemed very young. I like to do shows to people my own age, cos the energy is good.

Yeah, I felt like the oldest person there! It was weird.

*laughs* Yeah me too.

What kinda tracks do you like performing live usually?

Usually, it’s ‘1992’, but at the moment it’s ‘Pink Lemonade’ off the new album. It’s always changing, ‘Blakkst Skin’ is good.

I saw you tweeting about Anthony Fantano’s review, I was just wondering how you felt about that? Because he’s a bit of a meme isn’t he?

The fact that he even spoke about me means a lot to me you know, I’m a massive fan.

Did you have any favourite collaborations on the album?

‘Egyptian Luvr’ definitely, or ’23’.

Ah, 23 is my favourite! Do you have anyone you’d really like to collaborate with in the future?

Not really you know, I’m down to work with anybody at the moment.

Obviously, the production credits are quite impressive with the likes of Kaytranda and Rocki. What was it like working with them? Especially Kaytranda who’s doing quite well for himself at the moment.

Yeah, it was cool. Again it just adds value the production to the album, he’s someone I’ve talked to quite a lot.

Something that really interests me is obviously your Irish background. Just how it feels to break out into the industry being from Dublin. Do you think you’ve experienced any isolation or anything?

I’ve gone over this now. You just get used to it, people gave me a chance and I just came out of it. There’s a new approach to things and just cause I’m from Dublin and that kinda held me back in the past but now I just use it to my advantage.

Absolutely. And speaking of being different do you have any particular inspirations from other artists, especially as your album has a new kind of approach and feel to it compared to your older works. To me, it feels jazzier and a more positive vibe.

Yeah yeah! I was just being honest and I feel like that is the person I am now.

Are there any perhaps smaller artists that your backing right now or see a good future for?

Not really to be honest I’m not listening to a lot of music. I forget everybody to be honest.

Also, I wanted to ask, a while ago you were talking about your song Loveleen and the kind of profanity that you use and that you felt you’ve grown a lot from that. So what is your relationship to the lyrics of this song now?

I mean you can’t change the past or nothing but definitely, my choice of language in the past has not been me, right now I’m very aware of what I say and that the effect they can have. And I just feel like now I’m just in a different head space.

Yeah, I guess as your influence grows you are more watched and critiqued about what you can say and be more conscious. Do you think being conscious can affect your artistry? Like where do you draw the line?

Kinda, it’s more just being responsible. And thinking about others.

Okay, and to other people thinking about being musicians, or a rapper, do you have any advice or tips about how to be the most authentic artist?

Just be yourself you know. It’s really hard to be yourself sometimes so I just really recommend that. Just open up and be unapologetic with yourself.

Definitely. I just wanted to tell you that my boyfriend and I have been coming to watch your shows for three years in a row now. Even if we’ve lived in different countries or been across the country from each other we’ve always made the time to come and see your shows so yeah!

That’s really sweet.

And yeah the amount you tour is pretty insane I’ve never seen someone live as much as I have you. Is that your plan to just keep touring loads?

Yeah definitely hitting the road soon but I’ve been touring loads and getting sick in the middle of it so I want to do a bit less this time.

And now you’ve had your debut album out, which is such a big milestone for any artist what do you think is your next goal?

Produce a film or star in a movie or something.

Really! That’s sick! So is film quite important to you then as well as music?

Yeah, it’s just as important as music. It’s the whole thing.

Any favourite films?

I can’t even think right now.

I know it’s a big question don’t worry! Thanks so much for taking the time to talk to me. A dream come true in many ways.

A short but sweet experience. Rejjie is clearly someone who prides himself on being true to yourself, even if that does mean being a bit weird or even allowing yourself to be the happy person you always hoped to be.

One year on from Grenfell Tower

The fire that destroyed Grenfell Tower happened just over a year ago. With many lives lost, a community survived. I would say it’s a community that is stronger than ever, but that would be to understate the lack of choice in that strength. And that, inevitably, it would have been a lot stronger without the tragedy that occurred on that day. I was born and raised in London, and although Grenfell is not in my area, whenever I pass by that burnt building, it’s a painful reminder that makes me think of my own neighbourhood. A good few of my mates, family friends, people I love, live in flats just like Grenfell. For all we know, the cladding on those buildings could be bust too. It’d only take a spark, an innocent accident to find out.

In keeping with this thought, I wonder what it would feel like to walk past the building everyday. Luckily, I only have to witness such a cruel sight when I’m in the area – if I feel upset, I can just go home. The people who knew the victims, those that live nearby, the survivors: they don’t have such a luxury. They have to walk past a shell of a place that was home to so many on a daily basis. It’s a constant reminder of what has happened; a constant reminder of what also has not been done. If you go to Grenfell, you can see how members of the community have done their best to make the area feel once again like a safe place, with small personal memorials lining the surrounding streets, dedicated to those who lost their lives. Flowers, murals; you can really see the heart of the people who lived there. Yet nothing has been done about the building itself.

Murals are beautiful, and I’m sure they are comforting, but this won’t change how people can still imagine the flames when they look at the building.

How can people grieve in peace when the tower still looms so threateningly? There are still no concrete plans or date set about what is going to be done with the building. I’m sure it’s a controversial issue but for me, the fact that nothing has been done really speaks to how the working class is treated in this country. It’s been a year and nothing has been done, and to be honest, it’s because the government does not care enough. It is not their priority.

Grenfell Tower is, I believe, one of the most significant things to happen in my lifetime, and it’s something I will never forget. Until effective changes occur, I won’t stop talking about it and people will not stop marching every month. We cannot rely on the government for our closure, our hope. We have to rely on each other. Being from South London, I’ve been taught that whether you’re from an estate or a massive mansion, we have to look after each other. At the end of the day we’re all people; we all see and experience real life everyday.

The number of stabbings across London is on the rise – nothing seems to be stopping it. Three of my friends from school are already in prison just as a result of growing up unlucky, growing up trapped in a system that seems to work against them. And the people of Grenfell, a beautiful community from all walks of life that truly worked together as a family, were rewarded by being burned to death. Without much of an apology. Without being given a new home, a new chance. Without being told what is going to be done to make it right.

The people of Grenfell are people to aspire to. In even the darkest of times, they find a way to be positive and keep fighting.

All of us, Londoners or not, should follow this. At first I thought I’d end this saying that we are ALL Grenfell. But then I realised that I still have a home and my family, and I don’t have to see the place my loved ones died on a daily basis. And we should remember that distinction: although we will never truly understand the pain the community surrounding Grenfell has been through, what we should all do is keep on doing whatever we can to create closure and soothe this pain in any way possible, starting with the family mentality of the Grenfell community.

Christmas and the Student: An Unrequited Love

As I scroll through the likes of ASOS, and walk past the beautiful John Lewis store fronts, picturing all the lovely gifts I could buy, I think to myself, ‘why doesn’t Christmas love me like I love it?’.

Christmas and a student’s bank balance simply cannot work together. A time so special, a time to show your loved ones how much you care with gifts and precious quality time together. However, for the student, the latter is the only thing we can really offer, and then only of course if we’re going somewhere for free. We live for the ‘movie night’ life, since a trip to Winter Wonderland is a luxury we simply cannot afford, even though dipping into your overdraft for it becomes a real consideration.

As a student, you have to really invest in the idea of ‘it’s the thought that counts’ instead of the monetary value of things

Christmas is a temptress, luring us in with it’s boxing day sales and adorable Christmas markets. Let alone the events that occur on our very own campus, the iconic Christmas Balls, for £35 a ticket! As a Exeter Christmas Ball first-timer, I don’t know what to expect. At the very least I’d hope to get a good amount of pigs in blankets and a Buble soundtrack!

As a student, you have to really invest in the idea of ‘it’s the thought that counts’ instead of the monetary value of things. At this point, I’ll be offering my friends a hug and a promise to huddle around my laptop to watch Elf together. Personally, I’m more of a birthday person when it comes to gifts. I always make sure people have the best birthdays possible. Why am I spending £30 on a mate when it’s not even their birthday but Jesus’s? And when Jesus was actually born in Summer?!

All in all, students must accept that Christmas just doesn’t feel the same way about us that we do it. Divulge in the little things; get tinsel from Poundland, bake your friends and family cookies and other little treats, and wait till you’re old enough with a less fragile bank balance for a more serious, requited relationship with Christmas.