TEENAGERS WITH EXPERIENCE

​As Brits, we are NOT accustomed to heat. Generally, the weather in the U.K. is cloudy or rainy. It sits between 9 and 18 degrees Celsius on average (around 57 Fahrenheit), which can change from hot one day to rainy the next. But why does it seem SO hot compared to the heat when you go on holiday? 

The temperature in the U.K. recently has been hitting highs of 34 degrees Celsius. Compared to other countries that have had 47 degrees Celsius PLUS (such as Northern Africa), 34 does not sound that bad. But I have been to Dubai in 45-degree heat, and it was nowhere near as bad as 34-degree heat here in southern England, in terms of humidity.

Unlike the USA, unless you're fortunate or wealthy enough to have an air conditioner unit, MOST people in the U.K. do not have an A/C unit. So, we have to be proactive in how to cool down.

So, how do you cool down in this heat?

To keep your home cooler, get yourself some blackout blinds or dark coloured curtains; this will make a big difference to the temperature of your room. It's simple, but effective. Even though it's controversial, buy a fan. I swear by using a fan, even though it doesn't directly blow cold air on you, the feeling of the air blowing makes you FEEL cooler.

Keep your windows closed until the heat has cooled down at night. This sounds counterproductive; however, it prevents the heat from outside from coming in. Once it IS cool enough to open the windows, try to make a draft by opening doors and windows between rooms in the house. A draft will allow the heat to escape the building faster. An additional way to spread out the heat is to open up the attic. Heat rises, so this will help you cool down the rooms at the top of your house.

Keeping yourself cool can be difficult. Wearing loose clothing outside and AVOIDING going outside in the heat during intense heat will help massively (midday is usually the hottest time of the day). A quick and effective way to keep cool on the go is to run your wrists under cold water. Cold water helps because the veins on your wrist are close to your skin. AVOID going outside in the heat during intense heat (midday is usually the hottest time of the day). Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. The heat will dehydrate you, so it's important to stay hydrated so you are less likely to get heat stroke.

It's important to keep cool so you do not get heat exhaustion or sunstroke, as sunstroke is classed as a medical emergency. Key signs of sunstroke are*:

• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Feeling thirsty
• Cramps
• Throwing up or the feeling of being sick
• Fast heart rate
• Having heat rashes
• Feeling irritable

If you DO feel these symptoms, you should contact 111 or 999 OR your local emergency number. Move yourself to a cool place and wet your skin as well as drink small sips of water at a time.

These are guidelines and information from the NHS website. You can read more about heat exhaustion and heat stroke here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/heat-exhaustion-heatstroke/

The fashion industry is one of the major contributors of carbon, second only to oil. So many of us have started to become more ECOncious, especially when it comes to choosing our clothes, including celebrities like Emma Watson using their social media platforms to spread awareness There is this idea that it is wrong to wear the same piece of clothing twice but, this disposable fashion needs to stop! Some small changes Watson suggests are; ‘thrifting instead of buying new, supporting sustainable brands, and air-drying your clothes’ all of these added up can make a huge difference. 

Thrifting is becoming increasingly popular. Not just because it is cheap but also because the vintage style is in right now and not to mention how it helps to cut back on pollution so much. The fashion industry is said to be the second most C02 intensive industry after agriculture. Most of the time when I go thrifting I find some great pieces for a low price. So it is a real win-win situation. However, I don’t always find the buried treasure. It is really a matter of really going to know what you are looking for. Fortunately there are lots of great tutorials online to help out!

If you are anything like me, you may be unsure what is meant by a sustainable brand. They are brands that make a conscious effort to limit their effect on the environment. Some sustainable brands to know about are; Dr Martens, LUSH and Everlane. When looking for a sustainable brand, you’ve really got to look as brands tend not to use their ethical choices, as a form of advertising. Rather they do it as they see the importance of it.

I think it is just a given that we all need to wash our clothes regularly, or we will just end up smelling! It is also a lot more environmentally friendly to reuse clothes than to go out and buy new ones, but there is this fast fashion idea that you buy something for the trend. You're supposed to buy something once and then never again, which I think is an awful way of looking at our clothes. You should buy pieces you like and then mix and match them with the help of a washing machine. With a family of five we seem to have a near enough never ending stream of washing, so I realise how hard it can be for some of us to limit our laundry. It is also particularly hard for us to air dry stuff in the winter, it is more likely for them to turn into pieces of ice!! But as long as we all try our best, every little bit adds up for a better environment.

Check out Thred Up’s fashion footprint calculator - made in partnership with Watson - to find out how dirty your closet is: thredup.com/quiz. My fashion habits contribute to about 631lbs of carbon emissions annually, so I’ll definitely be working to reduce this myself, and I encourage you to as well! 

Thank you for reading, I hope that if we all change our fashion habits a little bit we will be able to cut the carbon emissions.​

Why are you religious? This isn’t an easy question to answer. For some, religion provides safety and structure within their lives, for others it allows them to feel loved and a part of a community. However, if you are religious simply because it’s expected of you, you might need to re-evaluate your stance as a religious person. Just like 220 million people worldwide already have.
 
These people are known as atheists or nontheists, and if you haven’t already guessed, these are people who do not believe in the existence of any gods. In a society as influenced by religion as ours, this can lead to a lot of subconscious discrimination. Religion provides people with a strict set of rules to abide by, such as the Ten Commandments in Christianity and Judaism, and the Shariah in the Islamic religion.
 
These rules are often provided to set guidelines on how people should behave in society and how to live moral and god-fearing lives. Very often these guidelines provide comfort to religious people, bringing structure to their lives and reassurance that others will abide by these laws too. Additionally, providing them with an added feeling of safety.
 
Therefore, a person who does not abide by these guidelines and has no incentive to do so would be regarded as a threat. A threat not only to belief systems but also to the safety of religious people. How can a person who has no belief system, differentiate between right and wrong? How can they be trustworthy people, without the guiding hand of religion?  
 
As previously stated religion is a guide on good and moral behaviour, therefore it can be assumed that atheists who do not have this guide within their lives lack good and moral behaviour, or are due to their lack of religion, more susceptible to immoral behaviour. This belief, even unconsciously, leads to discrimination and even fear of nonreligious people.
 
These beliefs cause a distrust of atheists within positions of power. Atheists are very rarely elected as ministers, governors or mayors. Patients often refuse to be treated by doctors and other healthcare providers who identify as atheists. In Ireland, teachers are required to have religious training from Christian universities, in order to work in public schools.  In fact, in the countries Afghanistan, Iran, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Nigeria, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Libya, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen, atheism is a capital punishment. In Brazil, as of 2009, atheists are regarded as the most hated minority group within the country.

As an atheist, I do not see myself as any less of a good person, than anybody. We all have the potential to do bad things and have bad thoughts. Resisting these thoughts alone does not make a good person, however, wanting to do better both for yourself and others, is a good start. Simply because I do not have a religion, does not mean that I am inherently a bad person or that I am more likely to do bad things. Neither does it mean that I am in search of religion or in need of conversion.
 
For those of you who would like to learn how to be a part of the solution, here are some tips-
 

• Don’t ask why they are atheists.

While asking someone why they no longer believe in religion may seem like a common question to ask, the answer should seem obvious- they no longer, or have never believed in any god. This leads us directly to our second question.
 

• Do not ask why they do not believe in god.

This question might seem very innocent, however, more often than not in my experience, it has always led to an argument. Some reasons might seem simple, whereas others are personal and maybe even traumatic. Overall, asking this question makes it seem as if this person has to justify themselves. Which they do not. So rather, just don’t ask. 
 

• Educate yourself on atheism

For many, they know that atheists exist and what atheism is, however, they do not know, or understand the nuances of atheism and can therefore also not understand atheists. If you would genuinely like to understand atheism, you will need to educate yourself about the topic. 
 

• Do not try to shut down aggressive atheism

Aggressive atheism is the active promotion of atheism. It’s about making people aware of atheism and pointing out certain disadvantages of religion as well as the inaccuracies within religious stories and pointing out faults within belief systems.
 
Attempting to shut down aggressive atheism would be denying atheists their freedom of speech. However, this doesn’t mean that you aren’t allowed to disagree with their statements. It simply means that they should be allowed to disagree with beliefs within religion and broadcast those beliefs, without feeling threatened. 
 
Religion is a cornerstone of our society, we allow it to influence our behaviour and thoughts, and in some cases, this is a good thing. However, when religion leads to the discrimination of others, we might have to re-evaluate our stands on certain points within our belief systems. After all, we live in a modern world, shouldn't we try to adapt our beliefs to modern times I hope you learned something today?
  
And for those of you who know somebody who has been discriminated against due to their non-religion, here is some help- If you need someone to talk to 

As a young teenager, you are figuring out most of the stuff about you: who you are, what you like, who your true friends are, what your aesthetic is…what do you believe in? In this article we will be discussing the impact and importance of religion, why you need it, and maybe even why you don’t. Stay with us to embark on the journey and discover the wonders of ancient times, where and when these spectacular religions and moral values started.

First of all, what is religion? That is a tricky question, but let’s start off with the “main” religions, and by that I mean the most popular, and their own core values and morals.

1. Christianity (2.4 billion followers): Christianity is about faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and Savior, following his teachings of love, forgiveness, and salvation to live a righteous life and attain eternal life with God.
   
2. Hinduism (1.2 billion followers): Hinduism is a diverse spiritual tradition centered on dharma (righteousness), karma (cause and effect), and moksha (liberation), emphasizing devotion, self-realization, and the interconnectedness of all life.
   
3. Buddhism (500 million followers): Buddhism is a path to enlightenment based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha), emphasizing mindfulness, compassion, and the cessation of suffering through the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path.
   
4. Judaism (15 million followers): Judaism is a monotheistic faith rooted in the covenant between God and the Jewish people, emphasizing the Torah’s teachings, ethical living, and devotion to justice, kindness, and community.
   
5. Islam (2 billion followers): Islam is a monotheistic religion centered on submission to Allah, following the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, with core values of faith, prayer, charity, fasting, and pilgrimage (Five Pillars of Islam).
   
6. Sikhism (26 million followers): Sikhism is a monotheistic faith founded by Guru Nanak, teaching devotion to one God, equality, selfless service, and honest living while rejecting discrimination and ritualism.
   

I am a Catholic, a branch of Christianity. I love being a Catholic. I love my God, and I love my religion with its impressive core values. I was baptized and went through all the training of knowing what a Catholic is all about, like Confirmation and Eucharist. I have started reading the Bible and knowing the stories ever since I was little, and I haven’t appreciated the Bible until now that I am 16 years old. Even when I was an atheist, I still loved the teachings of the Bible. To me, religions teach you good moral values about how to become a better person to yourself and to others. Religion also teaches us discipline we must have for ourselves. For example, in Buddhism, a good moral value story is “The Buddha and the Hungry Tigress”:

Once, in one of his past lives, the Buddha was born as a prince. While walking in the forest, he saw a starving tigress struggling to feed her cubs. The prince felt deep compassion, realizing that if she died, her cubs would suffer as well. Unable to bear their suffering, he sacrificed himself to feed the tigress, demonstrating ultimate selflessness and kindness.

Moral: True compassion means selflessly helping others, even at great personal cost.

Discipline story of Islam “The Patience of Prophet Muhammad”: An old woman used to throw garbage on Prophet Muhammad daily, but he never reacted with anger. One day, when she fell ill, he visited her with kindness. Touched by his patience and compassion, she embraced Islam.

Meaning: Discipline in Islam means controlling emotions, responding with kindness, and staying patient even in hardship.

In conclusion, even if you do not wish to pursue any type of religion, I suggest you read and maybe even listen to its teachings to help become a better person. Religion is here to show humans the moral way and show us core values such as kindness, discipline, respect, patience, compassion, and most importantly…love.

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The UK government has proposed significant reforms to disability benefits, aiming to reduce welfare expenditure and encourage employment among individuals with disabilities.

These measures have sparked considerable debate regarding their potential impact on the disabled community.

At first, when you read that, you think this could be a good thing, that it might encourage more young people who don't claim benefits. They might think it's encouraging rather than claiming benefits.

But, what about the other side of it? People who have disabilities that stop them from working? Did they ask to have these struggles? I think not!

I can understand that the possible purpose of this could be to stop people who are not disabled from claiming benefits. But why should the people who are disabled have to suffer anymore? There are many other ways to go about doing this, such as having a more structured program to determine who needs these benefits to help them live. 

To understand more about why the government is making this decision, I decided to read some articles about it. The more I read, the more it pushed me to stick to my opinion that it was a bad idea. 

One of those reasons is a statement I read from Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, “The necessity of overhauling the sickness benefit system to prevent a wasted generation of young people”. 

When I read that, my first thought was, do they think that the current generation is a waste? If that’s true, then why don’t they provide more support for people and then we can resolve two issues in one. 

Charities and backbenchers express concerns about the potential adverse effects on disabled individuals. Sixteen disability and poverty charities have warned that cutting disability benefits could have "catastrophic" consequences, urging the government to prioritise meaningful reforms over arbitrary spending cuts. - Source from The Times.

This is where I wanted to add in how I will be affected, just to give some insight into one of the millions of people’s lives that are going to be affected by this choice if it goes ahead. 

I suffer from non-epileptic seizures, also known as functional seizures or dissociative seizures. This is NOT epilepsy as many would think or assume it to be. And because of that, they assume that because it’s not epilepsy, it isn’t a disability and won’t stop you from working.

In my eyes and many others, it is a disability, and yes, it can stop you from working. For example, I cannot drive as my seizures cannot be helped by medication like they can help people with epilepsy. 

My brother was diagnosed with epilepsy a few years before my seizures started, and he went forward to get the medication, and now he is out living his life, has a job and can drive and travel. 

That’s what I long to have, just to be able to go out for a drive and get away from reality for a bit. Going to unique places that you can’t get to with a bus or train, or having to rely on family and friends to give you lifts. 

One of the many reasons people with functional seizures cannot work is that the seizures occur suddenly and without warning, making it difficult to maintain a stable work routine. Jobs that involve driving, operating machinery, or working at heights become especially dangerous.

As the government moves forward with these reforms, it faces the critical challenge of ensuring that efforts to reduce welfare expenditures do not disproportionately harm some of society's most vulnerable members.

To help this, we can write to our local MPs to help open up a conversation about the current problems we face as a nation. We can engage with community organizations, advocacy groups, and representatives of vulnerable populations to gather their input and insights. This can help in designing reforms that are more inclusive and less likely to cause harm.​

Activism is something that affects our day to day lives, as well as our entire existence. Whether you partake in it or watch it go by, it will always affect you in some way. It’s important to understand what it is, what each movement represents, what the end goal is for those movements, and what you can do to help. 

Activism is the action or policy of using vigorous campaigning to implement either political or societal change. The changes can be issues that have been around for centuries, and although change can be scary, it’s time we do something and fix these issues. Sometimes we become so used to our lives now that we don’t notice the inequalities we may have in either a societal or political climate, which can be one of the saddest things about it. We can be so used to inequality that we don’t notice it. It’s time for that to change.

Some major movements can represent racial inequality, LGBTQ+ issues, sexism, misogyny and environmental issues. Some movements include black lives matter, LGBTQ+ rights movement, feminism, me too and the environmental movement. A lot of misinformation goes out about these movements, as well as people who try to stop them from implementing change. It’s important that you do your own research about these movements and derive your own opinion. There’s a lot of misinformation spread, especially amongst the political climate, so please be careful. These movements can bring to light a lot of upsetting realities, so please be kind to yourself when you look into them.

Activism is exhausting. It’s physically and mentally draining. It’s important that you look after yourself, that you take a break when you need to, and that you know when to stop. I’m petty, I like having the last word, but through this I’ve learnt when I need to stop and do things for my own safety and sanity, such as private my social media accounts and block everyone I’ve seen either mention me or interact with me in a hostile way. If people threaten to leak private information about you, find your location, threaten you, or send people to your accounts to leave hostile or harmful comments, block them and private your accounts. Your safety is the most important part of this. Look after yourself. 

There are many ways you can get involved in movements, both on social media and in real life. With social media, know how to block someone and how to private your accounts. In real life, make sure that you’re safe. In any kind of activism, things can get heated fast, so make sure you’re safe. Make sure you look after yourself. Your safety is important. 

On social media, share useful posts, share links to charities, challenge harmful opinions and posts, and report harmful content. Call out misinformation when you see it. While doing this, make sure you’re safe. If your well-being is affected, take a break. There’s nothing wrong with taking a break. If you get into a debate, don’t get emotionally attached to it. Don’t get hostile. Don’t call people names, don’t get personal. Challenge the opinion, not the person. Treat people with kindness, even if they don’t seem to deserve it. Being nice during a debate will make you the better person.

In real life, write to local political officers, volunteer with organisations that help make changes, engage in conversations and go to protests. If you go to protests, please make sure that you’re safe. With certain ones that are taking place now, law enforcements and people against movements are making it hostile and quite often violent. Your safety is the priority. Look after yourself. You can search online who your local political elect is and write to them, but make sure to be polite. Again, be nice. Don’t get emotionally engaged because that’s when the hostility can peak. Don’t get personal. Don’t get violent. Challenge the opinion, not the person. Above all, your safety is the priority. Stay safe.

Activism isn’t easy. I don’t think it ever will be, but it’s worth it if we can help change the world for the better. Chances are, the change we’re striving for won’t come around for a long time, and that can be a hard thing to accept, and sometimes it feels pointless even trying, but it’s worth it. If our actions can make the world a safer place for others in the future, I’m happy to do whatever I can to make that happen. 

The key thing with this is your safety, and I know I’ve repeated that a lot, but it’s important. As I said, it isn’t easy, it’s exhausting, it’s both mentally and physically taxing, so please look after yourself. Know when to take a break. Know when you need to take a step back and recoup. Listen to your mind and body and be safe.

~ En

Link to global helplines-
https://checkpointorg.com/global/

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Over the summer I read the wonderful ‘This Is Not Propaganda’. As you might have guessed by the title, the book was all about controlling the media and political messages. In part one, ‘Cities of Trolls’, the author talks about freedom of speech, and how powerful people can use masses of information to hide messages posted by people disagreeing with them. In this part, a particular section called ‘#ArrestMariaRessa!’ really stuck with me. Maria was the head of a news website in the Philippines during President Duterte’s rise to power. Maria and her online news website would report about Duterte’s vulgar language and eventually his unauthorised killings. Despite producing factually correct articles, Maria was facing online threats. However, after some time she started to notice some patterns and found fake online accounts that would repeat the same messages - eventually, she could even predict when fake stories were about to be posted and created an alarm system for readers of the Rappler. 

Fast forward to a few weeks ago, and what do I see on the news? Maria Ressa won the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize. After looking into it even further I found that she’s also won the Golden Pen of Freedom in 2018, and the UNESCO World Press Freedom Prize in 2021 - all for her work on democracy and freedom of speech. This got me thinking about freedom of speech, and just how important it is. So, if you’re still with me after this ridiculously long introduction, I’m going to tell you all about freedom of speech, what it is, and why you should care about it!

Freedom of speech is any one person's right to put across their ideas and opinions without having to worry about retaliation, punishment or censorship. Let's unpack this a little bit more. Retaliation can come from anywhere, whether that be other ‘normal’ people or the government. Punishment could also come from other people or the government, in the form of abuse or fines and imprisonment. Finally, censorship happens when what you’ve said has been suppressed. So in essence, if you can say what you want when you want and not be worried about receiving serious consequences from this, you have the luxury of freedom of speech!

But you might be thinking, ‘surely there are some cases where suppressing opinions is a good thing, right?’ - for example, anti-LGBTQ or racist viewpoints that are being spread to intentionally spread hate. Whilst I agree that nobody should be expressing such thoughts, if you were to take away that person’s right to do so you would be taking away the opportunity for them to learn and educate themselves, not to mention challenging democracy itself. From my own experiences, these people should be able to express their views so that I can challenge them and help them see things from a different perspective. If they’re forced to keep such ideas to themselves, how will they learn that it’s not okay? There’s also the idea that if someone can’t say harmful things, they’re more likely to do harmful things. 

You might also be thinking, ‘what’s a teenager like me going to be able to do about freedom of speech?’. If that is what you’re thinking, you might be surprised to find out that Gen Z (people born after 1996) is the most progressive age group within society and see things like racial and ethnic diversity as a good thing. And it’s true. Since moving to university I’ve been involved in Climate Protests (Greta Thunberg visited my university city!), something I never would’ve considered at home. Concerning freedom of speech, the majority of students do not support free speech restrictions . So there you have it, young people have the power, if we stand up for the things that we believe in, we really can create a better future for everyone!

So that’s just about everything I wanted to say! If you’ve stuck with me this whole time, thank you! This is such an important topic, especially when you look at cheating claims against Putin after he was reelected this year, or in less economically developed countries where the government has much more control of the media than in richer democratic countries. I hope you understand what freedom of speech is and why it’s so important. I also hope you understand that, whilst hate speech is wrong, so is taking away someone’s right to be educated. Think about it - if we couldn’t learn from our mistakes we’d spend our whole lives doing something the wrong way, whereas if we’re told we’re wrong we can change for the better!

Now that you know your rights - I hope you’re inspired! Be who you want to be, challenge people, even challenge yourself! Protest, make change, be a leader! You have a voice, use it! If there’s something you’re passionate about, let everyone know about it, you only get one life.

Be the change you want to see.

Keeley.

1: Pomerantsev, P. (2019). This Is Not Propaganda. Faber & Faber Limited, London. https://www.amazon.co.uk/This-Not-Propaganda-Adventures-Against/dp/0571338631
2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Ressa#Awards_and_recognition 
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Being introduced to another type of religion was incredibly interesting. I've never really done any research into the many other types that are out in the world. My friend Marina introduced me to the one she has followed for many years as in her own words, "saved her and changed her life". So, I wanted to see what she meant by that.

The first thing she explained to me was that becoming a Buddhist means you open your mind to new worlds, to new people and to new opportunities. At this point, I was intrigued to learn more about how being a Buddhist affects her daily life.

Marina had many books on other people's perspectives of Buddhism which I thought was very informative as it shows she accepts other people’s opinions about her religion. She then introduced me to different types of podcasts and Youtubers that have inspired her.

She introduced me to her religion because she knows about how I suffer from my mental health daily: she believed if I were to try the ways of Buddhism and explore it, then I could free my mind to hopefully get better.
How did I feel about this? Well, don't get me wrong, I was scared at first but then once I explored the ins and outs of the beautiful religion it opened my mind.

My favourite part about learning about the religion was through tarot cards. These cards are a healing tool to help us explore the light but also dark parts of our lives. They are also used to help you find guidance and your inner strengths.
What I found so interesting about these cards was how they used nature to find self-healing. I've never been one to believe that nature has a cure for everything but I do not doubt it either. I'm very open to listening and learning about how nature can heal us naturally and it's quite magical!

Marina also explained how she uses these cards every time she has to make an important decision or if she questions something in her life, she turns to the tarot cards. They help her to justify what to do and how to deal with the current situation.

To continue the research into Buddhism, Marina is taking me to her local temple to discover what it's like to be inside one and to meet with the people who look after the temple. I'll get to ask them questions that I've been wanting to find the answer to for a while like;

- What inspires them every day to look up to Budda for guidance?
- How did they discover the religion?
- What would they recommend I look into for guidance?
Just by exploring the inner depths of a different religion has been beautiful and it has opened my eyes to the inner beauty of our world. 

Reading the tarot cards that were picked out and put in front of me tells me how my mind and body need healing. How I should not focus on the past anymore but here and now. As you cannot change the past so what's the point in stressing about it?
But what you can work on is your future but most importantly right now, work on your happiness, your inner being and your mind and soul! Healing is a process that takes time but it is possible! 

So, from here I will take the next step to find more help. For my mental health and well-being, I have a strong belief in how these tarot cards and the religion can help me guide myself through recovery and hopefully, one day be able to live my life again with happiness. 

- Mel
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Now that the U.K. is going into its second lockdown, and the chances of us being out on December 3rd are bleak, It is time to get drawing rainbows again. Or is it?

The rainbow has been a sign of hope in our time of need. As the saying goes ‘after every storm comes a rainbow’. This is why many of us have come together (metaphorically) by making, colouring or painting rainbows to add colour and a sense of unity to our neighbourhoods. As we are all going through this pandemic together.

But back before lockdown, the rainbow was instantly synonymous with the LGBTQ+ community. It represented the diversity of the community and throughout the years many queer people have fought hard for that flag. So, it is understandable as to why they're upset that it has been taken away from them. But, now people see rainbows as a symbol of hope and as a way to celebrate the NHS.

My suggestion is to bring back Wenlock and Mandeville, from the 2012 London Olympics mascots. Personally as an 11 year old (back then) I loved them because they looked like weird little alien people and because they brought the whole country together in excitement. This is why I think we should bring them back because we all need to be united. There are many qualities about their design which make them perfect for this role. But most notably the fact that they were "born from a rainbow". 

I mean how symbolic could we get?

In the mini trailer, called “Out of the Rainbow” we see an elderly gentleman finishing up work building the Olympic stadium. He then takes home two bits of the stadium's scrap metal making them into “dolls” (the Olympic mascots) for his grandchildren. The rainbow then floods into the room bringing Wenlock and Maneville to life. Although it doesn’t make complete sense, it's a heartwarming tale and during these lockdown restrictions, the grandparents are in the at-risk category. Maybe that could be why Wenlock and Mandeville return.

Many other qualities about Wenlock and Mandeville make them a good mascot of hope during these trying times. Such as Wenlock wearing the 5 Olympic rings as friendship bracelets. Which could act as a reminder to be kind to everyone as we are all going through the hardships of this pandemic together.

- Josh
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During the coronavirus global pandemic, a lot of families were affected physically, emotionally and financially. It was a lonely period for many and some were separated from family. So many plans were affected, leaving people to pick up what seemed like what is left of their life. All these factors, along with the need to self-isolate led to loneliness being a global issue also. 

Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, spread rapidly in 2020, causing schools, businesses, cinemas, beaches and public events to be shut down. It was a lonely time for many with everyone dealing with their own problems. On top of these issues, it was even harder to talk about and share problems in such an unprecedented time as that, knowing that everyone was going through their own problems. Even in our everyday life, talking about your problems can make you feel guilty or even selfish.

I’ve even had my feelings of loneliness, where I felt useless. Having friends with online businesses or as influencers, going on social media to see the positive parts of their lives, because, face it… whoever shows the negatives? Constantly seeing quotes such as ‘’if you don’t make money or acquire a new skill during this lockdown, then you have failed.’’ During the lockdown, many people including me have often felt alone, especially with the constant negativity and bad news on social media. 

Advice: However, through it all, I have learnt that while everyone is going through their own problems, it is not selfish to talk about yours or even to share them and you should not feel guilty for doing that. Life is a rollercoaster and people will generally only share their ups but not their downs, so while it can feel like you are going through this alone, don’t hesitate to seek help about it. It can often feel like life is passing by, while you are stagnant but the fact that we get up every day and smile as if nothing is happening is enough. If you don’t make money in lockdown, that’s okay. If you don’t acquire a new skill, that’s also okay, because for some, every single day that they wake up is a battle and they want it to end. The fact that despite everything you are going through, you wake up, you get up, you carry on with your day, and the next, and the next… That’s everything! Don’t let people set certain standards as to what determines success because at the end of the day, it’s all ‘fake it ‘til you make it’!

In conclusion, loneliness is an ongoing universal issue that is prevalent in our everyday world and not just linked to global pandemics so in order to cope with it, as well as the lockdown, just remind yourself that you are doing just fine by the fact that you are alive. Count your blessings! Think of all the good things in your life. Write down your problems and talk to somebody you trust. If you can’t talk to someone you trust, talk to an anonymous person as they don’t know your identity. Surround yourself with positivity and loved ones. Remember: it is okay to take breaks from social media and read a book or do something you love. 

If you need to discuss your problems with someone, please consult: 
Mental Health Ireland - https://www.mentalhealthireland.ie/
Jigsaw - https://www.jigsaw.ie/
SpunOut.ie - https://spunout.ie/ 
Samaritans – call 116 123; www.samaritans.org 

COVID-19 - the virus that has changed life for every single person - is slowly coming to an end. It has been around since late 2019. Schools were forced to shut down, many people had to work from home, no social gatherings were permitted, and the whole world was shutting down. Many places were going into endless cycles of lockdown. As fast as they lifted, they closed again even quicker. Since 2019, four COVID vaccines have been approved: Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, and AstraZeneca, with Pfizer being the only vaccine approved for those who are 12-17 years old. As a 15 year old, I have been waiting to be vaccinated so that I could return to my “normal” life. Fortunately, in May 2021, the Pfizer vaccine was approved for 12-15 year olds in California. I was so excited to finally be vaccinated. I got my first dose of the Pfizer vaccine on May 14th and my second dose on June 7th. It is a huge relief knowing that I am finally safe and immune against most strains of COVID. 

Due to the mass number of people being vaccinated, restrictions that were set in place to reduce the spread of COVID have slowly been lifted due to the increasing probability of achieving herd immunity in many areas. In California, the mask mandate was lifted on June 15th. Moreover, most shops are now open for in-store shopping and social distancing is not mandatory. Personally, although I am vaccinated, I still feel the need to wear a mask and be cautious of my surroundings. Some people may not be vaccinated, some might have a strain of the virus I am not immune to, and I am so used to wearing a mask that it feels weird not to do so. It also honestly feels like I’m breaking the rules when I’m not wearing one, even though they are not required in my state anymore. Essentially, masks give me a sense of protection and safety, so not wearing one, will take time for me. 

Furthermore, I did online school for the entirety of my sophomore year of high school, and even a quarter of my freshman year of high school. Although my district did give us the option to take part in the hybrid model - two days in school and two days online - back in late September of 2020, I stuck solely with online school because I felt safer and was already used to it. However, schools will open back up in the fall and I will be going to school everyday, just like the olden days. I am quite nervous about this, because I haven’t been surrounded by and/or in places with so many people at once since March of 2020. Moreover, getting used to in-person schooling will also take time to adjust to due to  the amount of online learning I have been doing.

As the world starts to open back up, you have every right to take your time and ease back into “normal” life. Try starting with smaller social gatherings, and then gradually move your way up to larger gatherings. Furthermore, never feel like you need to take your mask off or you need to do something that you are uncomfortable doing. 

Although life going back to normal can be scary, it can also be extremely exciting! And I honestly can’t wait until COVID is just an event of the past.

Stay safe,​

For those who don't know, Freshers is a manic, crash-start week for students who are beginning university. The main goal is to make new friends, experience more independence and to have fun before uni deadlines and lectures officially begin. However, in 2020 Freshers will look a little different to previous years: many changes will have to be made to accommodate social distancing and reducing the spread of Coronavirus.

Generally, Freshers consists of partying with new friends, going clubbing, staying up into the early hours of the morning and, of course, getting very drunk. Obviously due to the Coronavirus pandemic, not all of these things are still possible and you may worry that your Freshers will not live up to expectations. There are still many different ways to meet new people, experience things you haven't before and to enjoy yourself.

As your flatmates are now your 'bubble', most of these activities can be done from the comfort of your own flat / house, but you can still find ways to meet other people too, whether that be online or in person socially distancing.

Here are some ideas that you could try out during your Fresher's :
- Having a movie night with your flatmates
- Going to a local coffee shop / restaurant
- Having a flat 'party', making sure to stick to your bubble
- Joining societies (this year many universities have moved this online to reduce the risk of spreading the virus)
- Exploring your new city
- Having a picnic outside with course mates
- Going to socially distanced events / nights out (many clubs now have themed nights with seated tables)
- Having a 'cook off' or 'Come Dine With Me' inspired night with your flat

These are just a handful of the many activities that you can still do and won't be impacted by Covid-19, so there is no need to worry that you will be missing out and have nothing to do!

Keep in mind that moving away from home, meeting new people and becoming independent is exhausting, so don't feel like you have to be doing something every second of the day. It's okay to take some time to yourself, whether that be chilling in your room, watching your favourite TV show, or even just heading to bed early to relax.

I hope everyone enjoys their Freshers as much as I have been and makes the most out of their uni experience. Remember, have fun and be safe!

‘You are not like other girls.’ This statement may be controversial, but it is important to discuss everything that is wrong with the so-called compliment. Time and time again, many people have used this sentence in an attempt to compliment girls - but it means quite the opposite. Compliments are supposed to make you feel better about yourself without putting others down.
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Let us start by analyzing the statement. Firstly, it is setting up a negative picture for the woman by telling her that her gender is bad, but she is different. In addition, it might set up ideas about gender norms when there are actually no such things. Not only is this statement and its intent both sexist and misogynistic, but it also can lead to internalized hate. Anything you or a woman does should always be your/their choice for your/their benefit - not to satisfy gender stereotypes. It might not seem like a huge deal, but it is small things like these that have a great impact as a whole. It may also give a wrong idea of what feminism actually means.

Every girl - I repeat every girl - is beautiful and unique in her own way. So the next time you want to compliment her/them, rather than saying this back-handed statement, tell her that she is smart, funny, pretty or fun to be with. Let us know if you have ever been told this so-called compliment!

Autism differs from one autistic person to the next. Assuming that all autistic people require the same amount of attention and support is absurd. I have often found myself unsure about how to act or be helpful towards my autistic friends and I know for many others starting to gain more awareness about autism; you may be in the same situation.

Autism is a disability that affects how people communicate and interact with the world. Despite this, autistic people still have ways of interacting with the world as best they can. People often think those with autism lack empathy. That is simply not true. In fact, they are highly concerned about the feelings of others, more often than not. Other misconceptions include autism being a disease, vaccinations and bad parenting causing autism, and autism becoming an epidemic. These myths come about by those who aren't properly educated about autism. Therefore, as more awareness is being created around autism, it is important to understand how to support your autistic friends.

I often considered myself as someone who struggled to be a good autistic ally. With my first autistic friend, I wasn't sure how to support them and it felt like I was being constantly unhelpful. I didn't know how to help them in high-stress situations or situations that cause sensory overload. over sensory situations. I didn't know what stimming mechanisms they used. I didn't know how to understand them. This was all before I learnt to be patient and listen. I was listening to my friend explain themselves as well as watching their actions to understand how they overcome a situation. This way I could replicate the same support to make it easier for them.

I currently have many autistic friends which experience their autism differently. are all on different parts of the spectrum. They are what led me to write this article. If they're comfortable with answering, I like to ask how their autism affects them and what I can do to support them so that I can make sure I do my best at being an ally. Here are some words of advice and suggestions that I have gathered along the way of asking them:

1. Treat them like they're a normal person. Being autistic doesn't mean that they are a freak or distinct from the rest of humanity. They just want to be treated as normal. This can happen through acceptance, love and inclusion. Accept them for who they are and love them all the same. Don't leave them out from activities or events you have with your other friends.

2. Everyone on the autism spectrum is different and for someone to ask an autistic person to make noises is a horrible thing to do. Not everyone on the spectrum is like that and no one should assume that they are. Respect them for who they are.

3. Allow them to stim if they need to. Stimming is a repeated action using body parts or objects to help reduce stress or anxiety levels. It could include the tapping of fingers, jumping, spinning, rocking, flicking of objects, or even twirling a piece of string. Some autistic people do it for fun, others do it as an attempt to gain or reduce sensory input. Some situations can cause a high amount of stress and stimming can help that. Please do not treat them as if they are weird for stimming. They are not freaky, weird or embarrassing for their stimming and for just being themselves. If their stimming mannerisms bother you, please let them know in a polite way. 

4. Have patience. A lot of it. Autistic people process things differently and as a result, may come across to you as strange and weird. You must remember to have patience, tolerance and understanding in these cases. For example, understanding why they may leave a situation where it is loud as it could be a result of sensory overload. Patience can make an autistic person feel more comfortable, especially when voicing their feelings as they can be really hard to articulate at times.

5. Which is why this point is very important: refrain from talking over them. Most times autistic people don't need someone to speak for them and if they did, they would request that. It is extremely frustrating for them to be babied or interrupted just because they're autistic. For example, not calling out their deficiencies in social skills unless they've told you. 

They're trying extremely hard to mask that so they would feel uncomfortable if they were called out in it without their consent. They do not need an advocate for their voice, they just need time and patience to express their own. 
6. Even the littlest things are seen as support, for example- putting subtitles on when watching something to support their audio processing.

Remember, being autistic is a part of them and the spectrum is so big that it affects every autistic person differently. You need to ensure you have patience and understanding so you can start your journey to being a good ally. Be kind and love each other.