Articles

I’ve spent some time staring at a blank Word document, trying to think of where to start. This hesitation is the whole point – symptomatic of the broader condition of self-awareness. It’s like my brain won’t let me be earnest without footnoting myself. It hits me in the most arbitrary moments. In the midst of friendly conversation, I find myself dissecting the most intrinsic aspects of myself: my logic, my cadence and inflections, the way my eyebrows arch and furrow as part o

Recently, the internet has been reminiscing about a simpler time – a time when Snapchat filters and Musical.ly had all the hype, and AI chatbots like ChatGPT were a foreign concept that no one was concerned with in their seemingly blissful existences. Harper's Bazaar described 2016 as ‘the last good year’. From Zara Larsson’s ‘Lush Life’ to skinny jeans and ankle boots, 2016 is being framed as a time of innocence and authenticity, when things weren't so performative. The ‘201

“No matter how far you travel, you can never get away from yourself” -Haruki Murakami. Through literature, art, culture, and media, I have forever been inclined to travel; to see the world for what it is, in all of its glory and freedom. So far, I have seen a fair lot: gazed out of a Parisian balcony, gawked upwards at the sheer verticality of New York, strolled through Verona, cycled through German and Dutch streets, and walked through countless other towns and cities abroad

Amongst our generation, it is undeniable that running and fitness have erupted in popularity both on social media and in everyday life. We see it everywhere. From 5ks and Kudos to running clubs and the newest Hokas. As a 21-year-old woman, running is a part of my weekly routine and lifestyle, helping with both physical and mental health. Yet, I would run out of fingers to count the number of times that a car has aggressively beeped, a group of scaffolders have shouted, or a s

I may be wrong, but I feel fairly confident that when you read the title of this article, at least one man came to mind. Maybe more. That alone feels like a small cultural emergency. How is it that women with such a lust for life, so much joy, humour, and potential, keep ending up with the most deeply uninteresting men alive? I have watched it happen to friend after friend, each time different, and yet somehow exactly the same. And to be clear, I am not writing this from a pl

Over the past few months, the fate of America has taken a turn. Every day, a new story appears of Trump’s plans to take over countries, whilst forcefully deporting those in his own. It’s impossible to confine all the events surrounding the USA in one article, nor would it convey the true gravity of the situation at hand. So, for now, I’ll focus on the big picture – how the USA is impacting international politics.   Trump’s intention to take control over various nations is no

For most of my life, I have scoffed at people who take horoscopes seriously, people who dedicate time to reading their astrological charts and interpreting their personalities through star signs. I used to think it was cringe, something only hippies or free spirits could enjoy. How could millions of people born around the same time of year possibly share the same traits? It does not make scientific sense. But recently, I have been asking myself a different question. Does it a

As a law student at Leeds, I’ve been reminded time and time again of Keir Starmer's alumnus status. In my very first week I remember his name being mentioned in nearly every lecture, albeit with varying tones of enthusiasm. Starmer's premiership began on a strong footing, successfully ending 14 years of Tory rule. His 2024 manifesto promised ‘change’ which proved to be exactly what the British public wanted. Yet, while hope for the future stood at the forefront of his campaig

Growing up surrounded by religion, alongside the stark objection to it, I have struggled all of my life with my relationship with what God is, and what faith is. Constantly fighting against myself, trying to force belief, and then picking away at whatever belief I thought I had. Most people I know attended religious schools, and although that religion was different to the one I was raised in, the ideals of God, traditions, and teachings were always there for everyone, lurking

(Trigger warning for grooming and emotional abuse) I was at my sexiest at 17. I would wear lacy g-strings seven days a week, I was fully shaven constantly, and I would rarely be seen without my cleavage on display. At this age, I was groomed by a manipulator. Someone I thought was my first love was actually just a man desperate for control, for power. Age-gap relationships are often romanticised in the media. It can feel exciting and scandalous. Lana Del Rey's aesthetic somew

It’s a sunny morning in May, and instead of getting out of bed, washing my face, or doing anything even slightly productive, I submitted to the will of Mark Zuckerberg and opened Instagram Reels. A few (dozen) scrolls later, there is a break in the goofy memes and NBA edits: a man wearing a suit, a tie, and a massive grin was strolling across my screen, sharing some Islamophobic comments he had received due to being the “first Muslim elected official to ever run for mayor.’’

On the 29 th of September, Trump, alongside Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, announced his  20-point peace plan between Gaza and Israel. This marks the beginning of a ceasefire following the 2 years of conflict that has dominated the news.  However, it is important to note that 2 years may not cover the whole story. Palestine was originally occupied in WW1 by Britain. For those familiar with the work of the British  Empire, it may not come as a shock that this then led to a

Artificial Intelligence is a seemingly unstoppable force. Sam Altman, the creator of ChatGPT, eagerly theorised on his personal blog  back in June about what lies ahead for AI, stating, “We are beyond the event horizon; the takeoff has started.” He goes on to envision a future where AI cures diseases, sends men to the moon, and creates a world where “wonders become routine”.  Meanwhile, Elon Musk has dismissed concerns  over the use of AI, boldly proclaiming that, “It will en

I used to read. I used to write plays, books, poems and articles. I used to run, I used to hike, I used to sit through marathons of meaningful films remaining undistracted. I used to be someone. Recently I’ve been thinking a lot more about Sylvia Plath’s ‘Fig tree analogy’ from her novel, ‘The Bell Jar.’ This describes the speaker sitting before a fig tree, with each fig holding a different future. As she takes longer and longer to choose which future, the figs begin to rot a

Where do you see yourself in five years from now? What would your lifestyle consist of? I know that I would want to take care of my body...

The 2022 overturning of Roe vs Wade in the United States may feel like ‘old news’ for some in 2025, but it’s clear the global impacts of...

To pretty much everyone who has met me, aside from my barber (shout out to Tony – your £5 cuts are the bomb), it is obvious that I am a...

According to new statistics, the number of sober young people is rising, signifying a change in attitudes towards drinking. A recent...

Gerontophobia: the fear of ageing, the fear of old people. It can be argued that fears are instinctual, or that they are rooted in...

Kanye West, now officially known as Ye, has always been a polarising figure in both music and fashion. However, in recent years his...