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This Percy Jackon and the Olympians series came about when the author Rick Riordan’s son requested yet another bedtime story based on the Ancient Greek myths. This collection of books has been a huge hit with everyone from primary school upwards. The stories follow the life of Percy Jackson, a demi-god and son of Poseidon. […]

Understanding politics isn’t easy – let alone trying to understand the role of the most important person in Britain: the Prime Minister. This week’s Mastering Politics is all about the power of the prime minister and how much of it they really have. What is the role of the prime minister? The prime minister’s (PM) […]

What do women want? This question has been asked by millions of men (and women) over and over again. It seems to be something so complex and confusing, worthy of in-depth study and deliberation. Here’s the simple answer: balance. You wouldn’t believe it if I told you, but women actually just want to be treated […]

4/5 If you love a good theme, Las Iguanas is a restaurant you might like to try. The Latin American-style chain has restaurants all over the country, but I recently popped into the one on Grey Street just down from the Theatre Royal. As always, the restaurant itself is pristine and the atmosphere is super […]

1/5 1984 is always cited as one of the best books ever written. It’s supposed to be intelligent, sharp and profound. Instead, I found it to be dull, rambling and unremarkable. Oh, and rampantly sexist. George Orwell was clever – I’ve read his essays and I like them. But 1984? It was hard to believe […]

For many people, getting to sleep is a hugely difficult thing. For some, it just comes to them naturally every night. Yet, for whatever reason, so many people choose to have a sleep playlist. If you’re looking for the best additions to yours, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s our favourite tried-and-tested songs for […]

4.5/5 It’s a common theme that I don’t really like much of what is produced in the 21st century. And when it comes to music, this theme is most pronounced. However, what I will say is this: Dua Lipa is the only person holding pop music as we knew it up. Future Nostalgia confirms this. […]

This year more than 55,000 people had signed up to take part in the Great North Run, the world’s biggest half-marathon. Due to take place on Sunday the September 13th, this year would have been the race’s 40th anniversary. But due to social distancing, it was decided that it was impossible to run the race. […]

True friends are probably the most valuable thing you can have in life. They know your deepest secrets, your past traumas, all your jokes, all your memories. They’re in all your photos, all your thoughts and all of your future plans. And most importantly, they’re there for you in any time of need. That’s why […]

4/5 Although Durham is home to many independent restaurants, cafes and bars, sometimes it’s nice to step inside of a big chain like Slug and Lettuce. Slug and Lettuce is one of the brand new restaurants in the historical city of Durham, situated next to the Champagne Bar and the Gala Theatre. From the moment […]

After reviewing the top five DJs of the 2010s, I’ve decided to tackle the past 10 years of music as a whole. Therefore I’m going to explain, in-depth, why I believe that the following five artists have had the most influence across the globe since 2010. 5. Bruno Mars A close call for the fifth […]

The 9th of November this year marked 30 years since the night West Germans and East Germans celebrated atop the Berlin Wall after a Socialist Unity Party official mistakenly confirmed that the border would be open for crossing. On the 9th of November 1989, Günter Schabowski was to lead a press conference which was supposed […]

It is estimated that we meet around 80,000-100,000 people in our lifetime. Of these people, some become our closest friends, some become enemies and some fall into a strange category: friendships of convenience. Most people experience friendships of convenience at work, where it is, generally speaking, convenient to be on good terms with everyone. It […]

Feelings of dread are acutely different from feelings of anxiety. The root of dread is probably the same as anxiety, though it’s not quite the same. Dread is more of an overwhelmingly dulling feeling, while anxiety is much more hyper-active, making you alert to everything that is happening and that could possibly happen. Dread is […]

Now that the immediate buzz surrounding the infamous Freshers’ Week is over, and students are starting to settle in, things can start to get a little bit more overwhelming. Suddenly you’re alone in the world with a bunch of random people you’ve known for just a few short weeks, and yet it feels like the […]

If you know you’re going to get sacked from your job, the only way to soften the blow is often to pull a spectacular leaving stunt. A New Zealand man took this to a whole new level as he chose a professional clown as his representative for his redundancy meeting. Copy writer and part-time comedian […]

A senior Tory has called blackface “an entirely acceptable bit of fun” in a blog post on his official website. Titled ‘Trudeau’s Turban’, the blog post argued that Canadian PM Justin Trudeau should have “refused to apologise” following the public backlash regarding his blackface photos. Sir Swayne, who was knighted by David Cameron in 2016, […]

5/5 Not since David Mitchell and Robert Webb’s Peep Show have I laughed so much watching a TV series as I did watching The Thick of It. This BBC comedy is set in Whitehall and follows the bumbling workings of a fictional government department – scandals and all. The Thick of It is absolutely hilarious. […]

Do you enjoy being entertained? Do you like funny jokes? Do you like learning top secret pranks? Well if you do, then The Beano comic is for you. In my opinion, The Beano is Britain’s best comic and is home to comic legends the Bash Street Kids. They have super skills…and maximum chaos! Bu please, […]

Roles within politics are not always very well understood. Even the role of the prime minister isn’t very clear to many people looking into the bewildering world of politics. So, you’re forgiven for not really knowing what the chancellor – of all people – does in their job. The job description The primary role of […]

As we increasingly approach the 2020s and pop music has become an absolute disaster, we thought we’d take a trip down memory lane. The early 2000s was a time of pop genius, defining childhoods like nothing else could. So, without further ado, here are the best songs of the 00s. 1. I Kissed A Girl, […]

This week, Piers Morgan took a break from his usual antics of asking if he can identify as a neutrois penguin and spoke out in support of US comedian Bill Maher.  Maher came under scrutiny after his scathing monologue about overweight Americans on his live show Real Time with Bill Maher went viral. Well, it […]

When it comes to picking housemates at uni, there can be a whole lot of stress involved. Sometimes you have to make a decision you don’t really want to, or one that’s really awkward. Sometimes you make decisions you’ll regret further down the line. So, in order to help future students out, here are our […]

5/5 Louis Theroux is renowned for his documentaries all around the world. His non-invasive, accepting and calm style of presenting is perfect for getting the truth of a situation or matter, and Mothers on the Edge is no different. Having previously covered issues like gambling, porn, sex trafficking, drug addiction and much more, Theroux this […]

Our Planet is a TV series originally broadcast by the BBC, but now streaming on Netflix. Narrated by the amazing David Attenborough and filmed across the world, Our Planet is all about animals, their habitats and how they survive in difficult circumstances. This is a popular series that has inspired people to be more aware […]

Adventuring to Universal Studios? Looking for a luxurious yet exciting hotel? Loews Portofino Bay Hotel is only a short walk to the world-famous Orlando theme parks and the bustle of the city walk entertainment. And it has all the benefits of a five-star resort. The hotel masquerades as Portofino’s iconic pastel-coloured houses set in a […]

You may have heard his name briefly mentioned in the news really, but only if you were listening closely. Either way, you’ll definitely have heard his slogan: “Take back control”. Dominic Cummings is a very powerful man operating behind the scenes of government right now, so we thought we’d explain who he is and what […]

We all have those nights when you go to bed and things just don’t seem right inside. It doesn’t matter what song you put on, none of them are right. It doesn’t matter who you think about texting – nobody is the right person to listen. So you’re at a loss. Do you really know […]

Only weeks after the infamous ‘Ladies Day’, the buzz and publicity horse racing encourages is still at a high. The seemingly innocent sport can be easily seen as both fun for the horse, jockey and spectators. However, the sinister realities horse racing couples itself with are becoming more and more evident to the general public, […]

When it comes to politics, nothing is simple. Let alone the current goings on in Westminster. Recently in the news, there has been lots of talk around the prorogation of Parliament. Of course, any ordinary person has no idea what that means. But don’t worry – that’s why we’re here. Prorogation is the term used […]

Jack Monroe is almost a scientist in the way she experiments with food. She takes the experimenting to a whole new level in her latest cookbook Tin Can Cook. The canned food-based recipe book is food blogger and anti-poverty activist Jack Monroe’s fourth cookbook. For anybody who hasn’t done much cooking, the wording of the […]

5/5 It’s the age-old dream of many: move to New York and start a life there. It’s a magical, monumental fairytale. A childhood dream of millions. But those brave enough to pack up their bags and head across the Atlantic to the City of Dreams know full well how difficult it really is. And so […]

Most of the time, when you lose something it’s normally found in an obvious place after about five minutes of looking. However, every now and then, we all lose something and it is absolutely nowhere to be found. When we do find it, it’s almost like a ghost has moved it somewhere completely random – […]

Once upon a time, Harry Potter was all I wanted to watch. Then, by chance, I saw one episode of Doctor Who. As soon as the next series started, I was downstairs and watching it – glued to the TV. Doctor Who is a BBC sci-fi drama which has been running for over 50 years […]

Have you ever thought about dancing or theatre as a hobby? I have been dancing at Marron Theatre Arts for eight years and I love it. With the training here, you get the skills you need to become a great dancer if you’re willing to put the work in. You also learn skills even if […]

Understanding politics isn’t easy, let alone beginning to try to understand anything regarding Europe. With so much noise surrounding Europe and Brexit, getting simple facts on the issues is difficult. But this edition of Mastering Politics is going to give you the simple facts today – all about the European Parliament. What is the European […]

4/5 When it comes to organising a trip abroad with a group of friends, things can become quite stressful. However, Hostelworld makes things a whole lot easier for going abroad with friends, or even by yourself. With cheap hostels all over the world, there are plenty of options and great prices. Hostelworld works by simply […]

4.5/5 Published in 2010, Rick Riordan’s Heroes of Olympus: The Lost Hero is a great young adult book. Best for those over the age of 13, it is part of a pentalogy of fantasy novels written by Riordan. At the beginning of The Lost Hero, Jason doesn’t remember anything before waking up on a school […]

As predicted by the site’s (former) users, Tumblr’s ban on NSFW content has been catastrophic in terms of the value of the platform. In 2013, Yahoo bought Tumblr for $1.1 billion. At this time, it was a safe space for millions of users who could express themselves via their own blog. Anti-censorship used to be […]

Can You See Me? is a book written by author duo Libby Scott and Rebecca Westcott. In the book, we learn about the life of Tally, an eleven-year-old girl with autism. When we first meet Tally, it’s the last day of the summer holidays, and the next day, Tally is going off to secondary school […]

3.7/5 Newcastle is famous for its exuberant nightlife and the best places to drink in the country. And it’s no wonder – there are a whole host of great places to have a tipple in NCL. Jalou, a bar just down from Newcastle Central Station and right next door to the Royal Station Hotel, is […]

Understanding politics isn’t easy, let alone trying to understand something as complex as communism. With so much opinion clouding this part of politics, you’re forgiven for being clueless. That’s why we’re explaining communism without opinion and in simple terms right here. What is communism? First and foremost, communism is an ideology. This means it’s a […]

Grown Ups is explosively funny, unforgettable and comedy gold. Fans of Adam Sandler films believe that this is one of his best films ever, even though there is some crude humou in there. Grown Ups doesn’t disappoint and it gives us a strong, memorable message: that family is the most important thing. Co-writer Sandler, who […]

After many visits to Alton Towers, I can safely say that I have a fairly good concept of the UK’s number one theme park. Alton Towers is centred around a centuries-old castle which belonged to the old Duke of Alton, who had a supernatural encounter with a witch. The story goes that the witch cursed […]

3.5/5 When it comes to organising a holiday, or a lengthy stay away, you need reliability and transparency when booking your accommodation. It’s not always the case that you get this when booking online, though with the website Booking.com, you can be guaranteed both of these… most of the time. I was planning a month-long […]

Netflix and Channel 4 series, the award-winning Black Mirror, opens its second series looking at an aspect of life that is so frightening, yet inevitable: death. Be Right Back, which is episode one of the new series, tells the story of Martha and Ash, a couple who move into a new cottage. The next day, […]

Understanding politics isn’t easy – and that’s why we have our own ‘politics put simply’ column, Mastering Politics. This time, we’re explaining the meaning of capitalism. What is capitalism? Capitalism is, first and foremost, an ideology. This means that it’s a system of ideas and beliefs about the economy and social aspects of running a […]

4/5 Classic 2000s films are hard to beat, though the first time I watched The Devil Wears Prada, it didn’t strike me as such. I turned it off halfway through. However, upon giving it another go, I can confirm that this 2006 star-studded Hollywood dramatisation of the book by the same name, is a classic […]