From Elf Bars to EVALI: The Dark Side of Vaping

By Caitríona Ní Chonaill With Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly bringing the finalised bill to ban the sale of e-cigarettes to under 18s to Cabinet for approval today, Caitríona Ní Chonaill takes a closer look at what makes vapes so harmful – and why you should throw your Elf Bar …

What You Should Be Wearing To Festivals In 2023

By Amy Jones Festival season is well underway, with Glastonbury and Coachella coming up. Every year, festivals always amaze us with stunning outfits and new fashion trends at each festival. However, there is the occasional tragic outfit that people wear and never really follow a trend.  Festival season is a …

Sober Curious? Join the club!

By Caitríona Ní Chonaill Do you ever get sick of the constant weekend cycle – go out Friday and Saturday but spend Sunday nursing a hangover? Have nights out you can’t remember because you were too drunk? These may seem the most quintessential of student experiences, but if you’re looking …

Surviving Valentine’s Day for Broke Students

Well, well, well. It’s that time of the year again. Valentine’s Day. Every broke student’s nightmare, especially if they’re in a relationship. It can be a time of loneliness, stress, and well… unnecessary pressure. Here are six things that can make your Valentine’s Day easier. Make a playlist – whether …

SMEDIAs 2023 Submissions Announcement

As the opening date of submissions for the 2023 SMEDIAs is rapidly approaching, we’re changing the format in which you submit your articles. We are no longer accepting PDFs. We ask that either, include a link to the article online or you include a link to the Google Doc of …

What Even is the ‘Female Gaze’?

The patriarchy permeates every aspect of life, and film and media are no exception. With the second wave of feminism, came feminist critique of our institutions and culture. Feminist theorists coined the term ‘female gaze’ in response to Laura Mulvey’s article on the male gaze in the 1954 Hitchcock film …

Hey, Gossip Girl Reboot, You Good?

Adapting a beloved piece of culture with a large following, less than a decade after its last episode premiered is inevitably going to raise a few eyebrows. The producers, directors and cast of the show are most likely not going to be given the benefit of the doubt and will …

Thrifting for Dummies

Whether you want to save some money, shop more ethically or just become a fashion girlie, thrifting is the way to go. While thrift stores have existed for decades, only recently has the stigma of shopping at these stores been reduced. The process and rate of manufacturing clothes that fast …

The Erasmus Diaries: Chapter 4

I am currently being snowed under by assignments and exams that I was only made aware of a week before they happen. I never thought that I would miss Irish bureaucracy but after my third letter from the CAF (student housing assistance) informing me that my documents are STILL not …

‘Normalise’ Hating Mental Health TikTok

Let me ‘normalise’ something for you. Mental Health TikTok is triggering, spreads misinformation, and dilutes the legitimacy of diagnoses and symptoms. At first, it was incredible, to see a such platform being used to discuss mental illness and mental health. There were people talking about things I experienced on a …

The Erasmus Diaries: Chapter 3

A smile is universal. When confronted by German ticket inspectors, make your eyes wide and fill with tears and plead complete ignorance. Walk to the top of the steps even though you don’t want to because the view will be worth it.  For the Halloween break, the Strasbourgers decided that …

Twitter is in the Sh*tter

After almost a year of keeping us guessing, Elon Musk finally took over Twitter and became the company’s chief executive officer. This marks the fourth company where he holds this position. You’d be forgiven for wondering what CEOs actually do all day if one man can ‘run’ four large companies …

8 Ways to Claim Your Sanity Back for Students

Keeping happy, healthy, and sane in college is a much tougher job than you might think. Life is busy, and keeping on top of everything can be exhausting when you’re not sure where to begin. Looking after your mental and physical health is key. Try these eight different ways to …

‘Sex in the’ University

Welcome to college, home of students who love to drink, party, and have sex, as typical as it sounds. You hear of the saying, ‘sex, drugs, and rock’n’roll’, but have you heard the saying, ‘sex, drugs, and showing up late to your lectures’? Here’s everything you need to know about …

Your Concert Survival Guide

I know concerts are one of my favourite places on earth – you’re surrounded by people who enjoy the same music as you, watching an artist perform their songs, being able to forget about reality for a few hours. And with the number of tours being announced, it’s important to …

Don’t Worry Darling: You Could Have Done Better

Amongst talks of spitting at its Venetian premiere, onset feuds, and the most troubled post-production history known to man, Don’t Worry Darling had quite a lot to be, well, worried about. The second directorial feature from Olivia Wilde (the first being the widely well-received Booksmart (2019)) has been marred with …

The Erasmus Diaries: Chapter 2

It is now October and life is slowly beginning to make sense here. In a way, time has seemed simultaneously so fast and so slow. It is only October, but I have submitted my first assignment, my parents are visiting in a couple of weeks and for the most part, …

Podcast of the Year

All applications for this category are open on March 1st, 2023. Awarded to the student(s) who presented the best student podcast. The show can be on a topic of your choosing i.e. Sport, current affairs, culture, business, technology etc. but the podcast must adhere to the guidelines below. Submit one …

Journalist Of The Year – National Media

All applications for this category are open on March 1st, 2023. This award is open to students who have managed to get their work published in the national media during the academic year. Submit one to three articles published in national media since February 2022. We would prefer you to include a …

Colour Writer Of The Year

All applications for this category are open on March 1st, 2023. This is awarded to the finest writer of features with a particularly satirical slant and distinctly humourous tone. Imagination and wit are key. Submit three articles published in student media since February 2022. We would prefer you to include …

Magazine Of The Year

All applications for this category are open on March 1st, 2023. Awarded to one publication produced either as a once-off (e.g. rag mag) or regular publication. Open to any college magazine. Submit three links to three issues (except in cases where the publication is a once-off) published since February 2022. …

Photographer Of The Year

Applications are open from March 1st, 2023. Awarded to one individual for an outstanding sample of photography produced since February 2022. The judges will be looking for excellence in composition, subject matter and startling images. This category should not be confused with News Photographer of the Year. The work should …

News Photographer Of The Year

All applications for this category are open on March 1st, 2023. Awarded to the photographer who best captures news events and current affairs on camera, produced since February 2022. The work should either have been published in the student press OR be the work of a full-time student, in which case …

Radio DJ(s) Of The Year

All applications for this category are open on March 1st, 2023. NB: Can also apply as a duo or group of DJs. Awarded to the student(s) who present the best music show broadcast on student radio. The show may also include chat and/or interviews, but some element of music is …

Radio Production Of The Year – News & Current Affairs

All applications for this category are open on March 1st, 2023. Awarded to the best radio production covering news and current affairs. This can include news broadcasts, panel discussions, interviews and other news and current affairs related shows. Must be produced expressly for broadcast on student radio. Submit one episode, …

Radio Production Of The Year – Arts & Features

All applications for this category are open on March 1st, 2023. Awarded to the best radio production covering the arts, culture and entertainment. This can include magazine shows, comedy programmes, drama, non-news documentaries, arts coverage, interviews and all other arts, culture and entertainment shows. Must be produced expressly for broadcast …

Tales from Białowieża

by Tom O’Connor Nestled in the north-east of Poland, the Białowieża forest spans the country’s border with Belarus. The combined area of the Belarusian and Polish parts of the forest is more than 3,000 km, boasting the largest population of European bison. It is also home to lynx, wolves, thousands …