Sheffield College journalism students write for the Star

Should schools change the way they are teaching art?by Abigail Akers
Students are being encouraged to embrace what they enjoy, including artStudents are being encouraged to embrace what they enjoy, including art
Students are being encouraged to embrace what they enjoy, including art

Lately, more and more students feel as though they are pushed to learn subjects that they are not good at and not encouraged to flourish in the ones that they are.

Throughout school, from a young age you are told that subjects like English, maths and science are the most important and you must be good at them to succeed in life.

There are plenty of cruelty-freee make up products to choose fromThere are plenty of cruelty-freee make up products to choose from
There are plenty of cruelty-freee make up products to choose from
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Matt Windle, aged 18, an art student at Hillsborough College, said: “Art was always my favourite subject in school but we were definitely always pushed and encouraged to focus on the more academic subjects, which is unfortunate.”

Over the years there has been a lot of talk of schools wanting to eliminate the more creative subjects, which luckily, they haven’t done yet.

It is important that in schools we teach young people to embrace what they enjoy and are good at so that they feel encouraged and good about the work that they produce, academic or not. There are many different types of art, it doesn’t always just mean drawings and painting. Art comes in different forms, whether it be poetry, music, writing in general.

A lot of teenagers use social media as a way of sharing their own art, and to get inspiration. Even when art is taught in schools, students feel as though it is not completely up to them how they express themselves: “OK why does art in schools basically TELL you what your ‘inspiration’ is like. That’s not how it works” said @mickified on Twitter.

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Where would we be without music, books, or movies? If art was to be squeezed out of schools, young people would not grow up appreciating it or not knowing what they’re capable of and they may also feel as though they’ve missed out. Art helps people to communicate, tell a story and heal and it is important that people learn different ways to express themselves.

Make-up fans save bunnies on a budget

by Kirsty McFarlane

I believe that we are becoming more aware of cruelty-free and ethical options when it comes to make-up and are actively trying to improve the choices of brands that do not test on animals and use vegan-friendly ingredients. 

The iPhone 8 is set to be slimmer than ever beforeThe iPhone 8 is set to be slimmer than ever before
The iPhone 8 is set to be slimmer than ever before

However, not everyone is aware of which brands are cruelty-free, especially at stores such as Boots and Superdrug where you wouldn’t give it much thought and it’s not always clearly indicated. 

Here is a list of brands available which are cruelty-free so you can save the bunnies on a budget.

Brands available from Superdrug and Boots: NYX

* Barry M

There are plenty of cruelty-freee make up products to choose fromThere are plenty of cruelty-freee make up products to choose from
There are plenty of cruelty-freee make up products to choose from

* Collection

* Sleek

* Soap & Glory

* MUA

* Seventeen

* NO.7

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Processed with VSCO with hb1 preset

* B.

* GOSH

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Here are some budget-friendly alternatives from other stores and available online:

* ELF

* Milani

* Lush

* The Body Shop

* L.A Girl

You can find many of these brands on their own website however, you can check Beautybay.com to find these brands that ship to the UK which are usually only available in the US.

If you want to find out more information on cruelty-free drugstore brands, try using ‘Crueltyfreeinternational.org’ to find out more information on vegan and animal-friendly brands which include household items as well as beauty and make- up brands.

Exploring difference between an identity and expression

by Jade Dunn

Gender is a vast concept with a multitude of variants and terms, with the basic male and female to non-binary and trans.

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So what is gender expression and how is it different to gender identity?

Well, gender expression is how you dress, how you present yourself. For example a genetically female person might want to dress more masculine but still identify as female.

Or in the opposite sense a male may want to dress more feminine but still identify as male.

Gender identity is the opposite however, gender identity is how you identify yourself, whether you’re born genetically male or female, you can choose to identify as any/neither gender if you wish.

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It doesn’t mean that’s how you present yourself or how you appear to others.

Dressing how you want doesn’t define how you identify, the term gender expression means the visual, interpersonal, and behavioural methods that people sometimes use to express their gender identity.

This can include personal grooming, clothing, body language, vocabulary, intonation, vocal pitch, and other behaviours.

I interviewed members of the LGBT+ community on their views of gender identity and what it is.

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Thomas, aged 19, who is an online personality and close friend from Orlando in America, said: “I believe there are only two genders and three sexualities.

“I also believe that anyone who identifies as anything else is mentally ill.”

Victoria, who is a 20-year-old trans Tumblr personality from the UK, stated that she believes that the two things are not related.

“I think that you should be free to be who you want, if that means defining who you are by a gender you weren’t born as then that’s fine”, she said.

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“If you want to dress as a gender you weren’t born that’s also fine. ”

Rumours abound over the next-generation iPhone

by Liam Flaherty

Nokia have taken us back to the future with the relaunch of their 3310 model.

With everyone turning their attention back to a time when phones were used for making calls, it’s easy to forget what’s next in store for the newest generation of phones.

We all know it won’t be long until Apple decide to unveil plans for a new phone with enough new features to be marked as a completely new and different phone.

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With that in mind, rumours have already sparked on the internet on what could possibly make the new iPhone 8. Bearing in mind that these are all rumours and are currently unconfirmed, it would be silly not to take the rumours into consideration as a possibility.

One of the main rumours is that the new iPhone may come with a wireless battery. Anyone interested in Apple products will want to believe this rumour because of the company’s new-found war against cables.

We know that the company is waging this war since Apple made various moves towards a more wireless product, such as removing the headphone jack, with the latest iPhone as well as creating a smart connector as a charger for the recent iPad Pro. Another possibility is making an all glass designed phone with OLED technology. This would give Apple the ability to create a more flexible, thinner and lighter surface for the screen, making it possible for the touch screen surface to cover the majority of the front of the phone.

All this could become a possibility in September. Most of Apple’s biggest announcement reveals follow a pattern and usually arrive during that time of year, so mark your calendars and make your predictions. 2017 is the year to prove and disprove everything unofficial we’ve heard in anticipation for Apple’s next big unveil.

Danish art – live well and stay cosy

by Paige Wykes

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Hygge, pronounced hoo-guh, is the Danish art of living well and staying cosy.

It’s a word for a concept described as a feeling of comfort and contentment, as well as indulging in all good things and the people in your life.

This movement largely focuses on the idea of happiness and comfort, and practising those two feelings in everyday life.

Sheffield student Abby Wakelam said she had never heard the term before and didn’t realise she expressed hygge every day, especially in the winter.

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Typical ways of expressing hygge are spending your late afternoons in independent cafes and bars, surrounding yourself with blankets and watching films, going for bike rides in your local park or reading a book when it’s raining outside.

A huge part of hygge is putting technology to one side and being able to focus on daily rituals and being able to be grateful for what we have and what we are able to do every day.

It suggests not taking simple daily rituals for granted and to be positive and warm towards others as well as ourselves.

Abby, aged 17, a student at Sheffield College, said she didn’t really know what the word meant but, after hearing it explained, said: “I think of my fluffy coat because I feel warm and at home when I wear it.

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“I think of chimneys, fire places, warmth mixed with cosiness and hot drinks.”

Many books have been produced to give you more of an insight into the Danish lifestyle.

As Brits, we can really benefit from incorporating hygge in our lives, it’s just about evaluating what it is and how we approach it.