Is YA Becoming Too Risqué? Are young adult authors forgetting the younger half of their audience? Or do they just not care…

Over the last few decades there’s been a surge in Young Adult Fiction, or YA. Between 2016 and 2017 sales for YA increased 4.4%, according to StatShot Annual Report from the Association of American Publishers. The amount of YA books published has more than doubled in the last decade, with 4,700 in 2002 versus over 10,000 in 2012. Now there are an average of 30,000 YA books published per year.

This rise came out of nowhere and was likely aided by the movie adaptations of Harry Potter, Twilight and The Hunger Games as all are categorised YA. But what even is YA? It is often suggested that the genre is written for and marketed to those between 12 – 18, however, in a 2012 study around 55% of readers are over 18, with the largest segment aged 30 – 44. While some of these are likely parents buying for their children, it’s reported 78% of the time they are buying for themselves.

Within the online book community there is a common feeling that YA isn’t even a genre, it’s an age range and the readership statistics support this. It is believed the 12 – 18 range is of the target audience; however, it could be argued that it’s actually the age range of the main protagonists. Harry Potter is 11 in book one and 17 before the epilogue of book seven. Katniss Everdeen is 16 – 18 in The Hunger Games and Bella Swan is 17 in the Twilight series whereas the age range of the readership varies.

So how do you define YA when the age range it’s targeted towards isn’t even its largest consumer? And how do you write for it when the reader could be anywhere between 12 and 44? Over the last few years it has become increasingly obvious that the content for YA is changing. The stories of a teen going through school with various bumps along the road are long gone, the audience needs more. Authors can no longer rely on a plain storyline and a love triangle because readers will eat them alive for it.

Some authors have taken to using explicit or darker content to make their books interesting. By using a more basic storyline paired with a dark twist authors ensure the readers will be able to understand the storyline but will focus and remember the twist. This is often seen in retellings such as A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas and A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer to name a few. But how dark is too dark?

Damsel is 2019 Michael L. Printz Award Honour Book by Elana K. Arnold that puts a dark and wicked twist on your basic fairy-tale story. In this book, it has been the same; slay a dragon, rescue a damsel, wed her, impregnate her with one son, who will then turn around and repeat the process when it is his turn to be king, only the girl has no memory of before she was rescued. It sounds quite tame, until you read it. The book itself comes with no trigger warnings, yet contains mental and physical abuse, rape/sexual assault, animal cruelty, bestiality, self-harm and suicide. There is almost constant sexualisation and bereavement of women, three rape scenes and Prince Emery references his 'manhood' at least 20 times. This is a book placed in the YA section of bookstores, a section labelled 14+, alongside tween and Damsel by Elana K. Arnold children’s books. The idea of the damsel being the dragon all along is a fantastic idea, but this is not a book that a 12- year-old should be able to pick up without any content warnings.

We are in the age of the internet so young people can go online and find things now that they couldn’t ten years ago. It could be considered a fool’s errand to try and ‘protect’ young people from explicit or sexual content when they could just find it themselves if they wanted to, but is that an excuse to further expose them in books? Films and TV shows come with age certifications and parental controls can be placed on devices, whereas books are harder to regulate. Parents and readers trust publishers and authors when books are placed in age categories with no warnings, so when a book like Damsel is categorised as YA when it features Game of Thrones like content makes the publishers look bad and is potentially harmful to readers. It is an adult book published as young adult.

In addition, many young people are at their most impressionable stage during their teens. This makes the content they read in books all the more important. Holly Black’s most recent trilogy The Folk of Air features a highly questionable lead relationship. The characters of Jude and Cardan continuously berate each other throughout the first instalment and Cardan and his friends actually force Jude to eat faerie fruit that makes her do everything they ask, including strip and crawl on the floor like a dog. The two characters are continuously exchanging verbal blows and are at no point remotely kind to one another, yet this is a relationship that many in the book community adore and root for despite the toxicity it’s The Cruel Prince by Holly built on. Cardan is the faerie prince and hates Jude purely because she is a human. That is Black his excuse for years of bullying. To make matters worse the two characters begin a sexual relationship in the second book. What is this teaching readers? Abuse and bullying are not a form of affection. This is not to say that teens are stupid and won’t realise what is and isn’t the way to treat someone, but if you read a toxic relationship and see people supporting it sooner or later it will start to affect you. While this content doesn’t seem too bad compared with Damsel, it still has the potential to cause damage to its audience.

Furthermore, the addition of sexual content is arguably the largest addition to YA in recent years. Many YA titles indicate to sex between characters but don’t actually show it or go into detail. This is how it has always been and also often happens in many TV shows and films. The two characters are together and alone, things start to get touchy-feely and the camera pans away. Showing not telling. However, some authors such as Jay Kristoff and Jennifer L. Armentrout have taken to adding rather explicit sex scenes – or even sex chapters, into their books for teens. Sexual content isn’t necessarily a bad thing and can be quite educational, but how far should an author go with it? Sarah J. Maas is an incredibly popular author and her debut Throne of Glass series and A Court of Thorns and Roses A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) trilogy have given her multiple #1 Best Sellers on the New York Times list and are by Sarah J. Maas being adapted into a TV show and film series respectively. Despite both series being high fantasy, it is Maas’ consistency for sexual content that fans comment on the most. This is arguably the trigger for many readers now questioning the appropriateness of YA content. Fans of Maas now expect moments within her books to be highly sexual and explicit and her Thorns and Roses trilogy comes with a sexual content warning on the back cover. It’s not to say there’s anything wrong with that – at least you’re getting a warning, but due to the over-the-top and unrealistic nature of these scenes its likely not the best content for the lower bracket of YA readers.

The bottom line is, there’s no hard rule for what’s appropriate for Young Adult fiction and maybe there should be. Every reader is different so tailoring content to them is difficult enough without the wide age range of YA audiences. Everyone’s tolerance for profanity, sex, taboo topics etc. will be different so while it’s understandable why authors want to push the limits there needs to be some kind of warning so that those that don’t want to read it, don’t stumble upon it accidentally. Perhaps the solution is re-evaluating the age rating all together. New Adult, or NA, is one of the newest genres and was only established in 2009, featuring more mature content for those aged 18+. NA novels are practically guaranteed to feature sex and profanity due to the characters being university age and up so readers are aware of that. However, due to NA still being in its infancy and YA being so popular it is easier for publishers to categorise books as YA to market them to a higher readership. This is shown in Sarah J. Mass’ books as none of her lead characters act like teenagers and her content does toe the line. Many fans believe ACOTAR was written as NA but changed before publication to YA. This shows publishers have little care for effects of content on audiences and prioritise profit which could be potentially harmful to the audience.

Avid readers are very aware of the content they do and don’t enjoy. Maybe the solution is in NA and publishers, authors and readers alike should be making moves to raise the profile of the genre. It isn’t fair on readers that don’t enjoy darker or explicit content to be forced to avoid certain books or stumble upon the content because there are no warnings. YA authors need to remember who their audience is and people as young as 12 shouldn’t be exposed to this kind of content.

(Printed with the demonstration version of Fade In)

The Little Brass Bauble

Written by Emma Canning

Copyright (c) 2019 Final Draft December 2019 (Printed with the demonstration version of Fade In)

INT. ATTIC - AFTERNOON - THREE WEEKS TILL CHRISTMAS The Lewis family are getting their Christmas decorations out of the attic. There are three boxes, one with the tree and two others filled with tinsel, lights and baubles. In the bottom box lies a Little Brass bauble. This bauble isn't as shiny or sparkly as the new baubles as it has been passed down through the Lewis family. The once vibrant snowy scene is now faded, the colour chipping off and a little crack has appeared at the top. The Little Brass bauble is at the bottom of the box under all the new baubles with vibrant colours, glitter and shapes. The new, flashy baubles aren't very nice to Little Brass. They think they're better as they're newer and get pride of place in the front of the tree, something Little Brass hasn't experienced in a long time. There is one bauble in particular, a large red and gold glass decoration in the shape of a reindeer, that likes to remind Little Brass of its place in the decoration hierarchy. RED AND GOLD It's Christmas again everyone! Time to witness the joy and happiness of our family...That is unless you're like Brass who only gets to hear and not see it from all the way in the back. Better hope that crack doesn't get any worse or soon you won't even make it to the tree. Red and Gold starts to move within the box trying to put more weight on Little Brass while the other baubles laugh. Little Brass winces in pain as the small crack at the top of him begins to extend slightly down the side just as Dad opens the box. DAD I've got the box with all the baubles. Everyone ready? The box of baubles is lifted from the floor of the attic tilting the pressure off Little Brass as its taken from the attic and placed downstairs. (Printed with the demonstration version of Fade In) 2.

INT. LIVING ROOM - AFTERNOON The tree has already been put up covered with tinsel and lights as Mum is placing the stockings over the fireplace and the two children, one six the other ten, eagerly await permission to take the baubles out. Dad opens the bauble box and starts placing the baubles on the table for the kids to place on the tree one by one with the more expensive baubles being placed on the front. As Dad gets to the bottom of the box he starts to notice the older, cheaper baubles and how tattered they look. Mum notices too and looks in the box.

MUM Don't you think it's time we start throwing some of these out? We don't need them now we have the new ones. Dad starts looking at some of the other old decorations, leaving them in the box instead of placing them with the others to go on the tree. DAD If they're still intact there's no harm in keeping them, we just put them at the back. It makes the tree look full but you don't have to look at them. MUM But we do that every year darling. It's time to let go, they have to go in the bin. Dad reluctantly picks up the bauble box with the remaining baubles in, including Little Brass, and takes it into the kitchen.

INT. KITCHEN - AFTERNOON Dad places the box on the kitchen table and opens the bin, moving it beside the table from its place by the fridge. One by one he takes out the remaining baubles, inspecting their condition before throwing them in the bin or back in the box. Little Brass can do nothing but watch as some of his oldest friends are taken away from him and trashed as he awaits the same fate. (Printed with the demonstration version of Fade In) 3.

Little Brass can hear his friends breaking as they land in the bin and is sad thinking after all these years of joy his time will end in the darkness and cold of a skip. Dad reaches into the box and picks up Little Brass looking at it in sadness. His Grandfather had originally bought Little Brass, from a market in France. It was one of the few things Dad had left of his Grandfather. Dad remembers seeing Little Brass on the tree for the first time. BEGIN FLASHBACK:

INT. LIVING ROOM - EVENING - CHRISTMAS EVE Dads earliest memory is when he's no more than 4. Christmas eve with his grandparents. He is playing in the living room with his Grandma eagerly awaiting when he would get to put the carrots, cookies and milk out. He is playing with a toy plane when he notices a shiny brass bauble on the tree. The bauble is in perfect place for his eye-line when he stands and walks over to the tree for a closer look, gently lifting it from its place. The bauble isn't large. Not much bigger than his palm, but it sparkles brighter than all the other baubles on the tree. The snowy scene is radiant, showing a small house with Santa in his sleigh being pulled by his reindeer flying above it. GRANDFATHER It's a pretty little thing isn't it? Dad jumps, his heart racing. DAD (YOUNG) I was just looking GRANDFATHER I know you were don't worry. Grandfather walks up to Dad and kneels beside him. (Printed with the demonstration version of Fade In) 4.

GRANDFATHER (cont'd) The lady who I bought this from told me this bauble is very special. Maybe even magical. DAD (YOUNG) Really! Dad leans into his Grandfather holding the bauble more preciously keen to hear the rest of the story. GRANDFATHER Yes! She said it collects happy Christmas memories and stores them for you for when you need them most. Dad looks at the bauble with wonder DAD Wow! GRANDFATHER Yes wow! One day this bauble will be yours. And you can place it on your tree with your family and it can store all of your happy memories too. Dad continues to look at the bauble with a smile on his face. END FLASHBACK:

INT. KITCHEN - AFTERNOON Dad looks at the Little Brass bauble with sadness. He moves to drop it in the bin and pauses thinking about his Grandfather. Mum enters the kitchen. MUM I'm going to take the kids to the park for a little bit with the dog. Will you be OK cleaning up? Dad is pulled out of his thoughts. DAD Yeah. Yes. I can do that. No problem. Have fun. (Printed with the demonstration version of Fade In) 5.

Mum walks to Dad and kisses him on the cheek, noticing the Little Brass bauble in his hand smiling fondly before leaving. Dad is standing in the kitchen continuing to look at the bauble until he hears the front door close and his family leave. He moves the bin back beside the fridge before taking the sellotape out of the drawer beside the sink and using it to try and patch the crack along Little Brass back up. Dad walks out of the kitchen.

INT. LIVING ROOM - AFTERNOON Dad walks in and heads straight to the tree turning it slightly so he can get to the back. Little Brass can hear the other baubles sneering at his close call. RED AND GOLD Well, well, well would you look who survived being thrown out! Maybe next year you'll get lucky and finally be put out of your misery. Dad, unable to hear the baubles, places Little Brass at the back of the tree before moving it back into place with Little Brass looking straight at the white ridged wallpaper. Little Brass looks at the few friends he has left that weren't in the bin. The one closest to him is an oval shaped, purple bauble. PURPLE OVAL Are you OK Brass? Don't listen to Red he just thinks he's better than everyone else because he's new and expensive. Little Brass refuses to turn and look at her in shame. LITTLE BRASS I should be in the bin. Red's right. I'm not good enough anymore. What's the point in being a Christmas decoration when no one finds joy in you anymore. (Printed with the demonstration version of Fade In) 6.

PURPLE OVAL You're letting Red get inside your head. You can't do that. Christmas is about being with the ones we love and cherish. It isn't just about providing joy for someone else.

Little Brass thinks before turning himself away from Purple completely. Little Brass has decades worth of happy Christmas memories of the Lewis family. He gets to revisit them and remember the happy times whenever he wants.

But he can't collect new memories without seeing them being made.

INT. LIVING ROOM - EVENING - NINE DAYS TILL CHRISTMAS It has been 12 days since the Lewis family decorated their house for Christmas. 12 days of Little Brass staring at the wall only being able to hear not see what the Lewis family were doing. 12 days of listening to Red and Gold's taunting and insults from the other side of the tree. RED AND GOLD How's the view from back there Brass? I know you used to love watching family game night. It's tradition after all. Little Brass knew that. It was one of the things he missed the most his first year at the back. PURPLE OVAL Just stop! Why do you have to be so rude? RED AND GOLD I'm just doing a service. Someone needs to keep order around here and make sure cheap trash like you stay in their place. Purple spins around so its no longer looking through the tree at Red. Little Brass continues to stare at the wall, defeated. (Printed with the demonstration version of Fade In) 7.

INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT The house is quiet. The family are asleep and the lights on the tree are the only lights left on in the house. The family dog, a ten-year-old border collie, walks into the living room noticing the reflection from the lights on the floor in front of the tree. The collie gets excited and starts to pounce on the reflections getting too close to the tree and knocking it back. The tree moves so suddenly the light plug gets pulled from its socket

The tree hits the wall and rattles the baubles. Little Brass rattles of the tree branch and falls, hitting a few branches as he falls to the ground. Little Brass hits the floor bouncing a few times before stopping in the corner under the tree. The collie noticing the reflection has gone walks to the sofa jumping on it before curling up and going to sleep. Little Brass is lying in the corner under the tree. His view is blocked by the tree legs. PURPLE OVAL Brass! Are you OK? LITTLE BRASS I'm fine Little Brass tries to roll to the side and notices the crack that had been taped up has cracked even further. RED AND GOLD Well here I was thinking your place was at the back, when it was actually on the floor this whole time The other front baubles laugh at Brass as he tries to move without cracking his side more. Brass stops trying to move and stays in the corner under the tree.

INT. UNDER THE TREE - THE NEXT NIGHT Brass is still under the tree. None of the family had noticed him when they reset the tree that morning. (Printed with the demonstration version of Fade In) 8.

PURPLE OVAL Brass? Are you alright? Can I do anything? LITTLE BRASS No. What can you do? Purple is looking down at Brass with sadness as Red and Gold turns on his branch RED AND GOLD He's right you know. There's nothing you can do for a bauble that has no use anymore.

Just as Purple is about to respond the family's tortoiseshell cat walks into the living room and heads straight to the tree. The cat plays with a few low hanging baubles before noticing Little Brass on the floor. The cat is notorious for playing with baubles until they break. RED AND GOLD (cont'd) Looks like the cat is about to get an early Christmas present PURPLE OVAL Roll Brass! You can't let her catch you! Little Brass tries to roll but it caught by the cat who starts pawing at Little Brass knocking him out from under the tree.

INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT Little Brass rolls across the laminate flooring as the cat chases after him. RED AND GOLD Oh look everyone! A midnight showing! Little Brass can hear the baubles laughing as he tries to roll and dodge the cat. He rolls towards the table in hope of the cat not being able to reach under there. Just as Little Brass is about to roll under the table the cat swipes at him sending him rolling across the floor and under the sofa. (Printed with the demonstration version of Fade In) 9.

Little Brass bounces off the wall and uses his strength to stop himself rolling back out. He rolls over so he's facing out to the living room. The cat's face is pressed up to the bottom of the sofa and her paw is trying to reach under to grab Little Brass but he's too far back to be reached. The cat gives up and walks away giving Little Brass his first look at his new view. The sofa is low and has fabric dangling from the bottom. Little Brass can only see the smallest slighter under the fabric. Enough to see the family's feet. Nothing more.

Little Brass rolls to the edge looking under the fabric. The cat was prowling just by the table preventing Brass from staging an escape. He is stuck under the sofa.

INT. UNDER THE SOFA - NIGHT - FIVE DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS Every night since getting stuck Little Brass has tried to roll out from under the sofa back towards the tree and every night he either came in contact with the dog or the cat. Little Brass is slowly coming to terms with being stuck under the sofa. He could only see the family's feet and the sound was muffled so he can barely hear anything. Sighing Little Brass knew this is it. He was likely to spend the rest of his existence stuck under the sofa not being able to see or hear.

INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT - CHRISTMAS EVE The house is quiet. The dog and cat are asleep upstairs with the family and the only light is from the Christmas tree. The silence is broken by the quiet sounds of sleigh bells and hoofs on the rooftop.

INT. UNDER THE SOFA - NIGHT Little Brass is suddenly alert. He rolls to the edge and peers out under the small gap. The room goes quiet and still before Little Brass hears heavy footsteps and a pair of shiny black boots come into view with a large red sack being pulled behind. (Printed with the demonstration version of Fade In) 10.

Little Brass stays still for a moment thinking. He can hear the man drinking the milk and eating the cookies that had been laid out. There is a light thudding from presents being placed around the tree. Little Brass collects his courage and rolls himself from out under the sofa.

INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT Little Brass rolls along the living room floor, weaving through the table legs rolling all the way to the mans large red sack hiding behind it.

The man stops laying presents and slowly turns to look at his sack. The lights from the tree illuminating it as Little Brass slowly rolls out from behind it. Little Brass stares up at the large man dressed in red as he leans down to slowly pick him up. SANTA Well you certainly look like you've seen better days my friend. Santa looks around the room wondering where the bauble came from before looking at Little Brass and taking in his disheveled appearance. Santa brushes his glove covered thumb over Little Brass cleaning off some of the dust before looking closer at the faded design. SANTA (cont'd) You've got some magic in you haven't you? Little Brass looks at Santa too scared to speak. SANTA (cont'd) I think that magic is still in there. Santa gently places Little Brass on the table and takes a small pouch out from his pocket. Santa opens the pouch and sprinkles a little of the dust from inside it over Little Brass. Chuckling slightly at the tingling sensation Little Brass feels himself being lifted back into the palm of Santa's hand. (Printed with the demonstration version of Fade In) 11.

SANTA (cont'd) Now, that's more like it I think Little Brass looks up at his reflection in Santa's glasses and gasps. The faded snowy scene is pure white again, the snow glistening with sparkle as it had been decades ago, the paint fresh and the lengthy crack is now completely gone. LITTLE BRASS T-thank you, sir Santa is smiling as Little Brass continues to take in his revived appearance.

SANTA I think it's time you got put back where you belong. Santa moves towards the tree searching for a branch at the front to place Little Brass. LITTLE BRASS No. Wait. Santa stops. LITTLE BRASS (cont'd) I'd like to go back where I was please. At the back. Santa looks down at Little Brass confused. SANTA The back? But how will you see your family. See their memories? Little Brass looks to the tree and sees Red and Gold before looking past him through the branches to the back of the tree where Purple Oval hangs. LITTLE BRASS I have so many happy Christmas memories of the Lewis family. Nearly four generations worth in fact. I think it's time I start making some memories of my own. Little Brass looks up to Santa to see him smiling down. SANTA I think that's a very wise decision. (Printed with the demonstration version of Fade In) 12.

Santa pulls the tree out slightly and turns it placing Little Brass back on the tree a branch over from Purple Oval. LITTLE BRASS Thank you again Santa. SANTA No. Thank you. Have a Merry Christmas Santa returns the tree to its original place. He picks up his sack from the floor and collects the carrots on his way out.

Little Brass turns to face Purple Oval. LITTLE BRASS Hi PURPLE OVAL Why would you do that? You could have been at the front of the tree again? Seen the Lewis' open their presents. Purple turns to face Little Brass. LITTLE BRASS Because Christmas is about being with the ones we love and cherish. All those I love and cherish are here. On the back of the tree. Purple smiles at Little Brass. The two hang side by side happy to be at the back of the tree as Christmas morning rolls around because they're together. THE END ON SCREEN

Clockwise L to R: Is over-fishing killing our eco-system? Mitsubishi controls 40% of the world market in Bluefin tuna, director and narrator Ali Tabrizi holding a shark fin (Source: Netflix) [ F I L M ] lead to marine ecosystem destruction and empty oceans by as early as 2048. One of the most shocking things to come out of the documentary is just how little this is being talked

Seaspiracy about, and just how deep the problem runs. The film exposes companies along the way including Mitsubishi OUT NOW (NETFLIX) - which controls 40% of the world market in Bluefin CERT N/A / 89 MINS tuna. It shows dolphins being slaughtered in Taiji in southern Japan for eating too many fish when in reality they are being used as scapegoats so companies can DIRECTOR Ali Tabrizi feel better and wash their hands of responsibility. The PARTICIPANTS Ali Tabrizi, Lucy Tabrizi, Sylvia Earle, US Consumers Union also isn’t safe from scrutiny, Callum Roberts, Ric O’Barry, Jonathan Balcombe as the film shows a worker confessing that they can’t guarantee no dolphins or whales are harmed or killed PLOT An investigation into the environmental impact as bycatch when they’re fishing for tuna, which basically of fishing on our oceans and its wildlife. makes labels such as “Dolphin Safe” completely useless. Other shocking revelations include, the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” in the north Pacific Ocean is 46% made up of discarded plastic fishing equipment, the Thai DIRECTED, SHOT AND narrated by 27-year-old fishing industry uses slave labour to catch shrimp, British filmmaker Ali Tabrizi, and produced by Kip many “observers” on fishing boats have gone “missing”, Andersen, the same man behind 2014’s Cowspiracy: the salmon in Scottish fishing farms are lice infested The Sustainability Secret, this original documentary and have infectious diseases like chlamydia, and there’s aims to shine a light on the corruption within the pretty much no such thing as sustainable fishing. commercial multimillion dollar fishing industry, Seaspiracy is both stunning and tragic. It’s difficult showing the impact this has on essential marine life - to watch in most places as it continuously drops many such a sharks, dolphins, and whales. numbers, graphs, and brutal imagery all while being The danger Tabrizi put himself in to make this accompanied by dramatic, heart wrenching music. documentary is apparent from the opening seconds It’s filmed to be a piece of investigative journalism when a shadowed, unnamed interviewee states, “If but is packaged with the intent of swaying the audience you’re scared of dying, go home.” We quickly learn towards veganism, which isn’t a bad thing, but it does that Tabrizi’s motivation for making the film comes come across in places as posing more problems than from a life-long fascination with the ocean, but what solutions. The only solution is gives is for everyone to started out as a clean the oceans passion project stop eating fish but what is the probability of everyone turned into something much more deadly when he in the world actually doing that? Lets also not forget discovered just how bad our impact on the oceans has how many peoples’ livelihoods depend on fishing. So become. if that’s the only solution there is, then are we pretty The investigation is fraught with danger and EMMA CANNING difficulties as Tabrizi is refused, sent away or even much screwed? threatened at almost every place he attempts to gain an interview or film. It’s made very clear that there’s a lot to hide and everything we learn within VERDICT For all of its good intentions the films the shocking and brutal documentary paints the inability to come up with a practical solution to end commercial fishing industry in a very bad light. The on feels like a cop-out and a disservice to the whole film shows that the biggest threat to our oceans isn’t documentary as it allows viewers to question the plastic and oil pollution but overfishing. This could validity of the information provided.

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EMMA CANNING University, there has been a constant lectures as communication is feels her blended learning has feeling of uncertainty, building stress, Research in 2018 by the Higher limited. There is confusion and been effective but is struggling to “There have been a lot of FREELANCE and anger since March. How will we be Education Policy Institute revealed that delay when contributing and a fully engross in her course, “I feel feelings of anxiety and isolation JOURNALIST graded? Will we be able to get a job? Will around 45% of funds go to the cost of sense we aren’t getting what we as though things are working well, particularly with first years who we be happy with anything we create teaching and the rest goes to other need or our money’s worth. because we can’t collaborate or plan necessary expenses such as libraries, in fear of change? How can we afford welfare support, students union, and Furthermore, students taking On November 16th MP’s gathered all of this? Does the government care? technology. This means over half practical courses are struggling to debate the topic of refunding or our fees right now are going towards as they are unable to travel for partially refunding tuition fees for Many students feel “we should have services we aren’t receiving. Some portfolio work and meet with higher education students for 2020/21 never been forced to come back to students feel they were encouraged to course mates for projects. Many due to Covid-19. The debate was campus”, while others never returned. “go back to university so they could were assured learning would be brought about thanks to five petitions Second-year Liverpool student Georgia still charge us our full university fees. blended but for some that’s not that together have accumulated Woodhouse was informed her course We’re simply cash cows,” while another the case, leaving them feeling like over 980,000 signatures. None of the would be online until after Christmas, claims the government, particularly the “the university exploited students petitions are the same but they all so stayed home instead of returning Universities Minister, “has failed us” in by lying to them.” Third-year bring about the same issue; that nearly to halls. How many student houses in terms of “expecting us to be lab rats in photography students at Falmouth one million students are vexed they Liverpool are currently unlived in? How their social experiment.” The blame for University feel particularly let haven’t received the value of education much money must students pay for what the recent spike in Covid-19 has been down as they receive no on-campus they’re paying for. they aren’t using? To make it worse, placed more on students returning to learning and an average of one hour most students don’t even know where the education they are paying for, than per week excluding guest lectures. Students have been forced to lockdown in halls. 3

are away from home for the first time” she explained before revealing how MMU has tackled her studies; We’ve had “the course has been compacted “ into 6-week blocks where we will nothing but a s**t do each module”. While this sounds like a good way to handle it, Val show to deal with asserts that it has caused many problems. “It’s hard to absorb the information because we were told one lesson is equivalent to one It’s been nine months since” the UK week which is a lot. The schedule went into its first lockdown and is also varied making it difficult to students have felt let down and maintain a part-time job adding to left out by the government. During the strain. We had four assessments the aforementioned debate, it was and one essay and about a week to stated that £256 million has been spend on each one,” she continues, put into higher education since “we were trying to learn content April 27th. This money supposedly and prepare assessment pieces went towards providing digital and churn it out within a week.” help, emergency hardship grants, She goes on to explain that many rent repayments, reimbursements, people are feeling burnt out and and mental health support to name others even deferred a year because a few. If that’s the case, then where it was too much. is it? Nearly one million students can’t be wrong.

(1,324) “ Students are still paying full tuition. [END OF FEATURE] How did it get to this? ” On top of that, there has been confusion and “dodgy communication” from staff. “We had one staff member saying it was okay, (to rehearse on campus) the one above them saying it was okay, but then the one above them saying no.”

Val then explains how this has affected her, “I honestly feel so stressed and burned out that it’s hard to keep caring,” she discusses how stressful this semester has been for herself, course mates, friends, and first-year mentees, “my anxiety has reached severe heights…and I’m not only worried for myself, we’ve all had nothing but a s**t show to deal with and no idea where to go or who to talk to.”

Manchester Uni students in the aftermath of being fenced in.