Time Out London • 12th January 2022

‘I’m building a bit of a spreadsheet!’ We spoke to Muhammad Malik, the guy who made a billboard to find a wife

Muhammad Malik talks to Time Out about his parents’ reaction, how he’s organising his DMs and his ideal first date ‘It's a bit of a shock when people recognise me on the street, or just come up and say “Oh, how's it going?” I just think: “well, how do you know me?” Oh, okay, because of the billboards”.’ Last week, Muhammad Malik went from unknown guy to famous face overnight. Sick of dating, the 29-year-old entrepreneur set up giant adverts for himself in London and Birmingham. Each one featur

Carrot Magazine • 4th October 2021

BookTok is reclaiming YA and NA fiction and I don’t hate it

When did we become ashamed of the things we love and why does romance and fantasy have to be a guilty pleasure? Through discovering the bookish side of TikTok (BookTok), I realised so many people out there are proudly asserting their love for ‘fluffy’ fiction. So if it is so popular and beloved, why isn’t it taken seriously by the literary community? All hail TikTok and the wonderfully weird world that it is. As everyone loves to say, if it had not been for the mind-blowing burden of lockdown,

The Mancunion • 23rd April 2021

What's the (real) deal with period underwear?

Yes, yes it does sound scary, and too good to be true. Just normal underwear? No pads, or tampons, or menstrual cups needed? It’s good for the environment as it reduces massive amounts of waste and it’s the more economic choice? Might it be the perfect period solution for busy students on a budget? It can’t be true… can it? According to Statista, it is estimated that people who menstruate in the UK use an average of twenty-five or more pads every month! This statistic is worrying, especially wh

Carrot Magazine • 8th November 2021

Witness for the Prosecution: You’ve been sentenced to a night of Agatha Christie’s post-lockdown justice

Theatre will never be the same for me after watching Agatha Christie’s, Witness for the Prosecution at London’s county hall. This is it, the ultimate immersive theatre experience – ideal if you’re a fan of judicial drama, intimate audiences, and hair-raisingly-good performances. And yet, still safe enough if you’re not keen on audience participation. “Intense”, “captivating”, “magical”, are merely some of the words used to describe the play, including by the actors themselves. Meet Leonard Vo

Accommodation for Students • 22nd April 2021

5 study tips to try while you work on your dissertation or final project | Student Blog UK | AFS

• The Pomodoro method : First thing to address is that no, we are not talking about some delicious tomato pasta (unfortunately). is actually a study method that has been shown to increase productivity. How it works : Essentially you work in periods of twenty-five minutes with short breaks in between (around five minutes). While this might seem counter-productive, knowing that you have something to look forward to and that you only have to concentrate for a short period of time actually work

Time Out London • 22nd December 2021

Someone proposed Richard Curtis-style at tower bridge last night - and the internet reacted

Picture this; you’ve just celebrated your two-year anniversary with your significant other. You’re really happy with how the relationship is going and decide to take them for a romantic stroll by the river. Suddenly they take your hand and say ‘Yes’, eyes filling with tears. Confused, you look behind you and there it is. A humongous set of red LED lights forming the words ‘Marry Me.’ Well, the lights are really there in front of Tower Bridge, as a Londoner spotted them last night and posted a .

The Mancunion • 13th May 2021

'The Girl From Rio' is giving us the representation we needed

Over the past few weeks, the international superstar Anitta has been teasing her fans with historical photographs of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil’s most famous city, and the singer’s birthplace. Aside from Anitta’s continuous journey of political activism – which she mentions extensively in her latest Netflix documentary Anitta: Made in Honório – these photos are also part of her latest musical campaign, promoting the single ‘Girl From Rio.’ The song covers many themes which are unique to Anitta’s st

Time Out London • 22nd March 2022

Six of the best things to do in Shepherd’s Bush (picked by a local)

Shepherd’s Bush resident Vera Thordardottir, co-owner of Bears Ice Cream Company, tells us how she spends her time in the area. ‘I think a lot of musicians took their first steps there. It’s just this gorgeous old building. They have really interesting concerts and shows on.’ ‘They put on lots of independent plays, discover amazing new playwrights and set up interesting productions.’ ‘October 26 is an amazing bakery. The owner, Raluca Micu, makes the most delicious bread. Downstairs there’s a

Time Out London • 15th December 2021

Hyde Park is getting ready to welcome new wildlife

Yeah, Hyde Park looks green and pretty, but it turns out in recent years it’s lost lots of its animal inhabitants. But that might all change now that Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced a new rewilding fund to help revamp London’s green areas. The £600,000 investment aims to restore rivers and bring back a number of furry and feathery creatures, including beavers, stags, sparrows, water voles and even peregrine falcons. (Snow White would have a field day.) When it comes to Hyde Park, that means maki

The Mancunion • 8th March 2021

Under the influence: Irena D

For our second round of Under the Influence, we get to meet Irena D, a Manchester based blogger, owner of Irena D World. According to Influencer Marketing, an ‘influencer’ is someone who has ‘the power to affect the purchasing decisions of others because of his or her authority, knowledge, position, or relationship with his or her audience / a following in a distinct niche, with whom he or she actively engages’. Q: Do you agree with this definition of an influencer? Are there other terms that

Prude • 6th April 2022

Bridgerton Season 2: Subdued sexy for the win

We all know that feeling – you’re halfway through your new steamy book, sexual tension grows, your cheeks burn red, and you pray to some superior being that nobody on the train can see what you’re reading. Or perhaps you’re watching the latest teen drama show, enjoying the secret glances, the innuendos, the awkward touch of passing hands that gets dispelled quickly only to be replaced with a hotter, heavier, hornier scene later in the episode. But what happens when they finally do it? When the

Prude • 28th March 2022

Why we won’t be using the Dripstick – and we’re not the only ones

“Already, I’m like why?” These are the first words to come out of Dr Angela Jones’s mouth. The wide-eyed board-certified gynaecologist looks at me with incredulity as I describe to her the newest craze in FemTech: The Dripstick. Previously known as the Come&Gone, the product, sold by company Awkward Essentials, is described on their website as “the first after-sex clean-up product of its kind”. The medical-grade sponge is white, about the size of a regular tampon, and sits on a plastic stick, s

Time Out London • 21st January 2022

The best things to do in Embankment, picked by a cool local

Maria Brandani, marketing and social media co-ordinator at iconic wine bar Gordon’s picks her favourite nearby haunts. ‘One of my friends read this article about these supposedly Ancient Roman baths in one of the side streets off the Strand, where you can go and press a light switch to see them. I looked it up and found out where it was. It’s just on Strand Lane and you wouldn’t notice it unless you know about it. It’s not the most amazing thing but it feels really secret!’ ‘Cellar Door is a r

Time Out London • 14th January 2022

There’s going to be a London vigil for Ashling Murphy on Saturday

The National Women’s Council of Ireland has confirmed that dozens of vigils are being organised along the UK to honour the life of 23-year-old teacher Ashling Murphy, who was attacked in while out for a run and died on Wednesday afternoon. London’s vigil will be held on Saturday, in front of the London Irish Centre, between 4pm and 5pm. Attendees are encouraged to bring flowers and candles. All those who cannot attend are encouraged to light a candle for Ashling and all other victims of gender-

Time Out London • 14th January 2022

Londoners have been told to avoid outdoor exercise today – here’s why

A genuinely good reason not to go for a jog after work If you needed reason to sack off any ‘new year, new me’ plans to go for runs every day this January – here is a good one. The Government’s official source on UK air pollution has issued a warning, alerting Londoners that the pollution levels are very high right now. They are so high that , the PM2.5 (particulate matter) concentration in the city is currently 6.3 times higher than the World Health Organisation’s recommended annual air quali

Time Out London • 12th January 2022

Good news: London has reached its peak of Omicron cases

Infections and hospitalisations are on the decrease, allowing for possible changes to Plan B measures soon According to official ONS numbers interpreted by public health director Professor Kevin Fenton, London is likely to have passed its peak of Omicron infections, with both cases and hospitalisations on the decrease. The peak of 4,074 daily cases happened last Wednesday and numbers have since dropped. The capital was swept by cases of Omicron in November, one of the latest variants of Covid

Time Out London • 11th January 2022

Tfl fines for motorists are set to increase in London

In a bid to reduce congestion, road accidents and pollution, Transport for London has agreed to increase fines for road contraventions on all red routes. Red routes, if you don’t know, are the city's busiest thoroughfares, accounting for 30 percent of the traffic in the capital. Drivers will now have to pay fines of £160 rather than £130, with the rate increasing for the first time since 2011, and bringing the charge in line with the current penalty for non-payment of the Congestion Charge. Con

Time Out London • 11th January 2022

Breathe life into your old instruments by donating them to young, aspiring musicians

Do have an old instrument lying around the house? That guitar you bought when you were 16 and swore to learn how to play, the recorder from your child’s schooldays, a crumbling violin that’s been in the family for years… do you actually use any of them? Ronnie Scott’s Charitable foundation, in partnership with charities Music for All and Sistema England, are welcoming all musical instrument donations for children in the UK and overseas. The donation scheme aims to make music accessible for all

Time Out London • 10th January 2022

There’s a petition to save the Marble Arch Mound!

It opened, it charged for admission, it closed. It reopened, it became free to visit, it closed for good yesterday (January 9). The Marble Arch Mound, named by Londoners as the city’s worst attraction, is set to be dismantled later this month, but some people don’t want to see it go that easily. Two young Mound enthusiasts have started a petition to save the landmark from destruction, and it’s slightly bewildering. While it claims to want Westminster Council to extend the Mound’s lifespan, call

Time Out London • 10th January 2022

You can now visit Kew Gardens for just £1

The Royal Botanic Gardens has lowered some of its admission prices to welcome more visitors From tomorrow (Tuesday January 11), Kew Gardens is opening the gates to its leafy landscapes, exotic plants and romantic greenhouses for only £1 to those who receive Universal Credit or Pension Credit, a reduction of £8.75. This fulfils a promise made by the Royal Botanic Gardens in 2020 when it launched its Manifesto for Change, which aimed to bring prices down and make Kew more accessible to a wider ra