Archives for Nan Flory
Hell hath no fury like a women shorn
When Grace Fletcher-Spears shaved her head in recent weeks, she laid herself open to a torrent of speculation about not only her mental state, but also that of her boyfriend, Richard Landerline, who apparently put her up to the hairbrained stunt.
It seems that Fletcher-Spears was immersed in the grief and disappointment of having been deprived [...]
The dangers of loose women
A terrible thing happened. I was watching daytime telly and an advert trying to persuade people to donate to Childline came on. At the end a slogan came up on the screen: ‘Who would abused children talk to if it wasn’t for Childline?’ Unfortunately, I read it as ‘Who would Childline talk to if it [...]
My life as a spy; or, friendship for finalists
It’s hard to find something to write about these days. Especially something that does not involve consoling third years about the terrible tragedy that has befallen them all: the end of university and the prospect of finding something else to do (I’m sure it’s not going to be all that bad). No, these last couple [...]
A different kind of education
I’ve been watching a lot of daytime TV. I have this theory that writing essays in front of the telly is a good way to focus; it stops you from being able to think tangentially. You can’t think about much more than your essay thesis and a cooking programme, rather than your essay thesis and all the alternative theses that you might be writing on.
Notorious B.I.G and I: like butter and toast
I miss believing that some people know everything. I’ve never been religious but I did, in my youth, have complete faith in certain people’s unwavering correctness. My Dad, for example. Until at least the age of seven, if I had any questions about life, the universe and anything, I never doubted that not only would my Dad be able to answer them, but he’d do so correctly too.
How to overcome a misleading moniker
Earlier today, I had a shock. Apparently, according to the Facebook news feed, there is such a thing as a ‘Nan-esque moment of shame’. Someone used that exact phrase to describe the culmination of their previous night’s experiences. What? What! How did I become a shame-o-meter all of a sudden?
Bringing sexy back to York
I think I’ve discovered the secret of sexy dressing; it was revealed at Friday’s Battle of the Bands heat. What you have to do, if you want to show some skin, is make the whole thing seem incidental – accidental even. So, instead of undoing your top four shirt buttons to show off your lovely chest, just get a shirt that doesn’t have the buttons in the first place.
Why I want to be a Swedish peasant
G. K. Chesterton said “The object of a new year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul.” Ah the prospect of self renewal! None are more susceptible to it than angst-ridden finalists trying to decide what, how, where to spend the rest of their lives.
The spirit of Christmas?
Never mind my soul, it worries me that Christmas has become a time for me and my siblings to destroy those of my parents. Not in a malicious way, but is it just my mum and dad who seem a little bit madder every time I go home? And is it just me who reacts to unconditional love by ripping the piss out of those who gave me life because they won’t hold it against me?
The ha-ha ditches of student life
Schadenfreude: the malicious enjoyment of the misfortune of others. It has always been a resoundingly German concept, in that it has not been British. The word’s import into the English language in its original form is a sort of linguistic get out of jail free card to avoid cultural ownership of a rather disconcerting emotional response.
Regaining my reputation the Smash Hits way
Searching for strategies to raise my stakes in the popularity game after my smugly-headlined column in last month’s edition, I turned to the people who play it professionally – pop stars. All Saints, having just re-launched their pop career are now popping up all over the press trying to revive their former status. This weekend, [...]
The perils of being too damn popular
So, parties. Students love them, can’t get enough of them. Parties bring us together, giving a population of 10,000 students a common interest. Parties are where we leave our academic loyalties at the door and humanities, arts and sciences mix it up. Parties let us dress up, drink, dance and hopefully make a good impression.
Why the telephone brings out my stupid side
Often the flip side of parties, and the other element of student existence which unites us all, is embarrassment. That sinking feeling, that adrenalin kick when you spot the witnesses to one of your more inelegant moments in Vanbrugh dining hall – it’s familiar to the lot of us.
New York and all that jazz?
Nan Flory spent a few weeks of the Easter break taking a bite out of the world’s biggest apple. New York is not only America’s cultural capital, but also arguably the cultural capital of the world. Can any similarities be found between the US city and its very English namesake?
The MySpace Revolution
Nan Flory examines the etiquette and conventions of MySpace.com
MySpace.com is, according to the wonderful Wikipedia, the ‘world’s fifth most popular English-language website and the eighth most popular in the world’. Created in July 2003 by a graduate from UCLA and UC Berkeley, called Tom Anderson, and currently run by Chris DeWolfe, the company behind the website employs 250 people (though goodness knows what they do) and has a yearly revenue of approximately 20 million US dollars.
Popular This Week
Polls
Loading ...