Howyis all doing, Welcome back for Issue Four of OTwo!

By Ellen Duggan and Andrew Nolan | Dec 10 2020

Howyis all doing,

Welcome back for Issue Four of OTwo! The semester is nearly up, and soon enough it’ll be time to veg out with your feet up for the Christmas Break. We’ve all had to put in a shift this semester, so take it easy once the break comes. You’ve earned it boss, make it a mission to do as little as is humanly possible. It’d be a nice change of pace for us all. 

After all this time, we’re finally starting to get a lick of good news. The good people over in Pfizer have been working on a Covid vaccine, and given the efficacy they’re stating things are looking really good! I’m not a gambling man, but I’m sticking good money that the bulk of it is just Sudocrem and flat 7up. Ah sure look, on a serious note though this is a brilliant thing to see after the past few months. It won’t be long now until we’re all back out in the likes of bars and cinemas again. Going out to see friends again, imagine! Heading out to cafés with company in person rather than seeing them in all their 1080p resolution glory - what a concept. God love our social batteries after this readjustment and please remember that with any change, comes a healthy dose of fear; acclimating to the big bad external world may not be easy, but we are all in the same boat.

With the end of the trimester approaching we know that means the workload comes with it. End of term essays and exam preparations have us all exhausted at this point, and the novelty of online classes wore off months ago. The one good side to this is that we’re nearly finished up! Obviously with Christmas soon after comes the New Year and we can all leave the mess that was 2020 behind. It’s been a heavy year, I’m pretty sure that goes without saying at this point, but we’re nearly there now. Congrats for making it through, it definitely wasn’t easy but you did it all the same. That’s something to be proud of. 

Before we get out of your way, it feels impossible to address our readers without directing our attention towards the recently publicised leaking of intimate images in this country. These images, often taken and all shared without consent, have highlighted gaps in our legislation that desperately require our collective focus and united effort in bringing measures that could prevent such invasive and traumatising experiences from occurring again. Our action and activity are deeply needed, as well as our support and kindness towards one another during times of difficulty. Love your friends enough to correct them when they display behaviour you disagree with, reach out for support and remember to always look after yourself. And we mean that lads. Seriously, call out your mates. It doesn’t matter if they’re your “boy”, that behaviour cannot be tolerated, and holding your friends accountable is vital in making sure that this never happens again. 

Thanks again for reading the OTwo for another semester. We hope you enjoy the issue, and we hope that the approaching holiday season is a good one!

Take care, and mind yourselves,

Andy and Ellen x