Sara Nigohosyan

Newcastle University final year student writing for the Courier and Rate Newcastle's Plate on various themes (News, Comment, Lifestyle, Food, Fashion, Film, Music, Travel, and others.)
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Student complaints reach an all-time high on 2021

During this academic year, complaints from universities in England have been recorded to have hit an unprecedented high. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many institutions, businesses, and individuals, but universities have been under fire for their minimal effort in maintaining the quality of teaching and student learning experiences, according to students. Additionally, many students have reportedly felt frustrated about the disruption to their studies due to lecturer strikes in relation
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Addressing Supermarkets' Food Waste Problem in the UK

Food that could make up 190 million meals is being thrown away every year by supermarkets, recent statistics in the UK show. The top 10 food giants in the country are donating less than 9% of their surplus products. This means that tens of thousands of tons of food that could go to those in need now go to waste every year. Given the fact that there are more than 14 million people living in poverty in the UK, the food going to waste could relieve many, if it was not being thrown away by supermar
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Newcastle awarded £27 million green fund to decarbonise city

Public buildings in Newcastle will get a green revamp worth £27.5 million with the goal of decarbonising the city. Newcastle City Council’s application for the funding has been approved by the government, enabling a great reduction of carbon emissions and overall improvement of the city. The eco-friendly measures will be installed in 32 public buildings, including the monumental Theatre Royal. Schools, libraries, leisure centres and cultural venues will count on solar panels, “smart” building
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£2.5 million revamp for Newcastle's Grey Street

The government is funding a £2.5 million revamp for Grey Street, with the aim of making the street more “people-friendly” In the efforts to make Newcastle's city centre a cleaner and healthier space, Newcastle’s City Council is intending on expanding pavements, adding cycle lanes, and creating “pocket parks”. Most of the parking bays on the street have already been removed last summer, freeing up space for the planned changes. The fund will only partially cover the cost of the street's redeve
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COVID-19 vaccine hubs revealed

The government has ordered enough doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for 20 million people. These will be distributed throughout the 50 hospitals in England which have been chosen as hubs for its administration. The process of vaccinating everyone who needs it is said to take “many months.”, but the 50 hospital hubs in the first wave of distribution have been announced, one of which is in Newcastle, The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The hubs are spread out across the who
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2020 in food-y Google searches...

With 2020 coming to an end, Google has released its 2020 Year in Search, revealing an interesting trend in food searches. Among the top 10 searches in the category were “Ikea meatball recipe,” “KFC recipe,” and “Wagamama katsu curry recipe,” revealing how much we have missed certain restaurants and fast-food outlets during lockdown. This certainly raises questions... has the current pandemic pushed us into becoming better cooks? Will home cooking become more popular than eating out in the futu
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The benefits of purple foods

We all know that fruit and vegetables are good for us, but understanding what makes them healthy often helps us eat better and get the most out of nutritious food. Purple foods have been found to be especially healthy because of the antioxidant they contain, called “anthocyanin.” This includes fruits such as blackberries, blueberries, blackcurrants, cherries, and vegetables like red cabbage, beetroots, and aubergines. These antioxidants have been linked to many health benefits, but they are mo
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Should we hold vegan brands to higher moral standards?

Veganism has become an increasingly popular lifestyle within the last few years, not only because of its health and environmental benefits, but also because of its supposed higher moral and ethical conduct. However, recent criticism of Oatly’s relationship with firms linked to deforestation of the Amazon rainforests, has caused debate over whether we should simply assume vegan brands are ethical. The vegan oat milk brand came under fire for signing a deal with Blackstone, a Trump-supporting, en
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24 hours in Venice

There are many cities worth visiting at least once in your lifetime - whether they offer cultural enrichment, stunning nature, or a slice of history, travelling always gives you something you’ll remember forever. So, if you could visit a city for a day, where should you go? And why? Venice is probably the first place one should visit when given the opportunity. Not only because of the beautiful architecture and its quintessential canals, but because it all might disappear soon. Global warming
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£14 million cash lifeline for Newcastle businesses

COVID-19 has negatively affected many businesses, particularly smaller ones, which has pushed Newcastle City Council to create a £14 million business support grant. This new initiative will allow businesses who apply for the grant to stay afloat. With the £14mn available, owners are urged to fight the negative financial impact that lockdown and Tier Two, and the now approaching Tier Three restrictions, have inflicted on the North East. Eligible businesses are expected to complete an online for
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Our dream Netflix categories

Ever been in the mood for that certain type of film but there wasn't a Netflix category niche enough? We look at some of the ones we wish our favourite streaming platforms would consider... Bad films often don’t get the recognition they deserve - but whether it’s the cheap effects, the poor acting, or the storyline that makes you cringe, they can be quite entertaining. Films like The Room (2003) have become iconic, and are even deemed as “cult-classics” for being as bad as they are. And there a
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Music in print. Will it last?

In defence of music journalism in print Print music journalism, along with the music industry as a whole, is transforming; but whilst the COVID-19 pandemic has accentuated declining print magazine sales for major magazines, changes were bound to occur anyway. When it comes to consumption of music-related content, habits have changed; the rise of new media means that readers have a deluge of options for music commentary, review and advertisement. Now, a huge chunk of the market can source their
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Is Malcom & Marie the future of filmmaking?

The very first film to have been fully shot during the current pandemic crisis has now been filmed and finished, and the title to be looking out for is Malcolm & Marie. In the last few months, we have had to change nearly every aspect of our lives, not only as individuals, but as societies, communities, and industries. The film industry has not been immune to this change, having to adapt to this new world of social distancing and extra caution. All of the unexpected changes and inability of in
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Albums of the decade

Our writers have gathered and reviewed the albums they believe to be albums of the decade Bon Iver's self titled album released in 2011 changed my life entirely, because of the aesthetics and emotions of the album. The mix of personal titles and place names creates an intimate vibe to relax to in any mood. I find myself coming to this album when i'm feeling stressed or want to write, it really clears my head and is perfectly crafted. My favourites on the album are 'Perth', because of the cre
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Our current fashion fixation: Thought Clothing

One of the latest, and probably best, trends of the fashion world is sustainable clothing. Fast fashion is harmful to the planet and often for the people working for it, which is why more people are turning towards environmentally conscious brands which also provide quality clothing that will last longer than just a couple of months. Thought Clothing is a brand which manages to combine the good ethics of the fashion industry with its own timeless style, creating an eco-friendly wardrobe at affo
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Chef spotlight: Edna Lewis

The contribution of black culture to our modern kitchens as we know them is undeniable, but to what extent are we informed on how much we have benefitted from it? Edna Lewis is one of the most influential figures when it comes to memorializing Southern American cuisine and popularizing it, whilst also incorporating her deep knowledge of African American food culture into her cookbooks. Her famous books, The Edna Lewis Cookbook (1972), The Taste of Country Cooking (1976), and In Pursuit of Flavo
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Clothes you should IDOL-ise: Topshop's IDOL collection

It’s the time of year when clothing lines are releasing their winter collections, and Topshop is no exception. Their collection IDOL is a tad different though, as at first glance, it doesn’t appear as a winter collection at all. The collection mainly consists of darker tones, with a flare of sparkling designs which can be seen as festive, but also appear to be suitable for nights out. The collection IDOL is one that looks designer, and this release marks the fourth launch of the collection. Th
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Morrison's is launching a vegan pork pie

First Gregg’s vegan sausage roll, then the vegan chicken McNuggets, and now Morrison’s is releasing its own vegan pork pies on December 9th. After Gregg’s success with the vegan sausage roll, and even their CEO going vegan, it’s safe to say that there has been quite a dramatic rise in the amount of foods that now have vegan substitutes. From pastries to milks and cheeses, there’s a vegan version of almost every type of food one can think of. The latest one that has gotten people’s attention is
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Animation Station: the niche philosophical films of Vewn

It’s safe to say that diving into the existential experience that are the animations of Veronica Vincent’s, who creates under the nickname Vewn, can be quite absorbing. Her first short film, Pizza movie, puts the start to her niche series of thought provoking shorts. Within just a minute, and yes, her short films are short, she manages to create a character that the audience can relate to and understand. This character, Jess, is being interviewed in front of a camera about her “fulfilling” job
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The Recent Rise of Veganism in Newcastle and Around the Globe

It’s safe to say that there has been a growing presence of a vegan community and lifestyle in the last few years everywhere one turns. It can be noticed in the vegan alternatives in nearly every restaurant, in newly opened vegan food places, and in the growing amount of videos that pop up on social media, both raising awareness on the topic and offering ideas for vegan recipes. The change has been occurring mainly in developed and developing countries, but according to The Vegan Society, the UK
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