Check out this fantastic video of Brighton and Hove created by  Business Foundation student Lola who is studying at  Bellerbys College Brighton.

The editing is fast, colourful and set to a thumping soundtrack by Cassius.

Art teacher Michael Fraser said “This is actually one of the best promos for Brighton as a city and tourist destinations I’ve ever seen” and we have to agree!

Enjoy the ride:

(Thanks to basykes for the photo on a creative commons licence)

My old school created the short film which got me thinking, and I feel so proud of them that I wish I was back at school with them and tell them they mean a lot to me, so sharing it with my new mates here, is the least I could do to spread the message and to get people to realize, life is uncertain, and everyday could be your last day.

If today was your last day on earth, how would you spend it, and who would you spend it with?

It a simple question isn’t it? Well, take 10 seconds, think about it. Not really a simple question,right?

We often prioritize the less important issues in life, and we really fail to take notice of all the important issues in life.
The regular 35 year old office manager neighbour for example, if he has a family dinner during the weekend, but at the same time, he has an invitation for a corporate event, no doubt he would choose the latter. Why? Cause that’s just how the world works.

Back to the question. Today is your last day on earth, how would you spend it? Well I know my answer. I’d be in my hometown, just chilling by the beach, with my girlfriend on my right, and a beer bottle on my left. It seems like a perfect thing to do. But is it really?

The more I think about it, the more I think I would also want to spend time with my close friends. I would want to jam at the studio. I would want to just take my younger brother for a drive. I also would want to go up to the mall that I’ve always gone to and just waste some time there, or spend some much needed time with my parents.

How can I ever make a decision? It would be impossible doing all of those in 24 hours, but that is all the time I’ve got left. I guess what my answer would be is that, I would be back home, but I would do things the way I’ve always done them, just go on my normal daily routine. Yes, it doesn’t sound like something fun, but the best times of everyone’s life’s has always come when they least expected it to.

Thinking about this question makes me realize how much I am grateful to have everyone around me and how every single thing, no matter big or small has affected me in each and every way and has led me to where I am today. Saying I love everyone would be an overstatement. But I guess I would simply thank everyone, for everything they have done, either knowingly or unknowingly.

Now, take 5 minutes. Think. What would you do?

I would never have thought about these questions without you guys. Cheers Uplanders. =)

I’m in a bar in London. I’m 17 and I want a drink. But not a vodka. Not a beer. Not a whisky on the rocks. Just a plain, simple, non-alcoholic orange juice.

I’m not asking for the world, am I? Well, maybe I am actually…

Last week my friends and i went to celebrate our friend’s birthday. We bought presents, chose the pub.That is how it happened. Same as usual.

From early morning all girls were in anticipation of the party. None of us could study, all thoughts were directed to what to wear, which make up to use. Finally the long-awaited evening came.

It was the first time in my life when I decided to put on some evening make-up to look older.

We got to the pub and everything seemed fine until i went to the bar. As a non-drinking person i decided to order a juice. As soon as i said CAN I HAVE AN ORANGE JUICE? I heard an unexpected answer MAY I HAVE YOUR ID?!

Although a minute ago i saw him selling tequila to some of my friends without asking an ID. Just imagine how shocked I was. So much effort to look older collapsed overnight.

I didn’t realize that OJ was such a dangerous drink…

So i ended up, getting an orange juice at the off license store, and instead of chilling with my friends at the warm bar, I was out on the street on a cold autumn night.

No worries, it will all be OK soon. I’ll be 18 next July and then I can drink as much OJ as I want!

This is an innovative short film by Foundation Media student Ngo Hong Vinh shot entirely in a point of view (POV) style! It gives a personal and humorous insight into a student’s life at Bellerbys London, from travelling to the school to study projects and social activities. Vinh’s film came second in the 2010 Bellerbys Video Competition and he’s now getting ready to study Media and Communications at Goldsmiths University in London. We know he will do brilliantly there!

In childhood we do what our parents say. Then we grow up and other people make us do things we do not always like.

Is there no way out of this? Of being pushed around like a leaf in the wind?

Well, there just might be. Say ‘No’ to such a life. Stand up and get armed with… persuasion skills. All successful businessmen and politicians use them. Starting from ancient Rome and Greece the art of speaking was greatly appreciated and taught to the aristocratic class. Now everyone has a chance to learn and apply the skills to get success. In business, studies and just your casual life they can make all the difference. From being a leaf, to being a tree – solid and firm. 

There are many techniques to get what you want in conversation and here are 6 basic rules:

1. Start from strong arguments, then give average ones and in the end the strongest point. Do not mention weaknesses as a person will notice them immediately and think not about number of arguments but about their strength (for this you need to have enough knowledge about your topic and be prepared)
2. Imagine yourself in their place. Think – what he/she will get from your words.
3. Look at their body language. They often tell us about true feelings of a speaker. Moreover, you can mirror them and a person will feel comfortable and empathized with.
4. Be a good listener. It will help you keep aware of the subject and a person will appreciate your interest in his words.
5. Let them save face. If they feel offended their dignity will be destroyed. They do not want to show their foolishness in front of you.
6. Make them think that it is their idea. Speak out your suggestions and let them make a conclusion. They will feel motivated and proud of themselves and you will achieve what you want.

All you need now is to be patient and persistent and surely you will not miss your chance for success!

Useful links:

http://www.wikihow.com/Persuade-People-with-Subconscious-Techniques

http://www.1000ventures.com/business_guide/crosscuttings/persuading_people_bybt.html 

http://www.evancarmichael.com/Work-Life/1709/12-Ways-to-Persuade-People-to-do-More-for-You.html

Useful book:

Dale Carnegie. How to Win Friends and Influence People

If your man is:

British

“Miss Elizabeth. I have struggled in vain and I can bear it no longer. These past months have been a torment. I will have to tell you: you have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love, I love, I love you. I never wish to be parted from you from this day on.”

No, he doesn’t speak like Mr. Darcy and probably has to look up chivalry in the dictionary. He’s not a lord and goes to work by tube, not by carriage. He doesn’t drink tea at five o’clock and is probably fairly drunk by nine. When he asks you on a date, don’t expect to be taken to the opera, it’s very unlikely that he has ever been there. His idea of the ball is to go out with his friends, whom he calls mates, get pissed and pursue women (sometimes without the last thing if they are too drunk to talk). 

 He can’t recite Shakespeare in front of your window and never expect him to call you my fair lady; the best you will get is babe. If you imagined long horse rides in the country side, you will be very disappointed. He can’t ride, neither can he shoot an apple (the days of William Tell are long gone). He probably doesn’t play cricket.

You may expect your Englishman to be very polite and punctual, but unfortunately, he may be late for your meeting because “some prick blocked the traffic”. Looking forward to those long, rainy nights you will spend in your cottage in front of the lovely fireplace listening to The Beatles while he is whispering “All you need is love” and gently kissing your hair? That’s one scenario (the imaginary one).

 The realistic one is that he is either with you, but he’s incredibly agitated because “The bloody Manchester” lost again, or he is with his lads in a pub watching the Red Devils beating “The bloody Arsenal”. He will probably arrive drunk and tell you to turn off The Beatles. He will not wear a hat and a tie (a scruffy look is what you should prepare for). Oh, yes, and he doesn’t know the Queen.

French

“Rappelle- toi Barara, il plevait sans cesse sur Brest ce jour-la

Et tu marchais sourriante, epanouie, ravie, ruisselante…”

Every French guy knows Jacques Prevert. Well, no.  Your ‘amant’ will probably have no clue what you are talking about, and even if he thinks it is ‘familiar’, he will not be able to complete the song. You will be disappointed, but in high spirits to try the magic of his French cuisine. It may turn out, however, that he can’t cook at all and has no great knowledge about wines and cheese. If he offers you a take away pizza, you should consider yourself lucky (he made an effort to call).

At least you can rely on having long cultural discussions because this man knows every painting from the Louvre and considers “Le chateau de Versailles” his second home? Well, no. He has learnt about Monet in school (but copied from a friend on the arts exam) and has visited Versailles once and fell asleep in the second room.  He doesn’t listen to Edith Piaf or Aznavour and it’s very likely that his answer to the question “Do you know Arthur Rimbaud?” will be “I think there’s one Arthur in my office. “

He will not arrive on dates wearing a beautiful coat and a Cartier watch. Your birthday present will not be Chanel No5. Dreaming about a lovely weekend in Paris? He is actually from a village whose name you can’t pronounce.  Maybe he has a romantic side, but it’s locked deep, deep under his hoody (he does NOT wear a coat).  A lot more than “Je t’aime” you will hear “I don’t care”. But all of this doesn’t really matter because he’s the master, the prince, the lord of French kissing. Well… Maybe, if you are extremely lucky. In most cases, he’s just an average guy with a funny English accent.

Italian

Era il giorno ch’al sol si scoloraro
per la pietà del suo factore i rai,
quando ì fui preso, et non me ne guardai,
chè i bè vostr’occhi, donna, mi legaro

Petrarca wrote about her lovely eyes. Your Italian boy will not notice if you cut all your hair and get a tattoo with “I love Italy” on your forehead.  You may want to fool yourself by thinking that he is dreamer; the truth is that he didn’t hear what you said because he was checking out your friend. Italian is the language of love. English spoken by an Italian is the language everybody laughs at. Be prepared to see people taking the mickey out of your amici and probably out of you too (because you are the fool who chose him).  He may be the man of words, but he’s also the man of moves. Even the most ordinary story will have lots of special effects in his interpretation. He will clap hands; move them left and right like a puppet on a string (or more precisely like a clown) while he’s telling you what the time is. If you are a single mother, this guy is the perfect entertainment for your child.

Unfortunately, he can’t make pizza, lasagna or carbonara, but he is more than happy to leave that job to you. When it comes to fashion, he should have a great style. He probably learnt some tricks from Dolce and Gabbana.  Ummm, no. Maybe he’s a tough guy? You are thinking Italian mafia, Al Capone, Al Pacino in Scarface. Your guy is afraid of pigeons. His house was obviously not decorated by Michelangelo (the Sistine Chapel doesn’t have socks all over the place). You expect him to sing you some Eros Ramazzoti in the twilight.

He would if he wasn’t out with your friend who he has been checking out or if he had a singing voice.

You are trying to be mysterious a la Mona Lisa, he dumps you because you are weird and you are bothering him. Don’t agonize because you are not as sexy as Monica Bellucci and because all Italian women are the creatures of beauty and grace. His ex girlfriend was very average and somehow funny. Actually, they kind of look the same. 

Russian

“We sometimes encounter people, even perfect strangers who begin to interest us at first

Sight, somehow suddenly, all at once, before a word has been spoken.”

Russian guy! A perfect source for Dostoevsky! Unfortunately, you will find out that he hasn’t read a single one of Fyodor’s books and the only book he can be associated with is The Idiot.  You believe that you have found a strong man with Stalin’s will and power. He can’t even decide where to go for dinner.  When it comes to ice skating, he is Evgeni Plushenko. In his dreams. He’s proud of his country ice skating achievements, but is not very confident on the ice. Maybe he will take you to ballet to see some young Mikhail Baryshnikov? Not very likely- he thinks ballet is for little girls.

You are thrilled to hear stories about the Soviet Union from an expert on the topic. He only knows that “Something bad has happened.” He is not a communist. When it comes to romance, he’s not really count Vronsky. He can’t play balalaika. You pictured him in a fur coat and a classy hat, but he keeps wearing t-shirts. He keeps getting annoyed by the weather- “It’s very cold”. (Aren’t you Russian?) You are thinking about telling him do svidanya, but there’s one thing that’s stopping you. You can’t wait to drink with this man!

You will get drunk; he will feel nothing, get you and your empty bottle of vodka in his arms and show you some soviet magic. Well, no. The picture is somehow different- you are sitting sober or tipsy while he’s in the toilet being violently sick after two shots of vodka. You ask him if he’s fine, he keeps saying “da, da”. After spending time with this guy, you will seriously need one AK- 47. Not to shoot him. To shoot yourself because you have been unbelievably stupid.

Hopefully, now you’ve got the picture. Special cases like Aussies and Americans are not covered because you don’t want to date convicts and non English speakers. This all may seem a bit depressing, but it’s better safe than sorry, right?

If you still feel like searching for an “ideal” man, definitely go for it. Just take a peek at his passport before falling in love.

My first religious adventure started when I was eight years old. Growing up with atheist parents meant that I had a very poor knowledge of religion. God was never the subject of our conversations. He was, however, the subject of our meals.

I noticed a funny paradox. We never went to church, nobody even lit a candle or wore a crucifix, but when Easter and Christmas came, we were more than happy to enjoy a luxurious feast. It seemed like hypocrisy.   How can you celebrate something you don’t believe in? My parents laughed at my questions and shut me up with some really childish answers like “Well, everybody celebrates Christmas.” I was angry.

Angry and confused and keen to find out more.

It wasn’t until high school that I started my new religious pursuits. I chose religious classes and was looking forward to finally solving some riddles. My professor was young, had a degree in theology and was full of knowledge I needed to use. I started with some basic questions. How do we know that God exists? If God created the world, who created the God? Instead of engaging in long religious debates, all I got were text book answers. We know that God exists because the Bible says so. God was born out of nothing; he is the one and only creator.

Every time I asked “But, why…?” the professor got angry. “You don’t question God. You don’t question The Bible.”  Well, I couldn’t agree. Isn’t it the point of religion to make man question himself, his morality, to constantly work on his ethics? Unsatisfied, I did a bit of research on my own.  I read Boccaccio’s Decameron and learnt about the dark sides of Christianity. Reading about the monk who seduced a young woman, corruption in religious circles and satires about the Catholic Church made me pose one more question – how much Christianity does Christianity actually revolve around God?

The evidence of corruption can’t be neglected. There are a few examples of what priests did under the protection of two cardinals, John Krol and Anthony Bevilacqua:  one eleven year old girl was raped by the priest who was supposed to take her for an abortion. Priests also offered money to young boys in exchange for sadomasochistic acts and children were abused in the cruelest of ways.

Then, we have Luther who led a fight against letters of indulgence (people being forgiven their sins in exchange for money). ‘Forgiveness should not be bought’, he believed, but the church said differently. So, is it really about God? If I can have sinful thoughts and act in the most unethical ways and then buy my forgiveness, what is the point of God? It also seemed to me that this religion was too rigid. “We are right. Everybody else is wrong.” Faith should be about believing in something spiritual and should not have those kinds of strict boundaries. 

Isn’t being a good person more important than the way one practices his faith?

So, I didn’t like  Christianity. It didn’t give me enough answers. I wanted to widen  my horizons and then I got lucky. My American aunt, who has worked and lived in Japan for ten years, developed a passion for Buddhism. It was a major family issue; she drove her mother in law crazy by putting little Buddha statues all over the house and doing rituals in front of her. When I told my mother that I would go to one session of Buddhism, she was terrified thinking that I was about to join some kind of strange Satanic cult. I, however, didn’t care and went anyway.

For those who are not familiar with Buddhism, I must explain that it’s a very unique religion. It concentrates on people’s minds since it is believed that everything (good or bad) comes from the mind.  As a beginner, I felt unbelievably stupid sitting on a carpet in the ‘lotus position’ mumbling a mantra I didn’t understand at all. Also, I was a bit disappointed when, after the completed session, I didn’t feel the enlightenment.

They explained to me that for something like that to happen you have to repeat the rituals every day for a long period of time. No quick fixes there then. What I did like was the positive energy and the feeling of relaxation.  I also borrowed a book from my aunt and did a bit of reading. It was worlds away from Christianity.

For example, there can’t be forgiveness for karma (karma is the force that brings suffer or joy after good or actions). Buddhism also brings the concept of reincarnation. It is an ever- changing process influenced by karma. I liked it. It was different. It was new. But was it about God (in this case Buddha)?

To me, Buddhism seems more like a lifestyle than a religion. You choose how to think and what to do to escape the bad karma. It does have sense, but should we make our decisions just because they are good for us, or should we think about the quality of those decisions? It also seems that everything is predetermined. We are born, we get the karma, we live, we die, we live again…  Many people, including the group I practiced with and my aunt, use Buddhism as a life philosophy. It helps them to suppress stress.

Is this the point of religion? To live longer? To have less quarrels?

I was confused. I was missing something. I was missing God. That was the point of my life when I developed interest in sociology and I was again lucky. Our sociology classes were about religion and there was one we really put an emphasis on- Islam.

Islam is a religion we all think we know something about, when we actually know nothing. It is far more complex than “they are not allowed to drink alcohol and eat pork”. The main sacred text is the Quran which consists of a number of religious rules. Muslims believe that God chose the human representatives (prophets) and gave them wisdom and messages for humanity.

This is, again, a bit too vague for me. Aren’t we all supposed to be equal? Why would only some of us be chosen? If we are supposed to follow the messengers, why do we need God? And, also, how can all knowledge of the world, all secrets of this universe fit in one book? I don’t like the concept of predestination and the fact that we basically have no free will.

The main thing that’s bothering me is The Five Pillars. This may sound like a vote for anarchy, but I believe that religion should be rules free. Everyone should practice it in their own way. If I don’t pray five times a day, that doesn’t necessarily mean that I’m a bad person. It seems to me that this is, again, more about the lifestyle that about  God himself.

So, what’s the right religion? Is there one? I have travelled from Christianity to Buddhism and Islam and didn’t find the answer. Maybe there isn’t one. Maybe we should just behave in a way we find appropriate and try not to harm or hurt others. At the end of the day, I think that religion is in the heart. It’s not about what you are told to do. It’s about what you believe in and what you want to do.

And God? He is a strange “man”. I may never find him, but somehow he’s always present. At least twice a year… for Easter and Christmas. Why do I celebrate it?

“Well, everybody celebrates Christmas”.

Forget everything you knew about porridge*, five o’ clocks and conservativeness. A tourist guide or excursion can tell you nothing about the spirit of this city. This is the thing you can only feel while being on the streets. Here these streets are not the simple combinations of buildings and roads, but the modern fashion and source of inspiration. 

They don’t feel like any other European streets, because England is…different, England is on an island and everything here is detached from the “European standards”. Perhaps the reason is historical or geographical or may be the air here is different, yet the art of English designers is absolutely distinct from the classy Italians and French. And there is something mysterious in this gloomy and bizarre English style…

If you really love the city, you start to gradually change under its influence, without even realizing it. After a year of living in London, more and more I see a typical English girl in the mirror. It means that feeling comfortable is more important than looking perfect. It means that even loose clothes can be feminine. It means that one vivid piece in the outfit ‘in French style” is not me. After all, I’m on the island of England.

What is more, the streets here are always in a state of riot. I mean the riot of individuality, which is perhaps sometimes too eccentric. People here dress in their special style, which they proudly demonstrate on the streets in the form of worn tights, combinations of winter hat and summer sandals, incredible hairstyles or their absolute absence. However, everything they do, they do with some unique charm, which you can only inherit from your English parents or, like me, copy from the passersby you unconsciously admire.

How did all this come about?

Probably in the epoch of the famous and rebellious English punk. It’s no coincidence that Vivien Westwood, one of the world’s greatest designers, started her career in the 70s, when punks were all over the streets. She was actually inspired by them. And even today lady Westwood remains rebellious: complicated shapes of women’s dresses, massive chains and skyscraping heels.

Let’s take as an example her last advertising campaign: the model dressed in expensive Westwood clothes sitting on nothing else but a huge litter bin in a typical London dirty yard. That is shocking, yet in these pictures is the real modern England. People here literally sit wherever they want to. Not on the litter tanks, of course, but on the road, lawn and on the underground platform. That’s all right, that’s another riot and also not without its own unique charm.

It would be unfair to finish here and state that only rebellious sub cultures make up the English style. Here every anarchist somewhere deep in his soul is still conservative and loves old England. This culture shows itself in an English person, starting with the way they treat people (they start to hysterically apologize after you step on their foot) and finishing with their clothes style.

Case in point: men’s trousers by Westwood – inspired by the British tradition tailoring. Then, sharp shoulders of McDonald’s dresses – are definitely avangard, yet remind me of 19-th century royal dresses. Finally, the wild and mysterious Alexander McQueen. His collections feel like ancient English gothic culture, with its cold grey cathedrals and tails of brothers Grimm. However, the designer’s art is (again!) very rebellious.

Only an English fashion designer, like McQueen, could dress women in brutal, bizarre and outrageous costumes and still leave her feminine. Maybe, that is one of the numerous secrets of English style. The intriguing thing is that not just masters of fashion like McQueen, Richmond, Westwood and Galliano are able to solve this puzzle, but so are ordinary people. And this raises an interesting question: who is inspired by whom: the streets by the great designers or the great designers by the streets…?

In the glossy literature about English fashion you can find the statement that people’s bright and expressive appearance is their protest against foggy, rainy and cloudy weather. People just want to brighten the streets they where born in….

And we need more than porridge to do that.

Check out the whole set on our flickr page.