For my 21st I went to Amsterdam
for a weekend. Prior to that, for my 18th I went to Dublin for a
weekend. A month ago, I went to London for two days. And as much as I enjoyed
these holidays looking back. I struggled with certain aspects because I was not
prepared for a City holiday.
Amsterdam Ice Bar
When I think of a holiday, I
imagine myself lying by a pool with multiple cocktails surrounded by me. That
when I was packing for my City holiday... I just was not prepared AT ALL. I
have another City holiday booked for next weekend and I thought I would share
my essential list.
Passport (all depending)
Money
ID
Boarding Pass (all depending)
Train/Bus ticket , Printed Maps of routes (e.g. trains stop to hotel)
Phone
Phone Charger and Power bank (You will go through your battery if you’re taking photos)
Electronic plug converter (if necessary)
Earphones
Debit Card – if you are going abroad, I recommend you let your bank know before you depart, this can avoid charges all dependent on what bank you are with
Pack bag – YOU WILL BE LIVING FROM IT.
Small bag – for nights out etc etc.
Eyewear (Contact lenses, sun glasses, glasses etc..)
Instead of writing my assignment, I just unintentionally binged
watched 7 episodes of Riverdale and now I need to wait sixteen days for the
next episode! I suppose in a way this wait will save my uni work (probably not)
but still, it sucks.
Before watching Riverdale, I had no idea what to expect or
what the plotline was. I was bored, flicking through Netflix and recently I’ve
seen on twitter that people were loving this show. Admittedly I was hesitant, I
thought that I would watch the first two or three episodes and I’d be like ‘nope,
bored’. However, I was hooked.
Riverdale manages to subtly blend in societal, political and
psychological issues within the show storyline which I think makes the audience
feel a connection. Earlier, I saw a tweet which said: ‘I feel so emotionally
attached to Riverdale characters, they’re real ok?’. That just shows how strong
a character’s presents can be.
*SPOILER ALERT, SPOILER ALERT*
EVERYTHING ON THIS POST IS FEATURING EPISODES UP TO NUMBER 7! PLEASE STOP
READING IF YOU DO NOT WANT ANYTHING RUINED. GO WATCH IT AND THEN RETURN.
The first episode begins with a
popular jock (Jason Bloom) claimed as being dead, however something doesn’t
quite add up? We get told the story by Cole Sprouse character ‘Jughead’. Not
long after, a new girl who was extremely wealthy and from New York moves to
Riverdale and things begin to change. The way I’ve described it, does not give
it justice but here are my 10 reasons why I think Riverdale is addictive:
N U M B E R O N E: H A P P I L Y N E V E R
A F T E R?
We are introduced too Betty and
Archie. In a rom-com they would more than likely end up together and have a
happily ever after. They were literally next door neighbours since they were
four years old and had practically grown up together. With the help of
Veronica, Betty confess her feelings for Archie. Archie doesn’t love her in the
same way and then kisses Veronica (Juicy stuff! – breaking the rules of feminism
though V). Nevertheless, we cannot deny that in one point of our lives we have
loved someone who has not loved as back. Or one of our friends we love but not
romantically has expressed feelings for us but we just don’t feel the same way.
I know for me personally, I have been in both Archie and Betty position. I
think it’s pretty realistic way of representing relationships, instead of this
happy ending bullshit. It makes it easier to connect with Archie, Betty and
Veronica!
N U M B E R T W O: S L U T S H A M I N G
What great film brings up the
issue of slut- shaming in schools? You guessed it right, MEAN GIRLS! It turns
out the football guys kept a book of girls in the school and created a point
system. Depending on who the girl was and how far they got with them resulted
in a score. Veronica, goes out on a date with Charlie. He is the football Captain
and is known for being a player. Regardless, on their date, he and Veronica
kiss. The next day at school, an Instagram selfie of Charlie and Veronica goes
viral with a maple syrup splurge all over her face. We see a shot of Veronica
scrolling through the comments calling her a slut as where to the guys, it was
just a game to them. Veronica being extremely pissed off, demands that Charlie
takes the photo down but instead he just laughs in her face telling her that
she is just making it worse for herself. Betty convinces Veronica that they
will expose Charlie in her newspaper and later found out that the football boys
have done this to a lot of girls but they felt the need to stay quiet as no-one
would believe them. In their investigation, Betty sees her sister name their
besides Jason and this is when she demands justice. The girls hatch a plan and
end up drugging Charlie in a hot tub and get him to confess that he and
Veronica did not go any further than kissing and recording it, sending it
around the school. The book ends up being on the front cover of the newspaper
and the coach is forced to kick his own son of the team. You could argue that
the girls had their victory.
N U M B E R T H R E E: T E A C H E R / S T U D E N T R O M A N C E
Admittedly, a teacher and student
romance is an overused cliché but yet it’s so scandalous and dramatic that I kind
of dig it. Archie and his music teacher are at the scene of the crime doing
naughty things there. They hear a gunshot which is important to the Jason bloom
investigation. His teacher does not want him to come forward as she would then lose
her job. Archie is conflicted, but he knows that he needs to do the right thing
and in the end comes forward, but lies about the reason he is there. Jughead
sees the pair making out in the music room but tells Archie he would not tell
anyone. Later, whilst Jughead and Betty were investigating their story. The
individual who shot the gun, for exchange for their silence tells them that
they saw her car at the scene of the crime, yet no-one else was aware that she
was there. Betty puts 2 + 2 together and writes it down in her diary. She later
confronts Archie when seeing Archie, Archies Dad and His teacher at the diner,
and begins to investigate her. It was unclear if the teacher was in fact
in-love with Archie, or if she was playing mind games. Nevertheless, the
romance was cut short when Betty’s mum read her diary and threatens to go to
the police. The teacher is allowed to run away, leaving Archie broken hearted.
N U M B E R F O U R: T H E N A R C I S S I S T I C M O T H E R
Both Blossom’s and Coopers seem
to have mothers who want to control their children. One particular scene stands
out for me. Betty put on her sister's red lipstick and her mother stood behind
her in the mirror and vigorously wiped it off and told her pink suit her
better. Both mothers are blinded by their own selfish motivates and are
oblivious to see how they’re behaviour effects their daughters. Cheryl Blossom
mum even tries to prevent her from speaking at her own brother funeral in case
she embarrasses the family. Yet, even though these women make my skin crawl.
You can’t deny you do not know someone who is similar to this? Not as extreme.
But at one time I’m sure a parental figure has to have things their own way.
N U M B E R F I V E: L G B T R E P R E S E N T A T I O N
Who did not fall in love with
Kevin Keller? He’s an amazing character and appears to be a good friend too
Betty and Veronica. He’s openly gay and he’s chilled about it. There wasn’t a
big reveal. It was subtle. He is also the Sheriff son and I think the Sheriff
is one of the only parents (apart from Fred) who isn’t a dick to his child. He
even talks about his son pulling a lad and warns him about being careful with
men. There wasn’t a big emphasis on him being gay, it was a part of him which
he was proud of but it didn’t define him as a person and I think it’s an
important message to send out. So well done Riverdale
N U M B E R S I X: D E A T H 💀
A morbid reason really. But the
show portrays a really clear picture about how things change and are never
quite the same after someone you know passes away. And I think, most human
beings who have lost a loved one can connect and relate to that.
N U M B E R S E V E N: M E N T A L H E A L T H
S T I G M A
Polly, who is Betty's sister is
believed that she had gone away to a ‘safe’ place after she tried to kill
herself. This was a cover story invented by Bettys parents to be able to hide
her pregnancy. Nevertheless, people in school were still mean to Betty and
would often tease her about her sister’s mental state and then her own. In episode
six, Betty even starts to question her own sanity which Jughead responds ‘we
are all crazy’. Sadly, mental health was seen as a weakness.
N U M B E R E I G H T: A L C O H O L I S M
In episode seven, it’s revealed
that Jughead dad is an alcoholic. He turns to drink and becomes aggressive or
manipulative to Jughead. Blaming his circumstances on other people, instead of
himself. And falsely promising his son that he will get a job and he will win
back his wife. However, he fails to do so. Jughead stated to Archie that he
will not leave his dad. But, the episode is emotional. Here we see a parent and
child roles reversed. And sadly, this happens to a lot of people. Jughead gets
called in to the police station and is questioned through his circumstances.
The sheriff even says that children who grow up with a ‘dead beat dad’ and have
a record like him are often guilty. Luckily, Archie’s dad (Fred) saves the day
and gives Jughead an alibi to protect him. His dad later turns up to police
station drunk, shouting about how unfair it was for the police to try and pin
the investigation on him. This is truly powerful stuff which allows you to
empathise with Jughead and sort of want to save him. But at the end of the
episode we see Jason jacket in Jugheads’ dad wardrobe. Let’s pray there is a
good reason why it’s there and that none of them are the killer!
N U M B E R N I N E: T H E S O U T H S I D E
The ‘bad’ crowd. The ‘them’ vs ‘us’
scenario. The people who have transgressed from society and are a menace. The type
of group you should avoid. The rebels who do not stick to rules. In Riverside, these
are people who have low socioeconomic status. Throughout the series we see a misrepresentation
of rich vs poorer. And we can all fit in one of the categorise.
N U M B E R T E N: A T T R A C T I V E C H A R A C T E R S
Lastly, I mean just look at the
above and tell me that isn’t a reason to watch Riverside?
Put your hands in the air and shake it like you just don’t
care if you are super excited about Beauty and the Beast being released soon?
Emma Watson is a freaking babe, and most of you may fan girl over her in the
Harry Potter Franchise. I fan girl over her, mostly to do with her gender equality
side. Due to Watson feminist side, critics have of course criticised her for
playing a role which isn’t very female empowering?
As most of you are probably are aware, most Disney princess aren’t
very feminist friendly. However, what I have read is that Watson has given
Belle more of a back story – she even builds a wash machine so Belle has more
time to read!
Nevertheless, reading criticising articles about Disney
princess inspired me to write a Top 5 Disney Feminist Friendly films! If you’ve
been on my blog page before you would be aware that I am no stranger in ranking
Disney films in weird ways, check out my previous posts if you have time (5Eerie Origins from Disney Renaissance Era and 5 Dark Disney Animal Origin Stories). So here is my Top 5 Feminist Friendly Disney Films:
N U M B E R O N
E: M U L A N
Well she was as swift as the coursing river and had the
force of a great typhoon with all the strength of a raging fire. But seriously,
this woman who was brought up in a culture where it was her ‘duty’ to be silent
and get married and have a shit load of kids. Decides to be like ‘fuck that
shit’ and takes her father’s place in to the army and in the end saves all of
freaking china! I’m pretty sure she is the only Disney female character to
challenge gender stereotypes so openly but If that doesn’t empower females,
then what the hell will?
N U M B E R T W O: P
O C A H O N T A S
Does anyone remember the scene where good old Pocahontas
rejects a guy by saying ‘it’s not you, it’s my path’ speech? I mean way to swap
traditional gender roles! Not only does Pocahontas stay single; she doesn’t
need to be saved by anyone or anything. She is the one to save the guy that she
loves. She doesn’t end up with him because she has another calling in life,
that she chooses to do. She isn’t afraid to be exposed or alone. She’s happy
with who she is and that’s fantastic!
N U M B E R T H R E
E: 1 0 1 D A L M A T I A N S
‘Whaaaaaaaaaaaaat?’ You might think. A film about dogs as
feminist friendly? Yes, yes it is. Perdy was Pongo’s equal throughout the film.
Unlike the book, Perdy was a dumb dog and a ‘lesser’ character throughout. But portrayed
in the film, Perdy was just as important as Pongo. In their relationships there
was a constant balance of power and love and I think that is an important
message to give to both sexes’ from a young age.
N U M B E R F O U R:
T A N G L E D
If you didn’t laugh when Rapunzel hit Flynn Rider over the
head with a frying pan when she first met him, then can we even be friends? I
mean, instead of just letting a guy up in the tower and instantly falls in love
with him. She fights and is reluctant at first. Which lets be honest is a more
realistic approach. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not going to hit a guy over the
head with a frying pan when I next go on a date. But let’s be real, this ‘love
at first sight’ is bullshitty and I think seeing Flynn and Rapunzel
relationship progress is a much healthier way to teach children about
relationships
N U M B E R F I V E:
T H E P R I N C E S S A N D
T H E F R O G
I’m pretty sure, Tiana is the only Disney princess to
actually wake up in the morning and decided to start her own business? Her
dream wasn’t getting married in a castle or wanting to be saved by some rich
prince but to own a restaurant which in the end, she eventually does and names
it after herself. That’s pretty sweet.
I hope you enjoyed that, which is your favourite Disney
film? Xo
