The recently updated regulations regarding the ‘P-R’ ( person-remote) mode of learning as well as graduation ceremonies have added more fuel to the fire. Why?

After reading about the ‘post-covid university experience’, you may understand a little bit better…

“Will University lectures be held in Person or Remotely?”

Short answer: a blend of both! Following the University of Malta Senate meeting held yesterday, 23rd September 2021, it was announced that students would be returning to the Msida campus next Monday, 27th September 2021. According to the University, the most ideal way to obtain this would be to adopt a ‘P-R’ mode of learning.

This mode of learning will ensure that the Covid-19 health and safety regulations are adhered to. It is also designed to ensure the wellbeing of students and faculty members alike is maintained.

“What Will the P-R Mode of Learning Look like?”

This mode of learning will be adopted for large cohorts, much like the Department of Psychology. It will be organised as follows:

• Large groups of students will be sub-divided into smaller ones in order to fit University’s lecture rooms, keeping classes at a maximum of 60 students.
• The groups will alternate weekly between attending lectures physically and remotely.
• Remote participation will occur via recorded sessions on Zoom or following the lecture synchronously as observers.
• Participation on campus will resume normalcy, with the addition of wearing a mask and maintaining physical distance at all times (obviously!)

What will this mode of learning actually look like?

An email written by Dr. Gottfried Catania, Head of the Faculty of Social Wellbeing and the Department of Psychology was addressed to the students earlier today discussing updates regarding these recent developments. The email includes the following statement:

This is far from ideal. Students are rather upset with this arrangement, especially since they have found out about it 3 days before starting University.

Betapsi Malta‘s statement, released shortly after the email highlights this:

We are very happy to share this announcement [ regarding lectures being held physically], however, we are disappointed by the fact that Psychology lectures will start this Monday, and this decision has only been confirmed to the Department now – less than one working day in advance – especially considering that the three months of summer should have been enough to prepare for these circumstances, which at this point no longer remain unforeseeable.

A lot is said about mental health, being a very common buzzword in the media, yet students being kept hanging like this – a working day before lectures were set to begin – completely disregards their mental health. We believe we deserve better.

A couple of Psychology Students ( who opted to remain anonymous) decided to share their thoughts on the matter:

This system might create further issues in an individuals’ personal life away from university surrounding planning, transport, other life projects and building social connections with other students.

Being classified into separate groups according to surnames stops you from getting to know your class as a whole, and only reduces the quality of education even further for the half observing from behind a screen.

Betapsi Malta noted that despite these conditions, we should still maintain decorum with lecturers:

In the meantime, we would like to invite students to, as always, be very understanding with their lecturers. Lecturers, just like us students, have been informed of this confirmed decision now, and like us need some time to adapt to this new way of lecturing. Having half of the class with you in a lecture hall and the other half online must be no easy task, and so we would like students to show their full support to the lecturers, who are trying their utmost to give us a normal university experience.

A ‘Post-Covid’ Graduation Celebration!

No university experience is complete without a graduation ceremony. Following the pandemic, the graduation ceremonies for 2020 and 2021 graduates had to be put on hold. The University of Malta announced that these ceremonies will be held in the upcoming months.

The undergraduate ceremonies for both 2020 and 2021 graduates will be held throughout the months of November and December 2021, whilst postgraduate ceremonies will be held in March and April 2022.

Unlike previous years however, graduation ceremonies will not be celebrated in the usual Sir Temi Zammit Hall. Instead, they will be held at the University of Malta Sports Complex. In its statement, the University also explained that although guests will be invited to attend, they will be following a live stream of the ceremony in a separate tent to ensure Covid-19 measures are followed.

The University Graduates’ Lens

The Third Eye reached out to recent graduates to gain some insight on how they feel about this. The following responses demonstrates the difficulty of this situation:

Vera gravi how they handled it. We had the option to do graduations last year in these exact same conditions but instead of doing it last year for us they postponed to this year to have a graduation with double the number of people by adding both years together!

Another student shared her (rather heart wrenching) perspective on the upcoming graduation ceremonies:

It feels like I’ve been cheated again. I’m the first person in my family to graduate. And now my family is going to have to see all the hard work that they had to go through to allow me to go to university, through a screen. This is despite the fact that events of 100+ people are currently happening. I wanna cry about this like I’m so pissed off.

We’re second rate citizens, all they care about is that we contribute to the economy. Marking an accomplishment is nothing to celebrate, just go on and be robots contributing to GDP!

Watch this space for updates!

More Campus News here.

The post Welcome to the ‘Post-Covid’ University Experience! appeared first on The Third Eye.

The 13th of May 2021 marks an important day for the future of local media. Wednesday’s Webinar got the ball rolling for a much-needed conversation. Students, political associates, journalists and lecturers alike gathered to have a relatively impartial conversation about: Political Stations! What Future?

What kind of effects do you think the media has on Maltese Society? Wednesday’s event gave us a taster of what Media Talks has in the pipeline for public debates on the matter. This platform was created by the Department of Media and Communications, in collaboration with MKSA and yours truly, The Third Eye. Because let’s face it, we need to have an open discussion about local media and its implications on our community.

Political Stations! – Meet the Panel

Media Talks introduced multiple speakers from diverse backgrounds to ensure that the debate was as colorful as possible, and it worked out quite elegantly. Throughout the event the conversation was balanced, adequately informative and overall, truly engaging, as each member brought a unique perspective to the table. More vibrancy was added to the conversation by members who attended the event, so much so that it officially exceeded the original 1.5 hour time limit by an extra 45 minutes!

Ġorġ Mallia – An Observational Standpoint

Starting off was Professor Ġorġ Mallia – the head of the Department of Media and Communications at the University of Malta. Although his position as chairperson did not enable him to share his thoughts on the matter, he highlighted the necessity of Media Talk’s topical debates and carried on explaining that the brain child for this first event came about through Lovin’ Malta‘s court case regarding the unconstitutional (if legal) propaganda of local political stations.

Chris Peregin – A More Impartial Media Platform

Representing Lovin’ Malta was Chris Peregin – award-winning journalist and founder of Lovin’ Malta. His realisations about the corrupt and desperate state our island has ended up in is a primary motivator for his desire to make a positive change. One way of doing this would be to eliminate political parties’ association with broadcasting networks – as we have grown up consuming television networks which are run by political parties.

“When the media is too close to politicians, things turn sour. Freedom of expression includes the right to also receive factual and precise information.”

Chris Peregrin – Lovin’ Malta founder and award-winning journalist.

As it stands we can’t help but question whether these political stations are in fact broadcasting factual and precise information or if they are simply spewing propaganda. Chris suggested that moving political discussions to a separate entity owned by PBS might be a potential solution to create just a little bit more impartiality in our media.

Ramona Attard – Political Stations are Dedicated to their Viewers

Following Chris was Dr. Ramona Attard – Current President of the Labour Party, as well as a former television presenter and a former journalist with ONE. Speaking like a true political affiliate, she expressed her gratitude towards Malta’s achievements in multiple sectors; including health, education and infrastructure. Given her in-depth understanding of ONE’s running, she highlighted the necessity of political stations as platforms for freedom of expression which lots of people have invested in.

Following this she stated that she believes in the Maltese populations’ will to decide which political station to follow as well as the will to filter out which information they wish to absorb. As the conversation carried on she stated that ONE was financed primarily by public donations;

Each individual contributed just a little bit of what they had to make ONE what it is. Shutting down the station would be unfair to them and the many viewers the station is dedicated to.

Dr.Ramona Attard – President of the Labour Party

Martina Falzon – Inform Future Generations about Media Consumption

MKSA’s newly elected president, Martina Falzon, agreed with Ramona’s statement about keeping political stations alive. It keeps things black and white, as we truly know where each station stands – there are no hidden agendas. However, if such stations are to be maintained, Martina suggests that we should be educating the younger generations about how to adequately consume the readily available media. Teaching kids how to filter through media and essentially to think critically about the information they consume, could eliminate certain issues.

As the conversation progressed, Martina carried on stating;

I want the younger generation to understand the reality and not simply swallow facts. We can’t simply close stations however, we need to delve into the root of the issues. Work slowly and dig deep. Change the problem piece by piece.

Martina Falzon – MKSA President

Francis Zammit Dimech – Putting Political Stations in a Historical Context

Dr. Francis Zammit Dimech – the current General Secretary of the Nationalist Party and former MEP, chipped in to the conversation by shifting awareness to the historical perspectives of political stations in Malta. Back when Malta had one political station, it was also considered to be propaganda. The nationalist party founded NET TV two years after ONE, which had already put them at a disadvantage – so NET had to work extra hard to establish the broadcasting platform.

Having two political stations to represent our bi-partisan system is a huge milestone for Dr. Zammit Dimech. It ensures that the audience’s right to choose and receive which information they wish to refer to is met.

Later on in the conversation he also proposed a way forward:

When looking towards the future – the structure of PBS should be discussed. How can we now, in 2021 still maintain this structure? As it stands, the Government of Malta is still the main shareholder of PBS, therefore the ‘impartial’ media station is owned by the government. We should be discussing the entire structure of Malta’s broadcasting services by having open-minded dialogue between all stakeholders in Malta.

Dr. Francis Zammit Dimech – General Secretary of Nationalist Party.

Andreas Bugeja – What is Done Right is not Necessarily Fair

Our very own Andreas Bugeja – current Events Officer of The Third Eye and second-year Communications student with a keen interest in videography and photography, responded constructively to the arguments posed.

Primarily, people do not want to close these stations completely as it’s true that both NET and ONE have achieved so much and have also done good for the country. It is true that shutting a station will definitely hinder freedom of expression. Despite this, do these powerful political parties give a space to and allow the information of other parties to be heard?

Andreas Bugeja – Events Officer of The Third Eye

The systems of a political party’s own media platform creates a lot of loopholes, mostly financial ones. Andreas carried on saying that the existence of these political stations makes it seem that political parties depend on them for exposure, when in reality they could and would most probably get a fair amount of exposure from any other media platform. Andreas closed with the following statement:

Although it is true that so many people have worked hard to establish the platform, are they currently fighting to maintain it? At the end of the day what needs to be done right does not mean it is done in fairness.

Where does the Local Media’s Future lie?

As some of the external commentators pointed out, the current situation with local Media reflects Malta’s bi-partisan system – which essentially runs along the tribalistic notions of ‘ Us and Them’. Queries such as whether the stations were there merely to maintain the loyal base of each party were levied, and a number of suggestions made, among them that a third PBS channel be created specifically for the use of the political parties. In order to re-orient the way media informs and represents Maltese Society, we need to reflect on what kind of changes need to be made into the societal structures themselves that are adopted in subsystems – like the media.

Wednesday’s enlightening conversation is a potential first step in that direction.

Watch the full Webinar here!

Read more about the Maltese Media Here!

The post Media Talks | Where does Political Stations’ Future Lie? appeared first on The Third Eye.

This research, which was commissioned by MISCO, was aimed at exploring (mostly) student’s perceptions on drug use, as well as local drug policies and finally, the impact that Covid-19 has had on all this. The study further elaborates these findings and more in the following sections:

Drug Use for Recreational Purposes

When asked, “Have you ever made use of drugs for recreational use? “- 67% percent of the respondents answered that they have used drugs recreationally and 59% said that they are still making use of recreational drugs.

But the real question is, which drugs are students using recreationally?

98% of respondents have tried cannabis, 46% have tried hallucinogens and 38% have tried stimulants. Interestingly, 56% of the respondents who have tried recreational drugs, did so between the ages of 17 and 19 years. 29% have done so when they were 16 years old – overall this section gained a higher response rate from the male demographic.

And the final question- why did they first take drugs?

77% did so out of curiosity, 61% for experience and 54% just wanted to have fun. Contrary to popular belief, only a whopping 4% of students tried drugs because of peer pressure.

Perceptions of Drug Use and Substance

What kind of influence can drug use have on ones mental and physical wellbeing? 75% of respondents agree that using drugs can negatively impact one’s physical well being. 78% believe that it can negatively influence mental health. Another finding which contradicts commonly held belief- 68% of respondents do not agree that cannabis is a gateway drug to harder substances. In fact, 31% consider cannabis to not be dangerous at all.

How would people perceive me if I take drugs?

77% of respondents disagree with the notion that using drugs can improve social image. That being said, most respondents agree with the therapeutic qualities of certain drugs for specific medical conditions.

How easily accessible are drugs?

81% consider cannabis to be easily accessible, 56% for cocaine and 45% for MDMA. 65% of the responses were unaware of the easy access to amphetamines.

The Impact of Covid-19

Do you think that Covid-19 has influenced substance use? 67% of respondents seem to think there’s been an increase in the number of substance users and 61% of drug users are using more frequently. These are quite shocking results.

Perceptions of Drug Laws and Regulations

A very spicy question at the moment- do you believe that recreational cannabis should legalised? A staggering 55% of respondents believe that it should not only be decriminalised but should be made legal. 88% of respondents agree with the recent legalisation of medical cannabis.

Drug Abusers- Patients or Criminals?

88% of respondents agree that drug abusers should be considered as patients rather than criminals. This was a perception shared by 90% of the male respondents and 86% of female respondents.

‘To legalise or not to legalise?’

By legalising drugs, 78% of respondents agreed that the black market would be weakened and 77% agreed that it would limit the distribution of harmful quality drugs. Furthermore, 71% agree that it could also lead to a reduction in drug-related crimes.

That being said, 50% of respondents believe that this would lead to an increase in consumption. 24% believe that legalisation will not influence consumption rates.

It’s refreshing to see this kind of data being gathered, it sets the record straight on where student opinions lie and clear up some misconceptions. Bring on more info KSU!

You can access the full report here.

Read more on ‘Beyond The Influence’ here.

The post What Do Students Think About Drugs? | KSU’s ‘Beyond the Influence’ Survey appeared first on The Third Eye.

Membership Benefits

“When becoming a member of this organisation, members will benefit from ____________”.

Although these kind of statements are clever (and necessary) ways of keeping orgs alive and growing their membership count, they lack something vital. The power to do more. The Malta Model United Nations Society (MaltMUN) has retained the traditional personal benefits of memberships, but they have also added the ‘Share the Meal Initiative‘ to their membership system. A way of doing more by giving back.

You can find their membership benefits listed here:

1. Keep up to date with MaltMUN’s local and international Opportunities!
2. Be offered internship opportunities with International Organisations.
3. Get discounts at their Annual Conference
4. Get discounts at their International Delegations training and attendance.
5. Have Preferential Committee Selection
6. Form part of a European MUN Community

What I love about this membership system is the idea of creating a community around a set of goals and values, namely that looking beyond our own comfort and acknowledging that with very little we can do so much!

Kelly Cini, Secretary General

How Does It Work?

Matthias Azzopardi, MaltMUN’s President, explains the concept in the following statement:

MaltMUN’s mission statement is to foster excellence and there is no better way to do so than to act on the principles that the Society stands for. Through MaltMUN’s newly revamped €3 annual membership system, we have been collecting €2 euro from each membership and donating it to the UN Share the Meal Initiative.

So far, the society has collected a total of €148, which means that they have provided 211 meals for those who need it. MaltMUN’s PRO, Jeremy followed by saying;

The idea behind this system is to create a model that benefits everyone. The reality is that many organisations don’t use their membership system for large-scale profit. Following such a difficult year for all of us, MaltMUN wished to practice what it preached- to make a positive change.

Hopefully more organisations follow suit. After all, if it isn’t us making a difference than who?

Applications are open all year round. So, as Azzopardi shares his final words…

As the saying goes, if you want to walk fast, walk alone but if you want to walk far, walk with others. Indeed, our journey does not stop here. So join MaltMUN (here) today so that we may together leave a mark in the world we live in!

The post Orgs Give Back: MaltMUN’s ‘Share the Meal’ Membership Initiative appeared first on The Third Eye.

There are two types of people in this world: those who like traditional Christmas carols and those who don’t.  For that reason, we’re dedicating this to those who are tired of hearing the same 5 songs on repeat this holly jolly festive season!

So, if you’re looking to have yourself a rebellious little Christmas and get into that (alternative) Christmas Spirit, check out this list of less-known Christmas tracks. Some delightful, some a little weird and some which are perfect for the indie soul. Overall, they still have that (not so cheesy) Christmas vibe.

No Doubt- Oi To The World

First up, we’ve got this upbeat cover of The Vandals ‘Oi To The World’, by none other than ska-pop 90’s band No Doubt. This cool and cocky Christmas tune pays homage to punk’s nights out-utterly liberated and somewhat reckless. Matches up with this song’s energy!

The Killers- Don’t Shoot Me Santa

This quirky Christmas bop by infamous Las-Vegas based rock band The Killers is a little bit odd to say the least. But that ‘Killers’ flare will have this song playing over and over in your head for the next couple of days.

Featuring the vocal accompaniment of Ryan Pardey as Santa, it switches tempos quite regularly throughout the song- it’s almost like a dialogue between the victim and the killer (hehe)! Keeping listeners on their toes, it’s a play on the fluctuating emotions anyone would feel if Santa had a gun pointed at their head!

 Run the Jewels- A Christmas F**cking Miracle

*Disclaimer*- this is not your happy go-lucky, ‘wholesome vibes’ Christmas Song. Run The Jewel’s hard hitting bass track, with heart felt and honest lyrics shoves us straight into a state of reflection.

Taking us back in time, El-P and Killer Mike dedicate their lyrics to younger versions of themselves, looking back on where they’ve come from, primarily the injustices faced in “AmeriKKKa with the triple K.” This track is here to remind you that- Christmas is not a pleasant experience for all!

Gruff Rhys- Post-Apocalypse Christmas

This is probably the most appropriately timed song to include for the year 2020. Although we’ve (only) lived through a pandemic, not an apocalypse, I think we can still relate. Plus Gruff Rhys brings along a pretty sick bass line and some tangy psychedelic undertones to keep things zaney and fresh with this rather catchy track. You’ll be singing along to ‘Post-Apocalypse Chirstmas’ in no time!

Andrew Bird- ‘Christmas in April’

Staying on the ‘pandemic’ theme, this downbeat Christmas track by Andrew Bird was written in April, during the lockdown. Bird’s soft, ethereal vocals and gentle guitar playing paints an overall picture for what this festive season might look like. This track is here to soothe that separation anxiety some people might be feeling in Christmas 2020.

Los Campesinos!- Kindle a Flame in Her Heart

This next track is a bit of an indie Christmas love song! It’s got that mushy yet raw kind of vibe to it, leaving your heart a little bit warmer by the end of it. With sort-of cheesy lyrics like “thawing my heart like morning frost,” I recommend playing this song for your girl while cosying up this Christmas time.

If you’ve watched Call Me By Your Name, then I’m sure you know who Sufjan Stevens is. His infectious vocals and subtle instrumentals compliment this elusive yet deeply insightful Christmas tune. Touching on topics like consumerism and Christmas as a modern-day jumble of old traditions, it’s quite a thought provoker. There’s also a sneaky reference to Joy Division somewhere in this 12-minute song. Highly recommend giving it a listen- it’s pure, coffeehouse vibes.

Eels- Everything’s Gonna Be Cool This Christmas

Another ‘coffeehouse vibe track’. Eels bring forth a cool and effortless young energy with this indie rock track. It’s got a somewhat more traditional Christmas vibe to it, thanks to the accompaniment of some Christmas bells. But the rocky overtones compensate for that, so even if you’re utterly anti-Christmas tunes, you’ll probably be able to stomach this one!

Fleet Foxes- White Winter Hymnal

This song may or may not be interpreted as a Christmas track. But bring together lyrics that mention snow, echoing vocals and feel-good energy and you’ve got yourself a somewhat unorthodox Christmas track. Fleet Foxes bring their folky ambience to this track, setting the tone for unavoidable Christmas magic. I do believe that you can appreciate these harmonic melodies, regardless of where you’re coming from.

The Travellers- X’Inhu l-Milied Ghalik

And finally, we couldn’t have compiled this list without adding some local flare. The Travellers released this track in early November this year, and we’re hooked on it. They asked the essential question, “What does Christmas mean to you?” Is it a cup of tea? Spending lots of money? Is it Catholic traditions or is it an extraordinary array of Christmas lights? The answer is entirely up to you, it could mean nothing all!

Bonus Track: David Schembri- A Christmas Lament (Oh Shit, It’s Christmastime Again)

This super fresh release by local musician David Schembri creates a cold and moody ambience, ideal for late walks on cold winter nights. This raw, soft and heart-felt melody has a Bon Iver feel to it. Schembri talks about the hard-hitting reminder Christmas brings about – our lives are rolling by year after year, and there’s nothing we can do to stop it!

Check this article out to learn the Realities Behind the Festive Season

The post An (Unusual) Christmas Playlist appeared first on The Third Eye.

“ The need for a proper reform of our nation’s constitution has been the elephant in the room for quite some time, and has been exacerbated over the past few years to a point where it can no longer be ignored.”

KSU- Kunsill Studenti Universitarji published the position paper regarding the constitutional reform yesterday, on the 27th of November 2020. The paper endorsed by 18 student organisations, had its proposals delineated after detailed consultations with the student body.

Defying the Odds

This paper was prepared against all odds, “given the political and constitution crisis which gripped the country in November and December” of the year 2019, followed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Finally, KSU have successfully released it. We should thank the revamped Constitutional Reform Task Force for this. It consisted of several volunteering members, established at the beginning of KSU’s term in July.

In Friday afternoon’s press conference, KSU President Matthew Xuereb stated,

“The prospect of a holistic Constitutional Reform has been raised time and time again over the past two legislatures, yet the promised Constitutional Convention has not materialised. It is long overdue for civil society to be properly consulted and included in the process. For this country to move forward we must have a truly inclusive national debate on what are our identity as expressed in our Constitution should be, including all factions of society; debating our Republic’s institutions and principles is not an academic exercise but rather a duty of citizenry.”

Why do we need the Constitution Convention?

The substantive reforms that were passed over the summer were greatly needed but, ” it is imperative to highlight the stealth with which such reforms were rushed through“. KSU states in the freshly released document. This is due to the heavy-handed approach and lack of dialogue with respect to the proposed reforms.

Another aspect which adds to the urgency of this kind of Convention is accentuated by the ongoing political and constitutional fallout which escalated from the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia. On top of the placement of the institutions’ functioning and the rule of law which was put under both local and international spotlight.

What does the document entail?

The document KSU published aims to represent the students if and when the Convention is convened. This is done through close consultation with its member organisations and the student body at large.

Find the highlighted positions adopted by KSU’s Social Policy Commission below (according to KSU’s official press release):

• Removing the non-alignment clause.
• Substituting the Roman Catholic religion from being that of the state to that of the majority.
• Banning the sale of citizenship.
• Adding EU citizenship.
• Increasing the President’s powers.
• Having fewer MPs, on a full-time basis.
• Appointing the Attorney General and the Police Commissioner through a qualified
majority.
• Providing for the public financing of political parties.
• Creating a Council of State to assist the President in exercising his functions.

Watch yesterday’s press conference here:

Read more about KSU’s Social Policy Commissioner for the year 2020/21 here .

The post KSU Releases Paper Urging President to Convene Constitution Convention appeared first on The Third Eye.

Upon meeting Ed Vassallo, you will learn three things about him.

1. He is (quite) funny. This is stating the obvious because, you cannot really be a stand-up comedian without being a tad humorous.

2. He is most certainly creative. You can throw anything at him and I can guarantee that he WILL make a joke out of it. 

3. (This is probably his most likeable quality) He is resilient– this guy does not give up. “It’s one of the reasons why I haven’t given up on my ex yet,” Ed teased.

Besides being 18, bartending at two of Valletta’s most prominent bars- The Pub and The Beer Cave and studying accounts at ACCA, Ed also does stand-up comedy. Although his goals do include the concept of being Malta’s first stand-up comedian to make it on Netflix, he tries to remain as realistic as possible. So, accountings’ on his main agenda and comedy’s his side hustle (for now).

Ed and Comedy- THE OTP (one true pair)

Comedy is a medium that allows Ed to overcome his insecurities. He always struggled with his body image, but comedy unleashed the confidence he didn’t know he had within him. Now he just owns ‘being Ed Vassallo.’

When he is performing, he isn’t that awkward guy at the back of the bar, wondering how he’s going to chat up the cute girl on the other end of the room. “The spotlight and the mic in my hand gives me a kind of energy I can’t replicate anywhere else. I’m super cocky and confident… and I love it”

It has always lurked around in the shadows of Ed’s life. When he was a young boy, he would try to hold back giggles as Frankie Boyle made dirty jokes. Hoping that his father wouldn’t find out that Ed knew what ‘cunt’ meant! But Ed’s comical love story really began at the ripe, young age of 17 and he has been hooked ever since.

What started out as a chance encounter involving a bar, a microphone and some free drinks as compensation for Ed’s time has blossomed into a deal with the Clueless Comedy Collective. This sweet deal involves gigs and shows all over the island catered to a wide variety of people; even a couple of British expats which he met in a bar in Buġibba.

A lot of the gigs Ed has done are free of charge- and this is one of the main challenges that he faces as a performer, but he is more than happy to push through this barrier because it’s a huge passion of his. “The fact that I can make people’s day better because of a joke is wonderful”, Ed told The Third Eye.

What is Stand- Up Comedy?

“It’s when you tell a joke and you’re not in a seated position.” Ed uttered cheekily.

Essentially, it’s a form of storytelling done through the medium of jokes. Ed likes to start his night out with a couple of one liners- just to slip a little dirty dad jokes. Ed’s manager at the Clueless Comedy Collective (CCC) says that his music is the only reason why they keep him. Ed integrates his guitar, little ukulele, harmonica and even the drums (BaDumTss) into his performances. I must say it’s quite a treat. (His song, ‘Prison Rape’ is my personal favourite).

Check it out here:

But at the heart of the matter, as Ed told us, “stand-up is all about seeing people smile and laugh. The happiness it gives me is addictive and I never want to get off that stage.”

But sometimes gigs fall flat. Things like poor turn out, unresponsive audience, negative remarks and  jokes that don’t land are all realities which stand-up comedians like Ed must deal with. Especially in a place like Malta where the stand-up community is so underground, it is inevitable. “When you’re in the zone and you’re having a really good gig, you will be funny. But when you’re having a bad gig and everyone is just looking at you, it’s difficult to improvise and I’m shitting myself on the inside,” Ed shared with The Third Eye.

So, how do you pick yourself up when nothing seems to be going right?

“When I know that it’s a shit show and I’m tanking it, I just have to power through”, Ed answered and followed up with a little wholesome advice…

“Don’t listen to what anyone says. If you think you’re good, just keep believing in yourself. If these people don’t like what you’re doing, another group of people will for sure. The world is huge, around maybe 7.7 billion people (at least that’s how many it was the last time I checked). There will always be someone who finds you funny or finds your music good or your poetry nice. Even if it’s just one person who sees your work and says, ‘yes I can relate, and this made me feel better’, then that’s a job well done as a creator.  You’re expressing your emotion and experiences through your work and your allowing others to feel good about it in the process so it’s a very positive sort of thing.”

So, what’s the morale of Ed’s love story with comedy?

“Always try to be positive. There is too much negativity in the world, so don’t let it get you down,” Ed concluded.

Don’t stop yourself from doing what you love, just because a couple of people might not ‘get it’. Keep being authentic to yourself and doing what you love- even if it defies the stereotypical text- book!

The post Ed’s story: growing up with comedy | ATG appeared first on The Third Eye.

It gives students; from Diploma to Masters and Doctorate levels, an important platform for “their work and research to be transformed into a resource for our island’s policymakers and planners.”

Craig Bonello, SACES’ current President told us, “The expo serves to show the public that students graduating from the course are capable of producing fantastic architecture which heavily contrasts the current state of the industry.” (I guess this means we should be expecting some wonderfully drastic architectural changes from our freshly graduates in the years to come!)

Showcasing student’s work beyond campus grounds helps to extend the Faculty’s reach beyond their little bubble. Craig carried on telling The Third Eye, “we are rather cut off from the rest of campus, and seeing how we are in the course together for 6 years it’s only natural that we tend to gravitate towards each other. However, this means that a lot of the public isn’t really aware of what we do as a Faculty, and I feel that the Expo really helps to shift the publics perception of the profession.”

So, think of the Architecture Student Expo as an ice breaker for the entire student body and an eye opener for the general public on the topic. But, the motives of this expo exceed the basic showcasing of students’ ideas, works and innovations according to Craig. It is also sending out a message to stakeholders in the industry, particularly developers and investor, that “there is more than just the basic contemporary cereal box design that we’re seeing dominate our streetscapes. The expo is an outlet to display that the problems with our current construction industry is not based on our capabilities but due to the lack of resources and old mentality that dominates the industry”, Craig continued to tell us.

Like all other things, the pandemic had a huge impact on the way the expo was done this year. In contrast to last years event, sadly SACES was unable to host an opening night. This was a pity, as it would have been nice to have a large-scale event with all professionals in the field under one roof. However, the situation is what it is, so they had to limit the number of people inside the exhibition space at all times to reduce the chances of transmission. This year they also developed a website with all the works available digitally, which in certain ways worked out better for the Faculty, as it really increased the public’s access to the exhibition.

Craig left us with a comment for the student community, regarding the current climate of rampant development in Malta:

“I think that the most important thing is to be sensitive to what is happening around us. It’s important to notice things, question them and speak out. An active student community is always beneficial and could really challenge decision makers. Apathy is the enemy of change, and if we want change it has to start from us.”

Feel free to check out their virtual expo from here!

The post The Architecture Student Expo: A Surpassing Showcase appeared first on The Third Eye.

Back in 2018, Nicole came across a pair of polymer clay earrings while attending a scrolling session on Pinterest. Taken back to a sweet memory to when she had first experimented with the medium, it reignited the flame within Nicole.

At first, it started as a hobby but eventually with the persistence of her friends and family, she launched One Yellow Melon.

What is One Yellow Melon all about?

Starting a new business was a new chapter for Nicole, but over time she learnt how to manage things. Researching about the medium and reaching out to a few clay communities gave her the knowledge needed to improve the quality of her products. A skill she expanded on is sanding- it is vital to her pieces, as it gives the polymer clay a smooth and clean finish. Nicole suggests using sandpaper as a buffing tool, there are a number of methods out there, you just have to see what works best for you.

The Creative Process

Polymer clay is a versatile material. This means that multiple techniques can be adopted when working with it. Nicole uses a different technique with each batch of clay she makes! Her favourite technique, however is marbling.

It is a long but simple process that reaps some pretty ethereal results:  

• Step 1: Pick out the preferred colours and cut them into small pieces
• Step 2:  Squash them together to create a coil.
• Step 3: Slice the cross-section of the coil and place each piece onto a slab and roll it.
• Step 4: Cut out hand-crafted styles and bake them in the oven.
• Step 5: Remove pieces from the oven. Wait for them to cool and harden.
• Step 6:  Sand down the pieces, apply resin, drill, and assemble.

How to get your hands on One Yellow Melon’s hand-crafted goodies…

She’s selling her pieces through Etsy or through social media. Other than that you can catch her at an occasional artisan market around the island!

Last year One Yellow Melon took part in a pop-up shop- Desko, Valletta and she has also recently collaborated with Lara Vella, a fine art artist/graduate, in which Lara painted on the polymer clay and she turned them into earrings. The collection was called ‘Cosmic Dreams’ where it featured a variety of earrings shaped from moons to stars!

Keep your (third) eye out for some of her upcoming projects by following her socials!

The post Artworks for Earrings | All About One Yellow Melon appeared first on The Third Eye.

She goes by the name, Ylenia Attard and she’s currently reading for a Masters in English at none other than the University of Malta. Fashion has always been a statement in Ylenia’s life and in recent years she has developed a growing interest in sewing- specifically for upcycling. This process allows her to take old clothes and transform them into cuter and trendier pieces and also gives her the ability to sew her own things from scratch (don’t we all wish we had the talent to do that!).

How it all started…

Ylenia’s intrigue for polymer clay blossomed a while ago when she used to watch videos of people making charms and jewellery on YouTube. Bring that intrigue and lockdown boredom together, and you’ve got yourself an experimenting Ylenia! She started playing around with polymer clay to make herself some eccentric accessories. Accessoies that she couldn’t find anywhere because they were either way beyond her price range or simply didn’t exist!

Once her creative wheels started turning, Ylenia toyed around with the idea of opening her own Etsy shop. With a little encouragement from her friends and family, that idea soon actualised itself into reality. Tikka Tafal opened its (virtual) doors on Etsy and Instagram on the 30^th of June and she has been posting and selling her handmade jewellery and upcycled scrunchies (made from thrifted clothes) ever since!

From a hobby to a part-time business

Being a little dubious, Ylenia never thought the store would take off. To this day she is still surprised and overjoyed by the positive reactions she gets from people. What started out as a hobby she took up alongside working and studying, has become a small part-time business. She feels very fortunate about, as it gives her the opportunity to create things. Her goals for the store orient towards the creation of products that match her style and aesthetic. A kind of expression of who Ylenia is!

Tikka Tafal is planning on adding more items to her collection, apart from jewellery and scrunchies, and she has got a new clothing product coming up this winter. So, keep your (third) eye peeled for more!

The post From Clay to Quirky Creations | All About Tikka Tafal appeared first on The Third Eye.