Through my journeying deep within the Concrete Archives, I’ve always been quick to spot the October issues. Bold, pumpkin-clad and teeming with promises of ‘the best Halloween ever!’,  they have a tendency to stand out. Unfortunately for myself, it would seem rather strange if I were to wax lyrical about ghost stories in mid-August, so you can imagine my delight when this month rolled around I was able to get into the good stuff!

Starting with the main event, Concrete presents to us a double-page spread on all things October 31st. Covering everything from LCR ‘devil’ attire to adding grapes in cocktails to look like ‘eyes’, they really have encapsulated the spooky spirit in a way that isn’t too distant from the atmosphere on campus today. The upbeat tone of the article, as well as the colourful, if not slightly arbitrary photos of witches, conceals all manner of strange advice. A particularly alarming suggestion can be found in the instructions as to how to make dry ice. ‘Why not create a steaming cauldron’ they ask. I would like to think that I could give them quite a few reasons why that wouldn’t be such a good idea. Hopefully, their pitch was unconvincing. That’s not to say that every idea is completely ill-advised. It is worth noting that whilst they advocate trick or treating as a method of obtaining food for the week, they also counsel against ‘resort[ing] to violence in an attempt to score one extra digestive biccie from that old dear who lives next door’. 

Not to be completely dominated by the autumn amusements, Concrete maintains its journalistic credibility by reporting on all the most pressing campus news, namely Andrew Motion’s fancy for Lempsip. Motion, then poet laureate and professor of creative writing at UEA, claimed that ‘Lemsip helps to inspire him by making him feel slightly unwell’. The article is peculiar in both tone and context, leaving the reader undecided on whether they should be amused or concerned. Student Suzie Johnson’s method of gaining inspiration by closing her eyes and putting on some music seems very reasonable in comparison…

Although daily lemsip was seemingly deemed plausible in 2002, Concrete takes a different tone in addressing binge drinking on campus. Placed in the ‘In Depth’ section of the paper, the article is a truly successful, nuanced analysis of student relationships with alcohol. It is a difficult read, covering tragedies spanning campuses across the UK.  ‘Alcohol’ they state, ‘plays a part in 50% of fights, 75% of stabbings and 70% of murders (2002 figures)’. However, by understanding the important social aspects of alcohol in universities, the piece avoids becoming overly patronising, with their final claim that ‘After all, you deserve a drink’. 

Despite some rather alarming headlines, the 143rd issue of Concrete manages to provide a pretty commendable balance between the thoughtful and the absurd. This ability to be playful andfeature ‘fun’ articles is undoubtedly a common theme across the October issues and something that I hope that we can provide for you in our 403rd issue! So, Happy Halloween- and if you ever need some inspiration for a 90s/Y2K costume, come and check out our archives!

Photo Credit: Fiona Hill/Concrete