The Orbital Magazine is the only official publication of the Students’ Union run by students. We work alongside Rhubarb TV and Insanity Radio in the Media Suite, situated upstairs in the SU building.
Who are we?
The Orbital Magazine is the only official publication of the Students’ Union run by students. We work alongside Rhubarb TV and Insanity Radio in the Media Suite, situated upstairs in the SU building. By being associated with the SU, we are able to get support in media law and priority access to exclusive information. The Orbital gives you the chance to have your work published and read by over 8000 students, both in print and online.
Working with us or being a member of the board gives you the chance to level-up your CV with a portfolio of work and skills, helping you to be the best applicant for work experience placements in journalism and beyond. You can also make connections with students across all societies, sports and media.
What do we write about?
Our magazine is currently split into seven sections. Most journalists will stick with one section and dip into others if the opportunity or inspiration arises. Here is a breakdown of our sections and what they are all about:
News: This section is dedicated to all things current. Most of our news focuses on Royal Holloway, Egham and the surrounding areas. Sometimes we branch out to worldwide topics, Brexit for example, but always with a student focus. This section is run by Anna Robinson and Paco Tijdink.
Comment: If you have an opinion on anything, this is the section for you. Get in touch with Abbie Cheeseman and Cemre Camuz.
Features: This section is best described as human stories with a twist. Articles for this section often take a bit more time and research than others. Yasmeen Frasso and Stephanie Bagnall are your girls.
Lifestyle: This section covers fashion, food, travel and self-care. It’s also the home of our infamous Rohoroscope, run by the brilliant Annie Pantry and Liz Rosenberg.
Arts: We cover all things arts! Gig and album reviews, museums, art galleries, installations, book reviews and even debates in the arts world. This is a section very close to my heart as it is the section that I edit with my deputy Beth Carr.
Sports and Societies: If you are part of a sport or society and doing something awesome, you need to let Michelle Theil or Kathryn Pearson know! This section interviews members and covers events campus wide and beyond.
Science and Gaming: This is our newest section run by Grace Yeadon and Alis Read. It’s a really exciting development as it allows a whole new range of content to be put in the spotlight and we hope that it will encourage students from all subjects to feel that the Orbital is made for them.
What have we achieved?
This year has been one of the most productive for The Orbital. We have created a new section, a huge step in making the magazine more diverse and inclusive.
Orbital has also re-launched its radio show with Insanity at 11am on Tuesday mornings. For the first term of its revival I joined our editor, Holly to host the show. Each week we recap new content, all whilst creating thematic links to our favourite tunes. Holly even let me play Disney on a weekly basis, what’s not to love?
Our Editors have been running free training sessions to teach members the specifics of writing for their sections. These have been a huge success and are a great benefit of membership.
Orbital also hosted a Science panel to celebrate the launch of the new Science and Gaming section.
What have we got lined up?
- Orbital will be attending Socs ball on 4 March in full force with the media team. Grab a ticket before it’s too late!
- Our next Members Meeting is Wednesday 22 March. Head to our Facebook page to find out more. It’s never too late to get involved so please turn up and bring your pals.
How to get involved?
Our board is made up of an astounding 24 members so we are always looking for keen individuals to get involved no matter if you have written for us before or not. Along with our editor positions, there are plenty of operational roles to get involved in. The elections for board positions are opening soon and these will be decided in casual interviews with the new Editors.
You can also get involved as a journalist or photographer. You can contribute as much or as little as you like so it’s a great addition to your degree.
A note from the Editors
Holly Pyne
“Being Editor of The Orbital Magazine has been one of the most unique experiences of my life so far. To be able to say that I have written, edited, designed, and led a magazine for a year is really something special. I cannot wait to celebrate all the fantastic work our members have created, with the Media awards at Socs Ball. It is amazing to award people who you’ve grown to appreciate as a part of your university family.”
Louise Jones
“I have loved every moment of being in my role as Deputy Editor, especially being able to work alongside the wonderful and talented board Orbital have had this year. So many great moments but Christmas dinner and CIYS have to be amongst the best! We’ve achieved a lot this year as a publication which I’m so proud of. Student photography has improved drastically, content has been kept consistent, career events have been held, there’s been paid advertising within the magazine, these are all but just a few examples. The best part is having more people to get coffee with!”
Joanne Archer, Arts Editor of The Orbital and Student Opportunities Representative