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Epigram •

Easter Baking: Spiced Easter Cookies

By Nicole Quy, The Croft Co-Editor in Chief

The Croft Magazine// I’m a huge fan of Easter food, notwithstanding that it coincides with the emergence (finally) of the sun and warmer weather. Easter baking, especially, is often characterised by sweetness, both in the sense of taste and the tweeness that often accompanies an array of Easter themed treats. Arguably a perfect combination.

Controversially, however, I've found that the older I get, the less craving I have for chocolate when it comes
Epigram •

Little Miss Sunshine

By Nicole Quy, The Croft Co-Editor in Chief

The Croft Magazine// Being an optimistic person is generally a great thing. To be able to have a positive impact on others by sharing this optimism can even feel like a privilege. But what happens when we begin to centre too much of our identity around being a 'happy person', especially when times are tough? Co-Editor-in-Chief Nicole reflects on how the innocence of garnering a reputation as 'the happy friend' can swiftly take a damaging turn, and rem
Epigram •

In the Borderline

The prospect of liminality may be defined as ‘occupying a position at, or on both sides of, a boundary or threshold’, but in an era which has been characterised by a sense of the heimlich- to borrow from our German friends . The familiar nature of isolation and the solitary mean that the word has now become more associated with the idea of ‘liminal spaces’.

Across the internet, in the form of both real and fashioned images, ‘liminal spaces’ can be found. On various social media platforms, users
Epigram •

Lust For Life: The Dopamine Addiction

The Croft Magazine// Contentment is not gained through constant distraction.

The happy hormone. The reward centre. A neuromodulatory molecule. Whatever name you may know it by, there’s no doubt that you’ve experienced the rush of dopamine that comes with indulging in activities you love. Sex, eating good food, achieving something you wanted, shopping or watching your favourite film, can all release this chemical.

In the age of social media, online shopping and unlimited streaming, we have a co
Epigram •

'Classy yet accessible': Dirty Martini Review

By Nicole Quy, Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Croft and Mark Ross, Co-Editor-in-Chief of Epigram

NQ: If you own an Instagram account, you’ll likely have stumbled across a photo of Dirty Martini without knowing it. Home to the famous ‘get your halo dirty’ angel wings photo spot, the bar chain has numerous locations across the UK and have now landed, unmissable, on Corn Street.


Though slightly apprehensive about the authenticity of the drinks belonging to a chain, Mark and I set off to discover ju
Epigram •

Review: Sonder, Upon Sea and Shore

By Nicole Quy, The Croft Co-Editor in Chief

Bursting with nostalgia, infectious joy, and an uncanny combination of the at once highly unique yet strangely familiar, Mia Steven's touching collection of poignant snippets of life and eclectic characters takes deep rooted abstract feelings and makes them tangible.

Sonder: "The profound feeling of realising that everyone, including strangers passing in the street, has a life as complex as one's own, which they are constantly living despite one's pe
Bristol24/7 •

Bristol24/7 launches this year’s Student Guide

Every year thousands of students descend on Bristol’s clubs, bars, galleries, vintage shops and streets to experience the fruits of our wonderful city.

And while some residents may turn their noses up at this eclectic bunch of excitable freshers, it is difficult to deny how much they bring to this city. From our vibrant music scene to our rich fashion culture, students make up the backbone of Bristol.

So, what better way to celebrate this culture than to print an annual student guide.

This ye
Her Campus | Created for Gen Z, By Gen Z. •

Eating Out on a Budget: Meals in Bristol for £10 and Under

Whether its a catch up with friends, a date night, or just as a means of treating yourself, there is something hedonistic about making the time to eat out, but this can sometimes be tricky to arrange when you are trying to watch your spending. However, whilst eating out might be a great way to unwind, celebrate or bond, it need not come essentially with a hefty price-tag. From low-key, feel-good street food steals, to more formal affairs with indoor seating and extensive menus, there is plenty o
Her Campus | Created for Gen Z, By Gen Z. •

New Restaurants Opening in Bristol in 2022

It’s pretty hard to argue that we aren’t spoiled for choice in Bristol when it comes to food. The city is home to a wide variety of cuisines, independent & chain restaurants, as well as some of the best street food the country has to offer. It would be hard to imagine anything is missing from the city’s culinary scene, and yet these new venues opening later this year are certainly bound to make a name for themselves, offering unique, local produce in some of the most eclectic venues.

Street-foo
Her Campus | Created for Gen Z, By Gen Z. •

Lifestyle Advice That May Be Causing You Harm

It’s fair to say that the majority of us are, in some way or another, interested in pursuing healthy lifestyles. Whether this means achieving a work/ social life balance which keeps us feeling fulfilled, nourishing our bodies with the right amount of nutrients, or keeping active, most of us have goals or ideas that centre around creating a healthy lifestyle. On a basic level, seeking a healthy lifestyle is undoubtedly a positive thing, and wanting to be the best version of ourselves is, of cours
Her Campus | Created for Gen Z, By Gen Z. •

Dealing with the Pressure to Have ‘the Best Time of Your Life’ at University

The only ‘right’ way to experience university, is the one that feels right to you.

Prompted by seemingly age-old proverbs of university being ‘the best years of your life’, and spurred on by countless photo dumps of beaming faces, vibrant cocktails and flat parties captured on 36mm film on Instagram , there is an anxiety amongst many students to ensure that they’re making the most of every moment at uni. On nights spent in, when the buzz of freshers begins to wear off and things start to feel a
Her Campus | Created for Gen Z, By Gen Z. •

How To Make a Meal Out of a Random TooGoodToGo Bag

The innovative app TooGoodtogo has been limiting food wastage while protecting student budgets for six years. And, whilst there are multiple venues signed up to the app which offer the convenience of a readily prepared meal or pre-packaged goods, conventional Magic Bags from a range of grocery stores tend to be composed of fairly random items. You may find that your bag contains solely fruit and veg, as is often the case, but this means anything but boring. To best illustrate my point, I picked
Her Campus | Created for Gen Z, By Gen Z. •

Is Wellness More Mental or Physical?

The highly subjective nature of ‘Wellness’ means that we should be striving for an authentic and harmonious balance that feels most right for us.

The idea of ‘Wellness’ is at once both simple and yet complex. In the most basic format, Wellness can be defined as the state of being in good health, and thus pursuing & practicing wellness means striving to achieve good health. But, the very notion of ‘health’ itself is nuanced, and at times even contradictory, meaning that aiming for ‘good health’
Epigram •

Eating disorder recovery at Christmas: redefining ‘treat yourself’

The Croft Magazine // While Christmas is a carefree, festive time for many, Nicole Quy discusses how it can be a more complicated time for those recovering from eating disorders.

Navigating eating disorder recovery, whatever the stage, is ambivalent at best in any season, so it comes as no surprise that during the festive season, a time characterised by a surplus of food, drink and a culture of indulgence, those of us working through our eating disorders may feel more strained than ever. Luxuri

Recent Publications

Under my supervision, Her Campus Bristol's Wellness Section has evolved beyond listicles and product centric articles, to interrogate more taboo topics.

Nicole Quy

21 year old lifestyle journalist, editor, copywriter, recipe developer and food enthusiast

  Editor-in-Chief, The Croft Magazine 

Wellness Editor, Her Campus Bristol

Contributing Writer, Empoword Journalism, TWWS magazine, Epigram Newspaper, B24/7, Utopia magazine

Finalist, S.P.A Journalism Awards 2023

Bachelor of Arts in English The University of Bristol 

As Editor-in-Chief of Bristol lifestyle magazine, The Croft,  I oversawcommissioning, editing, design, production and distribution of the publication.

With its unique pieces of writing, spanning everything from personal accounts of addiction to investigations into the feelings of nostalgia and liminality, The Croft seamlessly blends together the highly personal and the comfortingly universal to bring our readers something that speaks to abstract feelings and brings light to topics perhaps otherwise left in the dark. The magazine has received 3 nominations at the SPA Awards 2023.

For access to all previous editions visit:  Issuu/epigram.com





Recent Projects

Women In Media Event 



From the 14th-16th of March, the Epigram Senior Team and myself put together an event designed to encourage women to take up careers in the media industry. From panels to networking events, supported by a variety of online resources, we offered an array of opportunities for students to come and listen to industry experts offer their advice and inspirations. Our series of panel events featured a diverse range of women currently in the industry, and we explored broadcast, production and editorial work, ensuring there was something for everyone. 

The event was a huge success and we are thankful to our sponsors and helpers who were instrumental in making this happen. 

Visit our website, created specifically for the event, here:

https://womeninmediabristo.wixsite.com/-bristol-university?fbclid=IwAR2-h3Q5dvskGtM6xwbM8nIqvfsXeEe8Iy7_Pnvh5LAs-3GldEPBvtwQOHY





Founders of the Women in Media Event

Our Networking Coffee Morning

Day Two of Our Panel

Cover Shoot

Display Table at the Kitsch Launch Party

Kitsch, Printed, Distributed on Campus

CROFT X UTOPIA: KITSCH

We at The Croft are so excited to present Kitsch!, in collaboration with Utopia Magazine.

In March, we published our first full length collaboration with the brilliant Fashion Forward Society, who are dedicated to spotlighting sustainable and responsible fashion in and around Bristol. 

This edition is the result of months of planning, organising, shooting, designing, writing and editing, and we are so pleased with how it turned out.

We held our launch party on the 20th of March, which featured an array of workshops and pop-up shops from various local independent designers and artists. Thank you to everyone who came along, and thank you to everyone- writers, editors, photographers, sub-editors, models and more- who helped make this issue a reality!

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