Julia Howe
Julia is our Academic Services Manager and looks after the academic and tutorial administration for current undergraduate students in the Academic Office. She can usually be found consuming copious amounts of biscuits accompanied by a vat of tea.
Click the titles below to read Julia’s comments. Listen to her tracks in the YouTube playlist – to select a different song click the three horizontal lines in the top right of the video.
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alt-J – Fitzpleasure
This is a song that I like to wake up to. I can’t cope with anything too upbeat first thing in the morning (or ever, if I’m honest), but this has just enough oomph to get me out of bed.
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The Black Keys – Little Black Submarines
If I still need a bit of a push to get me moving, I put this on and turn the volume up. Don’t let the first minute fool you, if it’s loud enough, it will wake you up! Without doubt, one of my favourite songs to see performed live.
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Disturbed – The Sound of Silence
On paper this really shouldn’t work, but in reality, it’s one of my favourite covers, and a song I will listen to regardless of my mood. I was never a fan of the original version (sorry S&G), but there’s something about this clash of genres that I can’t help but love.
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Metallica & the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra – Nothing Else Matters
It’s fair to say that my forays into the world of orchestral music are fairly limited, but if you throw in some musical legends and a few electric guitars, I’m definitely on board.
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Tim Minchin – Seeing You
Two of my favourite things; musicals and Tim Minchin! I could easily have chosen eight songs from musicals or eight Tim Minchin classics (who doesn’t love a 7-minute ode to cheese?), but this song from the musical Groundhog Day is one of my favourites. A perfect solution to the lack of live theatre!
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Lady Gaga – MANiCURE
Whilst I’m not a big fan of anything too upbeat, Lady Gaga is definitely a bit of a guilty pleasure. There are so many big tunes in her back-catalogue, but this is one that is always guaranteed to get me out of an afternoon slump.
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Foo Fighters – Stranger Things Have Happened
I love to listen to this at the end of a long day – there’s something very soothing about Dave Grohl and an acoustic guitar!
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Bryan Tyler – Formula 1 Theme
I grew up watching Formula 1, and whilst ’The Chain’ is synonymous with the sport, I much prefer this piece of music and it’s one I associate fondly with Sunday afternoons. With nothing better to do on an island, this might inspire me to set up some hermit crab races to keep me entertained…
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Book
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy. Granted, this isn’t a novel so you won’t spend hours lost in the plot, but it is beautiful, and insightful, and includes numerous references to cake. It’s the book I never knew I needed to read until I read it!
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Luxury item
Biscuits… what else?! I think most people know there is always an abundant supply in the Academic Office and I’m embarrassed to admit I’d probably be lost without them. It doesn’t matter what variety, as long as they’re not ’squashed fly’ biscuits!
