BNOC of the Year 2013: Group 1

Exeter’s biggest, best and most contentious competition returns to The Tab

| UPDATED bnoc of the year Ekin Karasin Exeter Hannah Barton James McCue Luc Barford the tab the tab exeter TJ Nartey University of Exeter

Some say BNOCs are just a myth, that being so well-known and becoming so popular in the student community is simply impossible.

Whilst that may be true for some of the big-city universities (think Birmingham or Manchester), it certainly isn’t for us Exeter students. Deep down, whether you’re EURFC Club Captain or a Footlights fresher, you know you all want to be one.

As Kayne Sheppard, last year’s BNOC of the Year said, “love it or hate it, the BNOC crown matters.

Here at The Tab, we’ve searched among all you Exeter students for who we think fits our BNOC criteria. We’ll put it this way: if you’ve heard about them and/or Facebook stalked them, they may well be a BNOC.

Without any further ado, meet the first five nominations for The Tab‘s BNOC of the Year 2013, Group 1:

Ekin Karasin

Ekin, the girl everyone loves to hate, a lone voice on campus shooing away the pigeons. She’s slagged off both “wank” house music and “boozed up chlamydiot” rugby boys, two of Exeter’s favourite things, earning herself nearly 4,000 Facebook likes.

Not particularly well established in the nightlife scene, and probably banned from Cellar Door and Mosaic, you can be sure to catch her at TP – or perhaps even Arena.

Not a BNOC in the traditional sense, but you damn sure have heard of her.

Our favourite comment on her articles: “This is about as journalistic as the time i (sic.) interviewed my penis with my hand.”

James McCue

The face of Dirty Beat, the most prestigious night out in Exeter, one of the more fearsome EURFC members, and a nightmare for pigeons to boot, Jimbo is a very strong contender for the title.

Though rumoured to enjoy a fast-paced snakey or two on a Wednesday, he’s more often spotted rocking a custom snapback and a smile that could slay dragons.

One of the few people who could trash you in a bolt off and win your heart simultaneously. He does a real degree, too, so pretty much the perfect package for you Exeter ladies.

Hannah Barton

Written by en employee at the Students’ Guild:

“As Guild President, Hannah is the best-known woman on campus. Her face is on the wall outside the Ram and she speaks to every student every week.

“Club bouncers let her straight in at Timepiece, Arena and the Lemmy and she can’t go ten minutes of a night out without bumping into people she knows.

“When I talk to freshers and say “do you know who Hannah Barton is?” they say “Is she that girl that had the cartoon face in the Forum?”

TJ Nartey

An ever-present figure of fun at Friday TP and Thursday Arena, TJ Nartey is someone you always want at your pre-lash or sporting social.

Rumoured to have been a candidate for Mr. Ghana UK, TJ easily boasts one of Exeter’s biggest smiles and a laugh that, at its loudest, can almost be heard by those down at Double Locks.

A Tempa T look-a-like when he first came to university, TJ can often be found hyped-up listening to JME’s ‘96 Bars of Revenge‘ or, whilst in the gym, Skepta’s ‘Sticks and Stones.’

Also an EURL member, TJ is equally popular with Exeter’s male and female population. However, on nights out, the latter certainly give him more attention.

Luc Barford

“Exeter’s number one DJ” (his own words) turned 25 this year and is thus the oldest contender in our group. Don’t let dissuade you voting for him, though, as he’s pretty difficult to miss, very tall, and very, very Welsh.

Known among close friends for making unsubstantiated claims he knows the whole of the Welsh rugby team, you’ll most likely catch him behind the decks at Monday Moz or Friday TP, whilst he is rumoured to enjoy a big Dirty Beats.

When asked about being nominated for BNOC of the Year, Luc replied: “If they don’t know me, they’re already missing out.”

The boy certainly backs himself. Do you?

Group 1 voting closes at noon on Friday 29th November. Don’t miss your chance to back the biggest name.