surreyunion-blog

[surreyunion-blog]

Free things to do at Surrey

Getting involved in extra curricular activities doesn’t have to leave you out of pocket. Here are our top 10 things we recommend you give a go...

1. Join a free society

There are currently 74 societies with completely FREE memberships and you can sign up for these here: https://www.ussu.co.uk/activity/Pages/GetMemberships.aspx. Getting involved in a society can help to boost your employability through the skills you gain and can improve your wellbeing by doing something fun with like-minded people.

2. Drink for free in Rubix

No, not that kind of drink!

Soft drinks on tap are now completely free in half pints at Rubix, helping to keep the cost of nights out down. Long drinks (from tap) are the same cost as equivalent shots, so you can enjoy your bevs and avoid #shotface, if you do decide to have a drink.

3. Get free stuff for moving

With Surrey Moves you can earn points from the steps you take and earn prizes, ranging from free coffee on campus to university hoodies! Sign up for free here https://www.himotiv.com/signup/surreymoves.

4. No gym membership? No problem!

The outdoor gym on PATS field is free for anyone to use with 14 stations and QR links to videos for specific workouts that you can do for inspiration.

5. Explore the history of Guildford

Guildford has history going back as far as the Bronze Age! Guildford Castle, Guildford House and Guildford Museum are all free and within walking distance of the University.

6. Take a walk

The university has the benefit of being near to direct trains to London whilst also being close to the stunning Surrey Hills. There’s a huge number of walks and you can find some of the trails here: https://www.surreyhills.org/discover/walks/ 

7. Get involved with your Union events

Keep an eye out on our social media for a whole host of free events through the year run. Coming up there is: volunteer fair, this girl can sports park take over, one world exhibition, and more..!

8. Go and cheer on the stags on #BUCSWednesday at SSP

Every Wednesday there will be various home fixtures to go and support! While there, why not grab the £3.50 meal deal including a drink and hot food only on Wednesdays. For information on the fixtures each week, check out the team surrey Instagram and the Team surrey website.

9. Take a break

If you are feeling stressed, why not visit Break Time on Wednesday in the front room! Featuring mindfulness activities including colouring and crafts as well as free teas and coffees, it’s the perfect chill out sesh. Future sessions to be confirmed…

10. Broaden your mind

The library are hosting guest curator book collections with the aim of diversifying the books on offer- these are free to browse and take out. These will have various themes, you can currently check out Joel’s collection for Black History month. Get involved and read something new!

[surreyunion-blog]

1)      Remember that everyone is in the same boat.

This is a new experience for everybody so don’t worry if you’re feeling a little lost. Everyone around you is either a new student, or remembers how it feels to be one, so if you’re feeling nervous- people will understand. You’ll find your feet in no time!

2)      Manage your money.

Your student loan won’t necessarily get into your back account before Freshers’ Week, so it might be worth saving up some money before you get to Surrey to make sure you have some cash to hand to pay for your food and drink in that first week. 

Once your student loan does enter your account, it’s very easy to forget that the money has to last you until Christmas. The best advice would be to do a bit of quick maths and work out how much money you have available each week for the rest of the semester. That way you won’t have any nasty surprises come November when you’ve spent all your money and have to live off of Tesco value beans for the next month and a half. And on that note…

3)      Plan your meals.

Again, it’s very easy, (especially if this is your first experience of living away from home) to just go for food you like and forget about the nutritional value, but the freshers 15, (average number of lbs freshers gain in their first year of university) is very much a reality. So although it’s hard to resist a cheeky Dominos two for Tuesday, maybe keep it in the back of your mind that it’d probably be a good idea to intersperse those pizzas with the odd portion of fruit and veg.

4)      Shop around for deals.

If you haven’t already, sign up to UNiDAYS. You’ll get access great discounts in loads of shops, both in store and online. It’s great way to save yourself a bit of money. It’s also worth signing up for a Tesco club card. As Tesco is the closest supermarket to the Stag Hill and Manor Park campuses, it’s very likely that you’ll end up buying most of your food from there and so it would make sense to collect points with each shop you do.

5)      Utilise Freshers’ Fair.

Regardless of whether you’re living on the Stag Hill Campus, Hazel Farm, or commuting from home; try as hard as you can to make it to Freshers’ Fair as this is the best time to find out what clubs and societies are on offer to you. Clubs and societies are one of the best ways to make friends at university as you’ll be mingling with loads of people with the same interests and passions as you. Sign up to all the clubs and societies that take your fancy, and try to go to their first meeting, that way you’ll be able to work out which ones you want to stick with. 

6)      Go to Active Freshers.

Although the sports clubs will be around at Freshers’ Fayre, active freshers will give you the opportunity to try out a number of different sports, some of which you might have never tried before. Sports clubs are a great way to meet new people, make brilliant friends, and stay fit… and you never know, you might find a secret talent you never knew you had.

7)      Remember that university isn’t just about getting a degree.

Okay, yes, getting a degree is a large part of going to university; ultimately, it’s the reason that everyone is here; however, that doesn’t mean that a piece of paper is all you’ll get out of your time at Surrey. The more activities and opportunities you throw yourself into, the more fun you’ll have, the more friends you have… and that’s not to mention all the incredible memories you’ll walk away with at the end of your time here, that you’ll look back on forever.

[surreyunion-blog]

When leaving home to come to university, packing can seem like quite a daunting task and it’s easy to either pack way too much, or to forget to pack the most obvious things. 

So, here’s a little list of some of the things you’ll likely need in your time here at Surrey.

1)      A rucksack. A rucksack or bag big enough to fit your notepads, pens, lunch, water, and laptop in. Day to day, you’ll have a fair amount of stuff that you need with you in lectures, and you’ll probably have a few books you need to take out of the library for your readings and assignments, so I’d definitely recommend bringing a durable bag that you can rely on to cart your things to and from uni.

You’ll spend a lot of time in your uni halls, and so it’s well worth bringing a few things to make your house feel more like home

2)      Cushions. Never underestimate the power of the cushion. It’s likely you won’t have a sofa in your halls, so when inviting friends into your flat, it’s always handy to have spare cushions lying around so you don’t end up breaking your back leaning against the wall. Plus, cushions have the added benefit of making your room look a lot more cosy.

3)      Slippers. Slippers might not be on the top of your list of priorities when it comes to packing, but they are a crucial bit of kit. The floors in your halls, especially in your kitchen, are unlikely to be the cleanest floors in the world, and you probably won’t hoover your own room as much as you probably should, so rather than wearing your outdoor shoes around the house, you’ll be better off wearing slippers.

4)      Bedding. Bedding won’t be provided for you, so you’ll need to bring a duvet and pillows, as well as sheets, duvet covers and pillow cases. Consider bringing a couple of variations with you so you’re not having to lug your sheets down to the launderette every week along with your clothes.

5)      Towels Again, towels won’t be provided for you, so take a couple along with you (and remember to wash them regularly).

6)      Laundry detergent and fabric softener 

Another necessity, and again, is something that is very easy to forget to bring along with you.

It’s very easy to go either one way or the other when it comes to kitchen utensils. You either bring everything under the sun that you could possibly need, or you forget to bring the things that you do need. The latter is especially easy to do if you’re used to somebody else doing all the cooking. 7)      Utensils.

The main things you’ll need are: a frying pan; a saucepan (with a lid); a wooden spoon; a spatula; a couple of plates; a couple of bowls; a couple of mugs and glasses; a good sharp knife for chopping; a chopping board; a tin opener; and lots of cutlery.

You’re going to have huge amounts of fun during your time at Surrey, but every so often you will have to knuckle down and get some work done, so it’s worthwhile getting prepared before you arrive at Surrey and get distracted by all the amazing stuff that’s going on.

8)      Laptop.

A laptop is probably the most valuable possession you’ll have during your time at Surrey, both literally and figuratively. Whether you’re writing assignments, doing your readings, or watching a film on Netflix, you will use your laptop pretty much every day, so remember to bring it with you- and don’t forget your charger.  

9)      Stationary.

Although you may have your laptop with you at uni, it’s always useful to carry around pen and paper. It’s lighter and less valuable than a laptop, so you could always choose to make lecture notes in a notepad, rather than a laptop. Plus, you won’t be able to distract yourself with Facebook!

10)      An extension lead. An extension lead is also worth investing in, as odds are, you’ll only have a couple of sockets in your room, and a fair number of electrical items you’ll want to charge up at the same time.

11)      Paperwork.

You’ll likely have a fair amount of paperwork that you’ve acquired in the lead-up to moving in weekend. If in doubt, bring it along- you don’t want your university registration getting delayed because you left a sheet of paper at home!  

And with that, happy packing and we look forward to welcoming you to Surrey soon!

[surreyunion-blog]

‘An experience you will never forget’: why our past Freshers’ Angels think YOU should give it a go!

Remember your Surrey move-in?

Perhaps it was your first time leaving the family home, maybe even your first time in England! Either way, it can be a nervous time for everybody and the thought of moving into halls can be daunting. Finding somewhere to park, navigating your way to accommodation, not to mention heaving the contents of your bedroom up who knows how many stairs. But you soon realised you didn’t have to worry about any of these things; there were some angels on hand to help you out - Freshers’ Angels that is!

Every year the Students’ Union recruits student volunteers to dedicate a day or two to helping new students move in. Whether they be taxi-ing students to and from the station, being a friendly face at key collection, assisting in carrying belongings into rooms, or showcasing their dancing skills to the Baywatch theme: the Freshers’ Angels dominate campus over move-in weekend.

Here’s what some of our past angels had to say…

I was a Fresher’s Angel at the start of my second year – it was a fantastic opportunity to help new students move in and get settled, and I enjoyed it so much that I came back at the start of my final year as a Super Angel! I’m now going to be a Super Angel again this year – I’m really looking forward to meeting new people, having a laugh and making the first few days of the new students’ university lives the best that they can be.

-Mason Malloy

My favourite thing about being an angel was how so many students and their parents said they weren’t expecting us. They weren’t expecting help with their bags or a friendly face to dance them up to the front door wearing alarmingly yellow t-shirts and a healthy amount of glitter. Nearly two years later I still remember the moving in dance and how happy it made everyone moving in - cheesy but true.

-Katie Turney

Why should you volunteer? You make new friends. You represent a top university. You welcome the new generation of freshers. It’s one of the most rewarding things and they don’t forget it! People I moved in 2 years ago are now some of my closest friends here at university. It’s an experience you will never forget and you have so much fun getting involved. If none of these appeal to you, think of it as an addition to your CV at the very least! You have nothing to lose and so much to gain!

-Hannah Androulaki-Khan

It's definitely a whole new experience for me being a Super Angel this year. Since I grew up in Hong Kong, the academic environment is much more reserved. As a student from an Asian background, I barely have the opportunity to welcome or greet newbies at school. However, Surrey gave me such an extraordinary and honourable chance to achieve it. By meeting freshers' angels who came from all different courses, it surely broadens my social network in the uni. That's why I certainly recommend more Asian students should join us in Angels' team; Surrey needs your help!!

-Hillary Yip

Being a Freshers' Angel is such a rewarding experience!  Even the simplest of acts, such as carrying a few boxes and being a welcoming presence, has such a positive impact on someone's experience of moving to university. I've had freshers' that I've helped move in thank me again months later when I've bumped into them on campus! It's also an opportunity to work as part of a team with other Freshers' Angels and make some great friends!

-Katie Power

Being a Freshers angel was an amazing experience, you work with a great group of people, all of whom want to make the moving in experience as smooth and enjoyable as possible! You make friends with your team and the new freshers, to the point I had one approach me in Rubix months later saying they remembered I was their Freshers angel! It’s such a fantastic experience, and I enjoyed it so much I’m back as a Freshers Angel Supervisor this year, so I’d push anyone who can go volunteer, you won’t regret it!

-Lizzie Rodulson

Consider yourself inspired? We are still looking for volunteers and you can sign up right now via our volunteering platform. https://www.surreyvolunteering.com/opportunities/freshers-angels-application-2018-1525173364091 

[surreyunion-blog]

Union Chair Blog- March

Sam Bryanton, Union Chair

“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor” – Desmond Tutu

These words were quoted to the best attended Executive Committee Meeting in memory; a motion was presented calling for the University of Surrey Students’ Union to support the UCU (University and College Union) strikes, the turn out for the debate was substantial.

The result of this debate was that our Union decided to stay neutral, that is, not to support the strikes.

Does this make us the oppressor?

I would argue not. What emerged, is that concerning students, this is not a simple two-dimensional issue, it is more complex.

I agree that our lecturers do not deserve a pay cut, but I also do not wish to send a message to our students, our friends, our course-mates, that I support a negative impact on their lectures. That is not to say that I do not understand why lecturers are striking, it means that I choose to fight our battles on the basis for which I was elected; fair treatment for students.

I am fully aware of the argument that says a reduction in pensions will mean a reduction in the quality of education, but I am equally aware that if the University requires millions to solve this problem, then we will see sweeping redundancies and cuts. Even if senior management worked for free, they could not find the required amount of money needed.

Due to this, picking one side or the other, in one student’s words, “will only piss-off the other side”.

The side we have taken is the side of students, so here is what your Union has done.

- Lecturers will sacrifice their pay to go on strike, we have campaigned the university to allocate this money to the student hardship fund – The money will now help to feed, clothe and house students who are in desperate need of financial support

- We have called on Max Lu to make clear his position on pension cuts and he has responded.

- You have asked for more information – we have provided a statement from both sides of the dispute, created a webpage, sent out an ‘all-student’ email and utilised our social media to promote awareness.

- Your officers raised concerns over extenuating circumstances (ECs), we are pushing the University to make ECs automatic for affected assessments.

- Commuting students have raised concerns over traveling to University, only to discover that they have no lectures. Your Union has asked the UCU to encourage lecturers to add a slide to their lectures stating whether students should expect a lecture on strike days.

- You wanted to know how to claim for lost lecture time and now you can email ussu.advice@surrey.ac.uk – so that we can submit one big claim on your behalf.

The strikes are coming to an end for the time being, however a deal has not yet been reached - and so I call, as I have throughout, on the UCU and UUK to come to a deal which is acceptable for both sides.

We may not support one side or other in this dispute, but we are not the oppressor, we will always side with students.

[surreyunion-blog]

Union Chair Blog - December

Sam Bryanton, Union Chair

I had a plan for this blog, but on a whim, I threw it all out. Instead I’m going to write about what’s on my mind.

I sit on the Board of Trustees, I am the only student that does so, as such it falls to me to provide a student’s view on strategy, governance, and decision making. In doing this I can pull from my experiences as a course rep, captain, president, and placement student. I can also draw from the challenges that we face on a daily basis, as I’m still studying for a degree. I too have had to sit on the steps in a lecture, experience the crap Wi-Fi in the library, and of course, then there’s the nightmare that is housing. This summer I lived in a hovel where the fridge took days off, the windows wouldn’t close, and the toilet owned its own fungus farm.

These experiences help me to add to a Union team working for us, but they do not necessarily infer an understanding of the vast range of challenges that we face. In search of an understanding I attend a large number of Union meeting, where I sit and I listen.

Money, housing, physical disability, mental health, learning spaces, homophobia, transphobia, late lectures, commuting, academic appeals, bullying, racism, sports, societies, representatives, politics; I’ve tried to keep myself as informed as possible. Yet knowing is not understanding.

That is why I will be on a mission at the start of semester two, to experience some of the struggles that we as students face on a daily basis, commuting, sleeping in common rooms, having a weekly food budget of £20, all experiences that would improve my understanding of student life.

I would welcome any suggestions from you of what I might do to understand our vast student population even better. No one can truly hope to appreciate every situation that every individual faces, but maybe I can gain an understanding of how our Union can help even further with the things that matter.

I would like to wish you all an enjoyable holiday, and extend my thanks to a great team of officers at the Union. As a team, their efforts to move our Union forward this Semester have been extensive and as I draw our first round of officer review panels to a close, I can report that I have been impressed.

[surreyunion-blog]

Union President: My Visit to China

Saskia Cochrane, Union President 

When running in Surrey Decides, one of my pledges was to increase the visual presence of the Sabbatical officers on campus in order to help make it easier for you as students to engage with the Union. Over the summer I began to think about engagement more widely and about how different groups of students interact with the SU in different ways – some think we are just Rubix, some of you make great use of our academic advice services, some of you are members of sports teams and societies, the list goes on. There are of course some people that don’t interact with us at all, or very little. The Students’ Union in 2016 commissioned a research study to find out which students engage the least with us, looking at many different factors: across the different faculties, age, gender and ethnicity etc. This report provided clear evidence that if you study a course with long contact hours, timetabling restraints or compulsory placement modules, you may find it harder to engage with SU activities. The data also highlighted that if you are an international student from China, you are least likely to engage with the SU out of all students at Surrey.

This summer I was thinking about how we can improve the various areas of disengagement when I received an invitation from the Guildford Borough Council (GBC) to join them, and Professor Max Lu the Vice Chancellor, on a short trip to China. The premise of this trip was for the GBC to sign a partnership agreement with the city of Dongying – a rapidly developing city that happened to be where Max Lu spent 7 years of his childhood. I considered this invitation for a week or so, as it would mean taking a few days away from the office and it would need to be part funded by the Union. Weighing up the pros and cons, I decided it was too good an opportunity to miss out on. Not only would it be a chance for myself to experience the Chinese culture and meet Chinese dignitaries, but it was also a chance to represent the students alongside the VC and the Guildford Borough Council, and in doing so: improve working relationships for the Students’ Union.

The Trip:

Once we arrived in Dongying on Sunday 15th October, our first appointment was the official symposium and signing of the partnership agreement. The setting for this ceremonious meeting was a very grand hall with two long tables facing one another, surrounded by many photographers and videographers. On one table sat Zhao HaoZhi, Mayor of Dongying City, and Liu MeiHua, Deputy Mayor, along with Guo XinMin, Diretor of the General Office of Dongying Municipal People’s Government, and seven other officials. On the adjacent table sat Cllr. Paul Spooner (Leader of GBC), Cllr. Matt Furniss (Deputy Leader), James Whiteman (Managing Director of GBC), Prof. Max Lu (Vice Chancellor of UoS), a representative from the British Embassy in China, and myself. There were several speeches given (all translated from Chinese to English by an interpreter) explaining the history of Dongying and the positives of building a relationship with Guildford, and speeches of a similar nature from the Guildford representatives. Max Lu spoke about growing up in Dongying and about his work at University of Surrey. Given the opportunity to speak I explained my role as lead student representative at Surrey, informed those in the room that we are fortunate to have a large number of Chinese students at Surrey, and that I looked forward to learning about the culture and student experience in China.

Over the course of the next two days we travelled across Dongying and visited several local businesses, including a further education college with 17700 full-time students – all of which were housed on the 127 hectare campus, in halls, or commuted from family homes nearby. The people I met there were very shocked to hear of our housing crisis in Guildford and said how in China, colleges and universities are expected only to take on student numbers that they are adequately equipped to house. We also visited the Urban Plan Exhibition Hall where we learnt about the history of Dongying and its plans for expansion in the future – they even had an entire miniature model of the city which must have been 20m2 - which made me think: if only Guildford had such a comprehensive local plan!

Dongying is a relatively new city and is unlike anywhere I have visited before, everywhere you look there are huge skyscrapers and expansive highways being built, yet there are very few people walking in the streets. We visited several museums and nature parks in Dongying, as the government there are investing a lot of money into the tourism industry. It was very interesting to experience this city alongside the Guildford Borough Council representatives, as this place truly couldn’t be any more different from the town of Guildford.

After two days in Dongying we travelled to Beijing with Max to meet a few more companies and businesses there. We had the exciting opportunity to visit Baidu which is often described as the Chinese equivalent of Google (as they do not have Google in China). We met with the Vice-President of the company, HaiFeng Wang, and his colleagues later showed us their latest work: the driverless car! We actually got to test “drive” it which was a very surreal experience.

Returning on Wednesday 18th October, my trip to China was short, but eye-opening and extremely interesting. I had to very quickly get up to speed on Chinese etiquette and I had the chance to try all sorts of fantastic foods that were very different from how we see Chinese cuisine represented in the UK. Through speaking with students, it was made clear to me that ‘student life’ in China is unlike ‘student life’ in England, and there is generally a shift in what students expect from their time at University and the priorities you have when you’re here. It would’ve been nice to spend more time with the students in Dongying, but considering the busy itinerary crammed into a few short days, I feel I’ve experienced a snapshot of the Chinese culture. Since my return from China the Students’ Union has arranged focus groups with groups from our Chinese student population in order to find out more specifically what we can do to improve the experience for you. It was a culture shock for me only being there for a few days, and so I can only begin to imagine how it must be similar for the 2000 of you travelling over here from China to study at Surrey. This year, it will be one of my priorities to continue this work in order to help improve your student experience.

[surreyunion-blog]

Union Chair Blog- November

Sam Bryanton, Union Chair

Why do we bother electing Union Officers?

Based on the ongoing Union By-election (voting closes 3rd November, 7pm), now might be a good time to answer this question.

To do so, I will tell the story that most officers will live through this year.

At least once a year we hold "Surrey Decides", an election event where students vote to elect Union Officers based on a "Question Time" Debate; campaigning activities; and, candidate manifestos. A manifesto presents the issues that a candidate wants to address during their time in office, in addition to participating in the committees and events that our Union holds.

So for one moment... imagine the thrill, you’ve been successful in Surrey Decides. You are now a Students’ Union Officer and it’s your first week on the job! You dive in, pursuing your manifesto points with a determination unlike any other, flying through the Union like a whirlwind, flinging out copies of your action plan...and then WHACK…you come crashing down to earth.

This is what happens to many officers in the first week back at Uni. They are superb, but implementing change is hard, especially when you’re trying to change a multi-million-pound establishment like the University of Surrey. Due to this, many officers realise that their manifesto points are more challenging than they could have believed. Rather often, the following conversation happens with a slightly deflated officer…allow me to paraphrase. 

"A manifesto is not the most important part of an officer's role!"

Values, representation, and time- these are far more precious.

If you've ever seen Surrey Decides Question Time, you will realise that a large amount of questions are focused on values; what does a candidate do in a situation they didn’t expect to find themselves in?

The reason for this? A large part of an officer’s role is to represent a huge number of students when making decisions on issues that were not foreseen. This is done through conversations, committees, and action.

It is not possible for an officer to speak to everyone, and it’s not possible for everyone to be fully informed on the issues that arise. Due to this we as students elect the person who best represents our values. That officer does the research for us, and then makes the decisions in line with our values.

Our officers keep this Union running. If they only acted based on their manifestos, our Union would grind to a halt tomorrow.

So, why do we bother electing Union Officers? Because we need representatives who share our values, who make good decisions on our behalf, and who find the facts when we don't have the time to.  

So this week in the Support Zone By-Election, elect a student who represents your values.

[surreyunion-blog]

Union Chair Blog - October

Sam Bryanton, Union Chair

My name is Sam and I am the University of Surrey Students’ Union Chair. My primary role is to make sure our Union places student interests at the heart of our most important decisions.

Amongst other responsibilities, I chair the Executive Committee Meeting known as “Exec”. In my first blog as Union Chair, it’s this meeting I want to talk about.

The new Officers at the Students’ Union have heard your opinions loud and clear - you want action on the issues that matter!

Exec is a meeting where we discuss the Union’s most urgent issues and decide what our best course of action is, whether that be to change our Union or lobby the University.

Why would Exec, the most influential student led committee, discuss topics that didn’t matter to you? It’s this question that has encouraged me to overhaul the way Exec is run.

This year Exec will travel to you, focusing on issues that are relevant to the meeting’s location. For example, on October 24th, I hope to bring Exec to the Vet School. While in that location, we could for example, discuss Manor Park accommodation, the sports park, or the wellbeing of Veterinary Medicine Students. Such a focus will make Exec more accessible and applicable to the students affected by the issues being discussed.

You can get involved in Exec very easily, it is a meeting that any University of Surrey Student can attend and the details of meetings will be advertised well in advance. Likewise, any Surrey student can impact what is discussed at Exec. Submitting a matter for discussion is easier than ever – even one person can submit a matter. It does not have to be formal, simply email me with the matter you want discussed and the action that you want the Executive Committee to take. I will then pass that on to the relevant officers who will help you to bring that issue to Exec.

The locations, format and focus of Exec meetings will see your elected officers discuss and act on relevant issues that matter to you.

If you have a topic that matters to our students, get in touch and we will act. The first meeting will be held in Lecture Theatre M (6.15pm, October 10th) – we hope to see you there.

 Sam Bryanton

ussu.chairperson@surrey.ac.uk

[surreyunion-blog]

Finding a Job at University

Christina Daniels, 2nd Year, BSc Politics

Whether you need a job or not, many students at university will consider undertaking some form of part-time employment alongside their course; either to support themselves, or to fund their shopping sprees, and nights out in Rubix. As a student myself, and someone that has worked for most of my time at university, I thought it would be useful to share my experiences and give you a few tips that I have learnt over the past two years.

If you’re just starting university then applying for a job as well as settling in to a new city may seem like a daunting task, so I’d recommend giving yourself some time to get used to your new home first. There are plenty of jobs in Guildford and you’re sure to find work, so don’t stress about that, just take your time.

★ TOP TIPS ★

Do you already have a job at home? If you currently have a job back at home, I’d recommend checking if the company has another branch here and discussing a transfer with your manager. A lot of my friends have been transferred from their branches at home. This is not only great for term-time, but it also means that you can often transfer back to the branch at home during the holidays to carry on working. That way you won’t have to worry about staying in Guildford during the holidays or having to find another job when you get back.

Update your CV! Before applying to any jobs make sure you have updated your CV with any new employment or qualifications you have gained since writing the last version. A few tips for your CV would be: make it clear and concise; try to use bullet points in place of paragraphs; and, remember to include anything recent that would make you more appealing to an employer. I’d also have a look online at some templates for formatting ideas as this is also key to a good CV. Lastly make sure you have included your updated contact details so they are able to contact you for an interview.

Apply everywhere! Now this may sound obvious but I thought I’d include it anyway as I didn’t do this in the beginning. Don’t make the same mistake I did which was applying to two or three jobs online and waiting to hear back from those before applying anywhere else. Go to the library and print off a load of copies of your CV. At the top make sure to write your availability including the preferred days/times/hours you are looking for so they know as soon as they look at your CV. Pop into town for an hour or so and just hand your CV in everywhere. I would also take a look at the Friary employment opportunities page as they list all the latest vacancies of stores within the Friary.

Try not to apply online! Most vacancies will require you to hand in your CV to the store to apply, but some will allow you to apply online. I would recommend visiting the store with your CV and seeing if you can apply that way. I have noticed that unless you have to apply online, the store appreciate it a lot more if you go in store. It just shows them that you are really interested, compared to if you just apply online from home.

Where else to look? The top three websites I have used in the past to find a job are: Experience Guildford Vacancies, Indeed Jobs and the Friary Employment Opportunities website. Perhaps write down a few places to go and hand your CV in to them on your next trip to town.

What about the holidays? This is where it gets a little bit tricky, over Christmas and Easter I try to take holiday leave so I can have some time at home. I also discussed my situation with my manager who then arranged my shifts to give me the most amount of time at home as possible if I couldn’t take holiday leave. During the Christmas period you are often not allowed to take any leave because it’s busy so that’s something to keep in mind. You could also see if there's the possibility of transferring back home over the holidays. I find Christmas the hardest to work out but in the past I have just worked a couple of days in the week and then had a few days at home and just been back and forth. The best option is to talk to your manager and see what options they can offer you. Over summer you could either take holiday leave, transfer home or find a job back home for the summer and try and find another job when you come back to university in September/October.    

Those are all my tips for finding a job but I also have a couple of key points I wanted to mention with regards to actually working and studying.

★ KEY POINTS ★

Don’t Overload Yourself! Now let’s not forget that you have worked incredibly hard to get to university so don’t overload yourself with too many shifts/hours at work. Yes earning some extra money as a student is important, but you don’t want to end up sacrificing the quality of your university work or your attention to it by working too much. So be sure to have at least one day off a week to completely relax or get some reading/work done for university.

Get Organised! I’d recommend getting a diary to note down when you are working to help you plan your week. Try to plan out your time to get your university work done around going to lectures/seminars and going to work. This way you won’t be panicking about when you’ll have time to get an assignment or reading done throughout the week, as you can plan when to do it.

So those are all my tips and key points to remember when looking for a job at university. Don’t forget to still have fun and enjoy your time as a student as it’s an experience you’re likely to only get once so don’t work too much... and of course good luck with finding a job!

[surreyunion-blog]

Rebellion: The NUS Conference

Sam Bryanton - NUS Delegate and Union Chair Elect

“There has been a procedural motion, that the motion be now put”

These were the words that changed the NUS forever, confirming the fear of the few: the students were going to take back their union.

On the 25th of April myself, Saskia, Tai and Zainab (Surrey’s NUS delegation) arrived at the Brighton Centre; the venue for this year’s NUS conference. As we approached the door we were bombarded with an array of student politicians sporting colourful t-shirts and waving leaflets. Imagine the entrance to the library during Surrey Decides…on steroids…with less rules.

We fought our way through, registered, attended a training session and then the fun began.

For the last year the NUS has felt like it’s drifted away from students. It’s felt like a club run by the NUS National Executive Committee (NEC), to serve and entertain a few powerful people who arguably do not represent the wider student body. In any other year the conference would have proceeded as it always has, a small faction of people control the pace of debate in order to dictate which motions are passed and which are not, resulting in a large number of frustrated delegates feeling disenfranchised.

This year was different. Having turned up at the conference, our delegation was quietly determined to support someone we thought could save the NUS.

Shakira Martin has been the VP for Further Education in the NUS for two years. Not only experienced, Shakira also knows what students want. This year she was the underdog; running for president against Malia Bouattia, the current and quite controversial incumbent. Regardless of this, we stepped out and supported her.

Over the next three days we spent over 20 hours on the “conference floor”, voting on the future direction of the NUS and at times campaigning for Shakira. In these few days our very own VP Voice did us proud, successfully mandating the NUS to gather information about an alternative to the TEF (Teaching Excellence Framework), despite staunch opposition from some nay-sayers.

After many hours of high tension debate, our work and the work of many others paid off. Shakira won, alongside four VP candidates who she had endorsed. At last, the elected delegates were showing that the NUS was for students, electing a woman who stood up for their values - from affordable housing to matters as simple as timetables. This was only a sign of what was to come.

On the final day we debated the most controversial issue, democratic reform in the NUS, the details are tedious, but in short it was the following: “let’s take the power away from the NEC and give it back to students’ unions”. Desperately trying to delay the motion in an attempt to allow the NEC to vote on it at a later date, a few people suggested tens of amendments, continuously challenged the chair and dragged out procedures so that the motion would fall.

Five minutes before the deadline, these people were finally thwarted by a feat of technical genius. An announcement stated: “There has been a procedural motion, that the motion be now put”. Although very abstruse, this motion means the following: someone has proposed that we drop everything we’re doing and vote now. What followed will have a huge impact in years to come because not only did the conference agree to vote, they passed the motion.

We took back control of our union.

There is still hope.

[surreyunion-blog]

My Life-changing Year

Maisie Ross, Community Zone Member 2015-16. 

Without a doubt, the best thing I ever got involved in at University was my elected role at the Students’ Union. I remember clearly the first time the President at the time told me to run for an elected role and I laughed, telling him there is no way I would ever get up on that stage, in front of hundreds of people I knew, for Surrey Decides. Despite being a confident person, I was terrified of public speaking. After a lot of convincing, I put my name on the ballot – still unsure whether I would run in the election. I attended the information sessions whilst telling other candidates that I was going to drop out, almost certain that I would. But I didn’t and that was one of the best decisions I made at University.

The opportunities were endless. I was encouraged and supported to pursue all the ideas I had. My biggest achievement during my role was the development of the Community Reps. It is extremely rewarding to not only be told by members of the Students’ Union of the great impact I was having, but also by local Councillors and residents. I am very proud that the current VP Community has continued to pursue this idea and fulfilled its true potential. It has built bridges with a community that had largely bad perceptions of students and changed the image they had of us. It was also enjoyable to meet loads of different people within the community that I would never have had the opportunity to meet otherwise. It is very easy as a student to stay sheltered in the University bubble.

I was also fortunate enough to be able to give back to the local community when the Community Zone ran a food bank at both Christmas and in the Summer. It was touching to see students with so little give so much back to those in need.

The skills I developed in my role have helped me a huge amount on a graduate scheme with Deloitte. Not only did I learn key skills such as time management and organisation, I had the opportunity to build and maintain relationships with stakeholders in the community, which is so relevant to any job you will have. I was also able to combat my biggest fear of public speaking and was continually pushed out of my comfort zone. I honestly do not believe I would be in the great job that I am in, which I love, without my role at the Students’ Union.

My advice would be – just do it. Don’t be afraid of campaigning or Question Time. Being pushed out of your comfort zone is the best way to grow and when you look back in a year, you’ll think “I would not be where I am now if I hadn’t put my name on the ballot”.

And finally, the best thing about it all is, I not only made colleagues but I made lifelong friends. The role not only develops you as a person but it also develops those you work with. As you grow together, you become friends rather than colleagues and it was just FUN.

[surreyunion-blog]

Surrey Decides: Question Time Chair- My Experience!

Emily James, PGR Chemistry.

I love Surrey Decides. It's the only time of the University year that you can decide who is going to be running the Union next year and whoever wins has the power to make big changes to your University experience. You only need to take a glance at the current worldwide political atmosphere to realise how much of a difference this makes. I’ve never fancied running for a sabbatical or part-time position within the Union, however I do like to get involved when I can. When I saw they were looking for Question Time chairs last year I thought, why not give it a go!

The chair allows the candidates their first taste of answering questions under the pressure of a live audience. I like to think that I help the student population of voters get a feel for the candidate’s personalities and views. My impartial role is to guide the discussion, be a calm voice to field questions from the audience, and allow all of the candidates a fair say while gently grilling them.

Before you even step foot on the stage you are fully prepped for the task ahead. The manifestos have been thoroughly read and probed for questions to ask, so you will never be short of something to say. The first time I got up on stage to chair a Surrey Decides debate I walked on to a power tune, not dissimilar to something from the X factor. This really energised me for the debate ahead! While on stage, Kath is always there with you on the other end of a Skype call, fielding questions from online watchers and sending you supportive messages. And then, in what seems like 5 minutes, half an hour has flown by and your work is done!

I really enjoy being part of Surrey Decides, so much so, that i returned to chair the by-election for Community Zone Member in November! I would highly recommend becoming chair to anyone that’s interested in being part of something that affects every student. If I can get into the chair and ask one of the candidates 'to justify having two balls' (fully in context I might add) and not get escorted off the stage, then anyone can run for the position of Surrey Decides chair!

[surreyunion-blog]

This Girl Can- Equestrian Sports

Charlie Bristow, Politics. (Undergraduate)

Before university I’d never really been interested in taking part in sports, or it was something that seemed like a nice idea but I always side-lined. I knew I really wanted to start a sport when I came to Surrey, and despite it taking quite the push to get me to go to that first session and awkwardly attend my first club social, I can honestly say it was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my time here. I’d always been interested in equestrian sports but I saw it as exclusive and expensive, and ruled that I’d never actually get a chance to give it a go. Alas, I was wrong, and it turned out that this was actually the best time to start.

 The thing about sport at university, is clubs are always so excited to have newbies. It can be intimidating to be surrounded by people who are talented in their sport, but you’ll never be the only person who’s a beginner. There was such a large group of us who were completely new attending my first session, and it was a huge encouragement. I like to think I’ve come a long way from having never been on horseback before, and despite not being able to boast that I’ve made it onto teams, I am proudly a member of the club’s committee. 

 The social aspect of being in a sports club at university has been hugely rewarding for me, too. As well as nights out and Christmas meals, it has given me the platform to accomplish things with people I share interests with: charity events, fundraisers, stuff that you can be proud of as well as have fun doing. I’ve made some of my best friends in the equestrian club, people from both my beginner lessons and across the rest of the club’s abilities and commitments. I’m even living with some of them now!

[surreyunion-blog]

This Girl Can- Powerlifting

Dominika Wrobel, Business Management. (Undergraduate)

I have been committed to regular powerlifting training for 2 years now. What surprises me the most about powerlifting is that there are still misconceptions about girls lifting weight. Many people think that lifting heavy weights will make girls look bulky, which is simply not true! At first, I was sceptical about going to the free weights area too. I believed the myths and said that I wouldn’t squat more than 60kg. However, as I gained strength I reached this weight pretty quickly and I realised that lifting heavy does not make you bulky or manly or any of those things! This is when I really started to commit to the sport.

The most enjoyable thing about powerlifting is being able to see the progress you make.  It’s easy to see that you’re getting stronger when you’re getting new personal bests. This is really motivating! But I do know that many girls and women don’t want to compete and so I would recommend powerlifting as a way of training that would help them to get ‘toned’.

 My advice for girls would be to step out of their comfort zone and get lifting! Last week, I went to the changing rooms after my work out and a girl approached me and asked if the gym was full of guys. This really shocked me because it made me realise that there are so many girls who would love to try lifting but are scared to go into the free weights area simply because they feel intimidated. This year I am the Vice President of Weightlifting Club and as a part of this club have set up a Powerlifting team. This is the first year we are running powerlifting sessions in the strength and conditioning room and there is already a great interest in this, which highlights the need for it.

My biggest advice for everyone would be to focus on yourself. Everyone has to start somewhere. I didn’t just go to the gym and immediately start lifting 100kg! If you can only lift the bar when you first start lifting, don’t worry about it! Everyone starts somewhere. Stay focused on yourself and your own goals and you will definitely make progress. Good luck!

[surreyunion-blog]

This Girl Can- Mixed Martial Arts

Sukhmanjit Kaur, 3rd Year, Physics with Astronomy (Undergraduate) 

I’m Sukhmanjit Kaur and I do Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). I have been involved with MMA for approximately 2 and a half years. I was always interested in learning a martial art but never got around to doing it until I began attending university in 2014. I came across the MMA club during Fresher’s Fair and straight away knew it was something I wanted to try out.

I attended the first session, which was a fitness and conditioning class and I remember just how challenging and difficult it was and how much I struggled to keep up but at the end of the lesson it felt like the most rewarding experience. The sore muscles and the pain just made me want to push myself even more each week. Ever since that first session, I have always tried to give it my all and improve.

Throughout last year, I competed in three different combat competitions, which was definitely something that I would have never expected of myself. MMA has become a very big part of my life over the past two years. Training has become the time when I feel most like myself, when I push myself to my limits and excel. It has not only been beneficial in helping me improve physically but also mentally in that it has taught me to be more disciplined, to extend my limits and be more focused even when it comes to my studies.

During the first semester of my 2nd year at university, all I did was train in preparation for various competitions and study as part of my course. The intensive efforts I put into my training actually helped me focus more on my studies.

Although I have only been involved with MMA for such a short time, it has really benefited my life in helping me grow as a person and build my character.

One of the greatest parts about training in MMA are the people you get to meet, interact and train with. I have met the most amazing people and my closest friends at MMA.

Although it is usually perceived as a very violent sport, it is hard to come across as much respect and reverence for fellow members anywhere else. It really feels like a big family where everyone supports each other, helps each other improve and excel and you can be certain that they will always have your back when you are at your lowest point. These were the people who pushed me when I needed it the most, these were the people who believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself.

I think MMA is something that everyone, especially girls should try at least once in their life. It is something that will not only benefit you physically but also greatly strengthen you mentally. It will teach you how to protect yourself and how to be more confident and will help you challenge yourself and push your limits daily.

Although still regarded as a male dominated sport, in recent years we have seen increasing involvement from women in MMA. It is an amazing way of learning about yourself, finding and building a new self you are comfortable with and showing everyone and yourself what you are capable of.

Let’s break these barriers, show the world what we stand for and how there are no limits to our abilities!

[surreyunion-blog]

Freshers’ Angels- Making Memories and Making a Difference

William Beckwith, 3rd Year, Aerospace Engineering (Undergraduate)

Dancing in the middle of the Students’ Union to the tune of Baywatch was clearly my calling, a wonderful icebreaker to begin another year at Surrey - such is Freshers’ Angels. Starting out armed with our yellow t-shirts in a team that soon became a rival to The Avengers. Early on Saturday morning, moving began and the hordes arrived and the Angels team named “Beep for Surrey” survived without ear protection - although I do not know how! New students arrived in cars with suspension sunk low to the ground under the weight of all they were carrying; some had suitcases heavier than people. Carrying said suitcases in some cases up nine flights of stairs has probably put off any likelihood that I shall feel the need to visit the gym for the rest of 2016. The moving in process did of course bring back memories, not only of my own moving in day, but of all the best memories I have at University as we guided the new students and their families into my own old rooms, and the old rooms of friends.

Clearly during this time emotions were running high, but being in a position to reassure someone and pass on those important pieces of information that either made my first years of university better, or that I wish I had known in those first months away from home, made being a Freshers’ Angel incredibly rewarding. Whether it be giving advice on using the launderette in the middle of the night in order to avoid queues or simply helping with directions around campus. Thanks to fantastic organisation the move in process was smooth and enjoyable. Even when small incidences occurred, such as a student or parent accidentally locking themselves inside of rooms and being unable to escape, they were quickly resolved and provided superb entertainment. On the morning of the Saturday I managed to do a quick dash around with my camera to take a few snapshots.

It was great to see everyone was getting involved and settling into the University of Surrey, both Freshers and Angels alike.

Here are some highlights from footage captured throughout the day