Taking the initiative

Phew, it’s difficult to believe that I’ve only been back in Southampton a fortnight given the sheer amount that’s already taken place – and yet, simultaneously, it seems to have shot by!

But as always with University, new ventures, opportunities and demands continue to roll on with little sign of slowing, and the need to keep on top of things grows ever more fervently. For example, I’m currently amidst a swathe of internal, group-project-based and coursework deadlines (perfectly synchronised with the recent reappearance of the sun, it seems!), and will be for the next fortnight or so – just in time for the arrival of exam season, and revision aplenty (hopefully)!

And yet, although current sleeping patterns leave much to be desired (they’re a far cry from the mid-day wake-ups I frequently managed over the holidays!), I really can’t imagine life at Southampton any other way.

But why bother with it all?

My favourite thing about the freedom of being a student is the way in which you’re free to engage with whichever aspects of independent life you choose, such as your course (which, of course, everyone here should be engaging with a great deal!), your future beyond it, your extra-curricular commitments, your relationships and much more, each demanding of you certain skills or personal traits in return.

These aspects of student life constantly overlap and interweave, so you’ll find that, for example in the case of a computer scientist such as myself, learning a skill to apply in the context of an extra-curricular commitment (like learning the data manipulation language which is used on the Students’ Union Theatre Group’s website) can then prove to reinforce qualities, knowledge or abilities which may help elsewhere – say, in the instance where you’re set a coursework assignment to be completed in that very language!

So as I’m planning on attending just the one University programme, I started out with the intention of getting the best out of the student experience, and, as I got more and more involved, soon realised that such packed daily routines, be they with studying, acting or just enjoying the company of my fellow students, culminate to develop within me many skills, pearls of wisdom and personal character traits – University truly is the learning experience of a lifetime!

It’s for this reason that I think getting involved with all aspects of student life is important, as it can help nurture qualities within you that you perhaps didn’t previously believe ever existed. Before I came to Southampton, I was a very introverted and shy character, and to a degree I still am, but just by trying to get involved with as much as possible (not just extra-curricular, but taking academic opportunities too, such as by attending careers events!), I think I’ve already, to an extent at least, developed greater confidence academically, socially, performing-wise and generally.

I’m now much happier at applying such a trait to various situations, be it when making a presentation to an audience (through my experiences on stage and with stand-up comedy), social situations (from befriending members of the large, diverse student body) and when settling down to revision (recalling previous noting systems which worked well for me). I feel like every experience at the University has helped me and fortified at least one skill – well, almost every experience (nights out not included)!

So what’s next in terms of opportunities, and, consequentially, skill applications? Well, the previous few months have seen me fortunate enough to make an assistant directorial debut with Theatre Group’s final local show of the year, Keeping Down with the Joneses, a hilarious situational comedy In which an MP ends up trapped underground in his own nuclear bomb shelter with his wife, dotty mother-in-law and a various assortment of other extravagant characters, all of whose quirky natures and exuberant personalities are sure to have many an audience in stitches. Most of them can make me chuckle just through their facial expressions alone!

There’s very little by the way of gravitas or deep meaning to get in the way of your sheer enjoyment – Joneses is a production put together to achieve one thing, and that’s to make you laugh! It’s on at the Annex Theatre between Wednesday 1 and Saturday 4 May, starting at 7.30pm every night, and we’d love to see you there. If you’re still not convinced, then check out our preview:

Being an assistant director throughout the Joneses’ rehearsal process has been a hugely different but yet equally, if not more so, rewarding opportunity than the standard acting fare, particularly in terms of skill development and experience. Thanks to the enthusiasm, faith, creativity and hard work of the other members of the production team, not to mention that of the talented cast, it’s been one the most relaxed and all-out fun shows I’ve been involved with.

I’ve found the major difference of directing to acting has been in terms of the skills demanded, the most salient being those related to aspects of leadership. For example, on occasions when the main director Tom has required us to, Jed (the other assistant) and I have had to lead constructive but enjoyable rehearsals for the cast, and provide creative input into many of the decisions which have shaped the show. As far as team efforts go, it’s been monumental!

And although I initially struggled to adapt to the newly-encountered role, as the production has gone on I’ve slowly but surely been developing techniques which have led to me at various points conducting one-on-one characterisation sessions, workshops for troublesome scenes and relationships, and physical warm-up activities – in other words, acting as a leader!

Taking the initiative in the production, however infrequently, has helped me to develop skills which could be applicable across many walks of life – just another example of how University really is a learning experience!

So, given the multitude of opportunities and ways of getting stuck into University life, why miss out on academic, social or extra-curricular experiences? After all, who knows where they could take you?

Robin

EVAs and volunteering whilst at University

On 3 May SUSU puts on a spectacular event to celebrate all the wonderful volunteering that this university supports, the EVAs (Excellence in Volunteering Awards) is a showcase of how absolutely splendid all our students are!

Take a look at the list and you’ll understand what I mean about impressive!! http://www.susu.org/making-a-difference/union-awards/2012/eva/nominees.html

This year I am very honoured to be nominated for the leadership award, it feels great to be placed in the company of so many active and amazing people – including my fellow blogger Joanne.

So, this got me thinking about my experience volunteering whilst at the University of Southampton, the reasons why I did, and why I would advocate for everyone to do the same.

This time last year I saw a post on a society I had never got involved with before, it was their AGM and there was a new role available – they wanted someone to run an outreach mentoring programme, training students to go into local schools and offer help – I strongly agreed with their ethos of educational equality and so went for it. Since then, I have never looked back. 

It is important that you are passionate about the cause because it would be a lie to say that all this work was easy. It wasn’t. At times it took over my degree, and my life, but when you see that you are doing a good thing, when you can measure the impact you have on a child’s learning – if they are able to read a few more words after a session with you – then, for me, it was always worth it. Likewise, I was surrounded by amazing people; I made some wonderful friends (who are also nominated for EVAs) who supported me when I thought everything was a bit hopeless. Currently through this project I have helped 65 students volunteer in two different schools, when I think about the potential effect that has had on so many children it is hard to not think about this as being the best thing I have done whilst at University.

But I know that volunteering is great, what I really want to do is convince anyone who hasn’t given it a go yet to embrace it – it is never too late. Studies show that if you start volunteering while at university then you are much more likely to continue into later life, something I think would lead to a much better society.

I get it though, your time is precious - however I’m going to give you three reasons why you should give a bit of it away.


1. You will learn about people in a way you have never learnt before.

In my humble opinion people who volunteer are the best people in the world. These people may not dedicate their lives to Oxfam, they may dedicate them to Badminton society or Performing Arts, but either way, these are the folks that will teach you about being PASSIONATE.

Because that’s what volunteering is about, having the passion to enjoy something, to want to help, to want to learn about it so much that you are willing to give your time for free. Therefore people who have set up societies or constantly strive for the best for their club need to be praised – praised for following their passion and making it work.

So volunteer, and study the people you volunteer with, or the people you volunteer for – you will discover new levels of empathy, compassion and understanding you just don’t get from other experiences. You will learn how dedication and commitment really works and you will learn about the power of the human will.


2. You will gain skills and become more employable.

Ah, employability. Everyone loves something shiny to put on their CV and volunteering is that thing, it shows your commitment and your drive. If you can volunteer effectively, whilst maintaining a degree, then you have organisational and time management skills. Volunteering is a people orientated field, and thus you will get excellent team building skills. You will know how to prioritise, how to liaise, how to be outgoing, how to recruit, how to persuade, how to push your luck and how to have fun. And that’s not all you will learn by volunteering; the place you are channelling all your efforts into will also give you a bundle of great skills – I, for example, learnt a lot regarding curriculum from going into schools, as well as how to help students who have English as a second language, how to deal with a lot of teenagers who don’t want to read and how to persevere when things get tough. Perhaps it sounds ridiculous, but the skills I have now most definitely make me a better person, and a better job candidate.

Going to Westminster! You never know the opportunities which will arise from volunteering!

3. You will have FUN.

Fun should never be undervalued, it’s one of the main reasons you keep on going despite no one paying you, and it’s the reason why you rave about it to all your friends. Yes, it is fun to have your own project, and it is fun to have it be successful and it is fun to constantly work on what you’re passionate about with other passionate people but mainly it’s fun because (like I’ve said earlier), people who volunteer are the best people you will meet. These folks know how to work hard, and play hard. Let’s face it, they have it. These people are friendly, excitable and always warm hearted. I promise, you will never meet a lovelier bunch of people than those who tirelessly give their time away to others.

I’ve met some great people, who made my volunteering possible!

I hope to have gone some way to convincing you to give volunteering a go, and if nothing else, appreciate all the work those excellent people who have been nominated for EVAs do.

Florence

The Student Publication Association Conference 2013

As a member of an editorial team, it has become ever increasingly obvious that publications like the Wessex Scene don’t have something that the student radio or television stations have; annual conferences. Each year, Surge and SUSUtv, our university radio and television stations,  head to their conferences and award ceremonies across the country, where thousands of students involved attend the events. It’s been an obvious gap for student journalists, and there was nothing for Editors and writers of magazines and newspapers…

Until now.

On Thursday 11 April, student journalists from as far as Glasgow descended upon the University of Southampton for three days for the very first Student Publication Association Conference; or #SPANC, which was the (rather unfortunate) hashtag! The SPA was formed after students from across the country felt a support network was needed for university journalists. The conference was finally organised; a big idea was finally realised, and something big had begun!

The Wessex Scene team were very excited about the fact that a conference was coming to our very own students’ union – it meant lower costs since we didn’t need to find accommodation, and we were proud to be the very first hosts of what should be a very big event. On the evening of Thursday 11^th, seven of our editors and writers (myself included) and a number of members of The Edge  went along to the welcome party, held in The Stags, which consisted of pizza, drinks… and karaoke. This was a great ice breaker, with everyone joining in; I even had a go at singing ‘You’re the One That I Want’ from Grease with my Editor Ellie Sellwood – something I can tick off my bucket list before I leave uni! Having never done karaoke before it was a great way to do something new and to have a good time. We then went on to a night out to get to know everyone better, before heading home ready for a day of talks.

James Thornhill of the National Student giving the first talk at SPANC

On the Friday, we arrived bright and early at SUSU, and were welcomed with SPANC goodie bags (including sweets and toothpaste, naturally!)  before settling down with a coffee. First, we listened intently as James Thornhill, founder of The National Student, discussed student journalism; including the topic of independent vs. Student Union funded publications. We then had a talk on Human Rights and Ethics from journalist and Wessex Scene alumnus Elizabeth Mistry, which was inspiring and thought-provoking, since the topics included some shocking stories from around the globe. It was a great opportunity to hear professionals discuss the world of journalism both inside and outside of the student bubble – ideal for soon-to-be graduates like myself, who are thinking about the world of work!

We made plenty of notes to make sure that advice could be 

taken on board and used to help the Wessex Scene!

The next session was run by SUSU’s very own VP Communications and President Elect, David Gilani. He led a discussion about our individual publications; limitations, problems we had faced in the last year and self-representation were just a few of the topics spoken about. We were encouraged to advise others working from our own experiences, and it was fantastic to hear how some of the other student publications dealt with issues. Everyone really relaxed and spoke to each other, relishing in this rare opportunity to meet other student journalists.  This session was very inspiring and it was a great indication towards the help and support the SPA will try to provide. Journalism can lead to a lack of communication with people, since a lot of our work is done at computers and can be done alone (though you do work in a team), unlike student radio and television. This was a brilliant chance for us all to come face-to-face with problems and ideas.

Pause Editor and Editor Elect Sam Everard ready for the SPA Awards ceremony

After the final talk – a session on feature writing run by student, lawyer and freelance writer Nauman Qaiser – we left to get ready for the dinner and awards ceremony later that night. The awards ceremony itself was held in the Bridge, where we were able to eat a delicious meal before finding out which publications had won out of the ten categories available, including ‘Best Reporter’, ‘Best Publication’ and ‘Best Feature’. Over 100 publications nominated themselves for awards, and it was safe to say the competition was very tight. The Galleon, the University of Portsmouth’s publication, won five awards overall, including highly commended awards, and Best Publication went to Concrete, the publication from UEA. The most exciting part for me was obviously when the Wessex Scene won an award for ‘Best Interview’, for a piece one of our Lifestyle Editors wrote about an entrepreneurial Southampton Graduate! As you can imagine, we celebrated, and we were incredibly proud to have won one of the very first SPA awards! After the amazing awards we all headed out to continue the party at Jesters, which proved successful and allowed everyone to relax and chat to each other even more.

Editor Ellie Sellwood receiving the Wessex Scene’s award for 

Best Interview on behalf of the writer!

The members of the Wessex Scene celebrating our award, 

and also the beginning of the SPA!

The following morning saw the first SPA AGM, when the very first committee were elected. The team who were chosen will be first to start up the Student Publication Association. With an aim to act as a support network for all student publications nationwide, the SPA will be built up over time, and this team are incredibly important since they will be providing the foundations for future committees to build upon. I’m looking forward to seeing the organisation expand, and I hope to be involved in some way as an alumnus, so I can attend future conferences and to help out with other magazines and newspapers once I am no longer a student journalist, regardless of what area of work I go into. The team elected will no doubt do a brilliant job!

The new (and first!) SPA Committee, formed of student journalists 

and sabbaticals from across the country

Attending the first ever SPA conference this year was a fantastic experience and incredibly rewarding; it was so inspiring to see so many enthusiastic student journalists, who are all volunteers, striving to get the best news and stories out to their readers whilst providing an unbeatable experience to their team.  We met some very talented and driven individuals who I’m sure will make a name for themselves one day! And congratulations to David Gilani, our VP Comms at SUSU and the organiser of this incredible event – you deserve the title of founder (and the lifetime membership bestowed upon you at the AGM!) My only wish is that the SPA had been created in my first year so I could fully enjoy the benefits while at University. But alas – it’s better late than never!

I will soon be leaving my position as Deputy Editor for the Wessex Scene – the AGM is coming up, and new members will be elected. My life will definitely be emptier without the rush of editing, organising, breaking news stories and attending meetings complete with offerings of cake. In the meantime, however, we still have the EVAs (Excellence in Volunteering Awards) for which the team are nominated, and the Media Ball (on a boat! Exciting!) coming up too – and I can’t wait! Here’s to my last month as a student journalist.

Joanne

A Showcase of talent

Last week was the first of a new term, and the return of the student body to campus has been greeted by some glorious weather and fresh, eager (well, more or less!) faces ready to take on the weeks ahead – it’s finally summer in Southampton, and not a snowflake in sight!

So, with all eyes on the looming mass of deadlines and examinations on the horizon, what better way to open the final chapter of the academic year with something as hectic as, say, another show?

Yes, this week witnesses the arrival of Theatre Group’s annual original writing Showcase, a series of diverse and enrapturing short plays completely devised, scripted, directed, produced and performed by students – most of whom are taking on such roles for the very first time!

Showcase features a night of varied and hugely entertaining original theatre, 

for a fraction of a normal show’s ticket price! (Credit: Joe Buckingham)

It’s strange to consider that, entering the final term of my second year at the University of Southampton, I’m almost halfway through my degree programme and thus my overall University timeline but, simultaneously, I can honestly say that the two years have been, quite frankly, brilliant!

Academically, course content has, at times, presented difficulties, but however dense it may seem it almost always proves rewarding, inspirational and exciting in the end, as anybody who was lucky enough to attend the recent lectures on robotics as part of my Artificial Intelligence module might tell you (although we’re not quite up to building Skynet yet)!

As I’ve previously written, it’s been eye-opening to expand my awareness and knowledge of the various fields encompassed by the degree title “Software Engineering”, be they skill or theory based (or a combination of the two). At the same time, I feel I’ve managed to identify subject matter I’d like to delve a little further into and, who knows, potentially specialise in as a career – although for now I’ll be sticking to just highlighting these areas in preparation for the monumental task of undertaking next year’s Third Year Project (the ECS equivalent of a dissertation – eek!)!

But my favourite thing about the whole student experience so far, if I haven’t repeated it enough already, has to simply be the availability of fresh, enticing opportunities on a daily basis; there truly is a ubiquitous, thriving buzz of activity throughout the whole University, producing a constant stream of occasions in which to get involved with something you hadn’t previously, and always rewarding you for doing so.

From a personal perspective, last semester saw plenty of individual milestones, achievements and successes, such as visiting Shakespeare’s Globe in London, attaining a First classification across my modules, making a stand-up comedy debut (I definitely heard a couple of laughs here and there at one point, surpassing my expectations!), acting in the Nuffield Theatre and dancing on stage for the first time with Parade (whether or not actually in time is an entirely different matter!), and being selected to represent the Theatre Group at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this summer.

It’s certainly been a wonderful year for me so far, packed with novel and enjoyable experiences which I can recount keenly, and which I am extremely fortunate (and grateful) to have been granted the opportunity to grasp. It’s just proof that, with so many chances at University to immerse yourself in the things you love, your student experience really is the best days of your life!

Showcase is one such opportunity for anybody aspiring to get involved with theatre in any capacity. Be you an aspiring scriptwriter seeking an artistic interpretation of their work to play to a supportive audience, or a would-be director who wants to stage one of the short sketches, or even just an actor wishing to test themself against original writing, the show offers valuable experiences to all (with a lesser time commitment necessary due to the reduced rehearsal period), and continues to attract significant numbers of newcomers to the society, crafting strong friendships in the process to boot.

The considerably large cast of Showcase 2013! (Credit: Joe Buckingham)

This year, I’m involved in a segment named Three Kinds of Silence, written by the gifted Dan Tovey, which tells the story of a burgeoning, and later faltering, boyfriend-girlfriend relationship, doing so by interweaving modern-day scenes with flashbacks and emotive monologues. It’s the first majorly serious individual role I’ve played in theatre – comedy is definitely my strongest suit! – but I’ve appreciated being taken out of my comfort zone and given a different test to those posed by other productions, although I’ve had to restrain myself from throwing in jokes during rehearsals!

Acting in “Three Kinds of Silence” has been a challenging but wholly enjoyable 

experience – although I might stick to comedy in future! (Credit: Joe Buckingham)

But one of the most astounding things I’ve found about last year’s Showcase which also rings true this year is the level of quality of every snippet. Writing is often perfectly tailored to conduce atmosphere, direction is frequently inspired (although often challenging for StageSoc, the stage technicians’ society responsible for implementing the show’s technical aspects!) and acting, as ever, impeccable. Showcase really is a beacon of talent and a production for all involved to be proud of.

So if at any stage you’re not sure about putting yourself, your work or your passion on display, all I can advise is that, at the University of Southampton, there are opportunities to get involved and get yourself out there aplenty – so go for it, and have confidence in your ability to showcase your talent! (Although if you do happen to attempt stand-up comedy for the first time, it’s always a good idea, despite inevitable nerves, to make sure you deliver the punch-lines to ALL your jokes, as I learnt the hard way!)

SUSU Theatre Group’s “Showcase 2013” runs Friday 19^th and Saturday 20^th April, starting at 7.30pm at the Annex Theatre, Highfield Campus. Tickets are £6.50 for Adults, £5 for Students and Concessions, and £3.50 for Performing Arts Members, and can be purchased on the door, reserved in advance by emailing workshops@theatre-group.com or bought online at http://www.boxoffice.susu.org/.

We look forward to welcoming you there!

Robin

My top tips for managing the job market and final year

Easter’s over and thus begins last term of the year.

Yet this year it’s not just that – it is also MY LAST EVER TERM. AHHH!

This is such a strange place to be, mainly because I never thought I’d be here. It seems like yesterday that I was a fresher, enjoying my carefree time at Monte, going to Jesters a solid four times a week and loving life. Don’t get me wrong, I love my life now but it definitely involves more time at Hartley and less time in Jesters. Who knew that the time would fly and I’d find myself in my final year, in my final semester even, so soon! It’s all gone too quickly but you know what they say – time flies when you’re having fun. 

Third year is tough, but it can still be a lot of fun!

This year has been a fairly odd one; I have worked harder than ever before and had to encounter the fear of growing up and entering the real world. So I thought I’d share a few of my (very limited) pearls of wisdom regarding job applications and final year – they are two very hard things to juggle and manage simultaneously.

1. The previous summer, start researching what area you want to work in.

Some of you might be studying medicine and definitely know the route you want to take, but many of you won’t be too sure. Don’t stress about this, it is perfectly natural. Over the summer I was panicking, researching about five completely different industries, and didn’t know how to proceed. However whilst on my search it became natural that a few of them seemed suddenly less interesting and thus could be dropped, a few of them were able to be combined, therefore despite it taking a while I was able to get, through extensive researching, a clear idea of what I wanted to be doing.

2. Once you know the area you want to work in, start looking at when their grad schemes open, whether there is the possibility for internships and what skills they look for.

Make lots of lists and plan your applications. Also, despite it potentially being your last year it is still not too late to get involved with extracurricular work which will enhance your CV. Make use of the bunfight come September!

3. Now you know what area you want to work in, and what jobs you want to apply for, you have nothing stopping you. APPLY. And apply early.

I started applying for jobs over the summer and never really stopped, which means I have a big folder of various CVs and cover letters on my computer, which I think is a great advantage. I feel I have perfected and reworked the documents so much that I know them inside out. My first few drafts were nothing like my latter ones, for it took a while to get the hang of knowing what qualities are desirable to employers – things I wouldn’t necessary consider as skills just need to be marketed properly. Luckily there are wonderful uni-provided CV workshops that can help with this and I definitely recommend them, the CV is normally the first round with job applications and it has to be impressive enough for them to invite you to an interview – the interview is the place where you can really wow them with everything that the paper doesn’t demonstrate.

4. Stay positive.

Sadly this is only half the battle. I am someone who loves a plan, being organised and getting it all sorted, however, with jobs this is just never going to happen. Applying and getting jobs is hard. But don’t get disgruntled, keep applying and try and learn something new to implement next time from every application you make. Don’t limit your options for next year, as long as your know the field you want to work in, it shouldn’t matter how you get there. So perhaps you don’t get the job with the most exclusive firm you wanted, but you get an internship with a different one? That is still awesome!! It took a while for me to realise that despite having graduated, jobs do not just fall into your lap. That this is a process, and as long as you enjoy the journey you have nothing to complain about, every step closer to your dream job is still an important step! Equally, one of the jobs I have next year was never advertised. I had an interest in the institution so I emailed them and got lucky. A big part of job searching is about being audacious, using those contacts your great aunt may have, and forcing your way onto the market.

My plan for next year? Well I want to work in International Development. I have assigned next year to getting experience before I proceed to a Masters in the field. Come next year I will be working in Croatia and then moving to Bolivia. It’s a hard life right…

So these are my best recommendations to prevent the panic which comes with final year and graduating: Take it slow, start early, be prepared, and be flexible.

Plus, make use of what the University offers in regarding to careers – from CV workshops to events with members from the industry – they are invaluable. 

http://www.southampton.ac.uk/careers/

Florence 

Battling writer’s block

One of the wonderful things about being an English student (and indeed a blogger) is that I frequently have the joy of experiencing writer’s block.

The Oxford English Dictionary defines writer’s block as:

“A periodic lack of inspiration afflicting creative writers”

It’s not the most useful thing to happen to someone whose entire degree revolves around being able to write pretty much constantly, and it’s especially frustrating at the moment, since I am taking a Creative Writing module as part of my Master’s degree. I often find myself momentarily inspired: I excitedly sit down the next day with an idea for a short story, a blog or even just an essay piece in mind, open Word on my laptop, sip my cup of tea and poise myself ready for the images and statements to start flowing. But, suddenly, the ideas will vanish. What was once in my brain has evaporated as quickly as it appeared, and I will have nothing else to do but to stare blankly at the empty simulated piece of paper on my screen, desperately hoping that something will happen. Eventually, it does (fortunately, since I am nearly always working to a deadline!) but it is frustrating and often worrying.

I have always wanted to earn a living through writing, in some form or another. The thought of getting writer’s block at university is bad enough, but I can only imagine what it must be like to be faced with essays or articles for your job and to suffer from a lack of inspiration!

It’s difficult to get past the block. You often have the enthusiasm to write, but the words just won’t come to you. Eventually you’re left feeling despondent, and you head off to complete a different piece of work in the hope that inspiration will return. However, when you do have a deadline, as an undergraduate, postgraduate, author, blogger, or indeed any profession that requires words to be on tap, your writer’s block needs to vanish – and fast.

Here are a few ideas that I try to use when I’m having trouble expressing myself on paper:

1. Clear your mind: go for a walk, listen to music, read a magazine. Forget about what you want to write about, think of something completely unrelated, and sometimes a sudden thought will appear and you can get straight back to your computer with a fresh outlook.

2. Go back to basics: if you’re writing something for your degree, look over the basic points and ideas for your essay or assignment again. Re-familiarise yourself with the roots for your work and hopefully something will appear!

3. Talk to someone about your ideas: I often find that, if I discuss my essay or article with a friend, I’ll say something to them on the spur of the moment that really inspires me. This also works well when you’re trying to simplify a point in your essay to make it more readable! Your friend might also have an idea that opens up a whole new argument for your point. It’s worth a shot!

4. Keep writing:Often, it’s a good idea to just force yourself to write. Getting something down on paper, no matter how bad you think it is, will break that horrible boundary of not having anything on that blank page in front of you. Once you feel you’ve started, hopefully your brain will follow suit, and you can delete the work you don’t want to keep after you’ve been inspired. This is a technique I use a lot with my creative writing.

5. Keep reading: read everything and anything around the subject you’re looking at: novels, articles, forum comments, periodicals, magazine pieces. If you keep browsing your subject (or the style of writing that you want to achieve) you’re bound to hit the jackpot and come up with a counter argument for a point made, an alternative view on a situation or a style that you can use for your work. Just don’t plagiarise!

Alternatively, start your piece with a dictionary definition, and see where you go from there. It worked for me!

Joanne

Balancing a budget

It’s often cited as the eternal nemesis of the modern day student, with nobody seemingly ever having a hold over it.

But on the flip side, it’s also responsible for the birth of one of the most exciting and widely-celebrated festivals of the student calendar: student loan arrival day!

Yes, as I wrote in my last article, I’ve been lucky enough to have been cast in the Theatre Group’s Edinburgh show, Hanging Bruce-Howard, and preparations are afoot for it to tour in the summer. So with the prospect of attending the Festival Fringe looming on the horizon, a hugely exciting but potentially costly endeavour, my ability to manage my own finances is certainly going to be tested in the months ahead!

For me, learning how to balance a budget was a huge part of initially adjusting to the independent lifestyle which accompanies life at University. And although at first the prospect of being in charge of my own finances seemed intimidating (although simultaneously exciting!), it’s certainly something which I found myself getting used to and, consequentially, beginning to encounter in everyday life – suddenly my instinctive reaction in a supermarket became looking for “Deal” price labels!

Of course, just as people of a wide range of backgrounds, personalities and cultures populate campus every day, it’s safe to assume that the student body arrives at University with a broad spectrum of personal circumstances, so you’ll soon find that everyone has their own strategies, tactics and tips for dealing with money-handling.

But although I heard plenty of great advice, I reckon, as with a lot of the critical skills you begin to develop, learning how to budget is something which you can only firmly grasp by experiencing it for yourself – so needless to say it’s an area in which mistakes can, initially at least, be fairly common!

In that respect, I think it’s important to approach the adjustment phase of coming to University for the first time without fear of experimentation, provided you remember to use common sense at the same time! There’s rarely a perfect way to go about most things, be it studying, shopping, cooking, or in this case tracking your finances, so finding out what works for you can only really be achieved by trying many varying combinations of methods, and then changing them if you think their results could be improved.  

For example, over the course of my two years of living independently, I’ve managed to develop a particular personal system where, in conjunction with predictions of my expected incomings and outgoings (including all the essentials, be they academic materials, media or, most importantly, food!), I try to set myself weekly budgets, which often fluctuate according to the time of the year – exam periods tend to be quieter, more focused and thus cheaper, for instance, but the resulting celebrations can sometimes require a little extra funding!

But as I’ve experienced a greater number of occasions on which spending is necessary, I’ve needed to alter this system to grant myself a clearer insight into my habits, such as by noting how much I’ve paid for things on a daily basis. I then try to use this information to gain a better understanding of when and where I need to cut back in the future – or, more likely, when I can afford to treat myself!

So whereas at the beginning of my time in Southampton my fridge would often be stocked with all the brands, labels and luxuries I was used to having at home, now I try to be a lot more conscious of encroaching expiry dates and mounting costs, to the extent that I’ve written out a list of where to get the best value for all the items in my typical weekly shop, just by examining the prices of different stores!

Using such a methodology, or indeed any kind of budgeting routine or system at all, is entirely a matter of personal preference, so it’s completely up to you how you’d like to go about applying it. There are plenty of suggestions and tips available online, so if you’ve a spare moment, it’s well worth getting a sense of how others have gone about managing their finances.

One piece of advice I’d be keen to pass onto any newcomer to financing for themselves in particular, however, would be that, as bills can mount and the need for funds for supplies, textbooks and recreation augments, it’s very easy to go through a lot of money, and quickly at that! But I’ve found that there are plenty of ways to deal with saving money, whether it’s just required me to be more self-conscious of prices or even simply more aware of spending itself by self-imposing limits on nights out – although it is always tricky to enforce these!

There’s also always the option, if you can find the right opportunity, of taking on a job or paid work experience, although personally I try to ensure the time incursion of any extra work or commitment I make isn’t to the detriment of my degree (for example, by trying to keep on top of time management, and by sticking to part-time holiday jobs) – I have enough Performing Arts dates on my calendar as it is to keep myself occupied anyhow!

And, as ever, should any financial issues arise which I’m uncertain of how to handle, there’s plenty of advice and support on offer from the Students’ Union and Student Services, with both providing free and comprehensive assistance to anyone in need of a helping hand.

So, unless my plan of winning the lottery comes to fruition (although not buying tickets may limit my odds!), I’ll be looking to keep costs down and balance my budget - with the excitement of Edinburgh a worthy and much-anticipated reward!

Robin

When in Rome

When I left London last week it was snowing – when I arrived in Rome it was ice-cream weather.

It seemed to me that if I was going to make use of my Easter break (in a non-productive work fashion, but rather to have an incredibly enjoyable time), then there was no other place to go but Rome! To the surprise of many of my friends I have never been to Italy before (despite being named after one of their major cities…). Now was my time to sample real Italian cuisine, something so long overdue; I was impatient and Italy was calling me.

Not only was I craving good food and a little bit more sunshine, I also wanted to see my friend who was on her year abroad in France. Thus, on an impulse, we both decided to meet somewhere new and explore Italy together. It seemed like the perfect option and once again I was reminded how lucky I was to live in Europe and how easy it was for me just hop on a plane and within a matter of hours explore a completely new culture.

And Italy… oh Italy. Such splendour I have never seen before! Beautiful cobbled streets, domed roofs, balconies and windows with blue shutters.  Cafes that never close and people who passionately cry in Italian in the middle of the streets. To be able to walk around the corner and bump into the Coliseum. To explore but never feel lost; to just wander and walk through square after square, stopping to sample real Italian coffee or homemade ice-cream.  There is nothing else like it – Rome is magical.

I have travelled through a lot of Europe and nothing really compares; Rome still retains its beautiful antiquity, history which pours out of every corner, a rural simplicity and an over brimming of Italian passion and pride. This was my new European capital – Paris, London and Berlin are all great but none of them are like Rome. I fell in love with this city in a week, but I am pretty sure that it will be a love affair that will last a while.

This love affair was built on the wonderful architecture, the history, the city and all its people, but also (and very importantly), its food.

Italian food, real Italian food is something else. Simple food that is cooked from the heart; nothing but good quality fresh ingredients and generations of excellent teaching. I am pretty sure I ate my body weight in pizza, pasta and ice-cream –but I regret nothing!!

Whatever I was eating before I came to Rome was not Pizza. This is a Pizza!

I was also very lucky to be in Rome over Easter – the only place in the world where there is a state within a state and thus the centre for all Christian celebrations. To be in Vatican City and witness such levels of devotion was incredibly moving, plus to see the newly appointed Pope was pretty special – Papa Francesco was being welcomed in warmly. I don’t think I have ever visited so many churches – churches that are more like castles or palaces, churches that are so beautiful they leave you dazed for the entire day. Much like how all of Rome left me.

Trevi Fountain – you make a wish to promise your return, I am certain mine will come true!

Flying out of Rome was hard, the city was wonderful, but I knew that I would be back before too long! I was also very lucky (and a bit cheeky) to be able to extend my trip somewhere else before I returned to Southampton and the library.

For all the many things that I am grateful for, I know I am luckiest in the diversity of my friends. Having been involved with so many international activities I accordingly have friends who are scattered all over the world – whilst it is hard not seeing them regularly, it is great to be able to always have excuses to visit beautiful places. All I now need is a friend to move to Italy… Anyway, on my way back home I stopped over in Paris. Paris will always be associated with such romantic ideologies in my mind, Paris is Paris and for that reason alone it is pretty special.

To sit outside a café, to drink coffee and read Kerouac was, albeit incredibly pretentious, also incredibly wonderful. I had to pinch myself because sometimes it is easy to forget how awesome life actually is! I was then able to meet my French friend whom I hadn’t seen in months and get the local tour of Paris. It might seem ridiculous, but to me to be able to pass through these cities and share my time with people I never see enough of makes the world seem a friendlier, smaller place. A place which I will readily explore.

I cannot deny that I had a pretty great Easter break, hopefully the memories of that will allow me to power through the final term of university!

Such a view! Rome, I will be seeing you shortly!

Florence