Delving into the archives

I’ve posted many blog entries about my life here at Southampton: my time as a member of the Wessex Scene team, taking part in student journalism events; cooking as a student; enjoying summer in Southampton; and motivation to avoid procrastination. However, I realise I rarely discuss my course. Therefore I am seizing the perfect moment to discuss my academic studies! After all, that’s why I stayed on after my graduation last year.

I’ve mentioned previously that I am studying a Master’s degree in English Literary Studies. This is a one year full-time course (that can be taken part-time too) and I am slowly coming to the end of it. However, after over 30,000 words of essays this year alone, I have one final hurdle before I start living life as a graduate. This hurdle is the intimidating Master’s Dissertation.

A very empty library during the summer is perfect writing space for me!

At 20,000 words, it is a true behemoth compared to my usual 4,000 / 6,000 word essays. Now, I have written almost that much before in a short time: my deadlines in January meant that I wrote just over 16,000 words in three weeks. But this time, it’s different – I am writing this essay on just one subject, not three or four.

My undergraduate dissertation – an examination of the Poem Paintings of American Poet Frank O’Hara, was 8,000 words long, which was at the time just as scary and was written alongside two other subjects. Now, writing 8,000 words is ‘easier’ than it was at that time – that’s just over the word count for one standard MA essay. This makes me realise just how much I have grown in this year alone! My MA course has truly challenged me and stretched my academic abilities in such a short period.

This time, my dissertation focuses on twentieth-century cinema, and the Medieval. (It’s a little more specific than that, but I want to keep this piece of work to myself as much as possible while I complete it!) I never thought I would end up writing my MA Dissertation on film, but it combines my two favourite eras and a concept I discovered in my third year, from my favourite module.

As I write this blog post, I haven’t actually written much of my Dissertation yet, with research taking up my time. However, with just over a month to go, I intend to finish drafting my first chapter or two this week, which will hopefully motivate me to work extra hard and ‘power through’! That’s the plan, anyway.

So far my research has consisted of trawling through internet journals and books in Hartley Library for information, and occasionally watching films. Last week, however, I took my research to the next level, and visited the archives at the BFI (British Film Institute) on London’s Southbank.

The BFI on Southbank – a restaurant / café, cinema, library and shop, all in one!

This really was one of those moments when I remember how much I truly love studying.

I’ve used archive material in Hartley library before, but this was the first time I liaised with one of the BFI librarians and wrote a statement to the estate holding my material. Then, on Thursday 18 July, I grabbed a quick breakfast on-the-go on Southbank before heading to the archives, unsure as to what exactly I would find.

Upon enjoying my morning coffee, I noticed my name was no longer Jo, but Jane!

Being in London really motivated me, and I couldn’t wait to find some really inspiring content to get the creative juices flowing. The staff at the BFI were extremely helpful and I had no problems finding the relevant articles, books and cuttings, spending my time researching before my archive appointment at 2pm.

The Reuben Library was where I spent the whole day on Thursday – 

they didn’t allow photos inside though, sorry!

When I was presented with my original scripts, press books, newspaper cuttings and pamphlets, some over 70 years old, I made as many notes as possible. It was amazing to be handling original documents that were so old and untouched, and thankfully they proved very useful! I came away with over twenty pages of notes (in very small font!) ready to be analysed and turned into a dissertation chapter.

I personally get a real buzz when I am able to see and even handle objects from the past – it’s a wonder I never studied History! Seeing the first drafts for the scripts of films I am studying made me realise how lucky I am to be able to read and write about these items – that I have the skills to think about them in a critical way, and produce a (hopefully) good piece of work which will enable me to graduate successfully this winter.

This is another opportunity university offers you – it really feeds your thirst for knowledge, a wish to delve deeper into a subject you love and to come out knowing as much as possible. In my third year, I was able to read and handle a text written in the seventeenth century. It’s an experience which drives me to find out more and to really analyse it in the best way possible. I’m hoping that this reaction to archival research will lead to a good final dissertation! It’s also evidence of how, as your education advances, you take initiative more and more. Your work and success start to rely on your passions.

London looking stunning at 8.30am before I went to the BFI

I really believe that actively and physically hunting down information drives you further and produces a better piece of work. That is my experience, at least! Taking an active research role makes your work stand out, provides you with transferrable skills for life post-uni, and really tests your ability to think for yourself, and on your feet!

After my day at the BFI (nearly ten hours straight!) I wandered along Southbank amongst tourists, performers and established Londoners feeling confident, excited and motivated. Let’s hope I can maintain that feeling until my deadline in September!

As I sat in the BFI Reuben Library, running my fingers along plastic-covered script sheets, looking at the spidery handwriting and fading ink, I felt a sadness as I realised I will soon be leaving the world of academia for good in just a few short months.

There’s nothing quite like getting stuck into history and uncovering something new!

Joanne

The social scene

The build-up to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is continuing, and the entire event is tantalisingly close. In just a couple of weeks we’ll have settled in our hostel and performed to an international audience for the very first time, and we’ll be huddled together eagerly anticipating the first reviews – fingers crossed they’ll be positive!

But even if they’re not, the experience of rehearsing for the show has already been terrific and, although a drain on the wallet – at this rate I’m going to be eating little other than a lot of beans and a lot of toast next year – I can honestly say I’ve never been as excited by the prospect of a summer trip. It promises to be the stuff of lifelong memories!

It feels like we, as a cast and crew travelling under the umbrella of “Gone Rogue Productions”, are set to go on the adventure of a lifetime, and goodness knows what will happen when we’re up there as we flyer, perform, watch tonnes of other theatre, musicals and comedy, before relaxing and enjoying the festivities on offer in the city – every day! Sleep is definitely not on the agenda.

The prospect of this trip, as always, is made all the better by the people I’ll be sharing it with. With some hilarious, interesting and inspiring people, rehearsals have been fun affairs, even as they’ve grown in intensity towards the end of the month (although this is largely down to our difficulties in learning lines as a cast)! It’s been a wholly enjoyable time as we’ve also been spending a good deal of time together outside of the rehearsal environment across the course of the month.

The social scene of University is one of my favourite things about my life at Southampton, and reading Jo’s and Flo’s posts about making the most of your time here, it’s definitely something I’ll continue to try to take advantage of as much as possible – when my degree programme allows me to, of course! Ultimately I recognise it’s important not to lose sight of the primary purpose of my stay here, so there are evenings when it’s necessary to send apologies and stay at the desk (usually the evening before a deadline!). And as always with University, a level of freedom exists which permits you to get involved as and when you want to, so I never find myself under pressure to attend events rather than put in the hours with the books.

Furthermore, as someone who, when I moved to Southampton, was quite an introverted individual and found it difficult to meet people, I’ve loved how open and inviting students here really are – just by expressing your interest in things, opportunities arise to meet new like-minded people, go along to new events and engage in new ways . For example, after going along to only one welcome meeting, that of the Students’ Union’s television station (SUSUtv), during my Freshers’ week, and despite being petrified the entire time, I found myself invited to two birthday parties and signed up to be part of the crew for a live online broadcast the week afterwards – talk about straight in at the deep end!

And, contrary to popular belief, the social scene at University doesn’t revolve solely around alcohol. It’s a common perception that every social event involves drinking and you can’t enjoy yourself without it, but from my experience, it’s really down to your own preferences – whatever your choices, you find that people will respect them, in keeping with the eclectic nature of the student body itself. Indeed, some of my favourite society socials have been sober ones, so alcohol is anything but a necessity.

So here’s just a small selection of the great days and nights out I’ve experienced during my two years here already, with plenty more surely to follow:

Battle royale

 Some things never get old!

During the course of one post-rehearsal meet-up this month, we decided to get together a foam dart armoury, before unleashing all-out foam war on one another – well, they say you should never lose touch with your inner child! Variations on this which I’ve attended have also included many a snowball fight on the Southampton Common (a field near campus) in the winter and, in brighter climes, an intense on-campus pillow fight flash mob. A great way to blow off some steam, and all in the name of fun!

Movie nights

A recent film marathon led to a sleepover, so naturally we built a fort to watch them in!

Sometimes it’s nice just to relax with friends and housemates with a good film or two... or, from time to time, ten! Popular movie night themes tend to remain rooted in all things Disney, Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings but, if you’re feeling particularly adventurous (or ready to forfeit proper rest), extended marathons are a common occurrence in houses or at events hosted by our very own cinema, Union Films. Indeed, last year’s James Bond all-nighter was quite something and sent many to sleep earlier than planned; personally I somehow made it through, but the following day was extremely unproductive!

Beaches

Given the great weather of late, it seemed wrong not to take advantage of it, hence a last-minute trip to the beaches of Bournemouth one day to bathe in the sun, sea and sand! With ice-creams and beach football on the agenda, as well as a classic sand burial of one cast member, Luke, we all had a great time and, provided the sunshine returns, we’ll be sure to head back there again soon.

Meals out

There are many great places to grab a meal in Southampton, and enjoy fine food and company.

A relaxed meal out in one of the many local eateries, either on-campus or nearby, is always a nice way to have a good time and share some terrific food. Typically with Performing Arts this ends with a buffet of some description, so we always make sure to get our money’s worth! Look out for these particularly around the end of semesters, when everybody’s too tired to do anything else!

Fancy dress

You can always guarantee Halloween will require a costume of some description!

The absolute staple of the University social calendar, fancy dress events are everywhere. It’s always a great laugh and a good opportunity to show off your creativity – or not, if you’d prefer! I somehow have managed to get by so far with only two or three costumes in my wardrobe thanks largely to the well-stocked fancy dress shops around, so last-minute hiring is an option. But there’s always an excuse to bring out a costume around the corner (particularly during Freshers’ week), so I’ve found it’s a good idea to have a back-up available in addition.

Day trips to the city

I’ve already mentioned our recent trip to the beach, but I’ve also had some wonderful days out in the city of Southampton itself with friends, catching the latest films at the cinema, doing a bit of shopping (games and DVDs, of course!) or seeing the mighty Southampton FC in Premier League action.

The Students’ Union

With karaoke, it’s safer to stick to being in a group!

In addition to the plentiful entertainment on offer through Union Films, the Students’ Union also hosts a popular weekly event in its swish Bridge Bar, the “Quiz & Curry”, which is always a great way to stretch your general knowledge whilst enjoying great food at the same time! On another night, they also run karaoke sessions which usually help to get everybody involved in singing a classic or two, although I’m now more wary after I was, on one occasion, somehow roped into performing a rap, which was apparently a sight to behold!

A night in bed

For those times when things are getting a little too much on top of you, or all you crave is the comfort of a pillow round your head, I can heartily recommend an early night in bed (which for me still seems to end at about midnight!). Stick the television on or get through a few chapters, recuperate in tranquillity, and find yourself fresh and ready to take on a brand new day with renewed vigour. As someone who acts the eternal grouch when tired out, sometimes it’s the only way!

A night at the theatre

Finally, as a tremendously biased individual, what better way to enjoy an evening than by supporting your fellow students in a theatre or concert hall nearby at discount prices? The quality of the Performing Arts’ societies here, not only theatrical but also musical and dance-based, is remarkable, with many performers being locally recognised and embellished with awards for their efforts, so you’re always sure to be entertained.

Indeed, if you’re looking for some entertainment this weekend, look no further – for the previews of the show that we’re taking up to Edinburgh will be showing at the Annex Theatre on campus. We’d greatly appreciate any feedback you might have for the show, Hanging Bruce-Howard, a raucous farcical comedy suitable for all audiences about a past-his-peak and heavily hungover actor’s efforts to get his life back on track, so please do come along, and help us to fine-tune a production we’ve had the times of our lives with!

Gone Rogue Production’s Hanging Bruce-Howard previews at the Annex Theatre, Highfield Campus, on Friday 26 (7.30pm) and Saturday 27 (1.30pm & 7.30pm) July, before running at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe throughout August. Tickets are available on the door, and all feedback would be hugely appreciated to help us to improve the show.

We look forward to welcoming you there!

Robin

It’s the final countdown…

This week I approach my graduation with the most surreal feelings imaginable.

I took the bus back from Amsterdam, my current home, to London on Friday night – forgetting how horrible and exhausting the trip was. Then I was lucky enough to attend a rather fabulous 1920s themed 21^st birthday, and it was then, when I was surrounded by some of my closest friends dressed up in all their finery that it hit me: we had finished university. We weren’t going back.  

I know I might be two months late but it took a rather awesome band, a bucket of champagne and coming back from living in a different country to realise just how odd this concept was.

Utterly fabulous Great Gatsby themed party

Finishing university means a lot of things; finding a job, getting up early and, crucially, no more student living. The period of my life when I got to see my university friends effortlessly every day had come to an end. Yet I felt like it had hardly started. Personally I couldn’t imagine a time when I didn’t know these people - the ones who influence my life and the all choices I make. This is made all the more odd when you realise that three years ago I didn’t even know these people existed – just one aspect of how University changed my life. You meet these people instantly and they infiltrate your life so deeply that you can’t think of a time when they weren’t there, and of course it is not like they all disappear when you graduate, but I had been so hung up on the whole ‘get a job, start a career’ lark that I hadn’t truly given it much thought. Now I have university friends going to Bangladesh, India, New Zealand and America.

And that is sort of terrifying because whilst I owe a lot of my university experience to great lecturers and interesting books, I owe a great deal more to the people. It is the people that made my three years unforgettable and it is the people that will make my university experience last more than three years. These are people I will know all my life.

So I am graduating (argh!) but some of you lucky lucky people will be reading this just before arriving in September and I want to say how incredible your time will be, how much fun you’ll have and how many great people you will meet. I have no regrets from my university experience, I am adamant I did it all and I did it well, but I do wish I had appreciated fully how fun first year was at the time.

Maybe I am just feeling what every final year student feels: the desire to regress back into being a Fresher and do it all again, but better, wilder. For it is true what they say, you do not know what you have until it is gone – and this is true of first year, but also university as a whole. I got swept up in this bubble which I believed to be impenetrable, convinced that studying would never really end and that I would always have this life. Except now it is going to an end. Graduation will mark that and like a ton of bricks it has just hit me. The cartoon anvil has fallen on my head and I am lying a bit dazed on the ground. All I keep repeating is that it’s gone so quickly, that it is not time to leave university, not yet, not now.

Every time I realise it is all over I throw massive tantrums. A natural reaction I think. 

Which leaves me to say one final thing to all you people who haven’t yet finished; university will go too quickly, it’s inevitable. So make the most of it all, live every single moment, join every society, run for every position, stay up late, work too hard and make great friends. Enjoy.

Florence 

Judging a book by its cover

Books have always been one of my favourite things. I love the way they smell, the way the paper feels when you open a brand new book and how the pages fade over time. I love libraries, and when I went to visit various universities I relished the thought of having a library like Hartley on my doorstep (I will miss this greatly!). Even when I was a child I would have my head stuck in a book, my parents sometimes calling me antisocial… but I just couldn’t read enough!

Now, after having studied English at undergraduate and postgraduate level, I face a very exciting prospect. You see, when I finish my dissertation in September, I will be faced with, for the first time in years, the possibility to read… for pleasure.

It’s true that if you choose to study English at university, you are unlikely to read a book for pleasure for years. Often in the summer holidays I was trawling through course texts to get ahead. Even books you get excited about studying can become laborious and you start to wonder… what if my degree has put me off reading for good!? The horror!

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve adored my course, and I would not have studied anything else. But I cannot wait to pick a book up and read it at my own pace, really relishing it.

Come September, then, one of the first things I will do is to go into Waterstones (probably with my mum, who is a fellow reader!) and just stand there, relishing the ability to pick anything and everything. I’ll go for romances, crime, maybe even the classics I never read for my studies which ALL English students should be familiar with (such as To Kill a Mockingbird or Dracula).

 My attempt to read this last summer fell flat due to other work!

But one recent event has made me ask myself this: how do I know which books to pick, out of the thousands available to me (subject to my bank balance)?

It has been in the news this week that J K Rowling has been revealed as the author of a book called ‘The Cuckoo’s Calling’, which was published under the pseudonym of Robert Galbraith. I couldn’t help but notice that it was all over Twitter, and took some time out of my (tedious) note-taking to read one or two news articles about it.

An article on the BBC states that the book has now ‘topped charts’, with sales rising from under 500 copies sold (before her real identity was revealed) to more than 5,000 on Amazon after the revelation.

Indeed, one spokesperson from Waterstones told the BBC, "This is the best act of literary deception since Stephen King was outed as Richard Bachman back in the 1980s" and Rowling herself described adopting a different authorial identity was a ‘liberating experience’.

(You can read the BBC article I read here)

There are two things that this has brought to my attention.

Firstly, Rowling’s decision to adopt a male name for her most recent book strikes me as almost eighteenth-century. I studied a module on texts of that era and, due to the gender differences at the time, it was not unusual for budding female writers to adopt male names or even anonymity in order to get published and to be taken seriously as an author. This causes me to wonder why Rowling chose a male name. It may not be about gender differences; indeed, I may be reading too much into it. But was it a bid to be taken seriously? To shake off the expectations created by Harry Potter and The Casual Vacancy? Most likely it was an attempt to get as far away from her real identity as possible.

Indeed, I typed Rowling’s name into Twitter to examine some responses, and found one article from the New Statesman asking if Rowling had betrayed female writers by using a male counterpart. In the article, Nichi Hodgson states that even though Agatha Christie is the top selling crime writer of all time, men have continued to dominate the genre since. In this respect, then, Rowling’s choice fits perfectly into the genre whilst allowing her writing to be judged away from her name. This is also interesting because Rowling's use of just her initials for the Harry Potter series was also due to her desire not to be judged as a female writer, but just for her work, and to encourage boys to read her books.

On the subject of gender in literature, I also saw a tweet about how one reviewer of the book chose it because it was, indeed, by a male writer, and how he would never read a book by a woman. This clearly backfired, causing much amusement online!

I met American author Jodi Picoult back in 2008, at a reading of her (then) latest book. 

It was a fantastic evening!

Secondly, it is interesting to observe the impact of a household name on book sales. Now that Rowling’s identity has been revealed, her book sales have increased tenfold. This is also explored in an article in the Guardian. It’s true:  people are now interested in reading this book because of the expectations surrounding her name and to compare it to her last endeavour out of the world of Harry Potter. Could this be a publicity stunt if not by Rowling then by her publishers? If she really wanted to break away, wouldn’t she have maintained her pseudonym? Why would you come clean if it wasn’t to boost sales?

One of my favourite authors is Victoria Hislop

This second point got me thinking. Going back to my more casual beginning to this blog entry, I have no idea how to pick my first few reads as a graduate. I am very likely, in fact, to go for books by authors I know very well (such as Jodi Picoult or Victoria Hislop) or names recognised from my course. This business with Rowling certainly emphasises the problems facing unknown authors who haven’t yet hit the literary headlines, as it were. There are thousands of books out there by small-time, unknown writers such as the phantom ‘Robert Galbraith’ whose books are just as good if not possibly better than famous authors; but they just don’t grab the attention of the keen reader.

If you’re interested in gender affecting the world of books a little more, here’s a fantastic project by Maureen Johnson. She asked readers to send in altered covers to well-known books and making ‘girly’ covers more masculine, and vice versa. This project really highlights how books can be designed to appeal to either gender and how this often puts readers off buying the book.
 

So, on that note, when I do finish in September, and I head out to buy my first book without the expectations of a seminar or essay, I’ll make sure I judge a book by what’s inside, not by the cover or even the name emblazoned on the front. It’s obvious that the literary world is still dominated by the big names and even gender politics. It’s important that my return to reading for pleasure, then, should be based on story and taste and not popular culture and books seemingly written ‘for men’ or ‘for women’.

Joanne

The student community

And so July, accompanied by scorching weather worthy of any exotic location (although now I’ve said that, prepare for rain!), sees my first summer spent down here in Southampton, away from my usual Northern home.

But just because lectures, assignments and exams are behind us and many a Students’ Union activity is on hiatus, it doesn’t mean that life in and around the University is any less hectic or packed than ever – well, except for the (very much necessary) midday siestas I’ve timetabled in! I’ve been down here since the beginning of the month for a number of reasons, and although productivity has at times been on the backburner, it’s been as enjoyable as ever.

From moving house (and all the other necessary tasks that come with it!) to undertaking tentative Third Year Project research (presumably at one stage the challenge will appear less mountainous!), there’s been plenty to be getting on with. This was topped off by the magnificent experience of taking part in the University’s Open Days, forming part of the Pro Vice-Chancellor’s talks on the themes of ambition and opportunity along with Jo.

As you might have read in her latest blog, we certainly made the most of the glorious weather, taking walks to both campuses, eating lunch in the shade and reminiscing about our experiences here (in my case: so far!), wholeheartedly enjoying both days – despite my ice-cream melting everywhere...! In case you didn’t get the chance to catch it, you can hear what we both had to say about our Southampton journeys in this video (we take over from about 22 minutes in!):

Walking around campus on both occasions reminded me of, as I mentioned in the talk, just how homely the University always feels to me. Awash with the sights of visitors, the luminescent clothing of swathes of student ambassadors and assistants, and plenty of other activities and displays (including the magnificent ambition wall), and ably supported by an awesome soundtrack from our very own Surge Radio, the excitement of discovering it all for the first time came flooding back, making us both feel very, very old!

And with loads of resources freely available for hire (including the exhaustive Hartley Library), banks and other essential services nearby, great communal catering outlets (the majority serving a favourite lunchtime component: curly fries!) and a wide variety of shops all within ten minutes’ walk of the house I just moved into, I’ve always felt that I could quite easily live solely within that radius – well, except perhaps for the occasional trips into town when Manchester United visit St Mary’s Stadium!

Like Jo, when I settled in to Southampton I was also moving from a rural area into urban surroundings for the first time, so having the extra security of having all the basics nearby meant I always knew I’d be comfortable, and, if anything, this encouraged me more to branch out and explore the city and area.

Yet the homeliness of the University goes even beyond that aspect for me. I’ve tried many times to articulate what makes life in Higher Education such a special existence, and just why I love being a part of it so much, but it’s difficult to summarise succinctly. I’m always mentioning the fantastic atmosphere, assortments of activities and collections of people which make up day-to-day life here, but it’s the way that these are constantly coalescing which inspires me the most.

Because after two years of being in and around the Students’ Union (SUSU), engaging with it whenever I can afford the time off from degree work, I’ve realised it’s the little things that make it such a special place to be. Walking in to the Bridge Bar, for example, and seeing three or four people I know and can get lunch with, or even just passing somebody on the concourse and exchanging a quick “Hi!” before both dashing off to lectures, I find myself feeling like I’ve established an identity within the vast student community of the University. Living in a relatively densely student-populated area as well, I’m always bumping into people I know in streets and shops, or popping round to friends, so there’s a friendly face on every corner.

Despite there being a million and one courses, societies and student groups on offer, with everyone combining these to various degrees and doing their own thing, I can appreciate that I now have a University of Southampton experience personal to me – and it feels terrific!

This aspect of constantly networking (in the most informal way possible!) and experience-sharing lies at the core of so much of what goes on here, but so many opportunities in turn revolve around appealing to your interests, having fun and building up skills and portfolios – so engaging with the community is, I’ve found, best achieved just through relaxing and enjoying yourself!

Friendships really do just happen!

To give an example, SUSU Theatre Group are currently rehearsing on a daily basis for the show we’re taking to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe next month, Hanging Bruce-Howard, under the moniker of Gone Rogue productions. Whilst we’ve been working (fairly) hard during the day, we’ve spent the evenings meeting up and enjoying ourselves as a cast and crew, as we prepare for a month of adventures in Scotland together – the other night culminated in an all-out pizza-fest and foam dart gun war which, despite nearly being twenty-one, is still far, far too much fun to miss out on!

And, should something go awry, however serious the circumstances or problem, I’m always aware I can count on my fellow students to provide the support I need, be it my fellow thespians, my coursemates or, normally in my case, my housemates – there’s nothing quite like venting through a quick blast on the PlayStation with my neighbour for effective stress relief!

But this level of support for one another is seemingly ever-present, as demonstrated by the University’s alumni. For example, thanks to the incredibly generous and benevolent alumni of the School of Electronics and Computer Science (ECS), whose donations have enabled me to receive the support of the ECS Student Development Fund, the financial burden of the associated costs of the Fringe trip has been significantly lightened, ensuring the experience should be all the more memorable for me. I cannot thank them enough.

And I was further humbled by the support of friends when I performed a second stand-up comedy set at a local open mic night recently, following a mildly successful debut earlier this year. Unfortunately, this one somewhat fell apart! All rehearsal seemed to fall by the wayside as I completely forgot large parts of the routine and suffered a fair few “tumbleweed moments” – every performer’s worst nightmare! The ten minutes I was supposed to fill felt like the longest of my life!

When the performance finished, I was quite disappointed in myself for a poor showing but, rather than receive external criticism, I was instead offered a great deal of encouragement to pick myself up, learn from my mistakes and give it another go some time, with many pointing out stand-up can be a hit-and-miss art. It sounds horrendously cliché, but it really did help, and reminded me of just how lucky I am here to be, now, as part of such a special student community.

Best of all, it was conclusive evidence I’ve been blessed with two homes: North – and South!

Robin

Baby steps to the future

After nearly two months in Amsterdam at the end of next week I go home – only for a small holiday and graduation – but still I return to my old haunts. And because everything has changed since my last visit it got me thinking (perhaps unwisely) about the future.

Leaving seems so long ago, a mad haze of tantrums and gin (I didn’t take leaving university so well) and so I now look forward to returning fresh faced and rational.

However, I think my trip home might have the opposite of my desired effect.

Since leaving a lot has changed and sometimes it’s a little overwhelming to think about how quickly life can move on. I will return to Southampton for my graduation, the day my parents have been looking forward to since I left the womb, a day that in my mind is so much more about them, and the ones who supported me, than my own achievements. Since none of it would have been possible without them I believe my degree should be shared, but since that’s not possible they will have to suffice with a lot of awkwardly formal photographs.

I am looking forward to returning to Southampton, and I think to see it (hopefully in the sun) will be cathartic. I will be in the car with my mum, nervous but excited, and it will be like I have been transported three years back and I’m rolling up to Monte (my halls in first year) with a car full of extraneous objects. Three years! Yikes! And what I wouldn’t give to go back right now and do it all again because I can honestly say they’ve been the best three years of my life. Now I’ve left university I feel a bit lost – without the regular trips between the local student club, supermarket and Hartley Library to give my life routine.

So I will return, but as a visitor. I will no longer have a house in Southampton and soon after my graduation I will have very few reasons to keep visiting. My graduation will act as closure to the end of a wonderful three year relationship with the best partner ever. Just writing about this I know I will be more emotional about leaving than I was arriving. Tissues will have to be at the ready.

My beautiful room in first year. Oh how I miss floor 3, B-Block. 

After my graduation I return “home”, except since I moved out, my parents have sold our home in England and moved to France. For the week I’m back we’re all staying with friends. It seems remnants of my past have been permanently removed in my absence. Don’t get me wrong, I have absolutely no right to complain – I am 22 and living in Amsterdam – my parents are at liberty to do whatever they so like. But that does not stop it from reminding me – along with the fact that most of my friends have got amazing jobs scattered across the country, and the globe – that this is growing up. Growing up; something I have fought against for a while, has crept up on me.

Maybe older, by definitely not wiser.

Now it’s not that I am immature; I accept, indeed revel, in responsibility, I enjoy long debates on climate change and rising food prices and early nights in just sewing suits me fine. But, with maturity comes an expectation regarding your future. I wrote about these similar concerns in a blog about a year ago, when I turned 21, and since this post started with no particular direction it must clearly be a common concern though my life. I can’t shake the thought that now I am 22, (nearly) graduated and with no home in the UK that I must have some sort of plan, some steps to greatness.

I don’t.

But, then again, I arrived at Southampton, so young and wobbly, and built myself a plan, built myself the life I now have. Whilst I hope to cling to reckless immaturity for a while longer – yes I want to travel the world, and no I do not want to pay off my student loans or get a mortgage – I am going to go back to basics, back to how I arrived at Southampton, and take it one step at a time. 

Florence

#myambition

Friday 5 and Saturday 6 July saw the first two Open Days for the University of Southampton and, as you may have read in Robin’s previous post, the two of us were invited along to say a few words at the Pro-Vice Chancellor’s talk to give a student’s perspective.

The theme of the event was Ambition – complete with official hash tag – and visitors and participants alike were encouraged to talk about their ambitions, both big and small; whether it’s simply getting into university, becoming a nurse, getting a PhD or moving to far and distant lands.

The campus was covered in the word ‘Ambition’ which was really eye-catching! 

Here’s Robin and myself getting into the spirit of things!

Robin and I talked alongside another student at the University, Florence Broderick, meaning that those who attended the talk got a rounded view of life here at Southampton from three very different perspectives, with each of us having something very different to say!

It has been five years since I attended my open days as an eager yet terrified sixth form student (I can’t believe it’s been five years… where has that time gone!?) and so I was incredibly excited to see the University really showing off what it has to offer, as well as being one of the students for whom I had so much respect when I was listening to welcome talks of my own.

Robin and myself with fellow student Florence and Pro Vice-Chancellor Alex Neill

Fortunately, I am still in the area, as I am researching and writing my 20,000 word dissertation,  so I did not need to rearrange any plans to take part (unlike Florence, who needed to arrange flights back from Rome!). So after much preparation, the day finally arrived, and as I walked onto campus I was immediately struck by the welcoming and warm atmosphere: Surge Radio had set up camp on the red brick area and the music was really adding to the excitement; there were student guides in bright yellow t-shirts everywhere; signs for talks and demonstrations, and visitors walking around trying to take it all in. Fortunately enough we had been blessed with hot weather and the sun had come out in all its glory, which mean our lush, green campus was really shown off at its very best.

Our campus looking splendid in the hot summer sunshine – 

a perfect introduction to life here at Southampton!

Our talk was held in the Nuffield Theatre which was, at first, admittedly intimidating – I had only ever been on that stage for my Graduation ceremony last July (where has this year gone, too?!) and had not needed to spend any more time on there than it took to shake hands. Now I would be speaking for seven minutes or so in front of over one hundred people. My public speaking skills have come a long way during my time here, but I still get very nervous!

We were set up with our microphones, took our place on stage, and listened to Pro-Vice Chancellor Alex Neill tell our visitors about the University’s reputation, facilities, and why it deserves to be their top choice. Listening to his talk really reminded me of how overwhelming choosing a university had been for me, and how the facts and figures really made it so much trickier to work out what I wanted. I hoped that our student perspectives would really make those facts and figures a reality to our audience, demonstrating to prospective students how you can really make the most of your time here.

I felt my hands shaking with nerves as Florence took to front of the stage to deliver her talk. Florence graduates this summer from her degree in Modern Languages and Contemporary European Studies. She spoke incredibly well about her year abroad in Madrid, and her involvement with the Digital Champions which in turn gave her opportunities to attend conferences, help lecturers to use technology in their seminars, and even anchor a live show on digital technology. She is now going on to an International Graduate Scheme with Telefonica Digital in Madrid and then either California, Tel Aviv or Sao Paolo. As she spoke, she credited her ability to realise her ambitions to the university, through which the companies approached her, and which provided her with the opportunities that allowed her to find out what it was she wanted to do. I was incredibly impressed with her talk and I think the audience were as well!

I was next, and I had chosen to discuss my studies with the audience and stating what it was that made me choose Southampton as my first choice – namely, the sense of community, the welcoming atmosphere, the excellent reputation, and inspirational teaching. I also went on to talk about my graduation, and my participation with Wessex Scene, before exploring my ambition… which I will talk about more later in this post! Oh, the suspense!

Robin spoke after me about his overall love for his student experience, his horror at being halfway through his time at university, his involvement in the performing arts (his public speaking skills made it quite clear that he belongs on stage!) and his plans to connect his academic career with his theatrical experience and base his third year project on both subjects! I won’t go on to spill the beans, but it sounds fascinating!

The video will be available on the University of Southampton YouTube channel soon.

We did this talk four times over the two days and, as we went on, it got better (although I suffered with a little stage fright the second time round, losing my place on my notes and panicking – much to my mortification!) But I left each day hoping that we had inspired some students to make Southampton a firm choice for their first year in 2014!

When we weren’t talking, Robin and I took ourselves off to experience the Open Day for ourselves; we visited Avenue campus, which is where I spend a lot of time as a Humanities student, and Garden Court where all the information stands could be found (including a very impressive interactive ambition wall, where we even stuck our own ambitions for all to see!)

Avenue campus looking as lovely as usual!

Not only did visitors have all this information available… they also had plenty of grassy space to enjoy the sun, a very tasty BBQ, and even an amazing ice cream van complete with toppings and sauce galore! Robin and I treated ourselves to one after our last talk, in celebration of a job well done! I definitely don’t remember having things like that at my open days and was rather jealous – when I first visited Southampton, it was pouring with rain!

The Ice Cream was delicious – I went for raspberry sauce and a flake!

Robin went for sprinkles on his… this was taken just before it melted all over him!

So… what of my ambition? Well, I think I’ll try to sum up what I said in my talk:

My ambition is to be happy with whatever job I end up having; I want to go to work with a smile on my face as often as possible, and I want to keep challenging myself (I’m not letting all of the things I’ve learnt here at Southampton go to waste!). I don’t really want to settle for anything. I want to be successful too; not just in terms of earning a lot (though, as you can imagine, that wouldn’t be such a bad thing!) but I want to feel as if I have achieved something great, and made a difference to something, be that someone else’s life or simply an office environment.

I have no job or grad scheme organised for when I finish my dissertation in September …yet. But I look forward to finding out what I really want to do. However, this isn’t due to not having any options; rather, I feel that with my two degrees under my belt and all of my experiences, I could do anything I wanted to do – so why would I settle?? I’m about to enter another exciting stage of my life, and I’d rather not limit myself!

My ambition...

…as one of many on our Ambition Wall on the first Open Day!

I won’t go on to repeat my entire speech, as you have a chance to watch all of us in the video (apologies for any mistakes! I was really quite nervous!) but university really has been the making of me.

The University of Southampton will be holding more Open Days on Friday 6 and Saturday 7 September, which you can book places for now!

If the last few days are anything to go by, it’ll be fantastic, and I really recommend trying to find out as much as possible about university life while you’re there. You can never ask too many questions, and people are there to help, so take advantage of it! When I was looking at universities, my poor parents took me to my final three choices twice, so I could make the best decision for myself.  It’s worth getting as much out of our Open Days as possible, just to make sure you know where you want to live your life for the next three or four years.

If you came along to the Open Days this July, I hope you really enjoyed everything our University has to offer and I just can’t express to you enough how much of an amazing time I’ve had here!

If you’re coming along in September, I hope to see you then!

Now, I had better get back to my research – this dissertation won’t write itself – after all, it’s all part of #myambition!

Joanne