A busy September

Following on from what was probably the best month of my life so far, enjoying the splendid festivities going on up in Edinburgh (the last time I’ll mention it on here – promise!... okay, well maybe not!), I was fully expecting the classic ‘post-show blues’, ever the nemesis of a performer in the form of the indisputable fact that a show is over and won’t return, to hit, and hit hard.

But in keeping with what has been a frantic but wholly memorable summer, I simply haven’t had the time to even think about it!

September opened in a whirlwind of activity as I found myself beginning to look at material for my proposed Third Year Project, the Electronics and Computer Science equivalent of a dissertation. Much like Edinburgh, this blog post is most definitely not the last time I’ll be mentioning it this year, as with a grand total of 10000 words to write at the same time as producing a fully functioning ‘artefact’ (in my case, an automatic show filming-and-editing autonomous agent) and then demonstrating it at an end-of-year ‘Project Viva’, I’ve got quite the prospective workload on my plate!

As the youngest of four siblings, I’ve seen my brothers and sister go through it all and come out with great success, so no pressure, then! Like GCSEs, A Levels and moving out of home and into Uni, it’s always one of those things you witness people around you undertaking, but never imagine will ever get round to happening for you, so it’ll probably be a shock when it finally does. Unfortunately, this philosophy doesn’t quite apply to assignment deadlines!

After a few days of using this research largely as an excuse to catch up on the sleep lost in Scotland (at the Edinbur- agh!), I was whisked back down to Southampton to participate in the recent Open Days in a similar manner to those which took place in July, taking part in the Pro Vice-Chancellor’s talks on the Nuffield stage on the themes of our stories in the city and our goals and ambitions for the future.

We were joined by fellow Life at Southampton blogger Jo again, who was as articulate and inspirational as ever, as well as Biology student Sophie Watts and Mechanical Engineering student Harry Morley, both of whose experiences were not only astounding in their own right, but also vastly numerous – I have no idea how they’ve managed to find the time to do it all, let alone the great deal of skill! Through having this opportunity to talk to visitors on the day about just how much the University of Southampton has offered us since we joined, we all had a superb time and received a salient reminder of how fortunate we’ve all been to attend such a great institution and be part of a brilliant set of people – and how much we’ll miss it all when, at our various stages, we’ll have to depart!

After the talks, we took the chance to make full use of the free photo booth outside! 

(Credit: University of Southampton Law School)

And that time may come quicker than I imagined, as, following a quick train journey back home to the North-West, the milestones came thick and fast within the space of my final week before returning to Southampton for the semester, so much so I began to feel very old indeed! First up was the chance to celebrate my sister’s birthday, and although it was a low-key affair as she was, at the time, in academic lockdown putting the finishing touches to her own Masters’ dissertation, the family had a great time together on a relaxed day, and we made sure she was well set up for a celebration when everything was handed in a week later!

This was quickly succeeded by a spontaneous day trip to the theme park Alton Towers with some friends from home, if only because we all wanted to give its new roller-coaster a try (it was epic!), and then the chance to meet up with my aunt and uncle from New Zealand and spend some time out, including a delicious meal out in a swanky venue, with them.

Hoping to take advantage of the early return dates for schools as well as the warm weather, we made an impromptu journey to our favourite theme park!

This is actually my favourite of all the rides there – though you might not have guessed it from this photo!

To put the cherry on a hectic but hugely enjoyable week, it ended with my 21^st birthday and a couple of celebrations of entering the world of adulthood (if only in age!), including another meal out and a meet-up or two with long-unseen friends, during which we went bowling and had a curry (not to mention a few drinks!) – a fantastic time was had by all, and it was a fairly quiet and chilled celebration to accompany the grey hairs I found in the morning!

Another year older... but probably none the wiser!

Finally, it was back down to Southampton for a third and final time this summer to kick off rehearsals for Theatre Group’s next show, Peter Shaffer’s Equus, as one of its co-directors. Having put a great deal of time into trying to think through every aspect and plan as much as possible in advance (for once!), it’s mildly terrifying to think that the show opens in just under five weeks’ time, a relatively short timescale for a show of such magnitude.

But both of us directors are very excited by the promise of the early work that everyone has put in so far, a testament to the dedication and sheer levels of talent that the actors and actresses here possess, and we’ve enjoyed working on the play by ‘blocking’ scenes, building characters and, most of all, taking part in and running the warm-up games – including incorporating dance routines from YouTube as physical warm-ups! We can’t wait to see the final product of the rehearsals – it should be spectacular!

Of course, it’s not all about hard work, and, as we reasoned as a production team, what better way is there to encourage strong inter-cast team building than by unleashing our inner warriors at Southampton’s “Sector 7” arena for some extremely competitive (if sweaty!) and exhilarating laser tag? Although the scoreboard didn’t end up quite as flattering as the green team I was on might’ve hoped, we all left feeling quite drained by the experience, suggesting the evening was well-enjoyed!

And to cap a busy month, the Theatre Group committee have been making preparations for welcoming freshers into the society, including manning a stall at the recent Students’ Union ‘Bunfight’ where all student groups are offered a post from which to recruit new members! Although it was a long day, the atmosphere and excitement generated by the occasion made it tremendous fun for all involved, and with over three times as many sign-ups as last year, we’re already wondering just how we’re going to fit all those people into the room should they opt to come along to our first meeting of the year!

So with the new academic year starting in just a few days and a flurry of activity having taken place, it’s been a summer, and September, to remember! As Jo rightly pointed out in her final blog post, time flies when you’re having fun, and although it seems strange to think that I’ve been lucky enough to publish my writing on here for a year and a half, alongside her stimulating articles and those of the vivacious Flo and adventurous Rohit, and that I’m the last of the original blog team, it’s just further proof that things in the student world really don’t stand still. I wish them every luck in the future and it’s been a real joy getting to know them all, just as I’m sure it will be with the new Life at Southampton writers – and the incoming freshers to the University to boot!

It’s safe to say that, being back at University, things are as busy as ever, but I wouldn’t have it any other way! Now, what was I saying about catching up on sleep...

Robin

So long, student life!

The time has come for me to say goodbye.

Goodbye student housing; goodbye student discount! Farewell lectures, seminars and book lists. Goodbye assignments and journals… goodbye student life!

I’ve had the most incredible time as a student at the University of Southampton and it’s very hard to believe that it’s come to an end and to put it all into words.  I knew for years that I wanted to go to university, and had no doubt about doing a degree. I even knew I wanted to do a Master’s Degree afterwards; when asked on my Leaver’s video at school where I wanted to be in ten years’ time, I said I’d like a degree and maybe even a Master’s – four years later, I’m already there!

For the first time in my life, I now have no concrete plans. I’ve always known what I’ll do next, until now. As somebody who enjoys organising every element of her life, this is an incredibly daunting thought. What should I do next? In my mind, hundreds of paths stretch before me, giving me so many possible options… should I do a PhD? Find a job in London? Stay at home to save money? Should I apply for an internship first? My main objective is to see this as more of an excellent opportunity to mould my life around my dreams and wishes, rather than a black abyss that many graduates often feel that they are facing.

Two cards I was given upon moving home, giving me optimism for the unknown future!

I’m not pretending it isn’t scary – it is! But ultimately, with all of the skills I’ve learned at University, both professional and personal, I could really choose any of the paths in front of me. The world is my oyster, and I could do anything.

Since I moved away from Southampton last week, my time as home has been somewhat of a whirlwind. I‘ve been catching up with friends from home and seeing family. I am very excited about being able to read for pleasure again, since my time is not taken up by course reading lists and assignments.  I’ve already got stuck in to Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of being a Wallflower after numerous recommendations, and have a stack of novels just waiting to be devoured. I’m also keen to start sketching again, since art is a love of mine which has been neglected since starting my academic career at Southampton – although I did go to ArtSoc a few times! I’m also aiming to start up my own blog; since I won’t be writing for Life at Southampton any longer, I aim to maintain my passion for the written word myself. Blogging will allow me to get my writing out into the world, regardless of what job I go into!

I’m already a fair way into this book – a change from my usual course texts!

So yes, this is my last blog post for Life at Southampton, and it’s been an absolute joy. From the moment I submitted my first blog post, I have been keen to share every aspect of my student life with you all – from my basic culinary skills and experiences with student media and the Wessex Scene, to exploring the surrounding areas and recounting my wonderful graduation day. I am sad that this little pocket of my university life is over too – after all, it is one of the only connections with Southampton I have left. Through this blog I have pushed myself to experience new things, to visit new places and to see things in a new way. It has provided me with many opportunities, and I like to think that maybe someone who read our posts on this blog was compelled to visit Southampton at the recent Open Days as a prospective student. If you’ve been reading these blogs – written by myself, Robin, Flo and Rohit over the last year, thank you very much! I know we’d all like to think we’ve inspired someone along the way!

I started university as a very shy young lady who was unsure of herself and of her place in the world. I had low self-esteem and wasn’t sure if I’d fit in, since my time at school was not easy. I certainly would not have been able to run for Deputy Editor, talk at the university Open Days on the Nuffield stage, or even take myself off to explore the secret Valley Gardens or Hansard Galley on campus. But I’ve done all of these things and more,  made countless friends and gained so much experience, and I am emerging with more confidence and ambition than I had four years ago.

I’ve met some incredible people over the last few years, many of them friends for life. 

This is me with my lovely undergrad housemates the night before results day, 2012!

So who do I have to thank for all of this? Well firstly, my family. My parents have helped me through every moment, from stocking up on essentials and moving me in to Orion’s Point in 2009, to the minute I climbed into the car to travel back to Kent last week. Their support and encouragement has been invaluable and I couldn’t have done it without them.  My flatmates – including the original Flat 203 – coursemates and colleagues at SUSU Media have all played a huge role and I hope to keep in touch with many of them for years to come. Everyone I’ve met throughout my time here has made an impact on my life and I want to wish everyone the best of luck for the future! It’s hard to put into words how much everyone means to me. In that respect, thank you to the University – to the staff and the students, for giving me such a wonderful life for four years. 

I’m back home now, and adjusting to a new lifestyle

What would I say if someone asked me where I’d like to be in another four years – in 2017!? I’d probably tell them that I’d like to still be reading avidly and in touch with many of my university friends. I’m not sure what job I’ll have, but whatever I’m up to I’d like to be using my brain, challenging myself and experiencing new things every day.

Good luck to the next group of Life at Southampton bloggers – I’m looking forward to keeping up with all of your adventures!

Thank you and goodbye, student life. It’s been absolutely incredible. I’m very proud to be an alumnus of the University of Southampton.

Joanne

Tales from Scotland: Part two

It’s been almost a month since I returned home from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and yet it somehow feels like yesterday!

Perhaps it’s because, for me, its legacy lives on in what I took out of it. As I wrote last time, at the beginning of August, a bunch of students from the University of Southampton journeyed up to Scotland to perform at the biggest arts festival in the world under the moniker of “Gone Rogue Productions”, acting out the original student comedy Hanging Bruce-Howard every day for two and a half weeks; probably (although who knows, possibly not!) the closest thing I’ll ever experience to a professional routine, minus the exorbitant amount of time spent at the wardrobe department!

But, as we thought might be the case beforehand, we had to ask ourselves: how were we actually going to get people to come and see it? After all, already fairly tired out by the early wake-ups I described in my last post, and competing for attention amidst the swathes of street performers that lined the Edinburgh Royal Mile (the popular flyering ground) on a daily basis, what tricks could we pull out of our sleeves to draw people in? After all, one member of our cast being asked to promote an actor’s show on Portuguese TV wasn’t quite what we had in mind (although we did our best to show off some of our flyers in the background)!

And then, by chance, it hit us. A few days in, during a flyering session which was proving to be another tough sell, we all decided to strike “power poses” amongst the crowd in a bid to stand out to passers-by – and, with many reaching for their cameras, it surprisingly proved a success! We then decided to change pose every time a flyer was taken (cued by someone in our huge team of flyerers shouting “CHANGE!”) and, when young children began taking three or four just to cause us to jump around shifting positions every two or three seconds (and then sometimes put them back!), we found we had a hit on our hands, and our flyering technique for the rest of the trip was born!

Our “change!” game in full swing – and, in my case at least, costume!

We also used plenty of other methods which honed in on our target audiences of families and kept it fresh for us, trying to bring a smile to people’s days in the spirit of comedy. For example, as the play at one point concerned competing thespians, we held impromptu “Shakespeare vs. the Movies” quote-offs on pillars across the crowds, we undertook particularly loud vocal warm-ups in the middle of the street (while shouting a much-needed disclaimer that we weren’t a musical!) and we played some of our favourite dramatic games in the street, like “Ninjas” – I’ll let you guess what that involves!

It wasn’t always easy to sell the show, but we enjoyed chatting to the public nonetheless!

Sometimes, we got creative!

And although at first it wasn’t always easy to summon up the necessary levels of energy and enthusiasm first thing in the morning (coffee became my new best friend!), with our show starting at mid-day, it meant we were always out, about and drinking in the sights of a festival-laden Edinburgh.

It soon became something of an exhausting but enjoyable routine: wake up, wolf down breakfast, head out to the mile, promote like crazy, perform a show, come back and prepare yourself for the rest of the day (often including a vital power nap!), flyer a bit more and then experience the festival in all its glory, before a hectic night out or a more chilled one in!

In the afternoons, we were set free to see the other shows on offer at the Fringe and, making full use of the C venues company pass that being in Gone Rogue produced for us, we were able to get into many a show for free, to fill up otherwise-empty seats. This was a fantastic initiative and one which allowed me, personally, to see a whopping total of 54 shows during my time there, at an average of 3 a day – on my most packed, I saw 6! A few of these were part of the “free Fringe” (performers whose shows’ admission were normally free, and who raised money through donations), and some I had to pay for, but at the end of the trip I was certainly satisfied I’d got plenty out of it!

Indeed, we witnessed a massive variety of things on stage, from folk musicals about mystical kingdoms to Korean slapstick musical wedding ceremonies (as good as it sounds!), improvised films and musicals (hilarious!), from Kafka-esque metamorphoses to historical biographical comedies, cabaret to fully immersive plays set in trenches and courtrooms and séances, from stand-up comedy to magic shows, one-man political explorations to play noirs to musicals and physical theatre representations – plenty of strange things amongst all of them, yet richly diverse, refreshing and hugely entertaining!

‘Music Show: Wedding’ was the happiest thing any of us had ever seen – 

and we made sure to come back on our final night!

So many of the shows captured some great directorial vision, brilliant conceptual realisations and high-quality writing, that the overall level of imagination on show was truly awe-inspiring. My favourite of them all was The Trench, a play by the company “Les Enfants Terribles”, which showcased shadow puppetry, diverse sets, poignant music but overall some simply world-class inventive staging which left me and my companions speechless. We had to take a moment after leaving the theatre to just bask in how good what we’d just seen was – we had no words!

And as for our own, Hanging Bruce-Howard was a great success! Although we didn’t set the world on fire critically (the common criticism from reviewers being that it, although well-performed, didn’t break enough new ground), it nearly broke the society record for profits from any show, a remarkable feat given all the costs of taking it up in the first place! Plus, the healthy audience numbers we had all seemed to enjoy it judging from their laughter and praise afterwards, with the general reaction we received very positive indeed. On one day we were even stopped by a family in the middle of the street to tell us how much they had all enjoyed it, and how they’d recommended it to their friends, which was a touching experience, if somewhat surreal!

Towards the end, suffering from a degree of fatigue with all things theatre (a phrase I never thought I’d utter!), we took an afternoon out to climb Arthur’s Seat, the peak of a group of hills overlooking the city. It did, of course, decide to rain when we were halfway up, and we discovered near the end that we weren’t as fit as we perhaps thought we were, but it provided some dazzling vistas of the city (not to mention photo opportunities!).

At the bottom of Arthur’s Seat...

... and at the top, overlooking our new favourite city!

And in true Gone Rogue style, we marked the occasion with a couple of rounds of ninjas at the top! It was a brilliant afternoon out, and it drew a nice parallelism with the adventure we’d undergone in travelling to the Fringe: after months of fundraising, rehearsal and self-budgeting, all the hard work was entirely worth it just for the comparatively short time we were up there.

Billed as ‘the game of ninjas to rule them all’, things got intense!

But what Edinburgh really showcased for me was the level of achievement that a set of students can attain if they put their mind to something, keep a consistent vision and go for it. As I’ve written many a time before on this blog, I’ve found that being a student at the University isn’t just going to lectures, waking up exceedingly late on Sundays (although I don’t deny this happens!) and piecing together projects and assignments, but becoming part of an educational community, a brilliantly supportive platform for your development which grants you the opportunity to do what you want (well, within reason!) if it’s even potentially beneficiary to yourself and those around you.

This is realised in loads of different ways here. For example, the funding system we use in Performing Arts means that, when we decide to put on a show, it’s basically a no-lose process for all involved – although we do try to make money obviously! Any overruns on budgets are underwritten by the Students’ Union and any necessary expenses covered through the use of a set budget form (which boosts your financial management experience), so you’re encouraged to take, and learn from the results of, risks, with little fear of future personal loss.

Plus, you’ll often find that if you need funding, help or support to undergo an experiment, purchase a piece of equipment or even add a piece of software to a lab machine, it’s only the asking of a question, a friendly chat or a well-formed application away!

And it’s certainly an achievement and a half for the production team of Gone Rogue, and also its cast, to take Hanging Bruce-Howard up there in the first place.

So as I return to Southampton and begin the process of co-directing Theatre Group’s next production, the revolutionary and challenging text Equus by Peter Shaffer (for some people it might hold connotations of a certain wizard-based actor!), I know that there’s no other place I could do it. We as a production team are in a great position to take risks, make it as large in scale as we wish, and use as many of the wonderful frameworks in place to produce the best show we can, leaving boundaries asunder.

As a result, if there’s anything I’ve taken from my tales of Edinburgh, it’s this: Why not?

See you next year, Edinburgh!

Robin

Saying goodbye to Southampton

It’s been a very busy week for me, full of milestones and celebrations; finishing my Master’s Degree and leaving Southampton for the last time, embarking on the next chapter of my life.

I handed in my dissertation almost a week ago, signalling the end of my Master’s Degree and, consequently, the end of my studies at the University of Southampton! As I left Student Services on Avenue Campus, having handed in two copies of my bound dissertation and all the necessary paperwork, I felt as though there should be a fanfare! I submitted my undergraduate degree completely online in 2012, and though it gave me much more writing time, the physical release of actually handing a book written by myself over to the university felt so incredibly good! As I left campus I realised, for the first time in my life, I had no work to do; no books to read, or essays to study… my future is wide open! I have ended my education after eighteen years – and it’s a very odd feeling!

Handing in my dissertation, and ending my education!

I spent my hand-in day having a celebratory drink in the Bridge Bar on campus with some postgraduate friends, chatting about our plans for the future. Over the next few days, I caught up with all of my course mates and friends who, one by one, had handed in their dissertations too! I enjoyed a delicious meal in La Tavernetta, a small Italian restaurant in the city centre, with my course mate and old flatmate Rachel, and said my goodbyes to Southampton.

One last day on campus – goodbye Hartley Library!

I had arranged to move away from Southampton for good on the Sunday after my deadline, and the night before I went out one last time to the notorious student haunt, Jesters, with some friends. It was a great night, and my first big social event with university friends after a summer of dissertation! The next morning, I dragged myself out of bed after very little sleep and finished packing before my parents arrived! It was a very rainy day – perfect pathetic fallacy for an ex-English student! We went for a lovely lunch to one of my favourite places to eat in nearby Porstwood, Trago Lounge, and bade farewell to my home for the last four years.

Tucking into a slice of delicious Red Velvet Cake (my favourite!) in Trago Lounge, moments before saying goodbye to Southampton!

Driving back to my home in Kent was an odd sensation. For one, the weather was awful and the traffic was equally as bad, so the journey was longer than usual. It also gave the day a wintery feel, so it felt as if I was heading home for Christmas! When I finally got home, I enjoyed a delicious roast dinner (my first in many months!) made by my sister Katie and her boyfriend, complete with pudding. I also received some beautiful flowers for finishing my degree which was a lovely surprise!

Being home is very odd. Like I said, it feels as though I am just home for the holidays – especially since I have not spent more than two weeks at home since last summer. I am sure after a fortnight I will start asking myself ‘when am I going back to Southampton?’ – I think that will be when it starts to feel odd. Thankfully, since most of my friends left last year, I know I’ll be ok – if they can do it, so can I! It’s a daunting thought but I am already excited to sort my life out!

For one of my first posts for this blog, I wrote about how students must deal with having two ‘homes’; your Real Home, where you can enjoy home comforts, seeing friends and family, and recharging during the holidays; and your Uni Home, where you can lead a busy and independent life, getting on with work, enjoying the student lifestyle. I’ve been moving between these two lives for four years – now I will be re-adapting to just one home again. Going from city life back to a small village will no doubt be a little odd but I am sure I will fit back in very quickly!

I’m not sure what my next steps will be. After working non-stop all summer, I plan to have a little time out – I also have to unpack, re-organise my belongings, apply for jobs and meet up with old friends. It’s going to be a busy few weeks but I am excited to be back and to settle into another stage of my life.

Joanne

Tales from Scotland: Part one

Having barely been able to talk about anything else ever since I was lucky enough to be cast in Theatre Group’s annual Edinburgh show Hanging Bruce-Howard in February, and with six months’ worth of excitement building up to this very day, it perhaps wouldn’t surprise you that, stepping onto the train from my hometown, the reality of it being 9 August, the start of my first ever Edinburgh Festival Fringe, still hadn’t really sunk in – and I was on my way to performing there, on the biggest international stage in the world, every day for the subsequent two and a half weeks!

Needless to say, what followed was the trip of a lifetime. I’ve been fortunate enough to witness and play my part in some incredible festivities and experiences so far in my University career and life, but this was something else – mind-blowing on many levels, truly inspiring, and a fitting end to what has been the best academic year of my life so far. 2013-14: you have a lot to live up to!

It started with a relatively pain-free, sleep-filled train journey (although at one stage I woke up to a young girl poking my face to check I was still alive!) which allowed me to enjoy a ride on the Scottish rails through picturesque hills illuminated by a glorious sunset – before promptly emerging from Waverley station to be swallowed up by a whirlwind of activity!

Because although our company was due to arrive a week into the Festival, we arrived to find that Edinburgh was already completely packed, full of bustling people trying to make their way through its narrow cobbled streets amidst communal festivities galore.

It was certainly an interesting experience trying to lug a loaded suitcase and a couple of bags to the hostel we were staying in, while steering round other pedestrians and avoiding death by flyering due to many a performer promoting all over the city!

I’d been before, but never really realised just how beautiful a city Edinburgh is!

Seeing our show poster outside the venue for the first time was a fairly surreal experience!

Upon finally reaching our base-camp (after a thoroughly researched walk on Google Maps, given how worried I was about getting lost!), I realised just what a great choice our show’s producers had made in selecting it: not only was the hostel two minutes away from our show’s venue (which turned out to be very handy on days when the most appealing plan was to roll out of bed, perform, and then return as quickly as possible!), it was a wonderfully well equipped, vibrant and comfortable place to stay, situated in the heart of the Festival and with a great communal atmosphere and plenty of facilities to relax in, to watch some television during down-time (including the football of course, which by some coincidence turned out to be England vs Scotland one night!) or play a bit of table tennis or pool – or just catch up on sleep! We had a brilliant time there.

Plus, with the hostel’s very own café serving cooked breakfast and dinner every day for decent prices, it ensured that the number of supermarket meal deals, pies and takeaways I consumed were at a much more stable ratio to the number of ‘wholesome’ meals I ended up getting than I’d perhaps envisaged beforehand –although fruit and vegetables did start to become increasingly rarer as the hectic lifestyle took hold towards the end of our spell!

But there was to be no time to explore as, upon the arrival of the rest of ‘Gone Rogue Productions’, the moniker under which we toured, after their coach journey from London, a very early night was in order for all of us. For the very next day brought a considerable culture shock: waking at six in the morning (a time I thankfully hadn’t seen for ages, and would rather not see again!), the whole company was off to our venue, C Nova studios, for the very first time, to have a nice and early tech and dress run – morning caffeine fixes firmly in hand!

C Nova Studios: our home from home during the course of our run in Edinburgh!

And although we were initially a little surprised by the relatively cosy size of the studio we were in (a few scenes thus had be reworked, as we’d have been sitting in audience members’ laps otherwise!), and despite having to take a bit of time as a cast and crew to warm up to the show again, what with it being the first time we’d performed Hanging Bruce-Howard since our Southampton-based previews a week and a half before, we all emerged from the runs delighted and thoroughly excited by the prospect of opening our doors to the general public at the Fringe the very next day.

Acting at 6am was certainly a challenge – and too much for some of us!

Following a much-needed power nap (an art we were all well versed in after our experiences in Southampton!) and a reinvigorating lunch, we were off out again to get our first taste of the centre of all the performing festivities: Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. The Mile represented, for me at least, the real heart of the festival, where broad imagination manifested itself in the form of flyering stunts (often very clever gimmicks to capture the public’s attention and draw them to shows), show previews (with many musicals performing sets on specially erected stages) and street performers abound.

We ended up coming back on a daily basis to try and promote our own show, and as a result saw some incredible things going on – for example, on top of the death-defying stunts and magic tricks that were always being pulled off by street artists (usually featuring the hesitant assistance of an unwilling member of the public or two!), my two favourite street performers were a puppeteer who intricately manipulated his companion to dance brilliantly to club music and to climb all over watching audience members (once my face!), and a beatboxer who somehow used his voice to produce all the sounds of drum-heavy and dubstep tracks, both performers showcasing staggering skill and invention, and drawing in and entertaining huge audiences for the best part of an hour each.

The atmosphere and level of talent on display just on the Mile itself was astounding, and I often found myself over the duration of my time in Edinburgh just wasting a spare hour or two away there, drinking it all in!

The top of the Royal Mile positively brimming with Festival-goers – 

and this was only on our second day there!

One of the many street performers on show – their commitment was incredible!

Spotting this banner on the Mile, I had to let this company know I liked the name of their show! 

(Credit: Caitlin Hobbs)

... and, as spotted on a poster on the Mile, the name of another show’s playwright!

But of course, we weren’t just there to enjoy the Festival, we were there to be part of it. And to truly participate, in the knowledge we were performing a comedy and therefore needing large audiences, we needed to sell tickets!

Unfortunately, being a reasonably new company and but one entry on a few hundred pages’ worth of shows in the Festival programme, we knew it’d be a tough sell to convince paying members of the public to come along when they had so much other choice available! This was particularly apparent in our first attempts to hand out leaflets and talk to potential audience members on the Mile, where we were taken aback by just how many productions were vying for the attention of passers-by.

So, understandably, we generally found our first day promoting tricky as, despite our best efforts, we struggled to stand out in the crowds surging past us, and didn’t manage to hand out all that many flyers – although a few of us did have the exciting chance to record a shout-out for BBC Radio 1! But what we were really lacking was a gimmick, a way of sticking Hanging Bruce-Howard in people’s heads...

...and thankfully, we found a fair few! But I’ll write about them next time. For now, we were just enjoying the fact that Gone Rogue Productions, representing the University of Southampton’s Students’ Union, had landed in Scotland – and we were raring to go!

Robin

Secret gardens and rooftop views

As I type this, I am on the cusp of printing, binding and submitting my Masters Dissertation – three solid months of research and writing, 20,000 words and 71 pages. This not only symbolises the end of the summer for me, but the end of my time at the University of Southampton.

Once I hand in my dissertation this week, I have just a few days left here before I move back home. After four incredible years and many life-changing moments, I’m about to embark on the next chapter of my life. My time at Southampton has literally transformed my life – but I’ll leave all of that for my final Life at Southampton post at the end of September! In the meantime, I’ll leave you to imagine how I am coming to terms with this!

In light of my imminent departure, you can imagine that I am desperate to really make the most of my last week here before I go! So alongside my final editing, printing and referencing, I’ve made sure that I’ll be leaving on a high. I’ll be sad – yes. But I mustn’t dwell on the end of an era; I must look forward to the next exciting part of my future, taking with me everything I have learned from my life here in Southampton!

For most of the last week I have been working hard, as I have been throughout the summer – and the last four years! Aside from occasional coffee trips to see old friends, I’ve been mainly based in my room, snacking on dried fruit and custard creams, and tweaking the finer details of my dissertation. However, I managed to take five minutes out of my busy day to visit Southampton’s very own secret garden on Tuesday. On my way back from hunting down a rare book for last minute referencing, I discovered that the Valley Gardens had re-opened after some building work over the summer. I took this opportunity to discover a hidden corner of campus – one which is a little slice of heaven! I was fortunate enough to go on one of the sunniest days of the week and it was absolutely stunning.

Welcome to the beautiful Valley Gardens!

The Valley Gardens were used by the Department of Biology during the 1960s to plant non-native species. After years of neglect, they were transformed by the Valley Gardens Project Team in 2008. These changes were finished in 2012, and 2013 has seen further improvements such as easier access! It’s now open during weekdays until 5pm.

I had great fun exploring the nooks and crannies of the gardens

I really recommend hunting down this hidden treasure for a moment of peace and quiet. It’s located past the back of the Students' Union building. Take a look at a university map and you should be able to spot it! Unfortunately I didn’t have time to stop and enjoy the beauty spot, but many people were enjoying a picnic in the sunshine and I can imagine it is perfect for a relaxing lunch! I am very glad I was able to visit before I left.

I was also able to get involved with the September Open Days again with fellow blogger Robin! On 6 and 7 September we took to the Nuffield stage once more to talk with Pro Vice Chancellor Alex Neill about our university experiences and ambitions. This time we were joined by Mechanical Engineering student Harry Morley and Biology student Sophie Watts, and I was so amazed by everything they’d been up to during their time here so far. Harry is part of the Formula Student team, designing and racing motorcars at Silverstone, and Sophie has had so much work experience I couldn’t keep track – and that was just after her first year! I had so much fun meeting new people, sharing my stories and seeing the university really shine. I am so excited for all future students joining us this month – and a little jealous, as I would love to do it all again!

I had a great time building my confidence, practising my public speaking skills and encouraging aspiring students to follow their ambition!

Robin rehearsing his lines – a true thespian!

It was an incredibly poignant two days for me; I may not see our blogger Robin again for some time, and I really wanted to put across what an incredible time I’ve had here! I also took the opportunity to explore the campus a little more. I visited Harry’s faculty where they had their Formula Student car on display! It was great to see what the Engineering students get up to – since it’s all so different to my work in Humanities!

Harry and his fellow teammates with their car – very impressive!

I also went to see where Robin works. The ECS building is spectacular and completely different to my home at Avenue campus! I even got to look at the campus at a different angle – from the top of the building! It shows that, no matter how many years you are here, there are still so many surprises in store for you. I had a fantastic time, and I really hope our talk inspired the minds of some potential students!

Admiring the view from atop the ECS building – 

I will always remember how beautiful our campus is!

So, while you’re reading this, I may have finally handed in my dissertation! Unfortunately, since this marks the end of my degree, my blogs are slowly coming to an end. I’ll be telling you all about moving home, deadline day and saying goodbye over the next few weeks… it’s a sad step, but I am excited about what the future may hold! So here’s to my last week in Southampton. Wish me luck!

Joanne

Making mistakes

Wow.

Following two and a half quite astounding weeks at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the cast and crew of “Gone Rogue Productions” have all made it home completely shattered, severely lacking in vitamins and more than ready to catch up on the substantial amount of sleep lost during that time, yet on the other hand absolutely bursting to the seams with stories, photographs and memories to share.

It. Was. Extraordinary!

But rather than ramble on through all my thoughts and reflections on the trip in the heat of the moment, I’ve instead opted to give myself a bit of time to process it all before I depict it for next time in the form of a blog post or three – or possibly even a novel, given how much went on!

Indeed, it’s been quite a shock to suddenly emerge from the Festival to find that the rest of the world has carried on as per normal. Life outside of the Edinburgh bubble (seeing three or four shows every day really takes up your time and energy!) seems just as animated and hectic as ever, particularly with social media feeds awash with the celebrations of many a successful results day student at both GCSE and A Level and, more prominently, the excitement of incoming University undergraduates and postgraduates travelling to distant climes up and down the country.

Preparations for the new academic year are already well underway with accommodation being sorted, lecture timetables drafted and the release of details that the University of Southampton’s very own Students’ Union, SUSU, is plotting an introduction to student life here which will span the best part of two unforgettable weeks for the lucky individuals involved.

As I mentioned last time, although it seems a long time ago, I can recall vividly my own first few days here which, although terrifying at first, slowly but surely morphed into more comfortable weeks and months as I found my feet, and settled into a routine – or something occasionally resembling one, anyhow!

Starting life at the University was, for me, an absolute vault into the unknown as, given Southampton’s distance away from my hometown, I knew nothing of the city or its surrounding geography. Moreover, I’d never really tried my hand at the majority of standard domestic skills, and from a friendships point of view, I only knew one other person who would be also be in Southampton – living in different halls and studying at a different course on a different campus!

So as someone who tends to worry incessantly (particularly so if I can’t find anything to worry about!), I remember stewing over the many questions I had regarding all aspects of my soon-to-be life – how do you go about meeting rafts of new people after seven years’ of the relative comfort of school friends? Where would I live (and would I get on with my flatmates)? Would I be able to sensibly manage my own finances, and organise my own independent study, and cook (not just make toast!) and keep a room clean and tidy (the answer to this one is generally “no”!)?

And with three or four weeks following the success of results’ day, there was just enough time to build up nerves and self-doubt to leave myself suitably petrified for the car journey down on moving-in day, frightened of what was to follow: the rest of my life!

Remembering this bizarre mix of curiosity and apprehension, I caught myself imagining earlier what I would say to a fresher-faced Robin about to start University if I bumped into him in the street, and I realised that, actually, although I’d be able to point him in the direction of the University website for any specific information he’d require, it’s difficult to say anything which ultimately would have reassured me other than: go and make the most of it!

Because no matter what the scenario, I’ve found in my first two years here that, in terms of developing myself most effectively, it’s only through trying something new, making mistakes or disliking it, laughing about it (particularly useful when picking up cooking!), and then learning from it, that I picked up any domestic, extracurricular or academic skills at all. It’s a philosophy which seemed to apply for outside of the flat, labs and library too: after all, it’s through this process I learnt during a taster session that one sport in particular was not for me, the mistake arriving in the form of, rather inevitably, a dodgeball to the face (my own fault for not dodging)!

And when cooking did go wrong, there was usually an alternative!

Likewise, I’d encourage my fresher persona to throw themselves into as many events and welcome meetings and societies as realistically possible because, particularly around the beginning of the year, he’d soon be surrounded by people who also wouldn’t know each other and would thus be equally as nervous as a result, regardless of how they’d show it.

Breaking the ice is never easier than during Freshers’; I lost count of the number of conversations I had that began with the standard four questions of “What’s your name?”, “Where are you from?”, “What are you studying?” and “Where are you living?”, which was always enough to, at the very least, put a name to a friendly face!

And when packing, if I wasn’t sure whether to take something with me, there’s usually no harm in taking it if you can bring it back later – so don’t worry if it seems that you have too much stuff at first (anyway, by the end of the year you’ll probably have more)! It’s better to start with more rather than less, and then work out what you don’t need as you go along; for example, lots of flats club together when they first move in and buy a communal kettle, saving precious dirty-dish space on the desktop!

Although this probably IS too much!

So to all Freshers joining the University of Southampton at the beginning of this new academic year: congratulations, and have a fantastic final few weeks of non-University life!  After all, as long as everybody enjoys the experience, it doesn’t really matter what mistakes we make!

Robin