Bring on semester one

Today I had my first couple of lectures of the new semester and so far I’m very happy with my module choices! Once you get to your third year studying for BSc Biology you gain a lot of freedom in terms of what modules you can choose to study, which allows you to really focus on the areas which you’re most passionate and interested about. The lectures I had were for an Applied Ecology module which will be covering many of the topics and environmental issues I’m most interested in, including food and energy security, land and resource management and ecosystem services. I’m keen to see what is in store in terms of the rest of my modules. Even though the start of lectures in a way marks the start of the term, I kind of feel like university started a while ago, since I’ve already been quite busy beginning work on my third year project, as well as making preparations for last week’s Bunfight in order to introduce the Green Action Society to the new (and current) students looking to get involved.

As you may already know if you’ve read some of my previous blog posts, I am now the President of the Green Action Society. Basically, the society’s aim is to increase awareness about a variety of environmental issues. We do this through bringing in guest speakers to share their knowledge about the topic and through film showings. This year we’re also going to try and continue with a fossil free campaign the previous committee started last year and hopefully make it even bigger this year by collaborating with other societies with similar goals.

In addition to meeting a lot of new students eager to join Green Action at the Bunfight, we also spoke to a number of other societies who are interested in collaborating and putting on some bigger events. This made the day even better than what I expected, so I’m excited to see what we can achieve this year. All in all I’d say the Bunfight was very successful and I had a great day!

Me and my friend who helped out for the day at our lovely Green Action stall at the Bunfight. 

One of the perks of being on a committee was getting a pass to cut the queues, so in the middle of the day I got to take a quick break from the Green Action stall and go and check out the other societies. Like I’ve mentioned before, I really recommend getting involved with as many societies as you have time for at Southampton, and trying out as many of the societies as you can seeing as most of them offer free taster sessions.

This year my friend and I were looking to try something new, so we’ve been to a number of the different Martial Arts taster sessions, as well as Archery and even a Pole Fitness taster session! Last year, I tried Wakeboarding and Tennis Club amongst other things. As you can see there’s quite a variety there so don’t be afraid to try something new. I also plan on going to a few more taster sessions during this coming week and while I know I already have a lot on my plate (and am therefore unlikely to be able to commit to any more societies) it’s still fun to attend the tasters and try something new.

Lastly, here’s a photo of the new SUSU Activities Room I mentioned in my previous post to show you all. Of course, it looks more exciting when there’s actually people in there practicing - but this gives you an idea of where we practice. There is also the Multipurpose Studio right below the Activities Room which looks very similar and is where most of the dance classes are held. I think it’s great that we have so many different facilities to support the different clubs and societies at the University.

While attending the tasters for the different Martial Arts clubs, many of them were held in the Martial Arts Room which was decked out in padding covering the walls and floors - so while we were attempting to do a number of moves that looked and sounded quite painful they actually didn’t hurt at all!

Until next time,

Kristin

Iron Man suits and racing overalls

Although it is my fourth year, the Bunfight is still one of the highlights of the first semester for me. There’s just something exciting about the organised chaos that arises whilst every society, sports team and club is trying to sign up new members. However, on Wednesday’s Bunfight, unlike previous year’s, I spent the day on the other side of the tables; playing the role of a recruiter.

The process begins in the evening of the night before the Bunfight. Members of all the different committees queue up inside the Student’s Union building to register their society for the event. Once registered, each society receives a stall along the winding route that takes students through both Sports Halls, The Cube and a marquee outside, which they can decorate and accessorise to their heart’s content.

 A sea of students winding their way through the different stalls 

As President of the Fancy Dress Society, I went along with our social secretary to set up the stall, where we laid out the various hats and masks we had acquired over our time at university, in the hope that Freshers would try them on and discover a passion for dressing up!

On the day of the Bunfight every stall has to be completely ready by nine o’clock, so that the event can be run as smoothly as possible when the Freshers enter the one-way system at ten o’clock. To ensure we caught the eye of the Freshers, I took on the form of Iron Man, whilst my fellow committee member was adorned in a Spider-man morph suit. Unfortunately, due to the heat and the number of people in the hall, our disguises had to be slowly removed as the day progressed, but we still managed to impress ourselves with the number of sign-ups we received!

Spider-Man taking a break from saving New York City 

For second, third and fourth years alike, Freshers’ Week provides a good chance to organise a day trip or an activity with a group of friends. On Tuesday it was my housemate’s birthday, so taking advantage of everyone’s free schedules, we organised a trip to nearby Eastleigh, where we made use of the go-karting track opposite the train station.

The calm before the storm 

Regular readers will know that I love my Formula One, so it will come as no surprise that I was as excited as a child opening their presents on Christmas Day beforehand. After slipping into racing overalls and listening to the safety debriefing, we were able to go racing. In my first stint I drove relatively cautiously, but I still managed to spin a few times whilst trying to get to grips with the go-kart’s inherent oversteer. On my second outing I was much more aggressive, drifting through corners and pushing for overtakes, which, for a small period of time, made me believe I was the next Lewis Hamilton!

Ready to race!

After the session we received timing sheets, showing our pace, times and positions throughout the race. I was pleased with my results; I had the fourth fastest lap time (out of twelve people) and fastest average lap time – perhaps there is still hope for my career as a racing driver yet!

Despite this being my fourth Freshers’ Week in Southampton, there has still been many things for me to do. SUSU always provides many great activities, but often the best parts of the week come from your own ideas. On top of the Bunfight and go-karting, I have gone shopping in West Quay, been on a few nights out, met up with friends for pub lunches and even started a ‘Come Dine With Me’ competition amongst my housemates. It’s sad to think this is my last Fresher’s Week, but I have thoroughly enjoyed it and now I’m ready for Semester One to begin in earnest.

James

The start of something special

At this point, three years following my own arrival in Southampton, I’m not sure whether seeing a whole new set of eager and fresh faces on campus this weekend should have been quite as big a surprise as it was – surely I should be getting used to the concept of getting older by now (particularly as I’m just about to enter fourth year, crikey)!

But writing the night before the madness that is the Students’ Union Bunfight (the annual occasion on which all Union societies get together and recruit members in one mental day!), it seems strangely surreal to observe that yet another group of people will soon be discovering everything that the University has to offer for the very first time, particularly now that, to myself and the people I’ve now known for years, it’s all pretty much second nature – well, except for the whole 'cooking' thing, I guess (one day the kitchen shall be conquered)!

Because it’s not often you’re tasked with completely reinventing your life from scratch – learning how to cook while learning how to clean, learning how to study a subject with more independence while learning how groceries go off way quicker than you’d ever imagined, and making an entirely new set of friends while trying to figure out where everything is in the first place (I still don’t know most of the building numbers!).

So for all of these lucky individuals experiencing University life, totally independent study and the city of Southampton for the very first time, this could be the start of something special. My favourite thing it all is that the University is a place where you really do just learn. You’ll learn plenty about your course, and you’ll pick up a great amount of background, depth and new applications of knowledge at the forefront of your fields, but you’ll also learn equally as much about yourself, other people, and the world around you – including, if you’re like me at least, the location of the cheapest pint around here!

And it’s this clichéd 'journey of self-discovery', of learning all this stuff, which is where I’ve always found the real joy of university lies. Even heading into fourth year I’m still being faced, on a daily basis, with fresh challenges, new experiences and novel opportunities to overcome, embrace and, ultimately, learn about.

 For me, much of this has taken place through my (some might say overly!) active involvement in the Union’s Performing Arts societies, particularly its theatrically-affiliated groups such as Showstoppers (its musical theatre society) and Theatre Group. I’ve always tried to make the most of the unique opportunities that being fully invested in these societies has offered (while balancing it with my academic commitments, of course!), and despite now, almost twenty production credits later ranging from Director to the typically-female part of Gwendolen (for this summer’s Edinburgh play – it was interesting, to say the least!), I’m still being presented with new avenues for testing myself and the skills and experience I have acquired thus far, and it’s these sorts of opportunities I really hope to offer and relate to potentially interested Freshers at the Bunfight!

At a recent farewell meal for a fantastic guy, Nick – another great person Performing Arts has led me to!

The latest example of this arrives at the end of this week in the form of the latest show I’ve been fortunate enough to be a part of, John Kolvenbach’s comedy/romance Love Song, which is showing in the Annex Theatre from the 28th September to 1st October at 7.30pm every night (for cheap prices – so if you’ve any interest in theatre at all, it’s definitely recommended)!

Following the knock-on events surrounding Beane, an outcast from society who distances himself from materialism and other people in all aspects, falling in love with a girl, Molly, who sets out to rob him, it’s a hilarious yet heart-warming piece to be a part of, with a touching message or two along the way – well, that’s the desired effect, anyway!

And, for the first time, I’m lucky enough to be in the central role of a Theatre Group production, playing Beane, the oddball, himself – I’m sure my parents would love that casting! As a result, not only has Love Song carried plenty of new challenges for me – for example, getting used to not leaving the stage for huge spells of time! – but it has also pushed every member of the cast to tackle what is often a difficult text, as well as teaching us how to perform in an immersive, studio-style space – with the audience on stage with us (so I’m hoping nobody will be pulling faces)! It’s incredibly far removed from anything any of us have tried before, so although it’s incredibly nerve-wracking, it’s also just another example of just how incredible a learning experience getting involved with student societies can be.

So with the new Freshers all finding their feet as they prepare to embark on the best few years of their lives so far, here’s hoping that they, too, find their first few weeks to be the start of something special!

Robin

London, Freshers’ Week and more…

Last weekend I found myself back in London, but this time I wasn’t just passing through on my way to or from an airport or coach station (I’ve passed through London countless times this summer on my way to the different countries I’ve travelled to). I took the coach to London, which is really easy and goes straight from the University's Highfield Campus, and met up with one of my close dance friends from university who has recently graduated and has settled into a new job in the capital! 

It was fun to catch up and hear all about her exciting new life and how quickly she’s transitioned from a graduate to a professional business woman. It was interesting to hear about the diversity of the people she works with too; for example, while the job she has is related to her Accounting and Finance degree, she told me that actually a number of her colleagues come from very varied degree programs including Biology and Chemistry degrees. I found that very interesting, and it’s nice to know that it can still be worth applying for jobs even in fields unrelated to your chosen degree as long as you are interested in the subject area and have good work ethics and interview skills!

 

Shopping in London.

While in London we also had time to do some shopping and take a couple of dance classes at the Pineapple dance studios which was super fun! Speaking of dance, over the past week I’ve also had some time to use the Multi-Purpose Studio on campus (where all the dance classes and dance practises were held last year) to practise some of the choreography I came up with over the summer while at home in Sweden. I’ve also seen that the Activities Room in SUSU has recently been renovated and it looks great. This is really exciting and provides an extra dance space for all of the enthusiastic dancers on campus (as well as a great room for other societies who use the room for meetings and practise sessions). I’m excited to test it out and see how the floor feels when it opens for use and hopefully I’ll remember to take a photo of our studios to show you all too.

I’ve also been preparing for Freshers’ Week 2014 and the upcoming Bunfight, where all the societies have a chance to advertise themselves to the new and current students. I’ll be meeting with my committee for the Green Action Society this week and we’ll be finalising our plans for the day. We’re excited to welcome some new members, so don’t hesitate to come and find us on the day if you’re there! At the Bunfight you get to hear about taster sessions, which most of the societies offer, and these are great to go to even if you’re not entirely sure you want to join that society. They are usually completely free and it gives you a chance to try the activity out and see if it’s something for you. I encourage even the second and third year students to go and try something new!

Myself and two of my housemates during a Wakeboarding social last year. I never ended up having time to join wakeboarding last year but my housemates and I still went to the taster sessions which are free. And now, in my third year, I still plan on going to even more tasters. You never know what you might end up liking!

One of my friends and I from halls, who I also live with now, during Freshers’ Week in our first year. It’s crazy think that this was taken two years ago!

I can’t believe I’m already a third year student. It really doesn’t feel like it was two years ago that I started. Recently I’ve been focusing a lot on my third year project and having meeting with supervisors, safety and lab inductions and microscopy training. It’s all really exciting, but it’s really hard to comprehend how fast time flies by. Anyway, I’m excited for Freshers’ Week and hopefully I’ll even get to meet some readers of the blog, so don’t be shy and come and say hi!

Kristin

Moving in

On Saturday I moved back down to Southampton after spending the majority of the summer at home in Surrey. The annual task of packing clothes, bedding, bits of furniture and brightly coloured ring binders into the back of your car, like a challenging game of Tetris, has now become a well-practiced drill for fourth years like me!

However, for some of our readers, this journey down to the sunny south coast has yet to be made, and will soon be the start of their own ‘life at Southampton’. Everyone experiences nerves before they move into halls (it’s a natural human response!), but I want to give five tips from my own experiences that will hopefully let excitement be the prevailing emotion you feel!

1. Invest in a Doorstop.  There’s a reason why the word ‘doorstop’ is on almost all fresher advice lists; because it’s good advice! If your door is open during the first few days, other students from within your halls who are exploring or on a friend-finding quest are bound to stick their heads round and say hello.

2. Put on music.  When I was moving into halls in my first year, the person living a door down from me put on some music while he began to unpack. When I heard music playing I was drawn out of my room and when I realised I liked the band that was playing it made starting a conversation easy! Many students find this to be a good ice-breaker (just make sure it’s at a respectable volume) and clearly it works, because I still live with that same friend three years on!

The view of Glen Eyre Halls from the kitchen of my flat in first year 

3. Explore Southampton.  When you move into halls for the first time, you receive a Uni-link bus pass - so why not make the most of it and explore what Southampton has to offer? That’s exactly what my flatmates and I did in the days following moving in; we visited West Quay, a giant shopping centre in the middle of the city, and went on a toaster-finding mission!

 4. Say ‘Yes’.  During your first week, and indeed first year, you’ll be confronted with many new things to try out. The Bunfight is the best way to discover all the weird and wonderful societies the University of Southampton and SUSU have to offer and you’re bound to come across things that you’re not sure about. My advice is to say ‘yes’ to these new activities and try to give everything a go. Many societies will have taster sessions allowing students from all years to try out the activity with no obligation to come back; so why not give it a go?

Action from a Physics badminton competition I took part in last year 

5. Get involved with your course.  Whether it’s playing sport for your subject, attending socials or running for a position on the committee, getting involved in your subject’s society can be a rewarding process. Also take advantage of everything your subject offers academically from your very first year; attend any seminars held by guest lecturers, apply for internships and utilise all of the learning infrastructure available. At the end of your course you’ll be glad that you made the most out of the opportunities available to you here at Southampton!

Ultimately, the most important part of starting your university life is to enjoy yourself and to do whatever makes you happy. If you explore all that Southampton has to offer, and get involved with whatever you’re interested in, I’m sure you’ll love the city and the university as much as I do!

James

A creative induction

And so, but only two weeks after the roller coaster of a lifetime came to an end in Edinburgh (for another year, at least!), I find myself fully immersed back into the equally crazy, if ever slightly more steady, sunny Southampton lifestyle, racing around to get plenty of things done (as ever!) and having a fantastic time to boot – so things have well and truly kicked off with a bang!

It’s weird to think that term, along with the return of lectures, coursework assignments and dissertation-style work (this year in the form of a Group Design Project, in which we’re charged with tackling an engineering challenge originating from an industry application – so pretty much professional experience to add to the portfolio!), is still a fortnight or so away, and yet at the same time it seems to have come around very quickly. Indeed, as much as the past three years feel like they've flown by and all of a sudden I find myself writing this on my 22nd birthday, the summer holidays too appear to have gone by in a flash, and it is with both great trepidation and excitement that I await the beginning of my final year here – it promises to be memorable, to say the least!

And yet despite it technically still being the summer holidays, life at Southampton is already back in full swing. There are plenty of people around to meet up with and rehearsals are already underway for the next play I’m lucky enough to be involved with (surprise surprise!); this time, John Kolvenbach’s comedy/romantic play “Love Song”, showing at the end of the month – definitely the most difficult show I've been a part of so far acting-wise, and with only a three week turnaround!). Highfield campus, inundated with recent Open Days, renovations and early arrivals, is as jolly a place as ever, if a little quieter than usual – the calm before the Freshers’ storm!

But one particular event has dominated the SUSU calendar (and café space!) over the course of the past week, and that’s been the Creative Industries induction training week, brilliantly organised by one of the Students’ Union’s Sabbatical Officers, our VP Democracy and Creative Industries, and Training Manager, and freely available to all volunteers, student leaders, committees and society Presidents looking to act as representatives within the ‘Creative Industries’ zone next year.

This ‘zone’ (category) incorporates societies and groups ranging from Showstoppers (the musical theatre group) and the Performing Arts to Student Media, including SUSUtv (the television station) and The Edge magazine (the entertainment review publication), and even the Computer Games society. So, with sessions included in the programme such as ‘society speed dating’ (having three minutes to talk about how your respective groups can help one another or collaborate on potential future projects), it soon became pretty apparent to everyone just how great a variety there was in terms of interests in the room!

Producing a mind-map of what goes on in all the other zones took a fair while – we’re a busy Students’ Union!

Being lucky enough to go along to the week as both next year’s Performing Arts Web Officer (helping societies get on their online feet) and Showstoppers President, the week was certainly an eye-opener to many factors I’d not previously considered in the roles, with training revealing some surprise elements of topics such as inclusivity, collaborative possibilities and management skills – as well as the need-to-know facts regarding the often-startling and potential legal minefield of health and safety around the Union!

Having always been an interested onlooker into the world of Union politics but never really a heavy participant, I still find it a little weird to think of myself as any kind of ‘leader’ at all in truth (then again, I’d say the same about going into fourth year!), but through such a great set of informative sessions, workshops and activities (not to mention a few mind-maps and team-building exercises along the way!), it was great to learn so much extra detail about this fascinatingly complex organisation which supports every group’s activities and makes them all possible, offering free further training to build up skill-sets and put groups in a position to grant their members further opportunities themselves.

Taking on the Spaghetti Challenge (to make the tallest tower with the ingredients provided) was a great way to get groups of newly-acquainted people working together – although it’s just a shame our team didn’t include an engineer!

Performing Arts were also tasked with creating and presenting an edition of the Edge Magazine promoting diversity and inclusivity, a tricky but very fulfilling assignment.

And it is with greater awareness of this incredible backing, as well as many fantastic memories from across the course of the training week, that I feel all the more emboldened, ready for the challenge and, in turn, prepared to work to support the Union’s aims and objectives through my own societies’ potential achievements – and put on a few great shows along the way, hopefully! So here’s to a great – and creative - year ahead!

Robin

Field experience in Italy

I’m now back from Italy and have had a few of days to rest up, settle back into my home in Southampton and start preparing for the new term. Freshers’ Week is approaching and the start of term is not far away, so there are a lot of exciting things in the works!

However, I thought I’d dedicate this post to my field experience in Italy for my Biology course. So getting straight to it … on the 25th of August I left Southampton and took a coach to Stansted Airport, where I met up with one of my course mates (who had also chosen to do a field project in Italy). The flight to Turin, in the north of Italy, wasn’t until early the next morning, so my friend and I had arranged to stay at a hotel close to the airport. We chose this because it was easy to get to as well as being the cheapest accommodation we could find at the time of booking, so we felt quite lucky! That night we spent the evening using the pool and spa facilities while catching up on what we’ve been up to over the summer. We had to wake up at 3.30am to get ready to meet the project supervisor and other researchers going to Italy at the airport. We had planned to get an early night but ended up staying up the whole time - I guess we had a lot to catch up on!

So, without a wink of sleep, we made it to the airport and met up with everyone. The check in and flight went very smoothly, and once we arrived in Italy we picked up two hire cars and made our way to the hotel. During the drive we were able to talk more about the field site, our individual projects and the WATBIO project. The hotel we stayed at was really nice, both the hotel itself and the staff. I shared a large room with my coursemate and every day we’d come back to a clean and fresh room after completely messing it up in evenings with our dirty field clothes and shoes!

 Our hotel in Savigliano

We arrived at the hotel in the afternoon on our first day in Savigliano, so after we had lunch we had time to go to the field site to mark out the trees to make it easier for us later when we would begin collecting the data. This would also allow us to familiarise ourselves with the field site and layout.

We spent the next couple days collecting samples of leaves and taking images of them for one of the projects on leaf area and development, and then another few days measuring heights and diameters of the trees for the biomass data. In the end we had collected measurements on about 6,000 poplar trees! In between this work we also each had different tasks for collecting data for our individual projects. Mine included taking stomatal imprints, which I will be looking at under a microscope later. It was great to not only collect data for our own projects, but also be a part of a large collaboration project like WATBIO.

Above is a photo taken from the field site. You can see the poplar trees on either side of the path and then if you look closely you can see the Alps in the distance. This is the wonderful view we had from the field site during the days when the sky was clear blue.

Every evening we ate a very generous dinner at the hotel, consisting of a minimum of three courses - sometimes four! All in all, I had a great time and I particularly enjoyed experiencing what real field work is actually like, especially in an area of research which I’m genuinely interested in. It was also really good to talk to the researchers, and hear about how they got to where they are now and just to get a better insight into what a career in science and academia is like.

I loved the opportunity to carry out field work and research in Italy!

On our last whole day we were given the day off and got to explore Savigliano which was really nice because it would have been a shame to go somewhere new and not have a chance to actually explore the area.

A lovely lake we stopped by.

We left Italy on the 4th of September and again the journey back to Southampton went very smoothly. It was strange saying goodbye to everyone, as we all worked really well as a team (if I do say so myself!), but not to worry, I’ll be seeing them again soon.

Kristin

Gardens and grottos

As summer merges into autumn with the arrival of September, I found myself enjoying the last of the glorious sunshine. Painshill Park, located about an hour away from Southampton, runs along the River Mole in Cobham, and is a verdant stretch of sloping hills and tranquil water pools, envisaged and realised in the eighteenth century by the Hon. Charles Hamilton.

The park today has been restored to resemble as closely as possible the views that were created by Hamilton and shared with other high society peers. The park is 158 acres in size and visitors are given a recommended route around the site, designed to make you stumble across the most stunning views, just as the original head gardener once did.

The gardens themselves were created in line with the Landscape Movement of the early eighteenth century, which favoured a more natural approach, rather than a geometric based methodology. The paths through the park are centred upon the expansive lake; the water for which is pumped from the nearby river. Amongst the foliage small pieces of architecture can be found, almost by surprise, which add to the picturesque landscape.

Standing inside the Gothic Temple

The first of these you discover is the small Gothic Temple perched on the top of a hill with a fantastic view of the winding landscape and the Great Cedar, which at 120 feet high is thought to be the largest of its kind in Europe. After descending towards the river, you are greeted by the ruins of an abbey built from brick, but rendered to have the appearance of stone.

The shimmering lake with the Chinese Bridge in the background

The path then guides you towards the lake, which features a handful of small islands, connected by a series of bridges inspired by architecture from different cultures, including the well-recognised Chinese Bridge. The Crystal Grotto, built into the side of one of the islands, is a magical cavern where crystal walls and stalactites shimmer in the half-light, whilst small water features trickle merrily around you. This mystical setting is used in the winter as Santa’s grotto, but sadly I came too early to receive any presents this time around!

Inside the magical Crystal Grotto

The gardens then lead you along to the Waterwheel which powers the pump that supplies the lake with water. The setting now changes from lush vegetation into forest, where you can find both the Gothic Tower and the Hermitage amongst the trees. The story goes that Hamilton had hired a hermit to live alone in the small house in the woods on a seven year contract. However, within a few weeks of his hiring, he was found less-then-sober in a nearby pub after he disobeyed his contract and left the park. The hermit was subsequently dismissed, but was never replaced.

A happy hermit!

The final view over the park comes from the reconstructed Turkish Tent, which is nestled on the opposing hill to the Gothic Temple. It gives one last vista across the landscape and allows the viewer to take in all that they have seen. I could reflect on enjoying a lovely walk around the park with my girlfriend, making the most of the last of the summer sun and its heat; I highly recommend a visit!

For those of you who are in Southampton during September, or are coming back down in the next few weeks and want to go for a similar trip, the New Forest is also a fantastic place to explore on foot. It’s easy to get there and the wilderness provides a perfect place to take a break from student life. Earlier in the summer I went there myself to visit Beaulieu, where you can walk round the Palace House and visit the British National Motor Museum, all whilst taking in the wonderful landscape!

James

The Edinburgh adventure

And with that, it’s all over for another year – the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The pinnacle of the performing world and an event that, on the past couple of occasions, has seen me want to adopt the beautiful city (and its incorporated manic lifestyle!) as something of a second home, is over for another year. We’ve all, as a cast and crew, come crashing back to the reality of normal life – and regular sleeping patterns (well, comparatively, anyway)!

A journey that started many months ago, with auditions, call-backs and early rehearsals for Gone Rogue Productions’ production of the fast-paced thriller Tape and their gender-swapped twist on Oscar Wilde’s classic farce The Importance of Being Earnest in February has now come to a close… and what a journey it’s been. Writing as a cast member of Earnest, it’s been a truly memorable, and at times admittedly very challenging, rehearsal process. In the midst of getting to grips with our characters of the opposite sex (mine was a ‘glamorous’, iPhone-obsessed Gwendolen!), we’ve all had to acquire certain skills, mannerisms and performance techniques which we never could have imagined we’d have to when we started with SUSU Theatre Group years ago – like learning how to apply make-up and walk in high heels, for example!

But ultimately it’s been an absolute blast from start to finish, and has been another brilliant year of working with some hilarious, talented and inspirational people, without whose mutual support we wouldn’t have been able to pull it off. For me there’s no feeling quite like being part of a close-knit, supportive cast, working as a solid team to put on the best daily performance you can, and this show was no exception. I can’t thank them, my directors Jed, Joe and Poppy, or the company’s producers Chris and Jamie, enough for the opportunity – it’s been terrific!

Having to dress in this way every day for two and a half weeks was an unforgettable, if pretty weird, experience! (Credit: Joe Hart)

The rest of the Earnest cast and team – a fantastic bunch of people to work with, it’s been great getting to know them all, and I’ll miss our (fairly different) rehearsals!

The best thing about Edinburgh, though, is not only is it a great chance to step outside of your comfort zone and perform to audiences beyond the 'student bubble' (although this does have the side-effect of making them slightly more forth-coming and honest in their opinions sometimes!), but also the way the city becomes completely enveloped in a Festival feel in its entirety, from the sheer number of people walking around, to the celebratory atmosphere they carry and the merry smiles they wear. It almost seems like wherever you go, a performance of some kind or another is taking place, be it theatres, clubs, street pavements or, of course, the spectacular Royal Mile, where performers of every discipline you can possibly think of – theatre, comedy, musicals, magic, dance, cabaret, 'improv', circus, opera, choirs, and more – compete for attention (and, fingers crossed, ticket purchases!) in spectacular fashion.

Indeed, my personal favourite street performer this year was a mute clown who, at the beginning of his show, set-up a jukebox on a pavement corner and, despite juggling in quite an innocuous fashion at first, soon set about using a wireless remote to cause havoc, changing songs on the fly and in turn entrapping unsuspecting passers-by in some hilarious situations, like giving one passing car an impromptu provocative car-wash (I’ll let you imagine the music!) and putting on sunglasses (to the theme tune of The Godfather) whenever an elderly gentlemen walked by! It was simple stuff but ingenious, and it had his amassed crowds in stitches throughout. Other highlights included an improvised silent movie troupe, an impromptu performance of the Haka, and a giant dinosaur or two making its way down the road! If you’re looking for fresh ideas, international culture and performances of the highest quality, there really is no place quite like the Fringe!

And as for our company results, I’m delighted to say that, following on from last time around with Hanging Bruce-Howard, Gone Rogue Productions had a brilliantly successful year both commercially and critically, with its two shows Earnest and Tape, attaining mostly three and four star reviews across the board, particularly in the case of the latter, whose team also managed to be long-listed for the National Student Drama Festival Edinburgh award 2014 - a fantastic achievement. Likewise, we as the cast of Earnest had a wonderful time and were seen by some very receptive audiences for which we’re very grateful, including one on very special (and surreal!) day in particular, when a quite-possibly-famous guest (and accompanying media!) were in our audience – but more on that in early 2015 (when I’m allowed to talk about it)!

But even with a great deal of fundraising undertaken before we went up, the costs of the trip were huge in terms of venue hire, show rights and other expenses, so we were hugely grateful as a company to be granted this remarkable experience by the University of Southampton, without whose generous and benevolent support of our efforts, both through the G F Forsey fund and, personally, the ECS Student Development Fund, granted us this amazing opportunity. Overall, we were delighted with how things went and we truly believe that the company’s future looks set to be a bright one at the Fringe in the future, whichever lucky people are flying the flag for the University  next year.

So once again I return from the famous Scottish city with stories aplenty to tell, and not enough words to tell them all in! Highlights of the three weeks included a repeat of last year’s memorable Arthur’s Seat climb (carrying on the tradition of playing a round of the classic drama game ‘Ninjas’ at the top!), catching in the region of 70 shows over 21 days (trying to get full value out of my company pass!), witnessing a Southampton alumnus and great friend, Joe Hart, place 3rd in a national comedy competition final (with an incredible set in the So You Think You’re Funny? event, whose previous finalists have gone on to do amazing things in comedy!), bumping into plenty of celebrities around and about (including John Bishop, Simon Callow and Jason Manford – a judge at the final – with some people in Gone Rogue even seeing Jack Gleeson, also known to some as King Joffrey!), and ultimately having the time of my life once again.

The annual ‘Ninjas’ Edinburgh championship took place – and things got suitably intense!

Meeting and chatting to Jason Manford was a surreal, and awesome, experience!

Another brilliant day in Edinburgh!

And so it’s time to get preparing for my fourth, and final, year in Southampton. It’s strange to think that, from now on, most things I’ll be witnessing down there will probably be for the final time – but I’m pretty sure that, at some point or another, I’ll be back in Edinburgh again, hopefully sooner rather than later!

Robin