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
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