Why not?

I know it plays up to the perpetual student stereotype a bit, but one great thing about being in full-time higher education is that ultimately you get to choose how to distribute your time. As long as you put in the hours with the books, and as long as you’re happy that you’re doing all you can to fulfil your ambitions, then for the rest of your day you can do just about anything! For me that’s usually taken up with committee meetings, work experience, rehearsals, planning meetings, writing applications, coursework and (probably less productively) cheesy television, the occasional computer game, and spontaneous lunches with people, as well as the odd social here and there. Aside from your academic commitments, you really are free to go out there and have the student experience you choose. Or rather, if you’re happy just to say “yes” to things, you’re free to go out there and have the University experience thrust upon you! 

One of my favourite aspects of  life at the University of Southampton is how one thing seemingly always leads into another, most of the time almost seamlessly, with embracing one opportunity constantly a pre-cursor to something equally as new and exciting in the future – so you’re never bored! For example, with regards to theatre, I got into the directing side of it just through a casual conversation in the pub with a good friend, Tom, to whom I mentioned I was interested in trying the role out – and before I knew it, I was on the other side of the audition table as an Assistant in his next project! Fast-forward a few months, when a couple of other friends, Mike and Jed, were looking to put on a show, they asked me to direct with them – and our proudest achievement to date, our award-winning production of the classic theatrical thriller Equus, was born! Fast-forward even further, and now I’m lucky enough to live with them! 

That’s solely one example of just how many paths your university career can take, and it’s why attending events such as the Bunfight (the annual societies’ fair during Freshers’ week) careers events (usually found through checking your emails regularly and via Career Destinations) and even just browsing through the Students’ Union website or society social media pages, are all hugely important. After all, in doing so, you never really know what you’re going to find! 

The Christmas tree in the Students’ Union has gone up, and is looking as spectacular as ever!

That sense of serendipity can drive a university career and ensure you’re always engaged, challenged and, best of all, having the time of your life. As I approach the halfway mark of my final year here, I’ve felt myself relishing that sense of freedom more and more recently. It’s quite unlikely that, once I’m on the career ladder, I’ll have the free licence to go out and actively seek the sort of rich inspiration on offer here quite as regularly in the future, so why not make the most of it while I can? 

Perhaps my favourite hour of every week so far this year has been taking part in the Performing Arts radio show (through the Union’s own radio station, Surge Radio) as a co-host alongside the brilliant Caitlin and Joe, chatting about events coming up, the latest news from the theatrical world, and discovering lots of (relatively useless!) trivia about one another through online quizzes and such. It’s fantastic fun just to sit there at the beginning of the week (usually fuelled by a coffee!), have a laugh and joke with some hilarious folks in the studio, and promote our favourite societies, all the while aware that hopefully some people, somewhere, are listening in (it’s mid-day every Monday if you’d like to - we’d love to hear from you)! 

Aside from this, I’ve also spent a lot of time on the coursework front recently, tackling the classic end-of-November deadline rush which usually envelops this time of year – so less time spent in bed last week, and more in the library and labs! Upon their completion, I only had one assignment left to push through before the Christmas holidays, so I duly rewarded myself with taking a weekend off, during which I managed a productive trip to the West Quay Shopping Centre for some Christmas present shopping! 

The West Quay Shopping Centre in town was in fully festive decoration!

I also went along to the University’s annual Highfield Campus Lights Switch-On event, which was as beautiful and well-attended as ever – congratulations and thanks to everyone involved in it, it’s always an amazing occasion! After that, I attended the Union Theatre Group’s annual Christmas Meal, at the swanky Banana Wharf by the docks in Ocean Village; gorgeous food (a far cry from the beans on toast of the previous week!) and amazing company led to a truly memorable evening, and it’s incredible to think that I’ve been so lucky as to enjoy such nights for four years in a row now! There’s really nothing like Christmas at Southampton.

The Lights Switch-On event on campus was amazing yet again – and also featured fake snow to add to the festivities!

The annual Theatre Group Christmas Meal was also a great occasion once again! Credit: SUSU Theatre Group

We had a full student house at the event – and had an awesome time to boot! Credit: Jamie Hemingway

When I first started at the University (particularly in the first few days!), I can remember being completely petrified, too nervous to go out and meet people conventionally, but also somewhat frightened by the complete strangers I was sharing a flat with – although thankfully both changed, in time! But being so far away from home for the first time, and knowing absolutely nobody, I made the conscious decision to try and throw myself into as much as possible, hoping I’d pick up these experiences along the way – and I can’t believe how fortunate I’ve been since! 

After all, looking back on everything that’s happened in my three and a half years, I can barely imagine what University life would’ve been like without the question “Why not?” There’s something truly special about life in Higher Education, and it’s definitely something to be celebrated! 

Robin