Too close to feel like you’ve no longer an excuse to celebrate, but too soon to really start worrying about the future in earnest (although the terrifying activity that is job searching is still well underway!), the couple of weeks after the end of term always proves a great opportunity to sit back, relax, and appreciate the company of your University friends without that nagging suspicion in the back of your mind that you’ve an assignment due sooner than you thought.
This has always been the case in the past but this year, knowing that this is the last time I’ll be in such an incredible situation in Southampton (as an undergraduate student, at least!), I’ve been determined to make the most of it, heading along to as many of the leavers’ events that have been put on in order to bid a celebratory farewell to some of the magnificent friends I’ve made. I just hope it’s a temporary farewell and I get the chance to come back every so often!
To that end, I write this off the back of one of the most incredible weeks of both social, but also personal, value that I’ve experienced during my four years here, and one which demonstrates just how much there is to do in Southampton, both within and outside of the University. They say that the University years are the days of your lives – and from what’s just happened, I think they must be right!
Wednesday 3rd June – Sports Day & Cabaret
As someone who’s been lucky enough to really grow to love and participate in both the University’s Students’ Union’s Theatre Group (normal plays) and Showstoppers (musical theatre) societies equally, having been on the committee for both, I’ve made plenty of friends across both groups. But I’ve also experienced the friendly (albeit occasionally fierce, for comedy’s sake!) rivalry between them from both sides of the fence, and so today both groups came together to battle on various sporting fields amidst a backdrop of picnics and glorious sunshine on the Southampton Common (a brilliant public stretch of grass in the middle of the city, where many a summer day is spent)!
Of course, the real fun of the day came in the realisation that none of us were actually very good, so we just enjoyed ourselves! I opted to go for Showstoppers – a year as President for them won out over a year as Webmaster for Theatre Group! – and received fitting amounts of joking abuse when I inevitably tripped over. After some fierce competition in games such as Rounders, an Egg-and-Spoon race, a Ninjas tournament (a classic drama combat game!), Football and Ultimate Frisbee, both groups were left thoroughly exhausted, so we called it a draw!
It was this lack of competitive edge, but presence of friendly rivalry, which made the experience so brilliant, and a reminder of one of an ethos I’ve found across my time at University – we were all there for the fun experience of it, and we all got plenty of it.
The fantastic Promotions Officer for Showstoppers, Charlie, put together a great highlights package of the day – it was one to remember:
In the evening, we then all headed to The Bridge in the Students’ Union building for an evening of songs from musical theatre shows far and wide, as part of our Edinburgh fundraising efforts. Once again there was no pressure to perform well, just to have fun in doing so, and the event was a massive success with us all enjoying some great songs and one another’s company in the excellent venue of the Union. Such relaxed, fun opportunities come around very often indeed in Southampton – so it’s definitely worth heading along and, if you’d like to, giving such things a go!
My friend Ben and I performing an excerpt from The Producers as part of the fundraising effort – it was an awesome evening! Credit: David Aggus
Thursday 4th June – A First Leavers’ Meal…
Having spent the morning meeting the brilliant new Life at Southampton blogging team, I then prepared to go to the Theatre Group Leavers’ Meal at the swanky restaurant 'The Vestry' in town, serving food which was a far cry from the usual beans on toast at home! With Theatre Group being the society I started with in the Performing Arts, this was very much a chance to say goodbye to my ‘year group’, and as a result some of the closest, friends I’ve had the pleasure to have met here. I’m sure it would’ve been a more emotional evening if we hadn’t made ourselves laugh so much, but regardless, it was certainly a great one!
The Theatre Group Graduates 2015 – somehow I don’t think it’s the last I’ve seen of them! Credit: Billie Naudeer
Friday 5th June - … a picnic, then a second!
There was no rest for the wicked in the social calendar as, the day after the night before, we were back on the Common for the traditional Theatre Group picnic. This is where the year’s awards are handed out and everyone enjoys the great combination of sunshine and good company, occasionally kicking a football around – although we were too tired after the previous few days to play a proper match!
The Theatre Group picnic was yet another hugely memorable occasion this week! Credit: Joe Buckingham
Immediately afterwards was the turn of the Showstoppers’ Leavers Meal, also at the Vestry – same place, different society, equally amazing evening (although I accidentally made the mistake a few weeks ago of accidentally ordering the exact same meal for both – luckily it was delicious twice)!
Showstoppers awards were also handed out, celebrating the magnificent achievements of various individuals and shows, as well as, this year, those of all the members graduating, which was a great touch by the social secretaries. Personally, I was very much humbled when I was granted ‘Best Director’ for The Drowsy Chaperone and, even more amazingly, ‘Services to the Society’ (particularly given the amount so many other people have contributed to the group), for which I can only thank everyone who voted for me; leading the group was such a rewarding experience, and for no reason more so than because of the effervescent people it encompassed!
It’s been a true privilege and honour, and if there’s one thing that both meals showed me, it’s just how much I owe those whom I’ll be leaving behind when I graduate – visits back are a certainty!
Some celebratory champagne to see off a University career in style!...
...Then back to the Vestry to bid a fond farewell to another set of incredible friends!
Saturday 6th & Sunday 27th June– The 24 Hour Show
A final, final show in Southampton – and what an experience it was! I’ve written in previous years about what this entails, but it always provides stories and memories aplenty, so to do it full justice I’ll write about it in more detail next time. Sufficed to say: what a weekend, and what a way to bow out in the Annex Theatre on Highfield Campus, a place which has often felt like a second home! If you’re attending Southampton next year, you really have to audition for this show next year!
Monday 8th – Grad Ball
Last, but certainly by no means least, the night of the year to look your sharpest! I was lucky enough to attend last year with my first set of housemates, so knew a fantastic night was in store, but couldn’t have imagined just how much fun I’d have this time around, celebrating four incredible years with some great friends, reminiscing about the experiences we’ve shared, and all in the company of acts such as, B*Witched and Basshunter – and fairground rides aplenty!
Yet another occasion to be suited and booted, and enjoying the company of departing friends!
And so, following all of the above, I find myself writing in bed, having collapsed with exhaustion, but knowing I’ve certainly made the most of the post-exam period and a week of fun and farewells.
It’s befitting that such a week should see off the end of my academic and performing career here in style.
After all, if there’s one thing I’ve learnt here, it’s that Southampton never fails to give you something to do, see or experience for the first time, and in this way, it’s the people here that truly make the place. – I’m going to miss both hugely!
Thanks for a great week, everyone!
Robin
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