Catching the Parkrun bug

One of the best things for me about living in Southampton is the close proximity to the Common, which is where I participate in Parkrun every Saturday morning at 9am.

What is Parkrun?

If you don't already know what Parkrun is, it's a free 5km running event against the clock, that takes place right across the country. It's essentially open to anyone regardless of age or ability (dogs and people with prams are a common sight), you just have to be able to run 5km!

Their logo is pretty snazzy too.

Since starting 5 years ago, the Southampton event has gone from strength to strength with 700-800 people regularly turning up in the freezing cold, making it one of the most popular Parkruns in the country. There are now almost 80,000 events organised every weekend nationally.

It's also a very simple concept - all you have to do is register, turn up, and show a printed bar code to receive your time!

At the starting line.

Benefits

There are many reasons why I participate in Parkrun. It may seem gruelling to pull yourself out of bed on a cold winter's morning when you've got no lectures, but there is nothing like the buzz of adrenaline that you feel immediately after completing an intense 5km run.

It's not just about physical wellbeing either - I run as much for the sense of enjoyment and achievement I get from beating my previous personal best. This for me is one of the fundamental benefits of Parkrun, as you get a clear barometer of just how much your fitness is improving. When I ran it for the first time, I started off running 5km in 30 minutes, but after just a couple of months I was posting increasingly quick times, getting it down to 22 and a half minutes.

Awareness of Parkrun has skyrocketed in recent years and, seeing as we're only just into 2017, it's never too late to start and keep your New Year's resolution!

Heading down the final straight!

Half Marathon preparation

In April, I'll be running the Southampton Half Marathon, and Parkrun is the ideal training to prepare for that. It may be less than a quarter of the 13 mile route (including through the University and over Itchen Bridge) that I'll be running then, but it is at least a good starting point and it's useful exercise. Even though you're running alongside lots of fellow participants, you can't escape the competitive edge when you're sprinting down the final straight and trying to overtake as many people as you can.

Of course, you could just simply go out and have a run on the Common at any time, but everyone who has become a part of the Parkrun family will tell you the same thing: the atmosphere and sense of camaraderie between runners is what makes it so special, and it helps you run faster at the same time!

Many thanks to the Southampton Parkrun Facebook team for allowing me to use their photos in my post today - click here if you'd like to sign up.

Stay posted more updates on my progress soon, including my fundraising efforts for charity!

Paul

Where to take your parents in Southampton

Finally, we have reached February! I've got a tonne of things to look forward to, but the thing I'm looking forward to the most is having my mum over in England! I've been so excited for this ever since she told me she'd booked her plane tickets.

My mum has never been to Southampton and, although I was a bit cross she never came and visited me during my first or second years, I think this might be the perfect time. I've been here for two and a half years now, and know the city and its surroundings a lot better than I did back then.


This is the plan I have set out for the five days that I get to have my mum here:

The mandatory student tour

A walk around Highfield Campus and a little drive past Mayflower Halls where I lived during my first year. No, no tour of Sobar or Jesters... this time.

Hartley Library in all its glory.

Mayflower Halls as seen from Mayflower Park

City Centre

West Quay is to my knowledge the largest shopping centre in the South East, so it's a bit of a must at least to have a look around. Also, they've just opened the new Watermark extension, which I'm sure is worth a visit although I haven't been yet.

While we're in town, the walk from West Quay down to Oxford Street is not only lovely, but also takes you past some historical places like the Dolphin Hotel, which I know my mum will like to see.

Making a little detour to Bugle Street and the bottom of town will take us past all the cool old pubs like the Titanic. These pubs are the ultimate answer to what I've always imagined an English pub to be like.

Ocean Village

Oxford Street

As my mum is an architect, I'll need to show her the very diverse and beautiful architecture around town. Carlton Crescent has the old Victorian style, while the new Guildhall Square and Ocean Village have definitely contributed to modernising the city. While we're wandering the Guildhall square, I'm planning on visiting the new John Hansard Gallery which just moved to town from Highfield Campus; since I've never been, this is a good opportunity to go. Given that I have been to the Sea City (Titanic) museum over four times now, that might be something mum can do whilst I'm in lectures.

Carlton Crescent

Food

We probably won't go out for dinner every night, but when we do I will take her to one of my new favourite places: Lemoni Grill House down town. Not the cheapest in the city, but you really get what you pay for in terms of the quality of the food and friendliness of the staff - even their takeaway is great. All in all it's a very decent Greek restaurant, although if town is too far for you to travel for a Mediterranean fix, Sula's in Portswood also does amazing Greek food.

The decor isn't bad either.

Further afield

That's roughly what I have planned for Southampton, and we also want to take a day out to see Winchester and the New Forest. I'd love to take my mum to Bournemouth and Oxford, two places I really enjoyed when I visited, but since we are back in July for my graduation we can save those for then.

Hopefully our last day will be spent in London for a bit of shopping and sightseeing, and since it's only an hour away on the train it doesn't require too much planning. Suffice it to say... I CAN'T WAIT!

So, if you're having someone over from abroad or similar, where would you take them? I'd love to know!

Alexandra

Space to think - Celebrating National Libraries Day

Hi everyone!

For this week's blog post I decided to celebrate National Libraries Day which, in their own words, is an annual showcase of all the creative, innovative and diverse activities that UK libraries have to offer.

I've made a video showing my favourite study space on campus: The Turner Sims Reading Room at Hartley Library.

You can check it out below - I hope you enjoy it.

Let me know what you think!

Georgia

Looking ahead to 2017

With the Christmas holidays now behind us, this is the time when many of us look to make our resolutions for the New Year. The only difference is I intend to keep mine this year!

2016 was a big year for me personally, with several key highlights, from completing my Year Abroad in France, to gaining work experience in Spain, and finally getting back to Southampton.

Back home in sunny Eastbourne over Christmas.

Let's see what 2017 has in store for me:

1. Achieving at least a 2:1 in my degree

Now being in my fourth year, the finish line of my degree is in sight, and with that comes plenty of work. Languages in particular is a very difficult course in which to get a First, as we are assessed in every language-learning competency: writing, translating, speaking, and listening.

Ultimately I'm striving to get a First, but a 2:1 is nothing to be sniffed at, especially here at such a prestigious languages department. I've worked hard to get where I am today and I will continue to work hard to get where I want to be in the future.

2. Improve on my first Southampton Half Marathon time

2 years ago, I ran my first ever Half Marathon in Southampton, and this year I'm looking to not only repeat it but to improve on my original time of 2 hours and 1 minute.

It was great timing for me as the city hadn't hosted the event for several decades before 2015, but all of the hours preparing and training are worth it when you see the excited crowds cheering as you pass some of the city's landmarks like the Itchen Bridge, Bargate and the Guildhall.

I'm also going to be running for charity - details of which will feature in future blogs!

My Half Marathon gear from 2 years ago.

3. Get a job!

One of the extra pressures of being a finalist is looking ahead to graduate schemes and job opportunities, even with all the normal uni work. The process can be quite demoralising at times, as many of us have to accept rejections from our potential dream jobs but, just like our lives in general, we have to learn to cope with the difficulties and bounce back!

I have already had a rejection from one graduate scheme in journalism, but I've also been putting in the hours enhancing my CV and cover letter at the University's Careers and Employability Service. I'd thoroughly recommend attending a drop-in session, as the advice you get can be invaluable.

Phew! I might just need a lie down after all that. I'm also going to be busy in my Erasmus Society role once again, as well as going on a Spanish Society trip to Seville, and hopefully doing a bit of travelling some time before or after my graduation in the summer.

To a New Year and New Beginnings!

Paul

Nature in Winter

Hi all! I hope exams have been going well for you and, if you have finished already, congratulations! You're free! It'll be a quick blog post today but I thought I'd share one of my favourite ways to chill during the January exam period with you.

I am a massive fan of wrapping up in a million layers and going out feeling like I'm in a bubble, although at present, I've lost my gloves and haven't found a way to cover my face effectively... maybe I should try an actual bubble.




I really like to go out for walks or take some time out of studying on campus to stroll through Valley Gardens or the Common.

Look out for migratory swans and geese, especially Canadian geese - you can normally see them flying overhead. Moorhens and ducks are common in the ornamental lake, but if you are going to feed them, I've found that they aren't very fond of raisins but really like cat kibble.
Keep an eye out for woodpeckers too, I used to hear one or two when I lived in Glen Eyre in my first year, they were virtually outside my window!

Valley Gardens up at Highfield Campus

You might also like to look out for obvious winter fauna, such as robins and blackbirds; I've got a bird feeder which I like to fill with mealworms for them, just to supplement what food they might be getting over winter.

Southampton Common is a great place to clear your head.

I definitely recommend going out for walks during winter, it has also been proven to help with memories and improve your mood. And who knows, you might snap some pictures that are particularly Instagram-worthy too.

Until next time!

Georgia

Winter Wonderland!

So I've headed back to university, about to begin my final semester here at the University of Southampton. I cannot believe how quickly time has flown! Although it was difficult to leave my family and home comforts, it has been lovely reuniting with my uni friends and catching up with one another about what we got up to during the Christmas holidays.

Unfortunately, since A-level, I found that my Christmas holidays are never really a time to relax anymore, and were instead devoted to cramming in revision, assignments and this year's dissertation!

However, I am a huge advocate of the work hard play hard ethos and always take time out to relax, take part in activities, or go to social events I enjoy. For this post, I'm going to share one of my highlights from my Christmas period and something that makes my 'holidays' just a little bit more bearable... going to Winter Wonderland!

It is a family tradition of mine to visit Winter Wonderland in London each year and, living in London, it is especially easy for us to get to Hyde Park via the Underground. In fact, I know of quite a few of my friends who take the train into London from all over the UK (especially from Southampton, which is a relatively short train or coach ride away!) purely for a day out at this spectacular festive event.

About the event

Winter Wonderland is filled to the brim with a marvellous array of festive activities and entertainment. Taking place in Hyde Park for six weeks each year, there are over 100 thrilling rides and attractions - including my favourite, the Helter Skelter! One of the major advantages of the event is that it is completely FREE to enter, so even if your budget is a bit tight due to present buying, it is still worth going to have a look around the beautiful displays and witness some sparkly winter magic! Given the extreme popularity of the event, the majority of the major attractions such as ice-skating and the Giant Observation Wheel need to be booked in advance.

This year also marks the 10th anniversary of this leading London attraction. As a result, there were a few additional attractions such as The Nutcracker on Ice show and the Sooty Christmas Show for the little ones.

The day itself

My dad very kindly bought tickets to see The Nutcracker on Ice show, so on Wednesday 28th December my parents, my sister and I set off to Hyde Park to watch it.

Splendid backdrop and lighting for Act 1: The Stahlbaum Home.

The show was incredible. I was fascinated at how fast the performers could skate, and how they managed to do such fantastic stunts on ice! Fire breathers and aerial acrobatics also made an appearance. After the show, we spent the rest of the afternoon strolling around the markets and just enjoying the festive atmosphere.

A typical street in Winter Wonderland.

As you can see we all wrapped up warm in as many layers as we could because it was freezing. I am usually always cold anyway as it is, so I found walking around outside a real struggle and I could not feel my toes for the entire afternoon.

The Arora family prepared for a trip to the Arctic in all of our layers!

Winter Wonderland is London's largest German-style Christmas market, hosting a wealth of tasty food and drinks, which made it very difficult to choose what I wanted to eat for lunch. I decided on a large box of freshly-made piping hot vegetarian noodles from one of the street stands. It certainly did the trick of warming me up from the inside.

Yummy noodles.

Part of Winter Wonderland is a miniature theme park, however the rides were quite pricey (£9 per ride!) and the queues seemed never-ending. Instead we decided to end the day with a trip to the Bavarian Village, where we bought delicious chocolate churros and mulled wine to share.

Bavarian Village beer garden.

A wonderful day out for families, couples or friends, Winter Wonderland really is a spectacular experience for all ages, and year upon year never fails to impress me.

I can't imagine the festive season without it!

Aditi

Exams and revision - tips and tricks

The exam period is always a daunting time throughout University. We are about to reach the end of the first week of exams at the University of Southampton, so some lucky people might already have finished theirs - I have still got another week until it's my turn.

One would think that, as I enter my fifth exam period as a student here, I would be a pro at this whole 'revision techniques, de-stress before exams' thing... but I'm not. Mostly because I generally do worse in exams than coursework, and I always end up with exams in my most challenging modules.

Putting that aside, I was revising earlier and thinking about the things that help me the most during exam periods. Here are my 4 strategies that may help you too:

1. Organisation and planning

How annoying is this point and how many people have told you about it before? I'm sure you've heard this loads of times and, as students, we sometimes just can't be bothered to do it. That's fine most of the year (not really), but during exams I have found it INCREDIBLY (underline that again) helpful to plan ahead. It does not take up more than 5-10 minutes and really pays off in the long-run.

I've basically written down in my diary what subjects to read on every day, and such a small effort has helped me stay on track with my revision. Further, I've got my building, room, time etc. for my exam written down to avoid any last minute confusions, and I always spend the first 10 minutes of an exam reading all the questions carefully and planning how to answer them.

2. Don't go straight to past papers

This is very tempting when you first start revising, and of all the possible revision methods, past exam papers are the best. However, they are quite useless if you don't have enough information to answer the questions. 

Make all your notes, go through the lecture slides, notes, important reading etc., before you start doing the past papers. This brings me back to point number 1: plan ahead so you have got a good structure of what you need to read and by when, in order to have sufficient time to do past papers.

3. Take breaks, think about summer, travelling, cats - whatever helps you relax

Self-explanatory really, but breaks are the alpha-omega of good work. Sometimes we forget about them and sometimes we take them for too long. I know I am, because I'm cat-sitting this beauty for the next two weeks!

4. Get enough sleep

This is the first exam period where I have actually made an effort to get enough sleep, and it has been life-changing. I'm a lot more productive, but also less stressed and anxious, which I usually am in times like these.

I appreciate people who stay up until 5am revising if it works for you (thank you 24 hour Hartley Library), but do remember to get into some sort of sleeping pattern a couple of days before your exam.

Hopefully this is of some help to people, or just a friendly reminder of things you already knew.

Regardless of how your exam goes, at least we are approaching warmer and longer days.

Best of luck to everyone in their exams!

Alexandra

The Countdown to Exams

Hi everyone! 

So the Semester One exams are upon us and we’re all trying to ram into the library and taking longer day naps. It’s the most wonderful time of the year! 

But really, this period in the year is stressful, and I thought I’d share my tips on how I prepare for the run up to my exams.

A week before

• Create overviews of your module.
  I do this by making mind-maps of subjects from memory, or flowcharts (e.g. for problem solving in my statistics module).
  
  
• Index cards are key at this point.
  I write key words or concepts on index cards and stick them all around my study space, as I find that it goes in almost subconsciously. I never used to believe this before, but I tried it last exam period and it seemed to work!
  
  
• Don’t be scared to look up new things.
  If I find an interesting new article or journal piece, I often find it helps me remember everything in a more coherent and well-rounded way. I’m very good at remembering small, weird facts, and then I find I can remember a whole topic that way.


• Get together with friends and study.
  You don't have to book a study room in the library for this, you can use your halls flat kitchen, or your student house (provided you won't be distracted by Super Smash Bros), and make it fun! You don’t all have to be sitting in silence with heads in books - one study game I like to play is Definition Hangman: it’s like hangman up to guessing the letters, but instead of guessing the word, you have to explain the definition or case study.

OK, maybe make time for a little bit of Super Smash Bros.

Two days before

• Don’t lose momentum.
  I don’t like to cram on the last day or make it seem like I’m stressed the day before the exam, so I use this day spent with index cards and mind maps, alternating between the two, making notes from memory, and maybe doing some last minute past papers.

If you've been studying at home - consider changing your environment.

One day before

• Chill out day.
  I like to use this day to condense everything I know on to one piece of paper, and by this point it could be names for case studies or key terms, so it won't be as hard as you think. This ends up being what I take with me to University on the bus to have outside the exam room, and even though I won't use it for cramming, it gives me peace of mind.


• Pack your bag.
  You will need everything: calculator, ruler, rubber, pens and pencils - just take everything, even if the lecturer hasn't specifically said you need it. Also, you should take water to sip during the exam, to keep yourself hydrated and help with concentration.


• Sleep!
  Do try and get to sleep early - don't go to bed at 2am because you spent all day worrying; aim for 10pm and set your alarm so you have ample time before the exam begins, to make time for traffic and hold-ups, etc.

Awesome! You made it to your first exam, congrats! Now, take deep breaths and don't panic. 

You can do this!

Georgia

3 lessons University has taught me

The fact that we officially have entered 2017 is daunting. I remember picking up my student ID when I first started here at Southampton in September 2014. The “valid until” date, which said 2017, felt so far away, yet here I am revising for my fifth exam period at University of Southampton. It has led me to think about what I have learned throughout the years, beyond very course specific things.

It is quite a lot, which I without doubt will bring with me when I graduate. I have tried to sum it up to the top three things I value the most from what I have learned so far:

1. Statistics are misused badly on a daily basis

People and newspapers toss around figures all the time, I’m sure you have heard someone say “but 9/10 times this is the case” or “80% of students have experienced this and this” – since I’ve started doing statistics, this agitates me so much I want to scream – “what data are you basing this on, what is your sample size??!!”.

One of the main things the University has taught me, apart from how to use statistics properly, is to be critical of figures and data I see on a daily basis. Most newspapers who conduct their own "statistics" often do so with biased samples and over-generalisations - an opinion poll in the Daily Mail on immigration won't represent the whole of the UK's opinion on immigration, for example.

Statistical interference isn't what most people think about when reading headlines, but you wouldn't do a presentation at work without knowing that the figures you are using are as factually correct as you can get them, and therefore you shouldn't just "take everything as good fish", as we say in Norway.

2. What works in one place might not work somewhere else

What works in one place might not work somewhere else. This strangely came about when we were learning about different types of governance in my first year – democracy was used as an example of something that works great in certain places, but maybe not in all of the world. 

Later, I have seen in almost all of the modules I have been doing, from politics to economics, that this still holds. Even outside the University I see certain things that work great in the UK, but probably wouldn’t work great in Norway... such as driving on the left side of the road.

3. The importance of referencing

What a pain it can be to make sure you have used proper Harvard referencing on a 3000-word essay – but oh so important! Not only important when you write an essay, but in general when you speak on important issues. Especially in a world where it can be hard to distinguish between real news and fake news, being critical to what you read and your sources is imperative. 

This has only become more and more clear to me as the years have gone by at University. Again, you wouldn't hand something in at work without double/triple checking that what you are claiming is factually correct. I think the bottom line is that the precision and eye for detail you put into anything related to professional work or university should also apply to what you share privately.

Some people might not be as good at distinguishing "bad fish" from "good fish", but the fact that you are and that this is important to you is something I strongly believe future employers will appreciate, and something that without doubt will pay off in regards to university coursework.

Although I have not graduated yet and I still have the most challenging part left of my course - these are a few of the many things I will bring with me into the life of “grown-ups”.

Some Southampton love - one of many beautiful sunsets we have had throughout my time here.

Now - to dissertation work and exam revision!

Alexandra

My year: 2016 in review

Exactly one week away from New Years Eve, we’re into the reflection period of the year; an opportunity for everyone to look back over the ups and downs over the past year.

2016 turned out to be a major year for me and below I have listed some of my highlights:

January – May 

The most memorable part of my year was my semester abroad in the beautiful medieval capital of Europe, Rouen.

 When in France...eat macarons

View from a bridge in my beautiful host town

This was an unforgettable experience and I am so proud that I pushed myself to undertake an Erasmus trip. I somehow managed to live on my own in a flat and cope with 30 contact hours a week (without blackboard to assist)! I made friends for life, which seems bizarre given the language barrier and cultural differences. I cannot express how grateful I am to everyone in my L2 géo class for not laughing at me whenever I stammered but constantly supporting me throughout the semester.

Of course, there were bad times. I can easily recall countless times when I felt stupid because I could not understand anything going on around me and my head would be perpetually aching from concentrating all day.

Academically though, the risk was worth it: I still achieved a first class average (despite all learning/assessments being in French). Furthermore, I was awarded the Dean’s List Award for my grade average!

Whilst abroad I also campaigned for and was elected GeogSoc President. It was very nerve-wracking watching the AGM take place through FaceTime! This is my most time-consuming extra-curricular to date but I could not be happier to ensure that geographers have a fantastic time here at Southampton!

Summer 

This was my busiest summer for as long as I can remember. This included my first holiday with my boyfriend (Ireland), family holiday after three years (Turkey) and an excellent fieldtrip (Berlin).

Most notably, I spent two months back at Camp Morty in the USA. Returning for the second year in a row, I not only adopted a new position as counsellor but also juggled my dissertation and conducted all of my data collection for my dissertation.

Dining inside a fancy restored church!

A touching note from one of my campers

As well as some work experience in finance and accountancy, I became a student blogger!

Third Year: Semester One

This past semester was very different to the Southampton experience I was used to. I suddenly had three contact hours a week - all French and no Geography, which was a massive adjustment from my 30-hour week in France.

Without lectures forcing me to go to campus, I realised it was up to myself to self-motivate. My key to success was waking up early - fortunately I have always been an early riser so I just had to make sure I maintained up my 7am wake ups and hit Jubilee gym!

Having played throughout my childhood and competing abroad, I missed playing netball and joined the GeogSoc 1st team. We have had an amazing season so far and I love being part of a sport family again. A couple of weeks ago we held our annual GeogSoc Christmas Ball at the Grand Harbour Hotel. It was extremely stressful as President and a lot of pressure to have a successful night, but in the end the event was spectacular and one of my favourite nights at uni!

I am very pleased that I managed to squeeze in all of my extra-curricular activities in third year so far, despite being warned and advised to cut down and focus on my studies. Although I do worry about my work/play balance sometimes, I am really glad I made the time to have fun: from karaoke at The Stags to participating in Jailbreak for the first time.

Highlight of 2016

To top it all off, I have been offered a place at the University of Cambridge to study a masters in Education, International Development and Globalisation and gain an MPhil (Masters of Philosophy).

To summarise, the only two words to describe my 2016 would be: busy and rewarding.

Let’s see what 2017 brings!

Aditi

The twelve days of student Christmas

Hi guys!

This is my last blog post before Christmas! It feels like this semester has gone so quickly and now I'm getting stuck into revision for the January exams...

I thought I'd try something a bit different for this post. Some of you may know that I have my own YouTube Channel and I had this idea back in October of a badly drawn, fake-serious '12 Days of Student Christmas' video!

It took me a really long time as it was my first shot at crude animation - so I hope you like it!

You can find the lyrics in the video description!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Georgia

Holiday Motivation

It feels amazing to make it to the Christmas break after what has been a tough, work-heavy first semester, but it’s also been a great term!

The exams and coursework deadlines seem a lifetime away – a new year in fact – but some of us can still struggle to switch off over Christmas with the overhanging fear of the workload to come.

I know from my own experience the feelings of guilt when I’m not feeling too productive over this period.

But uni work, and indeed life, is always about finding the suitable balance between work and fun so I’m here to offer a few tips of my own.

Do things in a group

When I’m struggling to do work, I like to surround myself with other people, whether it’s with family or friends. It actually proves to be more relaxing in a different environment and you can be in a better frame of mind when you do knuckle down to work.

Equally, setting goals and treating yourself when you’ve succeeded at a personal hurdle is great for morale, like when I went for a Christmas meal with two of my housemates last week, Alex and George.

 A meal out with my housemates

Practice a hobby

It sounds obvious and that’s probably because it is. Being a complete working machine is all well and good but often exercise is the best remedy to revision blues and this has always worked for me. Luckily in Southampton, we have the Common where we can go to get some fresh air and fresh perspective, plus in recent weeks, I’ve been playing tennis, squash and badminton to raise my motivation levels.

Take breaks between working

Everyone has their own personal studying and working techniques, whether it’s doing an all-nighter study session at the library or setting strict hours for when to work and when to relax.

Personally, I’ve never been able to spend hours on end concentrating on the same task without taking breaks, or maybe it’s just that my mind is hyper-active! I also like working in various locations, whether it’s in my room, on Avenue Campus or at a friend’s house, but the main Hartley Library during exam week is just a no go for me when everyone is in full work mode.


The main message here is that it’s important to make the most of this break, both in terms of recharging your batteries and completing small milestones for assignments, which you can do without bashing out 2,000 words in one go. It’s easier said than done, but we’re already almost halfway through the academic year so that’s already one big milestone reached!

Before I sign off, the Erasmus society with which I’m involved recently received some gifts through the post, courtesy of Uludag Erasmus Student Network in Turkey. Every year, all of the ESN societies across Europe send off a special parcel packed with gifts that are synonymous with their own country and their Christmas traditions and below are a few pictures of what we received, including luggage tags, Turkish tea and Turkish delight!

At our Erasmus Christmas meal

Some of the gifts we received from ESN Uludag

Finally, I’d like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas with family and friends and a Happy New Year in 2017!

Paul

Five New Year's resolutions from a tired student

After nine long hours travelling from Southampton to Oslo, I am exhausted and a big part of me is wondering why I’m still awake!

Then again, that is a stupid question, because of course I’m awake mid-December way past midnight doing my coursework – that’s what students do at this time of the year isn’t it? It is, but the fun part of it is that I know this will pay off later.

Talking about later, soon it will be a new year and a new year brings with it New Year’s resolutions. I love to hear other people's resolutions, so I thought I would take the opportunity to write down mine and maybe they will be inspiring for someone else. I actually looked at the ones I did last year and I must say I have committed to a lot of them!

Here are my “student” New Year’s resolutions for 2017

1. Write a spot on dissertation without going frantic! 

I know I’m complaining about the load of coursework already, and with semester two and my dissertation fully setting in I’m a bit terrified, but also extremely excited to start the process of writing up my dissertation.

In the New Year, I hope to make use of some of the services provided by the University and faculties which both help myself and fellow students with writing dissertations and coursework, and also workshops with advice on how to stay sane in all of this work!

2. Plan ahead

On that note, I also hope that with this being my last semester as an undergraduate student I will finally start all my coursework in good time. A typical student New Year’s resolution I know, but it had to be mentioned.

3. Apply for a masters 

So if resolution number two doesn’t work, at least I will have another degree to practice on! Hopefully this Christmas break I will have finished up most of my applications and find out where the rest of 2017 will take me.

Southampton is already on my list of places I’m applying for postgraduate study. Right now, I’m not far into the process, but once I have done it I will make sure to write a blog post with tips for other students in the same situation.

4. Explore more of the UK

I’ve already done a few blog posts on places I’ve visited in the south of England and I hope in 2017 I will have the pleasure of seeing Wales, Scotland (maybe Ireland too?) and more of the north of England. There is no shortage of flights from Southampton, my only problem is I don’t like flying especially not tiny aeroplanes, so this might have to be a road trip.

5. Get involved with more charities

I’ve already mentioned that I volunteer, but after my friend from university, Ellen, told me she was running the Prague marathon in aid of Action Against Hunger in 2017 I have been inspired to do something sort of similar. No, not inspired to run a marathon, but maybe start volunteering with a different target group as well as with Age UK, who I’m currently volunteering with.

Through the University, there is not a shortage of places you can volunteer with, so I don’t think this one will be very hard to follow through on.

I also have a bunch of other resolutions, which are more personal and probably not overly exciting for everyone to read about – but I would love to hear if you have any New Year’s resolutions and what they are!

This is my last blog post until the New Year so I hope everyone has a lovely Christmas and fabulous New year.

Hopefully you have all had time to look at the Christmas Market in town before you go home

Alexandra

Reasons why I chose Southampton

“It’s big enough to be a city, yet small enough to be a community” 

I’ll be honest with you, the University of Southampton was not my first choice.

I remember how crushed I felt having narrowly missed out on my grades and feeling like it was ‘the end of the world’ and that ‘everything was falling apart ‘- but of course, it wasn’t!

In hindsight, coming to Southampton was one of the best decisions I have ever made and my degree  has undoubtedly been the best three years of my life.

Here are my top five reasons I love Southampton and am proud to be here every single day:

1. Reputation

Well, this has to be first, doesn’t it? Who wouldn’t be proud to gain a place in one of the top 15 UK universities and in the top 1% worldwide!?

As a founding member of the Russell Group, it is clear that the University of Southampton is committed to research excellence and high calibre teaching.

I love the flexibility of courses at Southampton. It was one of the very few places that would let me minor in a language and let me take part in the Erasmus exchange programme, despite majoring in a subject outside of Modern Languages. This opportunity has been one of the highlights of my degree and I realise that this was a very unique opportunity that I am extremely grateful to the University for allowing me to have.

Inside Rouen's Grand Cathedral

Even if you want to try a new language, thanks to the Southampton Language Opportunity, you could learn a language completely free of charge outside of your course. Free intensive one-week courses are also run in June if you wanted something to do in Southampton post-exams!

2. Everyone knows everyone!

I never realised the Southampton bubble would be so small… and I love it.

Everyone seems to have a connection with everyone– which makes for an excellent social life! I love bumping into friends wherever I am on campus (even at Hartley library)!

Stopping to have a quick chat and occasionally catching up with people I haven’t seen for a while really makes my day and makes me feel part of a tight- knit student community.

 3. Inclusive societies and roles

There is no denying that certain societies at universities have a reputation for being particularly ‘cliquey’ and require some form of disgusting initiation to gain membership into this élite squad. I heard this especially applied to sports and dance societies where there is a culture that some ‘aren’t good enough’ to join - but at Southampton, there is a real emphasis on inclusivity.

It is even possible to turn up to a society event or ambassador role once- just for a laugh! For example, within my role as a Student Ambassador, I was selected to feature in a Christmas photo shoot!

Kickstarting my modelling career!

4. Ideal location 

As a vibrant coastal city with a renowned port, there are many events to attend that may not be available elsewhere, such as the annual Southampton Boat Show.

Plus you have the beautiful New Forest, Winchester, Bournemouth and Portsmouth nearby!

Petting some donkeys in the New Forest!

5. Nightlife

Last but certainly NOT least- Southampton’s nightlife!

Home of the infamous Jesters (voted the worst nightclub in UK, but a real student favourite!), 50p pints, and brand new bars and restaurants, the city’s social life is brewing.

The cultural scene is also particularly strong here at Southampton with regular live bands playing at Talking Heads, art exhibitions dispersed in numerous galleries around the city, and regular performances at Nuffield Southampton Theatres. We also have the brand new WestQuay Watermark opening as I type, and West-End shows touring at the Mayflower Theatre!

So, if like me you like to pack in as many societies possible into your free time whilst still finding the time to work and secure a top degree, then Southampton is the ideal University for you!

I hope you decide to join us!

Aditi

I chose #Southamptonbecause …it opened my eyes to what I could achieve

For me, it was more a matter of why not Southampton?

I’d visited five universities before submitting my UCAS application, but my heart was set on here when I saw the obvious passion from course lecturers and students alike.

Therefore, this post will answer some of the questions I wish I’d known the answers to before my first year - so hopefully it helps some of you to make a decision!

A snap of Highfield Campus! 

What makes our uni unique?

It may be a cliché but it’s worth saying - I truly believe that the University of Southampton is a special place to live and study. You only have to attend one of our Open Days in the summer to see the genuine satisfaction and enthusiasm of our students and the welcoming atmosphere on campus!

Furthermore, Humanities students have our own, picturesque Avenue Campus close to Highfield, so it’s easy to meet up with friends and coursemates regularly.

One of the weekly markets on the Redbrick

How is life in a halls of residence?

I know plenty of people who loved living in sociable residences like Montefiore and Glen Eyre, but the prospect of leaving home can be very intimidating. It brings back memories of not having wifi in our buildings and then feeling ever so slightly envious when it was installed a year later!

I can assure you that each year will be easier and more enjoyable when you find people with whom you have common interests.

The entrance to Avenue Campus

How difficult will it be to settle into my course?

This was one of my big concerns before starting my degree. Many students arrive having excelled in sixth form, but find it disconcerting that they are not alone in being talented in their subject area.

Fortunately, the lecturers on my languages course have been noticeably encouraging as they are distinctly aware of the step up.

Ultimately, though, everyone is in the same boat and the support network with course coordinators and personal tutors is always something I’ve appreciated here as you feel valued by your faculty.

Late afternoon on the Southampton Common!

How can I follow my hobbies beyond my degree?

The Bunfight in Fresher’s Week highlights the ever-growing diversity of societies on offer here. This means that you’ve got even more opportunities to get involved, whether it’s a new hobby or one that you’ve been practising for years.

I’ve relished being part of languages and Erasmus societies as well as playing tennis, badminton and 5-a-side football on the side. It’s this emphasis on inclusion which inspired me to take up running and in April, I’ll be running my second Southampton Half Marathon!

At a Southampton match (supporting Liverpool!) 

On a trip to Winchester Christmas market

Will I be employable after uni?

I may not have a job just yet, but I can state with absolute certainty that my university life has equipped me with a number of enticing life skills for employers, such as teamwork, communication and time management.

I’m not saying that this couldn’t be achieved anywhere else, but Southampton was the perfect fit for me in terms of location, course and hobbies so there’s no reason it won’t be the same for you too!

Thanks for reading and hope you’ll find my advice helpful!

Paul