Celebrating abroad: results in Budapest

With results flooding straight into our email inboxes this week, my friends and I thought it best that we were in the most comfortable place possible when we received them, so we flew off to sunny Budapest for a few days!

It might not be top of most people’s lists of places to visit, but the Hungarian capital is a total holiday haven for students for a whole number of reasons.

Artistically speaking, the buildings are positively gorgeous; a beautiful mixture of old-school Gothic architecture with waves of more modern influences. The classical thermal bath-houses are a definite must-see - a lot of them even have regular swimming pools now too.

For the Historians among us, the city has a super interesting background too; from the still firmly intact Buda Castle to the constant call-backs to the country’s former-Soviet past. Statues of all sorts of interesting figures from Hungarian war heroes to Ronald Reagan are dotted all around the city.

 Even our apartment building was just a joy to look at

I even have a personal connection to the place too, which felt stronger as I was wandering around the streets. My mum just so happens to have been born in Budapest, and she fled the city and the country as a young child during the Hungarian Uprising of 1956, so it was fascinating to be able to see how far the city has come in all that time.

Not to mention that the wobbly currency makes everything insanely cheap. A fancy meal out set me back less than £10, including wine, whilst an evening out in one of the many awesomely-decorated ruin bars (exactly what you’d expect them to be) proved even less expensive than a night at our own dearest Jesters.

 Riding bikes around a city as gorgeous as Budapest is definitely a sure-fire way to stave off the nerves from results!

The cherry on the cake was, of course, being able to share such a beautiful city with my friends, and all of us receiving our final year results together whilst enjoying the sun was a definite highlight. Ultimately, everyone emerged super happy and pleased with what they achieved too, which was a total relief.

Returning to Southampton was somewhat bittersweet, very much missing the joys of such a glorious foreign land, but pleased to be back somewhere familiar, if only briefly.

My time here is very gradually coming to an end, with now barely even a week left to gather everything together before moving on.

I guess that makes it time to finally cross off the last few things from the Southampton bucket list then!

Ben

Society farewells and Media Ball 2016

Somehow, and I still can’t quite figure out how, it’s May already. This of course means that my time here is rapidly getting shorter and shorter, and a major part of the whole transition out of university life is to hand over my current roles to some (hopefully) enthusiastic newbies.

My time as Film Editor of The Edge has been, without doubt, one of the most extraordinary and eye-opening experiences during my university experience, and to be honest, even though I’ve still got a month or so left of editing and scheduling, it already feels like I’ve kind of lost a limb.

Obviously I can’t hold on to it forever though, and with The Edge AGM last week, a new committee of super-talented and mega-capable writers was formed, who I know will totally embrace the roles and make them their own.

It wouldn’t be a proper farewell without a jolly good send-off though, and so all of the core media departments: The Edge, SUSUtv, Surge Radio and Wessex Scene, joined together to host a wonderfully wild night of incredible food and well-deserved awards. The Media Ball 2016 was held on Monday at Fantini’s restaurant in Southampton, and it was the most perfect, truly epic farewell possible.

A small group of Edgelings, suited up and ready to party!

A huge turnout of Edge writers and committee members, both past and present came along, dressed to the nines and ready for a true evening of wonder. Aside from the seriously awesome three course meal though (not forgetting free champagne!), the biggest moments of the night came from the ongoing awards ceremony, hosted by our very own team of sabbatical officers from the Students’ Union.

With a wide spread of different awards and a nominations list so long it was nearly visible from space, the whole room was totally pumped to find out the lucky winners. Judged by a team of external experts, including our very own media alumni and members of the Student Publication Association, the awards were a pretty big deal, and it was seriously amazing to see so many Edge writers being recognised for their work.

I was even lucky enough to grab a few awards myself: Best Review for our work on Reel Opinions, and Best Event for all the work put into the University of Southampton Student Film Festival over the past year. Arranging the festival was very easily one of my university highlights so, as you can probably guess, being recognised for it made me uncontrollably happy and made the night somehow even more terrific.

As far as awards go, I’m very, very proud of this one.

Ultimately, our friends at SUSUtv picked up the award for Best Media Department which was very well deserved, and certainly helped to end the night on a high.

Being a part of a number of these societies has made my life here at Southampton not only that little bit sweeter, but it’s also fed me the experience needed to take on jobs in the wider world, and getting to hang out with my friends whilst doing so was certainly a bonus.

Life at Southampton doesn’t necessarily have to end with your degree, and there’s always so many fantastic opportunities waiting just around the corner.

Looking back, I can’t recommend a role in SUSU Media enough.

Ben

Success at Southampton

On Wednesday 25th November I was wandering around campus at the Postgraduate Open Day, since my initial plan for this post was to write about that. However, I spotted signs for something entirely different and thought I would wander in and see what was going on. It turns out that I had walked into the interviews for the University of Southampton’s SUCCESS scholarship scheme for Civil Engineers. Being from Social Sciences I had never heard of the scheme, so I was interested to learn more about what was going on. Fortunately a few of the students who were waiting for their interview to start agreed to talk to me. I wasn’t able to catch their names, but thank you to those who took the time to chat!

So what is the SUCCESS scholarship?

“It’s not just a scholarship. We are being interviewed by representatives from different companies within the industry who take on students from first to third year for 8-10 week paid internships over summer. Once you are successful in getting a place, you also receive a bursary to help you with your studies whilst at University.”

So what year are you in?

“Most of us are in our first year. Some of us had written our application for the scheme before we even started University in September, because they have to be sent off by the middle of October.”

Wow that’s pretty intense – what made you want to apply for the scheme?

“Loads of different things really; it’s a unique opportunity to gain industry experience and develop a professional network. There are really not many opportunities like this, because work experience is notoriously difficult to get as a Civil Engineer and this is so much more than just experience! We’ve heard from students who are already part of the scheme and they’re in such a strong position when they graduate, as they have on the job training and have created such good links with the company that they worked for. It’s a bit strange to be in first semester of our first year thinking about job security in the future, but this scheme means that the successful applicants won’t have to worry as much about that when they graduate.

Plus unlike a lot of internships, this is a paid position, so getting the experience isn’t a financial burden, which means that everyone is able to apply and doesn’t have to worry about not being able to afford it.”

Dressed to impress – Two of the students who I spoke to

I’m impressed, it took me until third year to feel ready for a formal interview! How has the University supported you in prepping for the interview?

"The Engineering department held workshops to help prepare for the interview, and you can ask for personal help if you need it. The department has definitely set us up to succeed - there isn’t anywhere else that provides you with an opportunity like this right off the bat!"

Thanks – and good luck with the interviews!



The SUCCESS Scholarship team very kindly invited me to stick around for lunch which gave me the opportunity to talk to some of the industry reps and a student who was currently on the scheme.



So from an industry perspective – why are you part of the programme, and why Southampton in particular?

“I think the main point is to improve links between industry and students, and to start making those links when students are in their first and second year. The thing about Engineering at Southampton that makes it so attractive for us is that the department produces good engineers year in, year out. As well this being very good for business, we provide on the job training across a range of developments so when the student graduates, they can start working for us from day one; they know the company and they know how we work, so they are ideal recruits! Of course, because they have such great experience, we have to encourage them to stay with us. Usually they have several companies offering them jobs"

Everyone approves of the free lunch

What do you think you gained from the six-week placement?

"So much I don’t know where to start. I think a big benefit was the friends that I made within the company. As an intern you are treated as a regular member of the team, and that makes a big difference – to feel so valued when you are just starting out. It’s going to have a huge impact on my dissertation as well, because I know people in the business that I can talk to and get advice from. I have such great links with the people in the industry, and that’s invaluable really."

Do you have any advice for people applying for the scheme next year?

"Research the company that you are applying for a position with - sometimes students get confused about which company they are interviewing with. The applicants that stand out are the ones who show good knowledge of the company and what they feel they can bring to the team, even if that’s just enthusiasm. Talk to students who are on the programme in the year above as well; they are the best source of information for those who are unsure what the work will be like and what will be expected of them."

Dedicated student ambassadors directing people to the right place at the Postgraduate Open Day

Tika Widyaningtyas representing social sciences at the Postgraduate Open Day

I know it’s strange for someone studying within the Social Sciences to be writing about opportunities for Civil Engineers but honestly, after talking to everyone, I was so jealous that I was thinking of switching disciplines…! Well maybe not, but still I wish I had been able to practice job applications and interviews when I was in first year!

I would hate to leave without mentioning the Postgraduate Open Day which was on the same day. I really recommend coming to an Open Day if you are interested in Postgraduate study. It’s a great chance to talk to lecturers and current students who can give you a unique perspective on the particular benefits of studying that course at Southampton. For those of you who couldn’t make it to the talks today the Welcome and Finance talks were recorded and are available online, and you can tour the campus using the University’s Virtual Open Day!

Emma

Catching up with Southampton Alumni

Recently, I have had the pleasure to chat to two people who graduated from the University of Southampton. I spoke to Pete and Rachel about memories of being a student. Both now work for the Civil Service and both absolutely loved their time here!

Here’s what we chatted about:

Name: Rachel Councell

Graduated: 1989

Studied: Mathematics 

So, where did you stay in Southampton?

“I graduated in 1989. I lived in Connaught Halls in my first year, down Burgess Road in my second and at Montefiore Halls in my third year. I liked both Connaught and Monte for different reasons, however I found Connaught great for the first year as it was nice to have meals cooked for me. Block B was an amazing place to live in – the rooms were very big.”

Did you have any favourite modules? 

“I enjoyed my statistics modules. My favourite ones were to design and analyse surveys. I’m fascinated by them and the way you can devise something to collect info and how choosing the right sample and asking right questions in a certain way has an impact.”

What did you do outside of academia whilst you were a student?

“I did some fundraising and I used to volunteer at the day nursery back then.”

What is your best memory of Southampton? 

“The nights out and the student discos at the main Students’ Union building. Jesters was alive in 1989…”

What can you remember from that?

"…Not a lot.

I also remember the Frog and Frigate pub near the docks. Back then we had no email, no social media… we relied on telephone calls and letters to schedule nights out. There was simply no way to meet people online.”

How did you get to where you are now in your career?

“Hard work. After I finished University I worked in retail, then I joined the Civil Service and became a temporary assistant statistician. After passing the Civil Service selection board fast stream I worked at the Department for Education and looked at 1st year primary school performance modules. I also undertook a part-time Masters.

What I learnt in my undergraduate degree has helped me as a statistician. We didn’t need IT skills that much when I was at University since we didn’t really use computers then. However, it helped to have learnt problem solving skills.”

If you could change one thing about your last year of University, what would it be? 

“I wouldn’t be so worried about getting the right job at the end of University. This is time to focus your mind. You can make mistakes – it’s OK to make mistakes. You don’t have to make everything perfect.”

Thanks Rachel!

Name: Peter Benwell

Graduated: 2009

Studied: Politics and International Relations 

Did you have any favourite modules?

“I found Russell Bentley’s American Power (PAIR2009) module really interesting. When I was at University, I enjoyed learning more about foreign politics more than British politics which is ironic since I work for the British Government now and just absolutely love it.”

Did you join any societies? 

“I was part of the Theatre Group (TG). I worked with different types of people and personalities during my time at the society. It proved to be really helpful since it taught me more about collaboration skills.”

If you could change one thing about your last year of University, what would it be?

“I would’ve started my dissertation earlier. You will get it done in the end but it helps to start as early as you can! Also, to make the most the student lifestyle. With your workload you can forget to have fun. Of course you can still go out and make friends when you graduate but your social life when you leave University is just not the same! I remember every Wednesday we used to have AU Nights…”

AU Nights?

“Athletic Union nights when drinks were at their cheapest!”

What advice would you give to students that you wish someone had told you when you were one? 

"To not expect to get the perfect job straight after uni… It’s not the end of the world if you don’t. And also to start your dissertation as early as you can! I cannot express how I wish I’d have done exactly that."

Thanks Pete!

Chatting to Pete and Rachel made me realise just how much I’m going to miss the University when I go next year. It was comforting, however, to hear them say that it would not be the end of the world if I don’t get my dream job straight after graduation. In fact, most people don’t. You could travel, continue onto a Master’s degree or take a gap year volunteering. Life is an ongoing development, not just about graduating and getting the perfect job.

As for me, my second week of the new term has been exciting to far. Here are the best bits:

I went to a Nepalese Momo Party…

Courtesy of the Nepalese Society

If you’re wondering what a “Momo” is, it is one of the most popular dishes in Nepal. It is dumplings stuffed with meat or vegetables and dipped in a variety of sauces. I chose the spiciest dip which, immediately after consumption, I realised to have been a grave mistake!

I went to a Burlesque and Cabaret Show at The Bridge…

A glass of wine, candlelight, and fun performances on stage: a perfect way to unwind with friends.

It was a luxurious evening with mime performances, classic burlesque dancing, and magic tricks.

And, I sang karaoke at The Stags…

Norah Jones here I come…

Thursday Karaoke at the Stags is very popular at the Union. It gets pretty packed and cheerful which is what makes it so good! It doesn’t matter if you’re not the best singer. Trust me, I’m not either but I still went up and slayed 'Don’t Stop Believing' (perhaps literally, even!).

It was a good idea to simply indulge in more chilled nights out my friends since the readings and assignments will soon pile up one by one if I don’t get stuck in.

I hope you’re all settling in very well indeed!

Rylyn

The perfect way to finish

Over the past four years I’ve had some incredible days, weeks and months as a student at the University of Southampton, featuring brilliant friendships, incredible celebrations and memorable experiences all-round. As I wrote last time, the past month following the conclusion of my degree programme has been no exception – but I don’t think I could have imagined just how memorable my degree results day would be!

With the final days of June ticking by, our student cards very close to expiring, and with many of our number soon to be heading off to conquer new horizons, a large group of us leavers decided to take advantage of the recent scorching weather and enjoy a sun-soaked day on Bournemouth beach. It seemed the perfect place to have one last hurrah together, as although we’ll all definitely see each other in the future, it probably wouldn’t be as guilt-free as doing so in that post-summer exam period as a student!

What we hadn’t counted on at the time, however, was that the date we’d picked, based purely on the promise of great weather that day, also happened to coincide with the release of all of our results… and therefore, final degree classifications – our last ever academic results days!

But we were determined to make a day of it and enjoy this last road trip. Doing our best to ignore the prospect for as long as possible, we all packed up as much beach equipment – towels, beach balls, cricket sets, and plenty of sun lotion, and drove the short trip to the picture-esque beach, setting up a base camp which was to be our home for the day.

Preparing to celebrate results in style, our road trip reached a beautifully golden Bournemouth beach!

While we all did our best to offset the sense of lingering tension with fish 'n' chips, ice cream and dips in the shockingly cold sea, there was a sense of nervousness hanging in the air. We even tried building a traditional sand castle while waiting, although it wasn’t the strongest ever (we later saw it destroyed by the onrushing tide!) as we had to construct it with our hands – none of us had remembered a spade!

The hand-built sandcastle

Finally, after a wait which seemed much longer than it actually was, the tension was punctuated by the sound of cheering as results were released and, one by one, we checked our email inboxes…

Personally, I’d gone into the day hoping for a Second Class Upper mark, what we call a 2:1, thinking that anything more would most likely just be out of reach. But because my final few months of being at the University have represented something of a fairytale, and because this was to be the perfect day, I received the surprise of my life when I was recommended to receive First Class Honours at my graduation ceremony – I’m going to be Robin Johnson MEng!

After a quick (inevitable!) phone call to Mum, of course, who, in my shock at the mark, gave me the brilliant advice of “Don’t question it, just be happy with it!”, I found out that all the leavers around me had done brilliantly too, with everyone delighted at their mark. It was one of those moments I don’t think I’ll ever forget, the perfect way to crown four unforgettable years on a beautiful day. The resulting “soon-to-be-graduates” photos were also inevitable!

Some of the class of 2015 after finding out results – we couldn’t have been happier!
(Credit: Ellie Blacklock)

 

 … although our many, many attempts at a posed-for jumping photo were far less successful!
(Credit: Joe Buckingham)

And with tension relieved, we were able to enjoy a brilliant day, riding roller-coasters, playing ball games, swimming in the sea, jumping waves and just relaxing in the sun. In the end, we didn’t want to leave, but leave we had to, and following several goodbyes, we were on our way home.

… at which my housemates and close friends surprised me with champagne, and we had a movies, video games and snacks night, honestly the perfect way to cap off what proved to be the day of my life! Thank you to everyone for a brilliant one!

All in all, it’s been an incredibly productive, enjoyable and, thankfully, successful year, both in the books and in the extra-curricular life, and I’m happy to say I’ll leave University with the greatest sense of fulfilment I could imagine.
 
And, with only my graduation ceremony and Edinburgh left, that final day of the year together in Bournemouth really was the perfect way to finish.

Robin

Student holidays at home and abroad

For final year students, last Thursday was results day and, just like last year, I had conveniently booked a holiday during that week.

I was in Amsterdam for four days with my girlfriend and as I got my first text telling me that our results had been put online, we rushed to find a waffle shop with free Wi-Fi.

It was then, whilst eating my waffle topped with chocolate sauce and whipped cream, that I found out I had been awarded a first class honours for my Masters in Physics! I was over the moon and the knowledge made my waffle taste even nicer than it already did!

Amsterdam is a beautiful city, notable for its architecture and canals. 

Naturally that moment became one of my holiday highlights, along with watching the sea lion show at the local zoo, taking a relaxing canal tour through the city and engaging with the interactive exhibits at the Amsterdam Museum. Whilst Amsterdam is known for being a party city, it also has a large amount of culture, including the fascinating van Gogh museum and the Rijksmuseum, which houses an enormous gallery of 17th Century paintings amongst other collections.

The sea lions were incredible. 

As I mentioned above, this is not my first holiday whilst I’ve been at University; I went to the beautiful Belgian town of Brugge last year and I have also been on two less-cultured holidays to Marmaris and Magaluf. With budget airlines and great deals to be found online (we found a four star hotel room at a very tempting discounted price), going on holiday as a student is cheap and easy, and is fast becoming part of the University experience, especially considering that students have incredibly long summer holidays that run from June to September!

My girlfriend and I enjoying our holiday in Amsterdam together. 

Even if your friends aren’t organised enough to book a summer excursion, there are still chances to travel as many societies hold their own holidays. For ArtSoc (the University’s Art Society) there was an opportunity to go to Florence over the Easter break, but sadly with a looming Masters project deadline, on top of revision and interviews, I was unable to go. Most sports societies tend to organise competitions or tours abroad too, and if the sun isn’t your thing, the University has a Skiing and Snowboarding Society too!

As a student it can sometimes be hard to find funds for holidays, so there are always alternatives closer to home. At some point over the summer, my friends back home in Surrey want to do a small camping trip, where badly barbecued burgers and haphazard tent erecting is more than enough to have a good time! If you’re in Southampton over the summer, why not explore the New Forest with some friends? It couldn’t be closer!

This summer is my last big break before I start work as a medical physicist in September, so I am allowing myself to enjoy it and take all the opportunities that come my way. My holiday to Amsterdam turned out to be a perfect way to celebrate all the hard work I put in to my degree and I’m now looking forward to graduating in three weeks’ time.

James

What to do after the exams have finished

The wait is finally over and my exams are now a thing of distant memory. This momentous occasion coincides rather nicely with this, my 50th Life at Southampton blog post, which makes this week a very special one indeed!

Unlike previous end-of-exam celebrations (of which I’ve had eight!), this one also marks the end of my degree and my time here at Southampton - all I need to do now is wait for my results and then graduate in mid-July before I will officially become a member of the University’s Alumni community! However, I’m not really thinking too much about that now, because I’m still enjoying the joy that comes from sealing your examination script and then leaving the exam hall for the final time.

Overall I was happy with my examinations and regardless of how I do, I know that I have given my all. This means that I can now relax without any worries or regrets, letting myself enjoy my well-deserved break (even if I say so myself!).

In the immediate days after sealing your last exam you feel an urge to go on a socialising binge, cramming in everything that you couldn’t quite fit in over the exam period. Since I finished mine last week, I’ve tried to do as many things as possible, not only to celebrate the lack of a workload, but also to make the most of my final week here in Southampton!

Straight after my final paper, I made the most of the summer sunshine by playing Frisbee for a couple of hours in the local park with my housemates. It was fantastic to have the chance to enjoy the lovely weather and one of the many green spaces in Southampton, instead of being stuck inside revising! Although when it came to having a barbecue later in the week, the weather, in typical British fashion, didn’t behave itself!

As a house we were trying to decide what to do in our final week together to celebrate four wonderful years at Southampton. We initially decided to do another Come Dine With Me competition, but instead we settled on going out to a few restaurants across Southampton as a sort of farewell food tour, with the intention of ticking off a few places that we were yet to visit, such as the newly refurbished American-style 'Bar Three Diner' in the Students' Union building.

The rollercoasters were no less scary in the lovely weather.

However, our main event of post-exam freedom was a road trip to Thorpe Park, which is only just over an hour away from Southampton by car. We had been talking about such a journey for a few years now and finally the end of fourth year brought about a perfect opportunity to do it. Luckily the weather prevailed (I even ended up with a slight lobster look from the hotter-than-expected sunshine!) and we chose a day where there were minimal crowds, which meant we lost count of how many rides we managed to get on! It was certainly a great way to end our time at University together, especially whilst laughing at our dodgy rollercoaster faces!

My girlfriend and I drying off after a thorough soaking on a water ride. 

I think the answer to the question, “what do you do after the exams have finished?” is a simple one. I would say to reward yourself for all the hard work you have put in over the year and to make sure you make the most of Southampton in the sunshine and all the city has to offer!

Whether it’s a small barbecue gathering, a society trip somewhere or spending quality times with friends, make sure you unwind before starting up again, either for another year at University or out in the world of work.

Happy post-exam celebrations!

James

100 not out, but nearly

Over the past few days, I’ve found that, whenever I’ve been asked, the easiest way to describe the feeling is “weird.” But in truth, it’s also probably the only term I’ve been able to come up with that encompasses the sheer number of the thoughts that have come with finishing my degree last week – it’s difficult to believe that it’s all over!

After seventeen years of education, it’s one of those moments you have never really imagined you’d experience until you’re there in the situation yourself, but I couldn’t have asked for a better rounded, mind-blowing and ultimately more enjoyable experience than that which my course in Software Engineering has provided.

Putting my pen down after my final exam was greeted by firstly a wave of euphoria, a slight tinge of sadness – and then finally a huge wave of tiredness, as I headed home for what seemed like a well-earned nap!

By some twist of fate, the exam took place in the Annex Theatre on Highfield Campus which, if you’ve read any of my other posts, you’ll know has been a place I’ve spent probably far too much time in. I had to do my best not to get distracted by the reams of nostalgia-inducing show posters displayed all over the walls! But also quite fittingly, the exam took place just a few days before this, my 100th post for the Life at Southampton blog.

When I first started writing on here and keeping count of my posts nearly three years ago now, I don’t think I expected to be hitting triple figures, but as the experiences, stories and memories have flowed in, there’s been an incredible amount to write.

I’m lucky, therefore, to have had have some kind of avenue through which to write them down and share with everyone just how inspiring a place I’ve found, and continue to find, the University to be - so much so I’m still writing about it after three years.

I wouldn’t really know how to even begin articulating the effect of such a journey, so instead, I’ve tried to summarise a few highlights from each year, although this is really only scratching the surface – please feel free to have a look back through my posts to see plenty more!:

First Year (September 2011 – August 2012):

• Moved into Montefiore 4 Halls, learnt to budget for myself, bought (and burnt) my first self-cooked food, did my own laundry, and met my incredible flatmates, later to be my housemates of three years.
• Became overwhelmed by the Students’ Union (SUSU) Freshers’ Fayre and Bunfight, accidentally signing up to over 50 groups – eventually narrowed down to five!
• Acted at University for the first time, meeting many a theatrical great friend-to-be.
• Worked on a live SUSUtv broadcast to a national student audience within two weeks of arriving – crikey! – and acted in/presented several others.
• Took part in a pillow fight flash mob outside the Union.
• Watched the mighty Southampton FC at St Mary’s Stadium a few times as they gained promotion to the Premier League!
• Went to the London 2012 Olympics after the end of term – a truly unforgettable occasion.
• Undertook my first University assignments and exams – with many more to come!

Minutes into arrival at Southampton – I was incredibly nervous!

St Mary’s Stadium matches are rarely boring, to say the least!

Second Year (September 2012 – August 2013):

• The year when the performing bug really took hold: six shows, including one in the professional Nuffield Theatre on Highfield Campus, along with my first taste of the craziness of the charity 24 Hour Show (exactly what it says on the tin)!
• Got my first taste of the world of directing a show too – a very different, but equally satisfying experience (if not more so)!
• Undertook the step-up to Second Year in terms of the course – things get a bit more serious when assignments and exams count for slightly more, so it was great to have some momentum from First Year!
• Tried stand-up comedy for the first couple of times: a great experience and it seemed to go okay, but never have I been more terrified…!
• Had the honour of taking part in Open Day talks in the Nuffield Theatre with the Pro-Vice Chancellor – again, terrifying, but rewarding!
• The absolutely astounding experience of touring to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2013: from fundraising in Southampton to rehearsing in July, random trips to Bournemouth beach and film nights aplenty, to actually attending the Festival for the first time and participating in the largest arts event in the world with another magnificent group of friends. This trip really was something! 

Being invited to be part of the Pro-Vice Chancellor’s Open Day talks in second year was a huge honour!

The first Gone Rogue Productions team I toured with to the Fringe, spawning innumerable memories and in-jokes!

 
 

Third Year (September 2013 – August 2014):

• The performing highlight of my Southampton career, where I got to direct my favourite text, Peter Shaffer’s thriller play Equus, which went on to receive 6 Daily Echo Curtain Call (the amateur awards for Hampshire) nominations including Best Director and Production of the Year – I’ve never worked with a more enthusiastic, creative and amicable team, and the result was something I’ll never forget!
• Took a first lead role on film with the award-winning SUSUtv drama The Society, learning how difficult film acting is in the process!
• Acted as the Chairperson of the 2013 Interactive Multimedia Systems Conference as part of a module, being granted a £1,000 budget to lead the organisation of an academic conference on Highfield Campus – talk about experience!
• Served a term on the SUSU Theatre Group committee as Webmaster, a fun experience in itself!
• More shows galore, and another amazing trip to the Edinburgh Fringe – this time featuring an on-screen BBC appearance on Great British Railway Journeys!
• The year of the Third Year Project (the Computer Science equivalent of a dissertation), in which I somehow merged the fields of theatre and image analysis to create an automatic video editor and attain a First – although I’m not sure how well it works!
• Third year: exams aplenty!

 The cast and crew of Equus!

 … and that we toured with to Edinburgh 2014!

Fourth Year (September 2014 – Just Now!):

• Had the honour of serving a term as President of Showstoppers (the musical theatre society), learning an incredible amount along the way about budgeting, strategic management, personal skills, and so much more… it’s been one heck of an experience!
• Also acted as Web Officer for Performing Arts as a whole!
• Probably the most humbling moment of my University career as I was awarded with the Award for Commitment to the Performing Arts at the recent PA Ball – thank you so much to everyone!
• Successfully took on the challenge of the Fourth Year Group Design Project with my team, attaining a First by designing a remote hearing test mobile phone application which we hope may form the basis of life-changing research elsewhere – crikey!
• Made a musical directing debut with The Drowsy Chaperone, which thankfully seemed to go down well!
• Performed for the final time with Theatre Group (Love Song in the Annex and Romeo & Juliet in the Nuffield!) and Showstoppers (Into the Woods) – all classic shows which I’ll never forget, and great ways to bow out!
• Exams, exams, exams!

The final Performing Arts Ball with some of the incredible friends I’ve shared University with – thanks guys! Credit: SU Photographic Society

And that’s omitting so, so much more – it really has been a packed Life at Southampton so far, and there’s plenty more to come before I graduate next month!

Freshers 2015/16 and beyond: you have so much to look forward to!

Robin

Life beyond Southampton – graduate job hunting tips

Final Year students will know that it’s not only university work that fills their thoughts, but also the prospect of job hunting and preparing for interviews.

I, of course, was one of those students this year and after a lengthy application process I am pleased to say that I have managed to secure myself a graduate role! It’s a three year training post working with a hospital’s Medical Physics department, which will result in (another) Masters qualification at the end. It is a great feeling to have found something in my favourite field and it means I have been able to fully focus on this exam season.

However, although the applications occur in your final year, the job hunting process starts much earlier than that. Throughout your University degree you will undoubtedly be introduced to a wide range of different career choices, whether that be through modules taken, careers fairs attended, chance emails received or the University’s excellent Career Destinations portal.

I first discovered my graduate role during a Medical Physics lecture in Second Year, but it wasn’t until I received an email about a series of Open Days for the programme that I began to research the position. I took the opportunity to attend one of the Open Days (even though it was in Wales!) and asked as many questions as I could, which really helped me to conclude that this programme was definitely for me.

Career’s Fairs are not just great for advice and ideas – they’re a great place to bag yourself some goodies too! 

However, even after I found a profession that I was interested in, I still made sure I kept my eyes open to other potential opportunities.

One of things I actively did was to attend all of the careers talks hosted by the University’s Physics Society, which included presentations about teaching, engineering and radiation detection roles amongst others. Alongside this I always tried to attend the many Careers Fairs that take place on campus, as well as scouring through the many online resources the University has, aware that the more exposure I receive to the world of employment, the better my chances would be of securing a job come my Final Year.

Once I had found several different ideas (including medical physics, journalism, teaching and radiation protection) I then went about trying to get experience in the relevant fields. This included securing a medical physics work experience placement last summer, where I worked at Royal Berkshire Hospital for two weeks within the various Medical Physics departments, in addition to attending even more talks and trips and of course securing this blogging role!

My advice is that there’s no such thing as bad experience, so grab every opportunity you can! 

My work experience at the Royal Berkshire Hospital proved invaluable! 

I believe that work experience is invaluable, as not only is it great for the CV, but it lets you find out if it really is the career you want. It can sometimes take a while to find somewhere willing to take you on, but if you keep persevering and stay motivated, you will find that there are plenty of people and businesses who are more than happy to help you!

My final piece of advice is how to go about applying for jobs. I always make a personalised CV for each job, only putting down the most relevant experience, as employers aren’t going to spend the time searching through pages of information for your one key bullet point! The same goes for covering letters – keep it simple and concise and emphasise your most impressive points.

However, the most important points to remember when applying for jobs are to make sure you utilise the University’s many resources to the maximum and to maintain a positive attitude throughout!

Happy job hunting!

James