All our new and returning students are just about settled in and lectures and seminars have begun. In this blog, our current student Rhianna reflects on the first few weeks of student life at Sheffield Hallam University…
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Here we are, two weeks into the University year. Fresher’s (or refreshers for those who are returners) is officially over and the Welcome Week events are coming to an end. Its time to have a look at what’s gone on so far and what is still to come (yes, trust me, the fun isn’t over yet).
Getting stuck in with your course, societies and sports teams
You’ve probably checked out the many fairs hosted by the Students Union; societies fair, sports fair and freebies fair (we know you only went for that free pizza). Now it’s time to get stuck into what you signed up for. There have been plenty of free ‘give-it-a-go’ sessions so far but it’s still not too late to join. https://www.hallamstudentsunion.com/get_involved/
If you are looking to join a sports team competitively then a lot of trials have already started, so be sure to get in there quick!
We’ve also already had our first Hallam Nation of the year. Hallam nation is on every Wednesday at Crystal just off West Street. If you’ve been already you’ll know how much of a buzz it is (especially with all the sports teams and their crazy outfit themes). And if you haven’t been yet what are you waiting for? Get down there and let your hair down. Plus sometimes they give out free toast at the end of the night…typical student food.
Volunteering Fair (Monday 15th October)
If, after all this socialising, you still have a few spare hours in the week, pop down to the Volunteering fair in the SHSU on Monday 15th October. Any volunteering you do (especially if its related to your course) will help you to improve your CV. Make the most of the time you have where people are seeking out your skills. The SHSU also holds other training courses to make you more employable such as first aid training which you should look out for updates on the SHSU website.
Seeing your student loan disappearing
Over freshers week it’s easy to lose track of how much money you have spent with all the events that have taken place. We’ve all had that dreaded moment when you realise you haven’t checked your bank account and you are scared to look at the damage done, but my fellow students now is the time to look. While you are recovering from the past couple of weeks, chilling out and watching Netflix, take some time to make a weekly budget plan (how much to spend on food, accommodation and socialising) and make sure to stick to it. It’s definitely worth popping down to the SU and booking an appointment with the finance team to help give you peace of mind.
Getting a job
In the upcoming weeks SHU is hosting careers fairs at City and Collegiate Campuses (10th and 11th October respectively). Here, employers from local businesses will be looking to recruit us students for part-time work to boost your finances back up. It’s definitely worth having a look.
Or if you want something a bit closer to home (well SHU home anyway), then have a look on the UniHubs website (https://unihub.shu.ac.uk/students/jobs/search). The careers and employability centre want students like you to help represent the university for next years’ Freshers. You could be showing students and their families around Uni accommodation halls or doing campus tours and meet and greet. The work is flexible and from personal experience, pretty good pay!
Black History Month (Started the 1st October)
1st of October marked the first date of Black History month. No-matter your back ground be sure to have visit some of the different events on offer. I’ve already been to Charles Street to check out their Inclusive Education talk with some special guest speakers and it really opened my eyes to all the barriers BAME students face in Education. https://www.hallamstudentsunion.com/blackhistorymonth/
Making friends for life
The best bit of advice I can give you, from my personal experience, is that the more you put into Uni the more you will get out of it. When you put yourself out there and start getting passionate about the things that mean the most to you, you will also find like-minded people. These people will develop into lifelong friends.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Rhianna is a 3rd year Education Studies student at Sheffield Hallam University. She is the Equality and Diversity Officer for the Education Society Committee. Rhianna also works as an ambassador for the Schools and Colleges Engagement Team at the University. She will graduate from the Sheffield Institute of Education in 2019.
