SU Update by Adam Wildman

All I want for Christmas is SU

Supdate Issue 4 December 2015

Supdate | Issue 4 December 2015

STAY IN TOUCH THROUGHOUT THE YEAR: studentsunion@ljmu.ac.uk | 0151 231 4900 1

Supdate | Issue 4 December 2015

LORRAINE SEBASTIAN-FRACOIS | PRESIDENT HELLO! During my first term as President, I have had a blast welcoming new students to LJMU. I have personally welcomed over 3000 of you at Welcome fair, induction talks, in your halls and Freshersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; fair. I also put together a Diversity week campaign with a map showing the places in Liverpool with significant cultural heritage so you learned and experienced a little more about Liverpool. Finally I have been talking to postgrad students finding out about their student experience and how we can make it even better. I look forward to carrying these campaigns through to the new year! This is the SUpdate, brought to you by LiverpoolSU - Your Student Union at LJMU. The SUpdate is full of information, career opportunities, clubs and societies, things to do in Liverpool and much more, so we hope you enjoy it! This is the best place to come for the latest LiverpoolSU information and goodies! In this edition we give you insight and helpful tips on stuff you can get involved in, local establishments and advice.

LORRAINE SEBASTIAN-FRACOIS | President @LSU_Pres |0151 231 4901 president@ljmu.ac.uk 2

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JAMES STEPHENSON | VP ACTIVITIES Hello, Merry Christmas students! I hope it’s been a fantastic first semester, because I know it has been for me! I have been up to quite a lot this first semester, supporting our clubs and societies to get the best out of their student experience. I have developed the activities excellence award, a challenging scheme which develops our students’ employability skills. I’ve also been out and about watching sports teams, we’ve had some brilliant results so far this season and long may it continue, especially with Varsity Fest around the corner! Finally, I’ve developed the Join with James programme, working with the medieval re-enactment society and the Christian Union celebrating the great work they have done so far. I Hope you all have a great christmas and get everything you wish for. Roll on 2016!!! If you would like to get involved with any of the campaigns I am doing this year you can contact me by emailing vpactivities@ljmu.ac.uk, you can tweet me @LSU_VPA or make sure to say hi when you see me around campus.

JAMES STEPHENSON | VP Activities @LSU_VPA vpactivities@ljmu.ac.uk

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AISLING DAVIS | VP COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Hello! I have been a busy little elf over the first semester, working on campaigns such as Cut The Costs and Mind Your Mate week. I have been working with Liverpool Guild and HopeSU to protect maintenance grants and made sure student’s voices are heard regarding the development of student accommodation in Liverpool. Finally, my last campaign of the semester finished off with lots of activity across campus, with one giant teddy bear, four heart frames, you’re qualiTEA teabags, board games galore and lots of postcards that students can write in to let their friends know that they are there for them this month when it comes to mental health. I hope you all have the best Christmas and I will see you next year for lots more activity on campus and…. puppies.

AISLING DAVIS | Vp Community Engagement @LSU_VPC vpcommunity@ljmu.ac.uk 4

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JAMIE BENNETT | VP ACADEMIC QUALITY Hi everyone and Merry Christmas! This term I have been working on Liverpool students’ Unions response to the government’s prevent agenda. This has involved me meeting with members of the Student Advice and Wellbeing and our Islamic society in order to coordinate a response and air our concerns with the implementation of this legislation. I have also been working on assessment and feedback - after several discussions amongst staff we have decided to push the date of this objective back until after the new year. This decision was made in order to gather more feedback from you on how you would like assessment and feedback to improve. If any of these are of interest to you and you’d like to get involved, or simply want to know more about them, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with me. I look forward to seeing you all in 2016! If you would like to get involved with any of the campaigns I am doing this year you can get in touch by emailing vpacademic@ljmu.ac.uk, you can tweet me @LSU_VPAQ or make sure to say hi when you see me around campus.

JAMIE BENNETT | VP Academic Quality @LSU_VPAQ vpacademic@ljmu.ac.uk 5

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HEAVENLY

HOME?

FROSTY

FLAT?

NEW RATE YOUR LANDLORD SURVEY COMING JANUARY 2016. VIEW LAST YEAR’S WINNERS AND FIND OUT MORE: LIVERPOOLSU.COM/RATEYOURLANDLORD LiverpoolSU.com

@LiverpoolSU

Supdate | Issue 4 December 2015 Facebook.com/LiverpoolSU

Food Review Bar & Smokehouse Once the stomping ground of the Beatles and home to the ‘shelter in the middle of the roundabout’, Allerton Road is now a hub to a vibrant range of bars and restaurants; located in the trendy South Liverpool suburb some 15 minutes from the city centre! This wide range of choice does make picking a destination slightly more of a thinking exercise than it might be, however if you’re looking for good quality American dishes, why not try BLT Bar & Smokehouse! BLT Bar & Smokehouse is a popular haunt with its contemporary American-style decor and in November, a small group from the Liverpool SU (including myself) were lucky enough to get a chance to head on over and check out their food! Upon arrival, we were greeted by the neon glow of red, white and blue that illuminated the restaurant and by the polite, friendly waitress that showed us to our booth, not quite the Uncle Sam that I was expecting! Sitting down we first perused the drinks menu and its safe to say that whether you enjoy a good quality beer or fancy experimenting with the broad cocktail list, you will find something that suits your palate! Now onto the main event… the food. Everything I ate here was a delight: good quality ingredients, presented in an unpretentious way, just as you would expect with an American diner! Of course, in true Texan BBQ style, I opted for ‘The Big Smoke’; a classic burger, with smoked ham, smoked turkey and smoked bacon topped off with cheese. This was a lot to tackle; it was a true challenge trying to see off this beast but this of course for the price you pay, is never a bad thing! 7

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If that alone wasn’t enough, I also opted for the ‘speciality side’ of Peppercorn steak fries which I was admittedly defeated by. By the time it came to dessert I was more than full, nevertheless I went for the chocolate fudge cake. While it looked great, this was not quite as impressive as the main course and I found it to be slightly dry, not quite the icing on top of the cake… So if you’re looking for a new place to eat, why not try BLT Bar and Smokehouse? It is a great addition to Allerton Road’s ever growing selection of eateries; the food is great value, the staff are extremely friendly and they even do great homemade milkshakes… What more could you want? Review by Mike Haffenden 8

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Join with James

Vice President of Activities, James Stephenson invites you to try out a range of different LiverpoolSU clubs and societies with him over the course of the year with the #JoinWithJames programme. On Sunday 13th December he attended a festive Carol Service with the Christian Union at the beautiful Anglican Cathedral and in January 2016 he will be attending a Medieval Renacement with the 12th Century Medieval Renacment Society! 9

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Society of the M onth Congratulations to Women’s Rugby Union who have been chosen as this month’s ‘Club of the Month’. “I have chosen your club because I feel that you have demonstrated outstanding commitment and determination with your on and off field activity so far this year. Your results so far have been impressive so far this season and can’t wait to see you do some damage throughout the season and in Varsity in April!” James Stephenson, VP Activities.

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h t n o M e h t f Volunteer o Gi-Ching Kwok, RAG Society

How much money have you raised so far this year? This term, our focus has been on gaining membership, participation and raising awareness of RAG. The main fundraising is just beginning with the LiverpooLSU Christmas Social for the white Christmas charity in Liverpool. However, we are just about to receive our ÂŁ400 RAG development grant which is a great start to the year.

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What are your plans for the year ahead? We have got a team of 27 at the moment on the Childreach International Kilimanjaro climb, setting our target to raise £78,165 at the moment as well as a team of 8 going out to Uganda to build playgrounds with East African Playgrounds. Focus will be around these two groups to help everyone raise the money for the two charities. I am also currently in talks with the president of Liverpool Uni RAG president to hold a joint RAG week in February as our joint venture with Liverpool Uni last week, speed dating, went so well.

How did you increase membership this year?

The Freshers’ Fair played a huge part! We spoke in a friendly, approachable manner, with enthusiasm which I think definitely helped! We also quickly got in touch with everyone via Facebook and emails so that the connection is made straight away from freshers fair and we weren’t forgotten about! But, communication has been key in increasing membership from speaking to people on facebook to just simply posting friendly reminders about membership.

What advice would you give to other club/society committee members so they can be volunteer of the month in the future? I would say just put passion and commitment into everything you do, as it does show and get recognised. Keep the SU and the officers updated on what is going on, always keep your social media updated and commit a substantial amount of time to your volunteer role!

Thanks to Gi-Ching Kwok!

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Events Stuck for things to do? Try something different… Liverpool has a variety of venues that come in all shapes and sizes; we are completely spoilt for choice with things to do and whether you have recently made the move to Liverpool or have lived here your whole life, theres loads of ways t o make a free evening memorable! Think bingo’s just for your nan? Think again. Bongo’s Bingo is currently one of the most popular events in Liverpool, an outrageous night complete with rave intervals, dance-offs and awful prizes. Hosted by the energetic Jonny Bongo, every Thursday sees the Camp and Furnace sell out with doors opening at 7pm! (The first game starts at 8pm). Expect drunken hilarity and table top dancing, probably one to leave your nan at home for! A night of chaos not your ideal Thursday night? Try the Arts Club’s ‘Rock, Paper, Scissors’ night! Challenge the bar staff to a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors! You win. The drink’s free. You lose, it’s not. Win or lose, expect a night of good music, affordable drinks and a great atmosphere! But get practising, with a bit of luck you could be in for a very cheap night out, starting after 9pm every Thursday! As winter draws on perhaps you are looking for something to do during those brief daylight hours… The Kazimier Garden on Seel street is offering a solution! As the temperatures drop, 13

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their drinks do the opposite with a great selection of Hot Mulls, Spiced Toddies and Cafe Liquers! Find a warm hideout in their alpine cove and relax with some delicious street food and an ever changing menu at the bar! Open weekdays from 2pm and weekends from 12pm. Maybe you just want to relax and watch a good movie! If so, look no further than the Liverpool Philharmonic. You can see some the best cinema in one of Liverpool’s most famous venues and with tickets at just £7, you are certainly in for a unique experience! Coming up in November and December are some of Hollywoods current biggest movies including Justin Kurzel’s ‘Macbeth’ and Baltasar Kormákur’s ‘Everest’, so book now to avoid disappointment! Last but not least, the iconic venue which is the birthplace and spiritual home of Cream is going out...as expected in true party style! After the monumental party in October, tickets are now on sale for the last ever cream show at Nation on Boxing Day! Expect a blow out as Duke Dumont is set to headline the Main Room accompanied by Paul Van Dyk in the Courtyard! Tickets are selling quickly for this one so make sure you get in there fast, it will be a truly unforgettable night. Written by Michael Haffenden 14

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Advice Are you feeling homesick? If you’re feeling homesick you’re not alone. Many students miss home, especially if this is your first time living on your own. Let’s just get one thing out of the way: it is not weak to feel homesick, and you are not selfish for not being home. You’ll only feel worse if you blame yourself, homesickness is something we cannot prevent. But you can do some things to make yourself feel a little bit better! 1. Try not to spend too much time in your room, surrounding yourself with friends will take your mind off home and remember Liverpool is your second home now, so get out there! 2. Explore! You have a whole new city to explore or if you’re from Liverpool you now have a student experience to take advantage of. Take a look at some student opportunities that LJMU offer, these include FREE access to the Liverpool Tate Exhibitions https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/discover/your-student-experience/student-opportunities 3. Bring items from home that will comfort you! This can be a family photo or a teddy, don’t be embarrassed we all have one. If it makes you feel better then bring a part of home with you to Liverpool.

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4. Always ask for help. If university isn’t going as well as you thought it would, it can often make you miss home even more, get your studies under control and always ask for tutors help. Being organised can also help, draw up a plan of your assignments and other commitments, this will make you feel more in control and settled. 5. Ring home frequently. Just speaking to a loved one for a few minutes can make you feel a lot closer to home. Go home when possible and encourage your friends and family to come and see you. 6. Get involved with student clubs and activities, this way you can meet new people and make great friends, see what LJMU clubs and societies are on offer http://www.liverpoolsu.com/groups and if you don’t see one that you’d like to join you can start your own! 7. Be healthy! Keep a good diet and exercise when you can, this will give you all the energy you need to do well. 8. Talk to someone, even if it’s just for a quick chat and you want to tell someone how you’re feeling, LJMU offer a Health and Wellbeing Service, who can give you free, confidential one to one advice. Written by Charlotte Glover

For more information click here: https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/students/supporting-your-study/health-and-wellbeing

Keep in mind that you don’t have to go through homesickness alone, try the list above and if you’re still feeling homesick then contact Health and Wellbeing, they also offer drop in hours Monday – Friday form 2pm to 3pm. You can find them on the ground floor of the Aquinas Building. (near the Aldham Robarts Library).

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Refresher’s

Get ready for Refresher’s! Don’t worry if you missed out on Fresher’s Fair at the ACC in September! Come and join Liverpool SU and lots of others down at the Adelphi hotel on the 25th of January 2016. There will be a range of clubs and societies, businesses offering freebies, information on accommodation and more! Refreshers’ is definitely one to go to if you have been thinking about joining a clubs or society there is a group for everyone, from football to the DJ society. You can speak to members from the societies about anything, from joining fees to what they do in their training sessions and it’s the perfect opportunity to sign up there and then. Aside from freebies and clubs and societies, there will be LSH (Liverpool Student Homes) who will be there to help you find different options and houses for the next student year. LSH are verified accommodation providers who help students find the right home. They offer free and confidential advice, so don’t be afraid to ask them anything about student living at Refreshers. We hope to see all of you there in January! Written by Daisy Clack 17

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tions Student Officer Elec What’s a Student Officer?

The Student Officer Elections offer all LJMU students the opportunity to lead Liverpool Students’ Union and ensure that everything we do makes the lives of LJMU students better. There are four Student Officer positions: President, VP Activities, VP Community and VP Academic Quality. These are full-time, senior level positions with a graduate salary of £18,595 and they are open to every LJMU student. In the role, you will represent the university’s diverse population of 25,000 students, shaping and improving the student experience at LJMU. They can be taken either as a placement or a graduate role.

How do I get the job?

Student Officers are elected. The candidates that gain the highest number of votes from students during voting week in March take the positions – this ensures that the Students’ Union is truly representative of LJMU students.

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tions Student Officer Elec Why should I run? Running in the Student Officer elections will improve your skills in planning, promotion, publicity, public speaking and team work. If you are elected in to one of the positions… • Your job will be to lead, represent and make change. If there is something that matters to you, you can make your voice heard and work to make things better. • You will have significant influence within the SU, being responsible for day-to-day running and decision making. • You will be given a thorough induction, training and support from your LiverpoolSU staff team, tailored to your individual needs. • You will sit on the Trustee Board, which is the overall governing body for the Students’ Union. You will gain an unrivalled range of skills and experience.

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Placements

As part of Make It Happen, LJMU students made it clear that they wanted more information on industrial placements. This is something our Student Officers are taking forward, in the meantime here is some information about what’s available to you. A year’s work placement is an option across a number of courses across LJMU. Doing an industrial placement is something that will differentiate you among your peers in today’s highly competitive job market. Throughout your placement, you will be supported by tutors and able to call on the university if needed. A placement allows students to gain invaluable experience that will ultimately aid your final year of study as well as your future career. Keep an eye on http://ljmu.prospects.ac.uk/index.html for the latest vacancy updates. Make sure that you call upon your academic school’s employability support unit to help you with CVs, applications and interview advice. Remember to be persistent! Rejection is all part of the process and is a great learning opportunity. Liverpool SU wishes you the very best of luck in securing a placement – you can do it!

Written by Connor Mahon 20

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