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OUT OF STUDENT LIFE! Who are we and what are we for? The Students’ Union is a charity and is completely independent from the University. You automatically become a member of the Students’ Union (for free!) as soon as you enrol and your membership lasts for as long as you study here at Anglia Ruskin University. It’s your right to be a member and to be involved in the democracy of the union. Independence from the university means that all the decisions about what we do and how we do it all come from you. We’re here to represent you, support you, and entertain you. We represent you democratically to make sure your views are heard, your rights as a student are upheld, and to protect what’s important to you as a student. We support you with free, professional, confidential, and unbiased advice if things get difficult. We entertain you and provide with plenty of opportunities to meet new people and learn new skills with our huge choice of clubs and societies, volunteering projects, and day and night time events. To put it simply, we’re here to ensure that you have the best possible student experience. Have fun!
STAY CONNECTED
CONTACT
Anglia Ruskin Students’ Union
info@angliastudent.com
@AngliaRuskinSU
0845 196 5560
AngliaRuskinSU AngliaRuskin_SU
THE SU WEBSITE Angliastudent.com is your place online. Find societies, volunteering opportunities and campaigns to get involved with. Meet new students, feedback to your Representatives, vote in elections. Get advice. Buy tickets to events and more.
angliastudent.com
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I’M SOPHIE, your Students’ Union Communications Officer for all campuses. Whether Higher Education is new to you or you’re joining us from another institution, your experience at Anglia Ruskin University is just starting.
Excited? You should be! It’s important to us that you feel welcomed, comfortable, supported and represented in the hectic first few weeks and throughout your studies.
We’ll be here for you every step of the way. This handbook contains everything from important dates for your diary and handy advice for every new student, to introductions to my friends and colleagues in the Executive Officer team. If you see us around campus,
feel
free to say hello and ask us any questions you may have. We also have an open door to our offices so pop by any time.
You’ll find our office in GUI107d Have a brilliant first few weeks and may the rest of your time with us be just as good!
Sophie_Comms s.may@angliastudent.com
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#I LOVEAR U I love ARU is about celebrating the best bits of life at Anglia Ruskin University. Whether you’ve joined an awesome new society, eaten something delicious in one of our cafés, or your Active Anglia sports team just won, we want to hear you shout about it! Let’s all show off our favourite bits of our uni lives #ILoveARU! Here’s some tweets from last year where students were showing off what they love about ARU...
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FIRST THING’S FIRST! Buy your NUS Card: This is the best way to ensure that you’re the first to know about all the great student deals out there! There are discounts available at loads of your favourite restaurants and shops. Stick the kettle on: Make a brew for your new friends, flatmates, and classmates and use it as a chance to get to know each other better. Or why not invite them to join you for a coffee and a bite to eat in one of our cafés? Register at the medical centre: Freshers flu is coming – are you prepared? Get on social media: Find Anglia Ruskin Students’ Union and the Executive Officers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Check for groups and pages for your halls and your course while you’re on Facebook. Buy your 16-25 Railcard: If you’re always on the train, a great way to save money on your travels is buy buying a railcard. All students can apply, all you have to do is get your form stamped by the front desk. Call your friends and family back home: Let your loved ones know how you’re settling in and have a chat to keep homesickness at bay. Check your student email account: the university and the SU will send you important information and keep you up to date with what’s happening on campus via your student email. Check it regularly to stay in the loop. Tell us what you love straight away: Use #ILoveARU to tell us what you’re already loving about life here at Anglia Ruskin. Take our Societies Quiz: Wondering which societies you should join? Take our quiz and find out which are best suited to you at angliastudent.com/freshers
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S MEET THE OFFICER
S a rah Ha ide r E xper ience Office r ( Cambr idgeshire )
Grace Anderson Academic Officer
Sophie May Communications Officer
Sarah looks after the clubs and societies for Cambridge and Peterborough as well as running events and looking after your welfare. Primary contact for: Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences. Email: s.haider@ angliastudent.com
Grace represents students across all campuses in all areas of your education and works closely with Course Reps. Primary contact for: Faculty of Medical Sciences. Email: g.anderson@ angliastudent.com
Sophie makes sure that everything we do is communicated to you properly so you never miss out on any campaigns, events, or opportunities to exercise your democratic rights within the Union. Primary contact for: Faculty of Science and Technology. Email: s.may@ angliastudent.com
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Leigh Roon e y Exper ienc e O f f ice r (Esse x )
S a m m i Wh i t a ke r President
Leigh looks after the clubs and societies in Chelmsford as well as running events and looking after your welfare. Primary contact for: Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education. Email: l.rooney @angliastudent.com
Sammi leads the team and supports them to achieve their aims and to run student campaigns throughout the year. Primary contact for: Lord Ashcroft International Business School. Email: s.whitaker@ angliastudent.com
Easily recognisable by our bright blue shirts, we are the Executive Officer Team. We were elected in March to lead your Students’ Union this year. We’re here to represent you, support you, and to make your university experience the best it can be.
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Peterborough Heritage and Peterborough is steeped in history. Experience Peterborough’s magnificent Norman Cathedral. It has beautiful grounds and majestic architecture; it’s also famous for being the burial space of Mary Queen of Scots. It’s also where ARU students graduate! Follow the heritage trail to be transported back in time at Peterborough Museum. One of the best events the museum offers is the Ghost Walk. A late night walk through the city centre filled with spooky stories, you can hear the story of the museum’s most notorious ghost, the ‘Lonely ANZAC’ Thomas Hunter. Rural Peterborough highlights across John Clare country are John Clare Cottage and Sacrewell Farm and Country Centre with its historic Watermill. The city is also famous for the historic Flag Fens, over 3,500 years you can discover what life was like for our prehistoric ancestors at the finest Bronze Age archaeological site in Northern Europe. For some quintessential British culture visit the beautiful Elizabethan manor, Burghley House on the outskirts of Stamford. The beautiful house is open to visitors and is steeped in British history. It can make a perfect family friendly day out with its sculpture and water gardens. The house is home to the illustrious Burghley Horse Trials and the set of Kiera Knightley’s Pride and Prejudice (2005).
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Secret Treasures Secret Treasures of Peterborough See a show or pantomime at the Key Theatre on the Embankment. Go to see our home team, Posh, play football at London Stadium. Only a short walk from campus! The Green Backyard is a vibrant community growing project in the heart of Peterborough, get your hands dirty and find out how committed Peterborough is to improving the Environment in our city. For a fun family day out go to Sacrewell Farm and feed the donkeys, goats, pigs and horses! Queensgate Shopping Centre hold exclusive Student Lock Ins with amazing discounts in all your favourite shops. Showcase cinemas shows the latest films and has recently updated the cinema screens. Have you ever tried ice skating? Planet Ice is the best place to slip and slide your way over the ice, or to see some local hockey games. Nene Valley Park or Ferry Meadows has a new water sport centre, they offer everything from wind surfing to rowing to paddle boats! We also have our very own steam train, sometimes you can even hear the train blow the horn and chug past campus. Nene Valley Railway takes you on a journey through Peterborough’s countryside.
 
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Saving the
PLANET with Sammi
Students’ Union President Sammi on being environmentally friendly at uni Turn off electronics when you’re not using them! A computer left on for 24 hours can use up to 1000 kilowatts of energy. And, even when your TV or computer is off, it is still using power. You should unplug all your electronic devices and flip off the switch when you’re done. Use your travel mug when buying coffee Many people assume that paper cups can be recycled but unfortunately that’s not the case. Most paper cups are lined with plastic or wax to help keep your coffee hot and to prevent the paper cup from dissolving into mush, meaning they can’t be recycled or composted. Don’t forget your reusable shopping bags. When plastics break down, they don’t biodegrade, but photodegrade, which means that they break down to smaller remains that readily soak up toxins. Those remains then contaminate soil, water, animals and humans, leading to disease and causing deaths of humans and animals. Just imagine, by simply turning to reusable bags you can take action to protect the Earth from toxic pollution and contamination. Keep your water bottle handy. One plastic bottle takes ages to decompose, loading up our landfills for hundreds of years. The production of one plastic bottle uses energy, omits toxins into the air, and uses more water to produce than you actually end up drinking from the bottle. Plastic bottles also contain a harmful substance called polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, which is dangerous to human health. Drinking from a reusable bottle means that you can cut out on all this and you actually end up saving money along with the planet! Take shorter showers. Try reducing your shower time by five minutes, or better yet, take a five minute shower. Just cutting two minutes from your shower time can save ten gallons of water. Reuse your clothing. What you wear each day can often be worn for more than one day. Be mindful before you toss that shirt into the dirty laundry and ask yourself if you can get one more day out of wearing it. Not only will you save water and detergent but also the time it takes to do that extra load of laundry. The same can be applied for sheets and blankets. Just use the old sniff test!
STRESS busting with Sarah Students’ Union Experience Officer for Cambridge shares her top tips for staying on top of stress
Make a list Most of the time you’re stressed because you keep thinking of things you have to do or want to do. Making a list narrows everything down so you can set yourself realistic deadlines, and prioritise what needs to be done first. Sometimes I like to allocate time to specific tasks and set an alarm on my phone so that I know I need to move on to something else. De-Clutter I can’t do anything if the space I am working in is disorganised – give some time to create a space you can work in. Take all mugs, plates and cutlery back to the kitchen. Put your laundry in a laundry basket and remove anything you don’t need today out of sight (just don’t forget where you put it). ‘Me’ time You will hear this all the time: take some time for yourself. That doesn’t mean do work by yourself. Just spend some time doing nothing, no reading, no games, just relax! If you find that really difficult then have a bath, read a magazine or book that doesn’t require too much work. I find it difficult to switch off so I recently took up painting and colouring (if you don’t have one yet, buy a de-stressing colouring book). Do something you enjoy Opposite to some ‘me’ time in some way is taking time to do what you love and getting away from the task at hand or the stressful situation. If you’re bored of your usual hobbies (yes that can happen after a while), try something new. When I was studying I often went to Society meetings and activities - there were some I loved and some that I tried once and never went back to and that’s ok, remember you’re doing this for you. Talk to someone As a student you can experience different types of stress, it may not be your assessment workload that’s getting you down but a number of things. Confide in a friend. When I talk to someone I sometimes feel a weight lifted just by sharing what’s been going on. However if it’s getting to you too much and affecting your day-to-day routine, you might wish to confide in a professional who’s there to help you! The University has a Counselling and Wellbeing team, and the Students’ Union has an Advice Centre. If none of this works for you, I find hitting the gym, doing yoga, and stress balls also work for me! It’s all about figuring out what works for you.
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SELF care with Grace! Academic Officer Grace shares her advice for looking after yourself
Making sure you’re okay at university can often fall off your radar. In a busy time like this who could blame you? Remembering the little things can make a world of difference on your bad days so here’s my list of things I wish someone told me in first year: Make yourself a feel good playlist A special shout out to commuting students here, but I think every student should have a playlist that gives them a pick me up when they need it. Don’t feel guilty for having fun It always sounds like a good idea to spend a whole day writing an essay, but when you think about how much you’ll be distracted and procrastinate, it seems like a much better idea to do things you enjoy that can energise you to give yourself a real break. A good book or a Netflix binge can sometimes do you a world of good! Being homesick is okay If you’ve moved away to a whole new place, no matter how close or far away that is, it’s okay to miss home. Giving your best friend or your siblings a ring at the beginning of the day could put you in a better mood for the rest of it. There’s a new start if you want one One of the best things about moving away from home means you can reinvent yourself: start drawing, change your wardrobe, organise a trip somewhere you’ve never been before - this is the perfect time to do the things you’ve always wanted to do
SMASHING
student stereotypes with Sophie Communications Officer Sophie breaks down student stereotypes. Shows like The Young Ones and Fresh Meat may be brilliant but you don’t have to live up to stereotypes if you don’t want to. Being lazy: You don’t have to waste hours between classes (or even when you’re meant to be in classes) lying around watching Pointless or Come Dine With Me. If you’re looking for something to do, why not register with our Volunteering Service and spend your spare time helping a good cause. Getting drunk all the time: Not every social event or occasion at university has to be about having a drink. We run day and evening events, including Film Nights and Quizzes, where you can have a good time without drinking. You can also join a club or society, which run plenty of social events that you can get involved in without booze. Check out the full list of clubs and societies on our website, angliastudent.com Living in a dump Student accommodation is a hot topic in student circles and in the media at the moment. You don’t have to settle for student housing that isn’t up to scratch. Tenants are protected by law and if you’re concerned about the quality of your accommodation, the Students’ Union Advice Service can help you know your rights and what you can do about it. Pop in to the Students’ Union office on campus to make an appointment. Living off beans on toast: There’s plenty of cheap, healthy, and filling meals that you can easily make in a shared kitchen. Soups, curries, and stir fries are all meals you can cook in one pan, minimising the amount of washing up to do afterwards. If you cook in bulk at the beginning of the week, you’ve got a quick and easy meal for days. Visit our website for recipes and cooking tips, at angliastudent.com.
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AWESOME advice from Leigh Students’ Union Experience Officer for Chelmsford shares some of her top tips on settling into University life.
Hey there Freshers! Congrats on making it to University! Your first year will be your most fun BY FAR. Below are a few words of advice to get you started on making friends and settling in. Attend the Freshers’ Fair! You’ve got an opportunity to sample all that your SU, your University, and your local town has to offer in one convenient place. From promotions to taster sessions, make sure you grab all the freebies that you can, we won’t judge you. Give it a go! Make the most of your Students’ Union! We offer a fun filled Give It A Go programme with tonnes of activities and trips outside of studying hours! Get involved in Clubs and Societies, from sporting activities to course-based societies and gaming societies, there is always something to suit YOU! Don’t be afraid to push the boat out. Be a good housemate! You’ll be spending the next year living with these people and it’s best to start off on the right foot. Introduce yourself to your neighbours, ask their name if you forget (you will). Remember you’re all in the same shoes, miles away from home and your old friends, so make new ones! Enjoy yourself! Throughout the year, your Students’ Union offers an array of unmissable events, including our big celebratory events, such as the annual Summer Ball, Made a Difference awards, and The SU Awards. We also run regular nights including comedy, live music, and themed student nights. Express yourself! You can run in the election to be a Student Representative in our October rep elections or run to be elected as an Executive Officer in the March elections, where you can lead your union and be a representative of the student voice. Find out more at angliastudent.com
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Interview with a REP Selina Grazia is one of our Student Representatives. Here, she shares her experience with us. Thanks for talking to us, Selina. Let’s start with which Rep position you hold. I am currently in my second year of being a Rep for Marine Biology, Biodiversity and Conservation. Why did you stand for this position? In my first year I stood because nobody else did. It was an in-class election and I figured, ‘why not?’ Two years later and it’s been the best decision I made since starting uni. I couldn’t wait to stand in my second year, and this year I am running for Faculty Rep as well as Course Rep. What has been your highlight of being a Rep? The highlight of my term has been seeing the changes to my course implemented based on the feedback I gathered. Watching the course develop in a way that’s structured by things I’ve directly influenced has been incredibly satisfying. I’ve also been involved in reshaping one of the largest modules on not only my course but all of the Life Sciences courses, which is something else I’m incredibly proud of. Would you recommend being a Rep to other students? I would absolutely recommend being a Rep and regularly do to anyone who will listen. It’s one of the most fulfilling things the university offers in my opinion, and enables you to get so much more out of your university experience. What’s your ultimate #ILoveARU moment? Being asked if a policy I had submitted to Students’ Union Council could be submitted to NUS conference earlier this year was incredible. The fact that I get to be part of such an incredible change still astounds me and will definitely be the most memorable part of my time as a Rep. To find out more about Course Reps and all other Student Representatives, including how to get involved, visit angliastudent.com/represent
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Places to eat, drink and socialise Pubs/Restaurants The Boathouse Thorpe Meadows Peterborough PE3 6GA College Arms Wetherspoons 40 Broadway Peterborough PE1 1RS Sibson Inn Great North Road Peterborough PE8 6ND The Bull Hotel Westgate Peterborough PE1 1RB The Harvester Oundle Rd Alwalton, Peterborough PE2 6XE Nandos Cathedral Square Peterborough PE1 1XH
Pizza Express 8A Cathedral Square Peterborough PE1 1XH Ask 28-30 Priestgate Peterborough PE1 1WG Pizza Hut Boongate Services Carr Road Industrial Estate Peterborough PE1 5YA Prezzo Restaurant 2 Cowgate Peterborough PE1 1NA
in Peterborough City Centre! Bars / Nightclubs Yates 1-3 Broadway Peterborough PE1 1RS 01733 358070 Solstice Bar Northminster Road Peterborough PE1 1YN 01733 560231 Edwards/Flares/The Red Room Broadway Peterborough PE1 1RS 01733 341890 The Met Lounge 59B Bridge St Peterborough 01733 566100 Halo Nightclub Earlham House Northminster Peterborough Cambridgeshire PE1 1FJ 01733 343035
Liquid, Envy, MYU, New New York 33 New Road Northminster Peterborough PE1 1FJ 01733 898005
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D A T E S for you r d ia r y We’ve always got loads of events going on. These are some of the big events that you definitely won’t want to miss out on. See you there! National Student Volunteering Week: 8th -12th February
This week will be dedicated to volunteering, with plenty of workshops, activities, and opportunities to get involved. Come along, get stuck in, and find the perfect volunteering opportunity for you.
Executive Elections: 7th – 11th March
INSPIRE. CHANGE. DISCOVER. VOLUNTEER. Student Volunteering Week
2016
23rd February - 1st March
This is your chance to vote for the five officers who will lead your Students’ Union next year. The people who win will represent you for a whole year, so chose carefully! Fancy the opportunity to have a full-time paid job representing 21,000 students? Nominate yourself!
Made a Difference Awards: 13th May
The Made a Difference Awards recognise the amazing work of Student Representatives and University staff. It’s completely student-led which means you decide who wins. We’ll let you know when nominations open so you can celebrate the person who’s made a difference to you. The black-tie awards ceremony is always a highlight of the year.
To stay in the loop, check out the What’s On page of our website, angliastudent.com for details of every event going on throughout the year.
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Safer nights out For some people coming to University, it’s all about new experiences and hitting all sides of life really hard. As a Students’ Union we’re here to support you all the way through your studies but it’s also really important to take a few simple steps to look after yourself on nights out.
Everyone is unique. We’re all made up in our special way and lots of us enjoy different things. You might be about to discover a new favourite drink, try a few new things from behind the bar, or drink what you enjoy for more than the sake of drinking.
Drink at you own pace. Drinking in rounds has its ups and downs. It can be a
good way to pace your night out but you don’t have to all drink the same thing all night. Don’t feel like you have to rush your drink just because someone is getting a new round in. There’s nothing wrong with skipping one if you need to.
Eat Well. Drinking on an empty stomach is
never a good idea. Having a good meal before you start drinking slows down how your body processes alcohol so you’ll definitely feel better in the long run.
Get watered, not slaughtered. Having a glass of water in between alcoholic drinks is a really good idea to stay hydrated, meaning you can keep partying longer. A couple of glasses of water when you get home will also make the next morning that little bit easier to manage.
Get Home Safely. Avoid walking home on your own.
Either leave in a group or get a taxi – but only if they are part of a reputable licensed company. PLAYMates. Please-Look-After-Your-Mates. Stick together with a few friends and keep an eye on each other. If one of them is beginning to feel the effects of alcohol a bit too much then look after them, you never know you might need them to do the same for you!
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Why volunteer? There are so many reasons to get involved with volunteering. You can use your natural talents or learn new skills to improve the lives of others. Whether it’s gardening on the campus allotment in Chelmsford, providing administration for a homeless charity, or coaching disadvantaged young people in sport, you’ll know you are making an impact. Don’t forget it’s also a great way to meet new people and to improve your chances of getting your dream job after your degree. The Students’ Union has dedicated Volunteer Coordinators, including Sports Volunteering Coordinators, who are here to help you find the perfect role to fit around your studies, and will support you throughout. Head over to the website to create your profile and browse our current opportunities. You can also use the site to log your hours and the skills you are learning to receive accreditation at the end of the year. Pop into our volunteering offices and speak to one of the team and keep checking our website and social media to keep up to date.
Cambridge & Peterborough Volunteering Office Helmore 123, 1st Floor 9am - 5pm, Monday - Friday volunteeringcam@angliastudent.com 01223 460 008
@VolunteerARUSU AngliaRuskinSUVolunteering
Register online and create your profile at: angliastudent.com/volunteering
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Get advice
96%
of SU Advice Service users would recommend us to other students.
Book an appointment… In person: GUI107d By phone: 01223 460 008 Via email: cambridge.advice@angliastudent.com
Our advice service is: • • • • • •
Professional Independent Confidential Unbiased Professional And free!
‘My adviser was so supportive during some very worrying months for me. I wouldn’t have known where to start if it hadn’t been for her. Absolutely brilliant service and amazing people working in the team.’ – Student ‘I regularly recommend the Students’ Union Advice Service to students. They should be every student’s first port of call for independent advice on academic issues.’ – Abi Hunt, Director of Studies for LAIBS ‘Extremely professional and supportive, the Adviser allowed time for us to explain our issue and nothing was too much trouble. She was very knowledgeable and trustworthy. Her follow up has been excellent and I am genuinely impressed with the service.’ - Student
angliastudent.com/advice
TRAVEL to Guild House Bus Guild House has a bus stop located outside the front of the building. The number 1 bus to Orton/Werrington will take you to Bay 3 of Queensgate Bus Station. It is a short walk (approximately 6 minutes) to the train station from the bus station. Stage Coach is the main bus operator in Peterborough. They offer a range of ticket deals and the option to purchase tickets online: www.stagecoach.com There is also a scheme that allows people who travel by both bus and train to buy a combine ticket. Please go to www.plusbus.info for more information. Train For students who frequently travel by train there are some schemes that provide deals on to cut down on travel prices. National Rail offer a Network Rail Card for around £30 a year. This allows up to a third off travel on most off-peak adult travel. Please see www.network-railcard. co.uk Students can apply for a Young Person Railcard for around £30 a year. This rail card can save you up to a third on travel off most off-peak rail fairs in Great Britain. It is available if you are aged 16-25 or if you’re a mature student 26 years or over and in full time education. Please see www.youngpersons-railcard.co.uk Part-time and full-time students can save 30% on the cost of adult travel cards and Bus & Tram Pass season tickets with an 18+ Student Oyster Photocard, You will need a passport sized photo, your enrolement ID and to pay a small administration fee. Apply at www.tfl.gov.uk/photocard Car Park There is a car park available at Guild House. Daily charges of £3 apply.