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3
A very warm welcome
Freshers' special
Hello! We are your Students' Union team and we are here to make life better for students at Bucks.
Meet your new sabbs, Tom, Tamsin and Tash - working to represent you, entertain you and always be there to hear you. Find out more about each of their roles, by visiting pages 4–6!
Contributors Tamsin Grainer • Tash Neal Tom Featherstone • Tim Dixon • Stephanie Williams Eloise Maslin • Charlie Hickey • Emily West Nellie Hughes • Daniel Lawrence • Fergus Adams Jade Collis • Seana O'Reilly • Sarah Jackson
IN THE
You are now a member of one of the TOP 3 Students’ union in the UK
Some of you hopefully already know what Bucks Students' Union does, and what we provide - but for those of you who are new; enrolling on a course at Bucks New University automatically makes you a member of Bucks Students’ Union. You don’t need to join and there are no fees involved, but membership gives you access to the vast range of services that we offer - all for free. These services include; sports, events and entertainment, societies, additional skills training sessions, recreational activities, support from our Advice Centre, a rewarded student rep scheme and much more. Our hope is that offering all of these activities and events free as part of the Big Deal will give you the opportunity to enrich your University life as much as possible and get involved in as much as you can! In this very Freshers' special edition of the newspaper, we will introduce our teams to you, as well as give you a look into the societies, events and clubs that are on offer. So jump in and find a way that you can get involved!
Kia Wing • Mackenzie Hoey • Joe Champion Michelle Charles • Bethanie Ball • Abbie Hammant Lucy Webb • Taylor Adams • BNU Dance Club
page 11
Hanna Free • Bea Barefield • Alexi Hickin Oli Gunson Want to see your name in the list above? Want to have your writing or artwork on show to thousands of people? Get involved. Email editor@thebucksstudent.com
Advertising
Packing list Avoid the last minute panic! Tear out our handy packing list of what you should definitely be bringing with you.
page 16
For all advertising and media enquiries please contact the Students’ Union Communications and Marketing department. Simon McDowell - simon.mcdowell@bucks.ac.uk Articles in this newspaper do not necessarily represent the views of Bucks Students’ Union but are that of the specific author. View this edition online at bucksstudentsunion.org/communications.
Freshers' events Our events team gives the lowdown on Freshers' this year - get excited!
© 2020 Bucks Students’ Union
If required, this document can be made available in different formats. Please contact Bucks Students' Union for more information.
page 17
Keeping safe A word from Bucks New University about how you will be kept safe and how you can look after yourself during the academic year.
4 Freshers' special
Meet your President
By Tamsin Grainger
A warm welcome from...
Tamsin Grainger
your Students' Union President
Hi, my name is Tamsin Grainger and I am the President of Bucks Students' Union. My main role is to represent the student body in discussions with the University and wider community, to make sure your student voice is heard and to ensure your student experience is the best it can be whilst you are studying at Bucks. During my Bucks career as a student, I was the Chair of the Snow Sports society and took part in other clubs such as; climbing and Rusty’s radio. Following this, I got involved with multiple volunteering opportunities whilst studying events and festival management. Outside of university I co-own a karate school, work with multiple charities and volunteer at Wycombe Sound radio station. Throughout my year I aim to be working on multiple projects that I stated in my campaign manifesto. Firstly, I will be implementing a new working style for the Sabbatical officers, meaning that one day a week an officer will be going to the Uxbridge campus. This will allow the Uxbridge students to build a face to face relationship with the Sabb’s so they can truly listen to what the students want and need to improve their experience. Secondly, I will be looking into opportunities for smaller sports societies to partake in competitions. I feel this is important to show that all sport is important and can be competitive, not just sports played at varsity. This will allow more societies to represent Bucks Student Union and build up their Buck’s community relationship. And lastly, I want to raise awareness for hidden disabilities for students and staff. As someone who has dyslexia, I am so passionate about embracing what makes you different and using something that could be seen as a negative to others to your advantage. Raising awareness on how you can get help at the university if you think you have any hidden disability but also educate individuals who don’t have a hidden disability on the appropriate ways to act.
Throughout the year I will be running many more campaigns that anyone can take part in. If you have any questions or would like to have a chat you can contact me at Facebook (Bucks SU Pres) or email me at tamsin.grainger@bucks.ac.uk with anything you may want to ask. I am so proud to be the President of a student’s union that has placed in the top 3 in the UK NSS survey for the last 3 years. I will be working my hardest to make sure all students have the best experience possible as I am a strong believer that coming to university is so much more than just getting a degree.
It's time to meet...
Tash Neal
your Vice President Education and Welfare
Hi everybody, my name is Tash and I am the Vice President of Education and Welfare for the Student’s Union. Firstly, I’d like to give you a very warm welcome to Bucks. It is a new and exhilarating experience coming to university which can arouse many different feelings ranging from nervousness to excitement of what’s to come.
So far in this role I have pushed for there to be recognition of the students who worked or volunteered during Covid-19, challenged why we need to have paper dissertations going forwards, as well as vouching for some opportunities on campus to support mental health and wellbeing and improve disability provisions. (more information on this to come in the next newspaper edition - so keep an eye out!)
To begin, I thought I would tell you a little bit about who I am and what I do. I work as one of three Sabbatical Officers for the Some of my plans for the year, in Student’s Union after being elected by the conjunction with the Advice Centre, students earlier on this year in March. are as follows: Some of my responsibilities within this role • Develop a regular online group call are to sit on education meetings with the where students can come and chat University, be a member of the Students on a regular basis who may not be Union’s Trustee Board and run campaigns interested in typical societies and clubs with a particular focus on education and offered by Bucks or able to make it to welfare, all with the aim to make life better campus based activities due to other at Bucks. commitments. So here is a little bit about me and my • Challenge taboos surrounding mental experience at Bucks which led to me health and breaking the stigma running for this position. At Bucks we associated with mental health problems have a policy where students are elected so that students feel more comfortable in by their peers as part of a democracy to speaking out when they need help. determine who they think is best for the role. I studied Psychology and Criminology • Eradicate printing dissertations unless it is completely necessary. at Bucks for three years before being elected into this role. During my University • Improve opportunities for the Uxbridge experience I was a course representative and Aylesbury campuses and make sure as well as taking on the responsibility I visit the Uxbridge campus at least once of School Officer for Human and Social a fortnight to hear the students views Sciences for two years in a row. I also on how their courses are going. supported in running the Psychology • Reduce the taboos surrounding physical Society as Treasurer whilst volunteering health checks and encourage sexual as a Student Trustee for the Students' health tests, smear tests, prostate Union Trustee Board. During these roles I checks and breast checking across was able to see the common problems that campuses and why it is important to arose across different schools within the have these tests. University which made me want to make positive changes to improve the University • Produce a programme to understand experience. All of the roles in which I was what sexual health is and provide involved in during my degree are open to opportunities for all students to gain all students and get re-elected every year. the same level of knowledge on topics If you are interested in becoming a student surrounding sex education as it is representative for your course and would recognised that every student has a like some more information please email different sexual education dependant on surepresentation@bucks.ac.uk. their culture, school or lifestyle.
Starting university can be an overwhelming experience, if you feel like you need some extra support with the transition, as a student at Bucks you have access to 'Togetherall' which is an external online community where students can receive confidential support 24 hours a day to raise any concerns or issues that you have. Internally if you would like some mental health support please contact counselling@bucks.ac.uk. If you have an queries about anything feel free to contact me on Facebook ‘Bucks Vpew’ or via email natasha.neal@bucks.ac.uk or contact the advice centre via email - SUAdvice@bucks.ac.uk I look forward to seeing some of you on campus very soon!
Freshers' special
By Tash Neal
5
Meet your VPEW
6 Freshers' special
Meet your VPSI
By Tom Featherstone
Say hello to...
Tom Featherstone
your Vice President Student Involvement
Hellooo, I’m Tom and I’m your Vice President Student Involvement for the up and coming academic year! I am here to help enhance your Bucks experience whether that is through sports clubs, societies or volunteering opportunities which are all FREE thanks to the Big Deal! During my time at Bucks I have been a part of both Men’s Hockey as well as Bucks Men’s Rugby Club. I also managed to take advantage of the volunteering opportunities, achieving my platinum volunteering award. Whilst studying TV and Film, I managed to go on free trips to Brighton and to Rush Trampoline park. This year there are many different plans that I have. One of which is a campaign that I am very passionate about Movember. I am going to be working alongside the Movember Ambassador to lay on a month full of different activities that are going to be raising awareness of men’s health. Providing a location for men to come forward and speak about any issues that they are going through and allowing them to feel safe to speak about their mental health. Another campaign that I am going to be running this year is International Men’s and Women’s days. With different activities that are going to be taking place across both the Wycombe and Uxbridge campus’ and handing out boxes that are going to be full of different products that will be useful for all. We are also going to be celebrating our Buck’s Hero’s throughout these days and weeks, celebrating stories of current students and Alumni, showing to everyone what is possible. The highlight of every academic year for me must be Varsity. Held on 24 March 2021, we are going to be locking horns and going head to head against Roehampton on Home turf. Varsity is an annual sporting competition where all our sports teams compete against the teams from Roehampton for the RoeBuck trophy. Not only a day for the sports teams, Varsity brings the whole Bucks
community together, whether they are competing or not. It is a day where people come together supporting, socialising and cheering on whilst having a great time. With last year’s Varsity being moved off the pitches and online we are going into this year’s competition stronger than ever and we are going to bring the trophy home! Varsity in my second year must be the highlight of my university time. Standing in the stands away at Roehampton watching the Rugby team squeeze through and win the game which crowned us as Varsity Champions for the second time and for the first time away from home. The pitch invasion that followed was just incredible and really showed what spirit this university community has.
If you have any questions feel free to contact me on Facebook (BucksVPSI) or on email tom.featherstone@ bucks.ac.uk with any question you would like to ask! I look forward to welcoming all the new people to Bucks as well as the old faces back for another year!
Get a peek into...
Your sabb's plans There are many different aspects to this next year at Bucks New University and many different situations that we are going to need to overcome and work on. None more so than bloody Covid-19. Most of our summer work has been making sure that the campus has been made safe and secure and to make sure your student experience is going to be affected as little as possible by the required changes needed to make it safe. There are many different campaigns that we are going to run together alongside the individual campaigns that are close to our hearts. From the Black Lives Matter movement, to student mental health and many more. All of these campaigns would be nothing though without you, our members, so if you have any ideas or campaigns that you have in mind please do get in contact with us! We will also be doing a month filled of different charity fundraisers for Movemeber. Walking through the streets of Wycombe as part of the ‘Reclaim the Night’ campaign as well as the countless beach cleans and opportunities in the local community. This year there truly is going to be something for everyone. As a Sabb team there are many different things that we represent. With all three of us having completely different university experiences; Tash being more academic alongside being part of the Leadership Academy, Tamsin being chair of Snow soc, and then myself being a part of two different sports teams and being on the committees for both, it really does give us a broad collection of ideas on what we want to do and how we want our year (or two) in office to go. Representing different groups of the student bodies to the best of our ability and making Bucks New University a welcoming and friendly place to be; where you can be unquestionably yourself without having to worry about what others are thinking of you. We can’t wait to welcome you all into our Bucks community and make sure you have a great start to what looks like to be an exciting year!
Get in touch: Tom: tom.featherstone@bucks.ac.uk
Bucks Vpsi
Tamsin: tamsin.grainger@bucks.ac.uk Tash: natasha.neal@bucks.ac.uk
@BucksSUVPSI
Bucks SU Pres
Bucks Vpew
@BucksSUPres
@BucksSUVPEW
We also can’t wait to be holding the Varsity trophy above our heads once again come 24 March 2021! Da Da Da Da Bucks New Uni!
Freshers' special
By Tamsin Grainger, Tash Neal, Tom Featherstone
7
What we can do for you
8 Freshers' special
Money saving tips
Money saving tips
By Tim Dixon
to start you off thinking about your money Planning your Money
Living with others
Discounts
If you know how much you are spending and where your money is going, you stand a better chance of being able to make the choices and decisions that could help you across the year and the rest of your course. To draw up a budget take your spending over a week/fortnight/month and then add up what you have coming in from student funding, employment, money from parents etc. Remember that your student loan is paid in three instalments, so you will need to think about your spending for the periods before the next loan payment and how you might manage and especially over the summer period. Budgeting apps are great for on the go planning and are useful to keep handy to record spending whilst you are out.
If you are sharing a property, you could think about how you could save money by shopping together for food as well as cooking together saving on food waste and fuel costs. Look out for foods that you can freeze and store for later and reheat, and try to avoid the takeaway menus.
The first phrase on your lips should be “DO YOU DO STUDENT DISCOUNT?” you might find that some surprising places do student discounts, but don’t always advertise it. Check out the TOTUM (formerly the NUS Extra card) website for the deals that you can get, and ask yourself will you get value from it. Other student discount cards are available too, so check them out as well.
Am I claiming all the funding that I can claim? It is worth taking time to make sure that you are claiming all of the funding that you can claim and that you have completed the applications to your funding provider fully. This is especially so for students with dependents and nursing and allied health students. You can claim additional allowances from SFE if you have dependents, childcare costs. As a student nurse you should register for the Learning Support Fund (LSF) so that you can claim the new training grant of £5000 (an additional £1000 on top for students studying mental health nursing), the Child dependents allowance of £2000 per year, and the Travel and Dual Accommodation Expenses (for placements that are eligible for the payment) Banking Have you got a student bank account? If you don’t already, you could be making savings through things like rail cards, interest free overdrafts, and many other items. Speak to your bank and look at what other banks are offering. Think about what deals they are offering and whether they will benefit you now and for the rest of your course.
Separating your needs from your wants Before you buy think to yourself; do I need this, will I use this, can I find cheaper elsewhere? It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that a product or item is a necessity before then suffering from buyer’s remorse when you realise that you probably shouldn’t have purchased it. Practice this with food shopping too by looking for the best deal at shops and supermarkets, and plan your weekly meals ahead and before you go out to buy the items.
Ask for help If you are struggling with money, or you want some advice on how to manage it – ask for advice. The Students’ Union Advice Centre are able to offer support an advice on budgeting your money, planning for the year, additional funding you might be able to get, as well as many other finance related issues. See overleaf for all the ways that you can get in contact with us.
Bucks Students’ Union
Advice Centre Got a problem?
ADVICE CENTRE We help you find a solution! Tell us what it is
MONEY
Please call to make an appointment at either campus for a face-to-face, telephone or Skype
ADVICE CENTRE If you have problems in any of these areas we can help: ADVICE ADVICE CENTRE ADVICE CENTRE CENTRE High Wycombe Campus:
Uxbridge Campus:
Monday to Thursday 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-4.30pm Monday to Thursday 9am-5pm, Friday LEGAL ISSUES Located: Room N0.03, ground floor, North Block Located: Room 1.03, first fl YOUR PERSONAL LIFE Phone: 01494 603 016 Phone: 01494 605 180 make an appointment at either campus for a face-to-face, telephone or Skype appointment. Evening appointments are available outside of standard opening hours at High Wycombe Mon-Thurs: 5p contact us to arrange an appointment at a time to suit you. Wycombe Campus: Uxbridge Campus: day 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-4.30pm Monday to Thursday 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-4.30pm MONEY COURSE ISSUES YOUR PERSONAL LIFE INTERNATIONAL MONEY N0.03, ground floor, North Block Located:YOUR RoomPERSONAL 1.03, first LIFE floor STUDENT ISSUES one: 01494 603 016 Phone: 01494 605 180 Please call to make appointment at either or campus make an appointment at either campus for a face-to-face, telephone or Skype appointment. suadvice@bucks.ac.uk bucksstudentsunion.org/advice an appointment at either campus for aanface-to-face, telephone Skype r a face-to-face, telephone or Skype appointment. Please call to make s are available outside of standard opening hours at High Wycombe Mon-Thurs: 5pm to 7pm. Please High Wycombe Campus: Wycombe Campus: Campus: Campus: Uxbridge Campus: contact us to arrange an appointment at a time toUxbridge suit High you. Wycombe Uxbridge Campus: Monday to Thursday 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-4.30pm day 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-4.30pm Monday to Thursday 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-4.30pm 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-4.30pm Monday to Thursday 9am-5pm, Frida Monday to Thursday 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-4.30pm Monday to Thursday INTERNATIONAL LEGAL ISSUES Located: Room N0.03, ground floor, North Block N0.03, ground floor, NorthLEGAL Block ISSUES Located: Room 1.03, first floor ACCOMMODATION Located: Room N0.03, ground floor, North Block Located: Room 1.03, first fl INTERNATIONAL Located: Room 1.03, first floor STUDENT ISSUES Phone: 01494 603 016 one: 01494 603 016 Phone: STUDENT 01494 605 180 ISSUES 603 016 Phone: 01494 Phone: 01494 605 180 Phone: 01494 605 180 suadvice@bucks.ac.uk bucksstudentsunion.org/advice Evening appointments are available outside of standard opening s are available outside of standard opening hours at High Wycombe Mon-Thurs: 5pm to 7pm. Please High Wycombe Mon-Thurs: 5 YOUR PERSONAL MONEY hours at High Wycombe Mon-Thurs: 5pm to 7pm.Evening Please appointments are available outside of standard opening hours at contact us to arrange an appoin contact us to arrange an appointment at a time to suit you. contact us to arrange an appointment at a time to suit you. ent at a time to suit you.
ADVICE CENTRE
Please call to make an appointment at either campus for a face-to-face, telephone or Skype appointment. COURSE ISSUES ACCOMMODATION COURSE ISSUES ACCOMMODATION
High Wycombe Campus:
Uxbridge Campus:
Phone: 01494 603 016
Phone: 01494 605 180
suadvice@bucks.ac.uk buck suadvice@bucks.ac.uk bucksstudentsunion.org/advice Monday to Thursday 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-4.30pm suadvice@bucks.ac.uk Monday to Thursday 9am-5pm,bucksstudentsunion.org/advice Friday 9am-4.30pm studentsunion.org/advice INTERNATIONA AL ISSUES Located: Room 1.03, first floor Located: Room N0.04, ground floor, North Block
RSE ISSUES
We are offering telephone and virtual appointments only due to the current situation. To book an appointment to speak with an adviser please email us at suadvice@bucks.ac.uk and include your telephone number, name and Bucks student ID (if you have one), some days and times you are available and a brief description of your issue or query.
suadvice@bucks.ac.uk bucksstudentsunion.org/advice bucksstudentsunion.org/advice suadvice@bucks.ac.uk
STUDENT ISSUE
ACCOMMODATI
10 Freshers' special
My first day
By Stephanie Williams, Eloise Maslin, Charlie Hickey
My first day on campus
A unique look into Freshers' week "My experience on campus has been amazing! It’s so easy to find where your going and help is everywhere; you really feel supported and welcomed straight away.
"If I’m being completely honest, I was so nervous in the lead up to my first day at university that I very nearly didn’t even go! I came up with all sorts of reasons why I shouldn’t go- it’s far away, how will I realistically fit my daughter around it, will I be smart enough to complete it, I start lots of things I never finish, why will this be different? But I knew there was one overwhelming reason why I should. Because I have wanted this my whole adult life and now the chance was right in front of me.
The facilities are amazing in all sorts of departments and I think that’s what really sets it apart from other universities because it offers what they don’t! Being a smaller university, you really feel connected and supported a lot more and it really helps with homesickness. As joining freshers’ I hope you enjoy it as much as I have so far!"
I skipped breakfast because I was too nervous, I arrived about an hour early and sat in my car nervously looking through my social media. When I look back, I had nothing to be nervous about. My main fears over anything else were ‘would I make friends’ I’m 29 so older than the average student, and a single mother. I was painfully shy as a child and struggled to make friends so I feared history would repeat itself. It didn’t. Everyone was so welcoming and kind. The tutors, the student ambassadors, the students. They really made an emphasis on inclusion, it felt like home straight away. The day was filled with introductions and explanations and I quickly made friends that I know will be friends for life. My advice to new students would be just throw yourself into it. It really is the best experience of your life. My whole life has changed since starting uni, I look forward to it every day and I’m so proud of myself for pushing through my anxiety and going for my dreams. I became a student ambassador not long after I started because I want to help others tackle that anxiety and go for their goals. I love being a bucks student and to be honest I never want to leave!"
Charlie Hickey shares what happened on their arrival at Bucks »
»
Stephanie Williams shares what their first day on campus was like
From starting as a foundation student commuting from home you felt a little lost at first but that quickly changed because I put myself out there and went to mixers and joined societies. Netball really helped me grow as a person and made me feel so much more connected to the university and the people in it and one of the reasons with made me stay on. Then from going into halls as I was starting first year was the best decision I made. Whether your commuting in or living in accommodation your uni experience won’t be any different! With bucks they really get involved with all the students and make sure everyone feels comfortable. For me, staying on will be something I will never forget.
"Welcome freshers! The big day has come, or it is just around the corner either way I am sure you are filled with various feelings of emotion, some more so than others. We have all been there it just so happens that now is your turn. It is important that you are aware that you are not the only fresher feeling this way so try to say hello to people, freshers and returners alike, we don’t bite. Moving day was the big one for me, unsure of what the people were going to be like only to end up speaking to most the people I came across. Everyone was so helpful I even ended up in a little group heading over to uni to pick up our wristbands. Throughout the freshers fortnight we had regular visits from fresher helpers and senior residents at halls, bringing bundles of energy and enthusiasm, checking how everyone was doing, encouraging everyone to socialise (not that they needed to in our flat) and keeping us up to date on what was going on where and when.
Eloise Maslin shares what the first day of their Fashion Design course had in store
If I can offer any advice it would be to keep that door of yours open whenever possible and in no time at all you will be scoffing down Christmas dinner with your flat mates before heading home for the holidays. If you see me about say hello, pop me a wave, you’ll have plenty of time to prepare any questions you might have as you will definitely hear me before you see me. I’m bound to see most of you at some point as I am one of your fresher helpers so until then enjoy Bucks. "
A handy packing list
It’s time! You’ve accepted your offer, confirmed your student loan and paid the deposit on your new room in student accommodation, and now it’s time to pack. But what exactly do you need to make sure that you bring along with you? Everyone will tell you something a little different and it’s so easy to panic and just take everything (I’m talking to you, never-once-used iron!) so make sure you break it down, cover all your basics and remember if you unpack and realise you didn’t bring a single piece of cutlery, you can always pick some up for free with our Bucks New Usage initiative or borrow from a housemate until then! First up, the important stuff – passports, paperwork and prescriptions.
⃣ Valid passport and/or driver’s license ⃣ University acceptance letter ⃣ Accommodation contract ⃣ Prescription medication (and the paperwork if it’s a repeat prescription)
⃣ Bank card (have you considered switching to a student account?)
⃣ Passport photos ⃣ USB ⃣ 16-25 railcard for great train travel discounts ⃣ Totum card Moving on to where all the magic happens (We’re talking about those well deserved zzzz’s!) it’s the bedroom.
⃣ A duvet (and two covers - wear one, wash one style)
⃣ Pillows ⃣ Pillowcases ⃣ Pillow protectors ⃣ Mattress protector ⃣ Bed Sheets ⃣ Coat hangers ⃣ Clothes horse ⃣ Extension cable ⃣ Photos of friends and family ⃣ Chargers for all your devices – phone,
camera, laptop. (Double, triple check these)
Next up is the bathroom and it’s probably the most straightforward one on your packing list but.
⃣ Bath towel ⃣ Hand towel ⃣ Toiletries (these cover a wide range of things
and this is personal to you, but I would recommend buying the loo roll and handwash once you arrive to save some space in your parents already crammed car.)
⃣ Bath mat – get a bath mat! ⃣ A first aid kit – so many bumps, cuts and
bruises will happen in your first year so make sure you grab a kit.
⃣ Paracetamol – For everything from a
hangover to computer headaches and the ever dreaded Freshers' flu.
Clothes – Rightfully has its own section. You don’t need to bring your entire wardrobe, all your shoes, and fancy getup. For the most part you can break it down into summer/winter. Your first term at uni will be in the colder months before you head home where you can swap out your winter coats boots for tshirts, shorts and flip flops. On that note, this is what you should bring for the start of term in September.
⃣ Warm clothes ⃣ A scarf ⃣ A good winter coat ⃣ A lighter winter jacket ⃣ Sensible shoes ⃣ A hand full of dressier items for your nights out ⃣ Sports/gym gear if you need it ⃣ Fancy dress (a freshers fortnight staple – you don’t need your whole dressing up trunk though. The lineup is always revealed before you arrive so you’ll know exactly what to pack.)
Last up is the kitchen, crockery and cups. You want to keep this to the basics, why bring a corkscrew bottle opener if you don’t drink wine? Six set of dinner plates when you’ll probably only cook for you and a mate or two?
⃣ A good set of pots and pans (A good rule
of thumb is a big lidded pot, small pot and medium pan to cover your essentials)
⃣ Cutlery ⃣ Plates ⃣ Bowl ⃣ A mug ⃣ A glass ⃣ A sharp knife ⃣ Tupperware (brilliant to save leftovers, avoid
foodwaste and finally kick the cling film to the curb)
⃣ Scissors ⃣ Chopping board ⃣ Sieve ⃣ Can opener ⃣ Spatula ⃣ Set of wooden spoons for stirring, mixing and general cooking use
⃣ Peeler ⃣ Baking trays (2 will usually do the job) ⃣ Tea towels ⃣ Washing up sponge/brush If you get stuck for something in halls, pop into Bucks New Usage on our High Wycombe campus where you can nose around and pick up anything you need from cutlery to bedding, pots to lamps and even toastie makers. This can be really helpful for International students, as you will have a limited luggage allowance and this can help you to save money on new items.
Freshers' special
What do I bring?
By Nellie Hughes
11
Packing list
12 Freshers' special
Societies
By Daniel Lawrence
Find your people with...
Societies Looking to enhance your university experience participating in something you love? Then why not join one of our many societies we have on offer! I'm Daniel Lawrence, and I look after all of the societies at Bucks (as well as Sport for Fun!) and am here to make sure you can find (or create) a society that you're able to anjoy and get involved in. We have a total of 25 societies which you can join, ranging from physical activity (Boxing, Karate, Pole), societies linked to your courses (Aviation, Psychology, Mooting) and common interest (Esports, First Aid and Green). This is only a handful available to you so for a full list, head to our website; bucksstudentsunion.org/ activities/socs. All of our societies are preparing for your arrival and have some fantastic plans in the works to engage you and get the most out of your university life. Each society is led by a committee who have been in your shoes and know exactly how you are feeling. Feeling nervous, no need to worry, our societies will help you settle into university life by helping you meet new people and gain some friends for life and this is only some of the amazing feedback we received last year! Is there something you are interested in which we do not offer? Why not set up a society of your very own, all you need is 3 people. You will get the full support of us here at the Students’ Union to help you get going, ranging from help with the initial paperwork to providing you with some funding to get the society up and running. Leading a society is a great way of enhancing your CV, providing organisation and communication skills which will help you in any career. For further information on how to set up a society contact susocieties@bucks.ac.uk or you can message Daniel Bucks on Facebook.
Daniel Lawrence Student Activities Coordinator (Recreational Sport and Societies)
There's plenty to choose from!
I'm Fergus Adams, and I look after all things competitive sport at Bucks. Prior to Covid-19 disrupting the end to our sports clubs training and fixtures, our students were provided with roughly 850 hours of training time across 30 different competitive sports, ranging from team sports such as football and rugby to individual sports such as fencing. All competitive sport at Bucks is free to play thanks to the Big Deal, meaning there is nothing stopping anyone joining a club or competing individually at BUCS (British Universities & Colleges Sports) comps. All of our competitive teams take part in BUCS leagues throughout the season, in both league and cup format, our Men’s Football 1st team managed to win the double this season. However, if you are a competitor of an individual sport then you can compete as well as we sent multiple swimmers and a fencer to BUCS competitions up in Sheffield. If there are any sports that you may be interested in and do not see them advertised on our Students’ Union website or at the Freshers Fair then do not hesitate to let fergus.adams@ bucks.ac.uk know or come into the Students’ Union office, our door is always open. Another key part of joining a club at Bucks is the access to Committee positions, these can be great opportunities for Bucks students to develop their communication, organisation and other important qualities. The positions vary from club to club, but most clubs have a Chair, Secretary, Social Secretary, Treasurer and Welfare Liaison. These positions can provide you with excellent experience and can be a valuable addition to anyone’s CV. If you have any questions relating to competitive sport prior to starting at University and know which sport they are for, please visit the Students’ Union website and visit the individual sports page in order to find the relevant contact details. If the questions are more general or pertain to a sport we do not appear to offer, please contact fergus.adams@bucks.ac.uk. Or, look out for Fergus Adams (below)on campus for all your sporting enquiries! Fergus Adams Student Activities Coordinator (Competitive Sport)
Freshers' special
Competitive sport
By Fergus Adams
13
Competitive sport
14 Freshers' special
Sport for Fun
Keep active, try something new, and meet new people! The Sport for Fun team are ready to welcome you to Bucks whether you are a returning student or coming for the very first time. Do you want to be active but not compete in sport? You can with our recreational sporting programme! With Sport for Fun you can try a variety of sports regardless of your ability. There is no commitment and the majority of our activities are free of charge and take place on different days, so there is always something for you to try. Sport for Fun gives you the opportunity to take part in sports you may not have previously tried, all in an enjoyable, non-competitive environment.
What can I get involved in? We have a number of different Sport for Fun sessions which you can participate in including Table Tennis, Badminton, Snowsports, Tennis, Spin and Boxing with activities also happening at our Uxbridge campus. Throughout the year we will be running lots of fun trips which you can get involved in, keep track of our social media channels for all the latest information. If there is something you would like us to run then do get in touch.
Daniel Lawrence Student Activities Coordinator (Recreational Sport and Societies)
How do I get involved? If you are interested in participating or would like further information on any of the upcoming events, contact sport@bucks.ac.uk. Oh, and don’t forget to follow us on all our social media, or you can come into the offices and speak to me, Dan, to get signed up or even more information about Sport for Fun.
Keep up to date with our social media; Facebook – Sport for Fun Bucks New Uni Twitter - @BucksSUSFF Instagram – @sportforfun_buckssu
Bucks Bike Scheme Rent yourself some pedal power With the increase in interest in cycling, we are launching Bucks Bike Scheme. As part of this we offer bike hire throughout the year, where for a small deposit you can access the bikes for any purpose that suits your needs, whether this be commuting to uni/ work or for general exercise. We will make you aware of local clubs, should you wish to partake in group cycles but this is something we would be looking to run regularly here at Bucks, so if you are interested in leading these and earning some money by becoming our Bike Ambassador, get in touch with daniel. lawrence@bucks.ac.uk. When you hire a bike, you will be made aware of local cycle routes so you can further explore the beautiful Chiltern Hills and get to know the local area better.
It does not stop there….we are also looking at putting on a cycling proficiency course as well as being in contact with Halfords about running some bike maintenance sessions to keep your bike in the best working condition. For further information on this, contact daniel.lawrence@bucks.ac.uk.
Find a way to give back with...
Volunteering Last year our students volunteered over 14953 hours in the community, running clubs and societies and through our internal Student’s Union projects! Our students also managed to raise an amazing £13, 407 last year for RAG (Raise and Give).
Volunteering at Bucks is very easy, beneficial and rewarding. It can also coincide well with your studies. Volunteering can be anything from being on a committee for a club or society to giving back to the community whether it be helping with a river clean or working in a local charity shop. Volunteering is anything in where you give up your own time to give back to something or someone else. Here at Bucks Students’ Union we are always encouraging students to volunteer as there are so many great benefits that you gain. Volunteering looks great on your CV and also provides you with many experiences and skills which will be great for after university life. Volunteering can be extremely rewarding, enjoyable and it is also a chance to meet likeminded people and make new friends. Volunteering opportunities are varied and there is definitely something for everyone, from six month internships, which can be degree specific, to one off volunteering opportunities such as selling poppies for the British Legion or writing a postcard to a terminally ill child. There is always an opportunity to get involved that will fit around everyone’s busy university schedule and individual passions. Students who volunteer their time get awarded with certificates based on the hours they have put in. The awards are as follows:
• • • •
Bronze award, 50 hours Silver award, 100 hours Gold award, 200 hours Platinum award, 400 hours
If you reach the Platinum award, you will be invited to our annual Union Awards evening to be presented with your certificate. We have some exciting volunteering opportunities already planned for the new academic year such as two beach cleans, a Christmas dinner collaboration with our local care home, litter picking events and much more! To find out more about all the volunteering opportunities we have on offer make sure to check out the volunteering portal on the Bucks SU website or add Jade Bucks on Facebook. If there are any volunteering opportunities you would love to do that we do not offer at the moment please message me on Facebook at Jade Bucks or drop me an email at jade.collis@bucks.ac.uk.
Jade Collis Student Activities Coordinator (Volunteering & Charitable Fundraising)
Freshers' special
By Jade Collis
15
Volunteering
16 Freshers' special
Events
By Seana O'Reilly
Find out about upcoming
Events! Hi everyone, your friendly neighbourhood Events department here! We’re working hard during these confusing times to make your experience at Bucks great! First of all who are the ents team? We’re a small but mighty squad - Jamie is the Events & Licensed Trade Manager, Seana the Events Assistant, Zac who is the Events & Technical Assistant, Ben and Joseph are our Duty Managers who you could be bumping into during your nights out in the Students' Union! We are all Bucks Graduates from over the years so we hope our experiences can help make your time at Bucks great. You can find all of our plans/upcoming events on the Students' Union webpage under ‘what’s on’, here you’ll find a wide range of activities planned up to three months in advance so you’ve got plenty of time to find the events for you!. We also post our weekly events line-up on our socials so make sure you follow the Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for weekly updates (you can even follow our TikTok which we’re working on!) Freshers this year may seem a little confusing, but we’ve got plenty planned whether it be virtual or back in the Students Union, we’ll be bringing you events such as weekly quizzes with great prizes, everyone’s favourite BINGO! We’re working on bingo nights straight from the Lounge, along with our successful cabaret nights, comedy sets and so much more. We’ve still got some ideas we’re keeping under wraps … just for now! So make sure you follow all our social media pages to keep up with what is going on! One of the great things about Bucks is that we only employ student staff within our venues, if you’re looking for an enjoyable and rewarding opportunity, working in an extremely sociable environment head over to the Bucks Students Union website under ‘Union Jobs’ and you can apply for: Bar staff, Event staff, Event technician or Event Security. One of the ideal aspects of working for us is that it’s completely flexible around your studies and there are endless opportunities to gain skillsets such as a food hygiene certificate, your personal license all that can be added to your CV. We’re currently working on making The Lounge and Venue a safe place for all, following government regulations regarding COVID-19. Our promise is to keep you up to date with what we’ll be doing and how we’re going to make Freshers 2020 one to remember!
Students praise
Covid-secure measures at Bucks New University
Life will look and feel a little different for new and returning students to our campuses but the University has been working closely with Bucks Students’ Union to ensure everything possible has been done to ensure the Bucks experience is as close to normal as it can be. The University is poised to react if Government advice changes and will be working closely with your Students’ Union, including the Sabbatical Officers, to ensure that you find out about any latest changes as quickly as possible. Alexandra Bode-Tunji, Executive HR Director, said: “We’re doing all we can to ensure we are providing an experience which is as safe and close to normal as possible. We’re excited to see our students back on our campuses and resuming day-to-day university life once again.” Among the precautions the University has taken to ensure utmost safety are: • Screens at receptions, help desks and catering counters; • Reducing capacity in teaching spaces to allow for social distancing • Clear social distance signage around all of the University's buildings; • Frequent cleaning at all locations throughout each day and ready supplies of sanitiser. • Providing appropriate Personal Protective equipment for activities that require close contact Plenty is being done for new and returning students, including: • Bucks Welcome: The Bucks Welcome Back programme – brought to you by the University and Bucks Students’ Union – is packed full of initiatives to help get you back in to the swing of campus life. • Teaching and Learning: The University is following a ‘hybrid’ approach to teaching across every course and module. Students are receiving face-to-face teaching and space to study, strictly observing social distancing guidelines, supported by online material and content. It’s a real – not virtual – learning experience. • Student Support – every step of the way: The University is ensuring that students have access to face-to-face and online advice, guidance, and support for all aspects of university life, supported by TogetherAll, 24/7 wellbeing support online. BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy students carrying out assessments in Covid-secure surroundings in the Human Performance, Exercise and Wellbeing Centre.
• Accommodation: Students won’t have been charged a deposit and your contract will not have begun until you took up residence. If there’s another public health crisis which prevents students from accessing campuses, you will be released from your contract at no extra cost. All of this information and plenty more is on the Bucks website at: https://bucks.ac.uk/students/the-buckswelcome/plans-september-2020 Students who returned to the campus over the summer to complete work and assessments said they felt safe and secure. These included second-year BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy students who wore face shields, aprons, and gloves as they carried out their assessments on fellow students. Student Amber Murray said she had been quite anxious about attending. “After my first day back, and receiving all the PPE, my worries were immediately put to ease,” she added. “I felt very safe in all the practical assessments and while the concept of wearing the PPE is still a bit strange I appreciate that safety is paramount and I feel much more prepared as I go in to my third year.” Fellow student Katie Pusey said: "Overall the Sports Therapy lectures went above and beyond their duties to ensure our safety while returning to the University. “We were informed prior to returning of the measures which had been put in place and everything was clearly laid out on our return. “The transition of us returning couldn't have gone smoother and the lecturers made our teaching environment as close to normal as possible. A very big thank you to the lecturers for allowing us back to complete one of the modules for the second year.” Course Leader Dr. Kevin Campbell-Karn said he had been impressed with how well students had adhered to what was required. “The students were great and really stepped up to the requirements,” said Kevin. “Whilst they were a little apprehensive to start, it all became normal quite quickly. There were some teething difficulties, including making sure people could hear me through the shield, but otherwise everything has gone seamlessly.”
Freshers' special
By Dean Valler
17
Covid-secure measures
18 Freshers' special
Activities
By Emily West
Signing lessons
Various museum trips
FREE half hour lessons on a one to one basis from our qualified singing instructor, for budding professionals or just to improve your karaoke voice! These will be offered either online or in person, but full details will be available closer to the time.
FREE tickets to some inspirational museums, including Florence Nightingale, the Freud Museum and the Crime Museum
Personal resilience and wellbeing In partnership with the Clare Foundation we are excited to bring to you the first of our Wellbeing Months! This FREE course, one of the many activities during Wellbeing Month, will help you learn the basics of resilience.
FREE ACTIVITIES Welcome to Bucks from your training and development team! We hope you will take full advantage of all the incredible opportunities that are offered from your award winning Students’ Union, all FREE thanks to the Big Deal!
Whether you are looking for part time work now and looking for a skills session to support this, or looking further into the future for skills sessions to support your career we have something for you. We also know university is about more than just work and career planning. It is a time when you can make life-long
friends with similar interests and here at the SU we want you to have the best possible experience at BNU! With this in mind, we offer a range of recreational activities throughout the year so that you can meet new people, try new things and most importantly have a break from your course and studies.
Mental health awareness
Wellbeing workshop
And more coming up!
This FREE course will help you gain an insight into the world of mental health and is designed to explode the myths and misunderstandings about mental health and mental illness. It will enable you to more confidently recognise signs and symptoms of mental health issues and give practical advice to friends, peers and colleagues on where to find appropriate support and guidance.
Toluwa is a Tedx speaker and wellbeing coach and we are excited to bring you this FREE one hour wellbeing workshop followed by a 30 minute Q & A session to address all your wellbeing needs.
Sign Language Singing lessons Public Speaking Level 1 ADHD Awareness Escape Rooms and much, much more!
You can book onto any activity through our website so be sure to keep an eye out on the Bucks SU ‘What’s On’ page and make sure you reserve your place early so you don’t miss out!
Please make sure you also follow us on Instagram @bucksSU and on our Facebook page SarahActivitiesBucks to get notifications of upcoming events!
You can learn more about our Wellbeing Month later in this paper.
If you need any support to enhance your academic experience, pop into one of the Students’ Union offices, or drop us an email at sutraining@bucks.ac.uk and we will be more than happy to help wherever we can.
Wellbeing month! We are delighted to be collaborating with The Clare Foundation to deliver the first of our wellbeing months, coming this October! The Clare Foundation aims to make Bucks the happiest county in the UK. They are a charity that brings together key stakeholders, partners, businesses and charitable organisations to facilitate and create positive change across society in Buckinghamshire. Their mission is to bring the forces together to tackle the root causes of unhappiness. During this month we will be delivering a range of activities all designed to help you stay well and thanks to the Big Deal and The Clare Foundation these are all offered free of charge! There will be a number of training sessions covering topics such as mental health awareness and self care and a workshop delivered by renowned TedX speaker Toluwa Oyeleye. Our wellbeing speakers
will talk about their experiences and how they overcame challenges both in their personal lives and in the workplace and will give tips on building resilience in an ever changing environment, particularly relevant this year! Alongside these training sessions we will be offering a number of wellbeing initiatives, including a wellbeing box, head massages on tap as and when you need them and a visit from a pop-up barber so you can get your therapy and hair done in one! We will also be running the positivity project which will allow you to share your positive vibes online and participating in ‘Honest Hour’ sessions with our fantastic team of Executive Officers will be the opportunity for you to speak openly about your personal experiences and hear how the Students’ Union can instigate action to make your life at Bucks even better.
Another important part of wellbeing is physical health so as part of our wellbeing month we will be working in collaboration with the Gateway Gym in providing fitness classes designed to support both your physical and mental fitness! There will also be tips and advice available on healthy eating, how to keep your diet balanced and most importantly how to do this on a tight schedule around all your other commitments! All activities will be advertised on the ‘What’s On’ page of our website and across our social media so make sure you keep up to date so you can take part. All sessions will take place either online or in Covidsafe environments and we will endeavour to have a balance between online and in person options to ensure you can all take part.
JobShop Get paid! We understand that many of you starting university with us will also be looking for part time work to help support you during your time at Bucks New University. For those that need to work, these can be incredibly difficult times, with so much uncertainty in so many sectors. However, on our JobShop page on the Students’ Union website, we are working hard to keep sourcing local part time job vacancies for you. Whether you are looking to work in retail, hospitality, supporting the vulnerable or are looking to earn some money while keeping yourself and loved ones safe at home, we have a range of recently published opportunities
available for you. These are updated weekly with current part time opportunities, so at any point through the year when you find yourself needing some additional work, please remember to check the JobShop. We also have numerous opportunities to work within the SU! We value student officers, volunteers and employees with ideas and personality and believe that lively, active and vibrant people shape our organisation. We have a wide range of paid opportunities available within the Union and you don’t necessarily need experience, but a great attitude is essential!
Please see below for some of our current vacancies available at the SU and go to our JobShop page for the full list of current part time work advertised: Event Technician A real hands on role, this opportunity includes running the entire production for all live nights in our award winning venues. Bar Staff Working with the team to ensure the smooth running of the bar within the Venue at our High Wycombe campus and consistently delivering the highest customer service standard.
Event Staff A varied and interesting role, this opportunity includes stewarding responsibilities as well as that of door entry and running the cloakroom. Work experience is considered an important element to employers so finding part time work during university can not only help your bank balance, it can help your future career. Please remember that you should not put yourself under any unnecessary risk, particularly under current circumstances, and that if you have any problems regarding finance or anything else, our Advice Centre is there to help you and you can contact them at suadvice@bucks.ac.uk.
Freshers' special
By Emily West / Sarah Jackson
19
Wellbeing month / JobShop
20 Freshers' special
Leadership Academy
By Emily West
It's never too early Academy to start planning your career Leadership
So why not apply to be part of our 2020/2021 cohort in the Leadership Academy? The Leadership Academy is a bespoke development programme for talented students to gain specific skills for routes through the Union into leadership roles. It’s a series of training, courses and opportunities to enhance employability and build leadership traits - all free of charge courtesy of The Big Deal.
change, understand the difference between management and leadership, identify and encourage high performance and adopt a coaching style. We will be looking to organise these remotely, but as soon as it is possible and appropriate we will provide the option to have these as in person events.
The idea is to provide a truly personalised and candidate led development programme based on your specific requirements and goals.
Accredited training courses specific to your chosen route - We can provide licensing qualifications and legislation compliant certificates for those in the hospitality industry; safeguarding or coaching qualifications for those in the sports industry; your development programme will be specific to your route and we will source the experience that you need, all of which will appear on your Bucks Award.
There are many routes into leadership roles within the Union and beyond your University life and depending on your interest or ability, your choice of route may be individual to you. Each route will have tailored development sessions to help you reach your goal. Development activities will be sympathetic to studies, manageable for students at all levels and a typical programme will include: One to one sessions to agree your leadership development route and monitor progress - We will discuss your career aspirations with you, propose and agree a personal development plan with clear objectives and deadlines and review your progress throughout the academic year. We will encourage use of the My Bucks Career platform and monitor achievement of the Bucks Graduate Attributes. Regular contact through email and telephone calls will enable us to support you in achieving your goals. Face to face meetings can also be held once Government guidance assures us this is safe for you. Workshops focusing on leadership styles and self-awareness - We will deliver formal leadership training which will provide you with workplace critical skills on how to demonstrate values, manage conflict, manage
Creating future leaders
Employability sessions focussing on CV’s, interviews, applications and assessment centres - Group sessions in all of the above will be scheduled regularly alongside the University’s Careers and Employability Service. One to one sessions are also available with both the Students’ Union and the University. Access to networking opportunities through conferences, staff days and external events There may be a national or industry specific conference that we agree will benefit your leadership journey or an employer that you would like us to set up a connection with; You will be invited to be involved with Students’ Union meetings and development days and consulted with when we have new initiatives or policy to implement. You will also receive full support of the Students’ Union Development Team through one to one meetings, reflective developmental sessions and assistance with finding your ideal leadership role.
For further information or to apply to our Leadership Academy, please email sutraining@bucks.ac.uk or come and see us at our Freshers' stall! We look forward to hearing from you!
Bucks Award
Track and showcase your success!
Every time you participate in an activity with us, be it volunteering, a skills session or securing a committee role, we have a record of it and are now able to collate these records to really showcase your involvement through the Bucks Award. The Bucks Award is divided into sections with the idea that by the time you leave university you have something in every section – a completely achievable goal due to all the free opportunities you have access to thanks to the Big Deal. Even if you don't have every element covered, we want you to be able to talk about your experiences in an effective way that can be relatable to the career of your choice. Employment
Memberships
We will list any role you have had with the SU during your time at Bucks, backing up that you have had the work experience you claim on your CV.
If you are a member of a club or society, it will be listed here. Participation in these activities demonstrates commitment to a sport or interest and the ability to build your own networks and team based skills.
Volunteering This will detail the number of hours volunteering you have completed (and most importantly logged!) by type of role – club or society committee role, ambassador role, community or external projects and SU or internal projects. Being able to talk about your volunteering experiences and relate them to roles that you apply for will be invaluable. Leadership Roles Whether you’ve been a School Officer or Course Rep, Ambassador or Chair of a Club or Society or Team Leader in our bars, you have had to use leadership skills to perform your role. As a candidate in our elections you will have planned a campaign and influenced people into voting for you thereby demonstrating signs of your leadership skills. Whatever you want to do as a career, leadership skills will be invaluable. Skills Maybe you’ve attended our course specific or generic training sessions or achieved accredited qualifications through us. These will all be listed here so you can see exactly how much you’ve developed with your SU. Awards Here will be a list of any Award you have received at AU Dinner or Union Awards including any awards you have been shortlisted for. These are really great achievements and should be recognised.
Extra-Curricular Activities Anything else you’ve done with us, recreational activities or sport for fun, will be detailed in this section and can be used to demonstrate cultural, social or self-awareness. As part of our commitment to helping you find your dream career, we offer Bucks Award sessions which are opportunities for you to learn how to talk about everything you have done with the SU and how to turn these into transferable skills and experiences, in an application or interview setting. These are available to you throughout your time at Bucks, so whether you would like an initial meeting to discuss your ideal career and which activities you could attend to help this, or are looking for a part time job to help support you through university, we can help you in these selfreflective sessions become more confident in finding employment. We can arrange these as either face to face meetings, or online, depending on your circumstances (and subject to current advice) and we can’t wait to hear from you! Please email sutraining@bucks.ac.uk or pop down to the SU and see us in person to arrange a meeting.
IN THE
Freshers' special
By Sarah Jackson
21
Bucks Award
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24 Freshers' special
Green Society
Green Society is back again! We are back, and after winning 2020 Society
We want to raise awareness, educate and make
of the Year, we are still a little in shock! In our
a change; with volunteering opportunities like
first year as a society, we were so grateful to be
Bucks New Usage every other week; the Chiltern
recognised for the hard work we put into bringing together Bucks’ eco community and creating opportunity for everyone to bring sustainability a bit closer to home! We just wanted to say a really quick thank you to everyone who made our society what it was last year. With eco craft sessions, amazing socials,
Rangers; Beach Cleans and more! We love working with local charities and cleaning up the local area. Climate change is said to be irreversible by 2030 if we don’t act now, so we’ve got to change our ways, and we are here to help you on the way.
loads of volunteering opportunities, a free trip
Being sustainable is not as expensive as you
to London Zoo, and much more – we were
may think; as students we hardly have money to
overwhelmed with the amazing success of Green
spare, but most of the time it can actually SAVE
Society in its first ever year.
you money! Come along to one of our craft
But this year we are back, and raring to go for
sessions, talks, or volunteering opportunities and
another year of saving Bucks, one plastic cup at
we will tell you all about it!
a time. We will be continuing to #doitfordavid
In the words of Greta Thunberg herself:
(catch him at our Fresher’s fair stall and all of our socials!) and making sure that students see that it’s not as expensive to be sustainable as you
“I want you to act as if your house is on fire. Because it is.”
might think.
Tune in. Listen up. Catch us live on the Bucks Students’ Union website 24/7.
By Kia Wing
BNU Rugby
Despite the season ending abruptly due to COVID-19, Bucks Men’s Rugby has shown grit and determination early on from the start of the year. Even though the team had its struggles from a lack of numbers to a lack of coaching, the committee stepped up and showed great effort in making sure our boys still got the training and leadership they needed. The boys success from the 18/19 season has meant that the team went up to a higher league against some excellent sides. Here we can see some of that determination as Bucks Men’s Rugby put up a good fight against every side that they faced, however when it came to playing Roehampton at home the senior members of the squad made sure the freshers knew exactly what it meant to them and to the uni. Award worthy coaching from Russ alongside outstanding leadership from captain Jack Harding and President Alex Cotton meant that each member of Bucks Mens Rugby gave it their all to beat Roey at home. This was no one hit wonder as the boys then again beat Roey away! Following that success the boys worked very
What's it all about? hard to get fighting fit to defend our cup and beat Roey a third time at Varsity. Unfortunately due to disappointing circumstances the boys didn’t get to show off their hard work thanks to COVID-19. Through Bucks Men’s Rugby’s highs and lows social secretary James Vincent always made sure the boys enjoyed a great night out every Wednesday. The lads usually enjoy a drink or two (or a rugby “few”) every Wednesday with highlights being Halloween, Christmas all dayer, pub golf along with plenty of sober socials too. The lads also would have gone on tour to Croatia following varsity but again it got cut short due to the pandemic. The committee are optimistic looking forward to the new year aiming to make sure Bucks Men’s Rugby thrives no matter the circumstance with top tier training, smashing Roey and knowing how to have a good time while doing so. So as we head into the new year we as the committee welcome all the new freshers to Bucks New Uni and can’t wait to see the returners back in action for the 20/21 season!
BNU Swans
We left our last season with a BANG
Welcome back to uni! After our season got cut short, we are just super excited to finally be back together ready to kickstart another year! And I’m sure everyone else is excited to be back and out of the house, too.
As Captain, now Chairman, I was so incredibly proud of the hard-working team we had last year. I can’t wait for my last year killing it on the team with you all again… but we just need one more thing. FRESHERS!
We wanted to start off by saying a big thank you to last year’s team, and everyone who jumped in late. Last season was… a challenge. With people dropping out with injuries etc left, right and centre, we weren’t short of a difficult decision. But we finally made it work when we hit our last pose on the mat at last comp and came home victorious. WE HIT ZERO! (No deductions) and with 2 people on the team for only 1 session of training, we could not believe it.
Uni can be scary. Most of us have moved miles away from home, know no one and have no idea where to turn; but the Swans is the family you need. As well as being one of the biggest families at Bucks, we are also super hard working and have lots of fun.
We have weekly Wednesday socials, sober socials, fun and upbeat sessions and lots and lots of performance opportunities; you will never be bored. Trust us. Some of the highlights of our year include performing at Varsity; volunteering with local charities and the SU; showcase; AU Dinner and of course, competition. We have 3 competitive teams: Main Cheer, Pom Dance and Jazz Dance, all of which are highly successful teams; with our jazz team being 6-time champions. So come and join our team… and be a part of the Swans’ success!
Freshers' special
By Alexi Hickin / Kia Wing
25
BNU Rugby / BNU Swans
26 Freshers' special
BNU Dance Club / Bucks FC
By BNU Dance Club / Mackenzie Hoey, Joe Champion
BNU Dance Club
Get your groove on after the break
BNU Dance Club are excited to announce that they are BACK! We hope everyone has had a well-deserved break.
BNU Dance Club are holding auditions for 5 Competition Teams this year. These include;
•
Advanced Jazz
dance styles for all club members to
•
Novice Contemporary
partake in and thoroughly enjoy. The
•
Advanced Contemporary
•
Novice Street
•
Advanced Street
BNU Dance Club offers a variety of
club welcomes competitive, noncompetitive, and social members, and it is completely FREE to join us. We offer weekly masterclasses in a range of different styles and weekly fitness sessions. These classes and sessions are taught by professionals in the industry, Bucks Alumni students, and our very own club members.
Here at Bucks, we hold our very own BNU Dance Competition in our Events Hall. Universities from around the United Kingdom attend our dance competition to perform and demonstrate their remarkable talent. From our latest Competition Season, we gained 25 trophies from 3 competitions! We are eager to maintain our reputation within the next Competition Season with brand new teams.
Bucks FC Welcome all Bucks New University freshers! We are Bucks FC, the largest sports club at the University. If you’re interested in playing football, or want to be a part of our club socially, then come and get involved! If you’re wanting to play for the club we hold a trials process, for non-playing members you can get involved off the pitch. Our last year was incredible for several teams and the club as a whole. Having success both on and off the pitch, huge shoutout to our first team for winning both the cup and the league titles. This year we aim for all the success from the previous year and much more. As a club our teams train hard on a Monday and are eager for the games on a Wednesday. Win
or lose we have our club socials after the games on a Wednesday evening, where all teams meet up for a drink and review of their games, this is open for social members that don’t play for a team.
We have big moments across the year but the one we are training towards is Varsity against our university rivals Roehampton, where every club will compete in their sport to beat Roehampton and win the competition for Bucks. This year we have a new committee already trying to point the club towards success, but also want to ensure that every member enjoys themselves this coming year. We look forward to meeting you all and welcome to Bucks!
As the club accommodates all members, including non-competitive and social members, we host socials every Wednesday. These socials enable old and new members to get to know each other in a friendly environment – whilst having fun! We hold joint socials with other clubs and societies to mix with other students. We offer several opportunities for all members – such as ‘Days Out’ and ‘Sober Socials’ within and outside the university! If you are interested in becoming a member of BNU Dance Club, come and say hello to us at Freshers Fair! This will give you the opportunity to come and talk to your new 20/21 Committee and ask any questions in regards to the club. Also, you can stay updated with the club by following us on social media! BNU Dance Club x
Welcomes all freshers!
Pole Fitness Society
Fun and fitness in a calm and friendly space
Hello! We are the BNU Pole Fitness society committee 2020-2021!
Michelle Charles Chair
Mali Hajnasrollah
Bethanie Ball Secretary
Welfare liaison
Our aim is to provide fun pole fitness classes in a calm and friendly environment! Our pole sessions take place on Sundays from 3:30-4:30 & 4:30-5:30 at the High Wycombe campus. Our sessions are created and planned based on student feedback and we tailor our sessions based around what our members would like to do. We believe in providing fun classes to improve fitness while providing our members with equal opportunities to unlock their full potential! We would never force anyone to do something they were uncomfortable with! Forget about whatever bad reputation you may think pole dancing has and come and try it out yourself! Everyone will be working at different levels and are welcome to work at their own pace. We meet weekly at the high Wycombe campus; each session is an hour long and is led by a qualified instructor who has over 11 years’ experience.
Two of our committee members have decided to share their own experiences from attending our pole fitness classes:
“As someone who has just started pole, I find the pole fitness society to be fun and beneficial as you don’t ever have to worry about people judging you and it’s a great way to exercise! Personally, I like the fitness sessions they have - they are a great way to get fit in a non-competitive environment as well as a good way to escape from exams and coursework! These sessions also mean that you can build up strength to help you improve for when you climb the pole or start inverting. All of these sessions can be adapted to your ability yet will still be pushing you in order to help you improve. Overall both Pole and fitness sessions are in such a calm and welcoming environment and would love for more people to get involved!” ~Abbie Hammant
Treasurer
“I love doing pole as you learn how to do amazing moves and create so many different shapes using just your body and the pole! You can set yourself a goal of being able to do harder moves and after working towards it; eventually achieving them is so rewarding! I also love pole because it’s suitable for absolutely everyone and you can do the moves with your own style, whatever that may be. If you have never done pole before each move is carefully broken down and explained so you feel like you are able to give it a try. It’s really empowering and a lot of fun, most of the time we are having a giggle!” ~Beth Ball
Abbie Hammant
We hope to see lots of new faces as well as welcoming back our returning members! If you have any questions you can find us at the High Wycombe and Uxbridge Freshers’ fair or contact us at bnupole@gmail.com or on social media: Instagram: Bnupole Facebook: BNU Pole Society
Freshers' special
By Michelle Charles, Bethanie Ball and Abbie Hammant
27
Pole Fitness Society
28 Freshers' special
BNU Netball / Women's Hockey
By Bea Barefield / Hanna Free
BNU Netball
Fancy being a part of the club of the year? BNU Netball is one of the most successful female clubs that the university has to offer. We have received ‘Club of the Year’ and ‘RAG Contributor of the Year’ at the Athletic Union Awards 2 years running in 2019 & 2020, as well as having our individual members being shortlisted for awards. We are always looking for new members, whether you are looking to be a social member or play competitively. We are made up of two competitive teams that compete in BUCS leagues, as well as a third development squad which allows members to play in a more relaxed environment. As a club, we understand that settling into university as a fresher can be very demanding and life changing – so why not join an enjoyable club that can help to relieve this stress? Our Netball Club has a variety of things to offer its members:
• • • • •
Weekly socials Competitive league games Varsity matches for all our teams Regular skills and fitness sessions Annual Tour: a chance to bring competitive and social members together for a week of socials in the sun!
We will be offering a taster and trial session to all new and returning members. This allows you to see if our club is for you as well as the chance to try out for one of our three teams. We train weekly on Tuesday evenings (7-9pm). This is open to competitive and social members and is also supported by an enthusiastic coach to help push us towards success. We can’t wait to welcome you to Bucks Netball soon! "Joining Netball in my first year was always a must. After not having played for a few years, I really wanted to improve my skills as well as meet new people at university who weren't on my course. From the first session, I felt welcomed and started to come out of my shell. The girls started to become life-long friends and my team became my family. I couldn't wait to travel to games with them each week knowing we would always have a laugh whether we won or lost. Netball is a great way to get involved in the University and I couldn't have asked for a better fresher experience." - Hayley Sampson (Sports Therapy)
"Starting university can be such a daunting thing; you are in a new environment with new people, but it is the start of a whole new chapter of your life. One of the best decisions I made when starting university was joining netball. By doing so, I met so many amazing new people who I have become such good friends with and can rely on. Netball consists of more than just training sessions and match days. You get the opportunity to be involved in fundraisers, day trips and hilarious nights out. I am so grateful to have the girls from netball and they’ve all helped to make my first year memorable." - Kyra Harding (Events Festival and Venue Management)
Bucks Women's Hockey Joining Bucks Ladies Hockey introduces you to a fun and exciting experience that encourages friendship, exercise and team building. Within the hockey club you can participate in matches, weekly training at Wycombe High School and socials every week. Joining the team is free as there are no paid admissions, this means free training and no match fees. We train once a week and play matches and have socials on Wednesdays. We also offer activities outside of hockey, for example sober
socials, mixed socials with other clubs and societies and we also raise money for charities, which is great to put on your CV. The hockey team is currently in the BUCS South Eastern tier 4 league.
have the opportunity to meet new people, participate in
We play against multiple different Universities in the south east, but don’t worry if you’re new to the sport, it’s fairly easy to learn and all abilities are welcome! If you become a member of Bucks Ladies Hockey, you will
a part of Bucks Ladies Hockey means taking on a new
socials and make a difference to the University. Within training and socials it enables us to build as a team and create strong connections with one another. Becoming challenge and making great lifelong friends. It is a great way to learn something new. So why not try something new and we look forward to seeing you soon!
First Aid Society
Learn to save lives
Have you ever had a sprain or strain and wondered what to do? Do you know how to bandage a wound? Or what about if you come across an unresponsive person? Not many people have had to do all three, but they are all very handy skills to have going into university for the first time. Want to learn everything from how to manage that burn you got from putting too much oil in the pan for your breakfast to the head injury your football mates got when they both went in for the header? You've come to the right society, because Bucks New First Aid Society provides informal training sessions so you know what to do in situations that require some first aid! Because we work in partnership with St John Ambulance, you'll get training sessions from your peers who know how to provide first aid and have done it first hand. Plus we have fun whilst we're doing it. As an added bonus, many of our members are student nurses so they have extended knowledge! As well as training sessions, which will predominantly be held online in the first semester and in partnership with our sister unit at Brunel First Aid Society, we will be bringing the fun with socials! Fear not, we will be mixing the socials in an online/offline capacity. From quizzes, dinner or a night at the pub, we have a whole range of ideas that we can't wait to share with you at Freshers'
fair. So make sure you come by our stall, we will be at both the Uxbridge and Wycombe Freshers' fairs. If you're interested in volunteering, did you know that you can become a student volunteer with St John Ambulance via the society? Five of our members became volunteer event first aiders last year and some of our first aiders helped out with the charity's response to supporting the NHS during COVID-19. Our secretary from last year was the Volunteer of the Year at Union Awards! However you can also volunteer with St John in a logistics capacity if you prefer to be more 'behind the scenes' and in a problem solving role - perfect for those on policing or event management courses. We'll also be fundraising for the RAG charities and St John Ambulance this year in a mixture of ways, so if raising money is your idea of fun then come and join the party. Last year we held a successful bake sale, and the West London Student Volunteering Units took part in a CPR marathon that raised money for St John Ambulance. But you don't need to be a St John volunteer to enjoy what the society has to offer, you can just come for all the socials or training sessions. With the Big Deal, it's all free.
Check us out on social media! Twitter: @BNUFirstAid
Email: bnufirstaid@gmail.com Facebook: /BNUFASoc
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Freshers' special
By Lisa Connell
29
First Aid Society
30 Freshers' special
Psychology Society / Badminton
By Lucy Webb / Lucy Webb
Find yourself at...
Psychology Society Welcome to the Bucks Psychology Society! Whether you are a Psychology student or simply have an interest in Psychology, we invite you to join our Society! It is a great opportunity to meet new people, learn about yourself and Psychology, and share an interest with others. The top priority of the Students’ Union is to ensure that every student has the best possible student experience, and joining a Society, like ours, is a brilliant way to enhance your experience and feel part of the Bucks community here at University. We plan to have monthly sessions, to talk about general University life and often talk about different elements, disciplines, and careers in Psychology. We also plan to have monthly socials, both sober socials and fun themed socials at the Students’ Union! It is important to us that students like yourself have the opportunity to de-stress, make new friends and socialise with other students from all over the University, from different year groups and from different courses.
Swat away with...
Welcome to BNU Badminton Club! Whether you are a casual player, a competitive player, or have never picked up a Badminton racket before, we welcome you to come along! Getting involved in sport at Bucks, for fun or competitive play, is a great way to keep fit, make new friends, and socialise with students from all over the University, and all for free! Twice a week we have Sport for Fun sessions, run by our Sport for Fun Ambassador, where you can come to as many or as few sessions as you want to, and bring your own racket or borrow ours provided. We do both doubles and singles play but focus on doubles play so we can have more players on the courts at the same time. You can join in on casual play, competitive play, and even games! Our
As well as regular sessions and socials, we want to have guest speakers come to the University, have a Christmas trip in December, and have an end of year trip to celebrate our academic achievements. A trip that was unfortunately cancelled, but we plan to reschedule for this year, is a trip to the Freud Museum in London, to look at the final home of Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis! We are also very keen to get involved in community volunteering, with regular litter picks and participating in Students’ Union campaigns, such as the Smile Campaign, the Beach Clean and Banter Not Bullying. We can’t wait to meet all our new members in September! If you are interested, please follow our Social Media accounts: Facebook page: Bucks Psychology Society Facebook members’ group: Bucks Psychology 20/21 Instagram: buckspsychology
Badminton
Sport for Fun Ambassador instigates games every session, such as King/Queen of the Court or Volleyball Badminton to get everyone involved! As well as Sport for Fun, we also have a Men’s Badminton Team and a Women’s Badminton Team, each made up of 2 singles players and 2 pairs of doubles players. Our two teams train together twice a week, and our brilliant coach Prev helps to improve our game play and enhance our skills as a team. We play matches regularly against other University teams to score points and compete in the League table, play against Roehampton at our annual Varsity event, and attend the annual Athletic Union Awards! We also like to socialise regularly as a team and have fun themed socials at the Students’ Union. Additionally, we
attend Badminton events, such as the Peter Gade Yonex Masterclass at the Wycombe Badminton Center in February earlier this year, which was a fantastic opportunity to watch professional competitive play. Our Sport for Fun sessions are Tuesdays 4:30-5:30pm and Thursdays 6:30-7:30pm, and our Training sessions are Tuesdays 5:30-7pm and Sundays 1-3pm. We look forward to meeting new players in September! If you are interested, please follow our Social Media accounts: Facebook page: BNU Badminton Club Instagram page: bucks_badminton
Fly away with...
Aviation Society Do you have an interest in aviation? Do you want to be involved with aviation-themed activities, trips and guest speaker events? Do you want to meet like-minded people? then the aviation society is for you!
Every year we also enter a team for the annual Royal Aeronautical Society’s Aero Challenge - competing against teams sent from other universities, Lenardo, Airbus and Boeing.
It doesn’t matter what course you are studying, everyone is welcome and it is completely FREE to join!
Last year saw a significant addition to the society: Thanks to Jordan Penning, our previous society chair, we managed to secure a membership with The Air League, allowing our members to attend even more events and apply for flying and gliding scholarships too!
For the past few years, the aviation society has put on various exciting activities: Last year were fortunate to have tours of the easyJet and British Airways HQ’s; visited the Royal Air Force Museum, had industry experts deliver guest lectures and even visited the NATS air traffic control tower at Luton Airport!
As we are a society, we also give something back to our community, so expect plenty of volunteering opportunities to add to your CV - but with an interesting twist! Just before lockdown in March, we organised a plane spotting & litter-picking event at near Heathrow although having huge jets flying low overhead is not for the faint-hearted! Keep an eye out for a similar event in the next few months.
Visit to British Airways Waterside. October 2019. Who said volunteering can’t be fun? - Myrtle Avenue Heathrow Airport, March 2020. Speaking of Heathrow, we are fortunate to have Heathrow Airport on our doorstep - its easier to get to than you think! It could be your gateway to some fantastic work opportunities in the summer, something to keep an eye on if you are studying an aviation course! We recommend being involved with the society as much as possible as it is the perfect community for you to develop your industry knowledge, collaborate with other students on projects, build contacts with the industry and ultimately help you open doors for your chosen career.
To keep informed about the Aviation Society, join our official Facebook page “Bucks Avsoc 20/21” or follow us on Instagram (@bucksavsoc)
Visit to the RAF Museum in London. February 2020
While the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is forcing everyone to adapt activities and events, we will continue to work together as a community to innovate and create regular meetings, socials, online guest lectures and trips in accordance with the social distancing guidelines.
Freshers' special
By Taylor Adams
31
Aviation Society
BucksPrinting
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