The Bucks Student - Pre Freshers' Edition 2014 by The Bucks Student

Pre-Freshers' 2014

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Introduction.

Pre-Freshers Issue

Bring!! it on

This Edition: page 4

Your Dad was right Cover photo by Danielle Onslow. Check out more of her work at facebook.com/danielleonslowphotography

After making international headlines, Reece Buckingham interviews Ben and Kendal about their letter sent to the CEO of Nike.

page 6

Contributors Abbie Blunt (Student Editor) • Reece Buckingham Becci Hailey • Dannielle Pitcher • Matt Gilbert Connor Baker • Mark Sweeney • Lee Stevenson-Rose Cassie Fletcher • Eddie Pocock • Chloe Whitelock Jean-Luke Laister • Matt Draper • Glenn Gridley Jacob Underwood • Hannah Jeremy • Tom Castle Greg Pike

Here to Help Becci Hailey interviews the new Deputy Vice Chancellor, Ian Plover, to find out what he really thinks about the University and its students.

page 14 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 student.editor@thebucksstudent.com

Advertising 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. © 2014 Bucks Students’ Union

If required, this document can be made available in different formats. Please contact Bucks Students' Union for more information.

Teenage Dirtbags Playing in the second week of Freshers' - Wheatus. Abbie Blunt catches up with frontman Brendan B. Brown.

page 20

Keeping it Fresh Cassie Fletcher tell you what to expect.

page 24

We are Gold! Muscians society let you know whats up.

34... 56... Hike! American Football explain why you should come and say hello.

page 28

4 Pre-Freshers Issue

Feature. Reece Buckingham @reecebucks Graduate Creative Advertising

Nikey! They decided to write a letter to the Co-founder and Chairman of Nike, Phil Knight, asking him to circle the correct pronunciation of the famous sports brand. To their surprise Mr Knight replied! Circling the correct pronunciation as Ni-key. I managed to grab some time with them both and asked them a few questions. Was this something you always disagreed on? Nike or Nike-y has always been one of those things that people have exchanged views on, admittedly not that fiercely. But still, when Kendal who was the first person I had met under the age of forty to pronounce it Nike-y, we definitely disagreed. ‘Nike-y Air Max’, are you sure? What made you decide to write a letter? We were just sitting in the ad studio and thought that we should put this age-old argument to bed. We wrote the letter, got ourselves some US stamps (surprisingly hard to find in the UK) and popped it in the post box. An email would probably have been lost on the Internet for eternity so we thought we’d write him a letter because receiving a letter is always good, no matter who you are. Did you think he would actually respond? Not in the slightest! We posted the letter off expecting to never see it again. The thing is though, if you don’t ask, you don’t get and fair play to big Phil he was kind enough to reply.

We first knew it was going a bit crazy when Zoo picked it up, followed in quick succession by the Daily Mail and Lad Bible. However, out of all the coverage we are definitely most pleased with our mention in the Zimbabwe herald. Has this helped you progress in your career? Obviously the attention this received has helped to put us in touch with people in the industry but it’s about keeping it up now. We need to keep producing work that interests people all the time.

Kendal (L) and Ben (R)

Ben J. Martin and Kendal Peters, two Bucks Creative Advertising students who graduated in September 2014, made world news by discovering the true pronunciation of the Nike brand.

Did you expect it to blow up as big as it did? You can never really predict how anything you stick on the Internet is going to go down. The Numa Numa guy probably never thought that miming to the biggest song (more likely the only song) to come out of Moldova would get him 54 million hits on Youtube.

What are you up to now? As of this writing we are on a placement working with some amazing people at the advertising agency 'Wieden + Kennedy'. Whilst here we have been working on the new Tesco Christmas campaign, doing bits and pieces for Three Mobile and also dabbling with a bit if UKTV. What are your plans for the future? In the long term we want to produce good work, meet interesting people and have a chuckle doing it. We also both wouldn’t mind owning a cider farm so if you know of anyone selling an orchard give us a shout. Ben and Kendal have managed to make an entire campaign from this little piece of genius and by the looks of things, have the creative talent to go far in a tough and fast moving industry. To view this campaign and more, visit cargocollective/benandken. I certainly hope you’d join me in wishing them all the best for the future.

The letter sent to Mr Knight.

Two of our very own have gone about solving one of life’s biggest questions. Is it Ni-ke or Ni-key?

5 Pre-Freshers Issue

, I m just going to takey my bikey to the lakey with my friend mikey.

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Interview.

Becci Hailey Third Year Music and Live Events Management

An Interview with Deputy Vice Chancellor

Ian Plover

So what is the role of the Deputy Vice Chancellor? It is the same as every single individual’s role in this organisation and that is predominantly to create a positive and supportive environment for students. Without students, none of us have got a job – it’s as simple as that – and it’s something we take very seriously. Every day I come to work I walk in and think “this is why we’re here”. On the back of that there is this title which is Deputy Vice Chancellor which is about supporting the Vice Chancellor. It is about being an ambassador and taking over leadership when Ruth (Farwell) can’t fly the flag for Bucks. There is a third part to the role which is called Chief Operating Officer. This means that I am responsible for IT, Estates, Facilities, Human Resources, Communications and Finance. These are basically the support services that assist everybody else here. I like to think of these areas as the glue that holds the separate parts of the university together. I’m not an academic. I have not been in higher education all my life. With my career background, I try to bring an approach which provides some level of commerciality in association with academia. It is about giving students the best chance in life and getting a job when they leave. We’re a small university. I see us as a family. We all know each other. All the staff are here for the same reasons and that’s ultimately to support the students. Could you tell us a bit about the reinvestments made from the recent course closures within the University? Travel and Aviation, Tourism and Games Development, for example, are doing well at the moment, with new roles and more staff to support growth.’ And then there is a real “Zeitgeist” stuff to me like cyber security, that’s real cutting edge at the moment. Plus so many people want to get involved in Computing, which is another growth area.

Staff and student communications – do you think they’ve developed over the past year? I certainly do. People of a certain age, like me, are used to working in a certain way but I live in a world which is populated by people who are really developing and young. That’s why we are consistently looking at the University's Twitter and Facebook feeds to make sure that whenever we have something to say it goes on social media as we know that’s how students will predominantly communicate. One of the things I am really proud of here is our relationship with the Students' Union, and I think that’s pretty rare. The Students' Union sit with Senior Management every month and the Students' Union Sabbatical Team will have meetings with myself and Ruth (Farwell) and the other Pro Vice Chancellors. We talk for a couple of hours on what they see as the important issues. An area I’m really proud of is The Bucks Welcome programme where people come together in one place and we talk about the first day of the rest of their lives. I want the new students to feel like they are not alone and are supported through such things as counselling, employability, disability, and the Multifaith Chaplaincy. We have 198 student reps who provide us with direct feedback. The Student Rep programme gives students the chance to ask questions of the tutors and feed them back to other people on their course. What do you think are the biggest challenges in day-to-day student life? There are many challenges that students face. First of all it’s integrating into a new environment, as this is often the first time people have been away from home. It is important for everyone to know that they’re not alone. Everybody is here to help. Secondly, money. It’s a big decision to come to university and you want a big payback. With money being tight, things like The Big Deal - with free sports, societies and recreational activities – are just brilliant.

The main challenge at the end of the day is getting a job. Some people want to be self-employed, particularly with art and advertising, whereas other people want to walk in to an established company. For me, the biggest thing we can do at this University to differentiate our students is to equip them with the skills to further their lives and their careers.

"Everybody is here to help" What do you think are the strengths and weaknesses of Bucks? Our main strength is our size – we are not a big university. We are small which means we can react and adapt quickly. If we see a change in student trends regarding courses, we should be able to jump on that and be able to fulfil those needs. A weakness would have been a slow turnaround in giving student feedback. The Students’ Union, however, highlighted this as an issue and we have consequently addressed it very positively. I’d like to think that if we become aware of a weakness we take action to address it. Do you have any strong passions outside of University? I think balance is key. With being indoors so often I like to spend any free time outdoors whether it’s running, cycling or just cutting the grass. My real passion would be music. I listen to music all the time; I sing in the shower and I play in a band on the weekends (50s and 60s rock ‘n’ roll band). Music is about being inspired and inspiring. If you had a movie made about your life, what would it be titled? I’d say “Ships are safe in harbour, but that’s not why ships are built”.

Fit HappEns A production team of Film and TV students along with Fitness Over Fifty star, Chris Zaremba and co presenter Keith Cormican, have released a four-part series titled Fit Happens, airing on the independent TV station, the Community Channel this summer. Bucks students, Chris Harper, Daniel Hunt and Michael Loulianou, spent six days filming the series as part of their course, and featured the Universities advanced facilities at the Gateway Gym. As the project was completed under the guidance of the faculty at Bucks, the students had the opportunity to make full use of the industry standard equipment and state of the art facilities on offer to students studying Film and TV Production.

ADVICE CENTRE We’re here to help you with any issues including:

Pre-Freshers Issue

Danielle Pilcher Third Event and Festival Management

News.

High Wycombe Campus Ground floor, North Block 01494 603 016 Uxbridge Campus Room 1.03, first floor 01494 605 180 suadvice@bucks.ac.uk bucksstudentsunion.org/advice

MONEY

THE LAW

COURSES

YOUR PERSONAL LIFE

ACCOMMODATION

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ISSUES

MAKING LIFE BETTER FOR STUDENTS AT BUCKS

Chris Harper (right), one of the students leading the production of Fit Happens revealed, “My favourite part of making Fit Happens was being able to use the studio facilities at Bucks, as it gave the whole show a very professional look”

The Community Channel boasts a proud history of offering community filmmakers and fresh talent an opportunity to tell their stories on TV, and is often a great stepping-stone to kick-start a career in the production industry. Stephen Partridge, Head of Media Production at Bucks, acknowledged “Through experiences like for this the students gain including: Free and confidential services all across Buckinghamshire, Sexualclients Health information advice crucial experience with that will and hone their production A full range of contraception methods, including free condoms management and communication all of which infections enhances Testing and treatmentskills, for sexually transmitted their employability.”

Service information available at www.sexualhealthbucks.nhs.uk Call or Text 07717540966 or email : info.sexualhealthbucks@tht.org.uk for appointments or local clinicinvolved times project, the students gave one piece

On reflection of the of inspiring advice for students embarking on the course this year…

“This years freshers need to actively look for opportunities, and not just wait for them to come to you. Especially in the media, experience and the chance to prove your skills count a great deal towards success in your career. Get out there and get yourselves as much experience as possible.”

Free and confidential services for all across Buckinghamshire, including: Sexual health information and advice. A full range of contraception methods, including free condoms. Testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections. Service information available at sexualhealthbucks.nhs.uk Both booked and drop-in appointments available. Call or text 07717 540 966 or email info.sexualhealthbucks@tht.org.uk for information and local clinic times.

Terrence Higgins Trust is a registered charity in England & Wales (no.288527) and in Scotland (no.SC039986).

Chris Zaremba also commented “The student production team went the extra mile to ensure a quality end-product and the Community Channel have told me they were surprised this project was able to be completed using only three people in the production team”

Your SaBb TEAM

Matt Gilbert

Pre-Freshers Issue

Sabbatical team.

Welcome back to all of those returning to Bucks this year and welcome to all of those coming for the first time. My name is Matt Gilbert and I am the President of the Students’ Union. As the lead elected sabbatical officer my role is to represent the student body and also support you through your time here at Bucks. Student's engagement is something that is high on my agenda, so whether you study part time, at a partner college or at the High Wycombe and Uxbridge Campuses; hopefully our paths will cross at some point over the year. The last few years has been a hugely exciting time for the Students’ Union and I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of it, and it only looks to get better. The main points on my manifesto are to lobby to create a ‘student living room’ where students can go and socialise, with iPads, games consoles and pool tables to help create a student community in which students will want to stay for. I also want to update the books and journals at both the High Wycombe and Uxbridge campuses, but also have more e-books available. This will allow more students to take out the same book, and also they can be updated more regularly. I want to continue to apply pressure on the University to invest money into fit for purpose facilities. Many courses require more than a classroom, and in some cases we don’t provide it, but to offer students value for money we need to start. This includes a sports centre, dance studios, performing arts studios and workshops. I am on track to be able to achieve all of these goals and fingers crossed it will improve the overall experience for the students here. If you see me walking around the University feel free to stop for a chat about how you can make the most of your time here at Bucks. I look forward to meeting you all! Matt Gilbert President

CONNOR BAKER The welfare side of the role will see me supporting our members with issues of sexual health, housing and tax. If our members want it, then myself, Mark and Matt will fight for it. We want you to have the best time possible whilst studying at Bucks. I have set myself a series of targets for the year, inspired by my three years at Bucks. I am planning a University wide showcase event that will allow every student the chance to show their hard work, develope their entrepreneurial skill and network with those in other fields of practice. I will be working continually all year to ensure that the theme of employability is something that you cannot avoid, your time at Bucks is just the start and helping to prepare for your future.

Hi there! My name is Mark Sweeney and I am the current Vice-President Student Involvement at Bucks Students’ Union. I’m responsible for improving the extra-curricular experience of all students here at Bucks and hold political responsibility for the development and delivery of all student activities laid on by the Students’ Union. Further responsibilities include increasing overall participation and maximising diversity, in everything we do, as a union. Find me at sports fixtures, society events, on Facebook (Bucks VPSI), or the at the High Wycombe Students' Union office, where you’ll see me, with my door always open. Some of the main things I aim to implement during my time in office is to firstly, enhance the employability of all students here at Bucks, through local charity fundraising opportunities via RAG, providing more volunteering projects, additional skills training sessions, placement provision related to courses and increasing student leadership. All of these opportunities will help shape your cv, so when it comes to graduating and applying for jobs, you’ll be well ahead of the rest!

To a great year!

Secondly, provide regular intramural sport provision for all of our students here at Bucks. This will be done through Battle of the Halls which was set up last year. This means that on a fortnightly basis you’ll have the chance to compete against other halls at the University in a range of different sports for absolutely everyone. But best of all, this is open to all years, so be sure to come and get involved. And for those of you that are not or were not based in halls, do not fret, you still get to compete in it as you fall under Alexandra/Windsor House category. Also this year, we’re on the lookout for Inter-Halls Captains that will be based in halls! So Freshers, if this is something that appeals to you, come and find us during Freshers' Fortnight and ask about how you can get involved. You won’t regret it!

Connor Baker Vice President Education and Welfare

Mark Sweeney Vice President Student Involvement

I have started a TV station at the Union, BSU:TV giving the opportunity for those engaged members to push their profile through presenting or performing on our station. Budding musicians will have an outlet to display their music and give everyone the best fighting chance to make it in their respective industries. As your Vice President Education and Welfare I will do my absolute best to ensure you all have the best academic experience here at Bucks and if you ever need anything just pop into the office or email me connor.baker@bucks.ac.uk

Pre-Freshers Issue

MARK SWEENEY

First of all I want to wish every member of Bucks Students’ Union (that means you) the best of luck with the upcoming academic year, I know first-hand how difficult it can be at times being a student. As your newly elected Vice President Education and Welfare, I am here to try and make it all a little easier. My role will see me representing every single one of you all to the best of my ability. This may be meeting with the University and fighting your corner regarding assessment timings, or getting you another vending machine by your studio.

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Representation. Becci Hailey Third Year Music and Live Events Management

Representation at Bucks Students getting their voices heard in university is key for course and academic department progression. Representation at all 4 levels - be it student rep, senior rep, faculty officer or “The Power Three” - provides a credible student voice by giving feedback to the University, ensuring that assumptions are not made about the student experience here at Bucks. And best of all – you get rewarded up to £100 for being a rep thanks to The Big Deal! In a previous edition of The Bucks Student, Vice Chancellor Ruth Farwell said, “Feedback from you has started to lead to some simple, practical changes at course level such as masterclasses and guest speakers, more time in the skills labs and simulation suites and more books and computers, extra maths and biology lessons, and inspiring day trips”. Being a student rep is simple. All you need to do to collect the full £100 is: • Attend student rep training • Attend your first Program Committee Meetings (PCM) and give the collective feedback from your peers, then provide online feedback to the Students’ Union within one month of your first PCM • Attend your second PCM and give the collective feedback from your peers, then provide online feedback to the Students’ Union within one month of your first PCM If representation is your passion you can be trained up to attend higher level meetings. Senior reps get to represent the views of their student at the next level of meeting that involve reps from each department feeding back to the Faculty. Faculty Officers then pass on this information this information at a faculty level (e.g. Design, Media & Management or Society & Health). At the top of the student representation ladder are the Vice President of Student Involvement (VPSI), Vice Present of Education and Welfare (VPEW) and President. Each role comes with more responsibility and different areas to represent as well as different rewards and payments. If you want to get involved email surepresentation@bucks.ac.uk

BUCKS NEW USAGE Get free stuff Bucks New Usage is an initiative which collects left over items from student halls, and cleans them up ready to be re-used by students. So when you’re moving into halls or into a new house, check out all the household items you can pick up from us for absolutely free! We’ve got loads of pots, pans, crockery cutlery and bedding up for grabs, so save yourself some money and check out the Bucks New Usage store located on the ground floor of West Wing. We’ll also be handing out free stuff on Move In Sunday so look out for us then! For more info, just email jane.bower@bucks.ac.uk or karen.johnstone@bucks.ac.uk.

to use in your new place!

ven e w no bigger

THE^BIG DEAL University is so much more than just the academic side. It’s about enjoying your last three years before the impending “real world”. Here at Bucks we have “The Big Deal” - a student experience support package exclusive to us.

Want to see acts like Funeral for a Friend, Scouting For Girls and Wheatus for free? You can! University is about maintaining a good life balance – you can’t have your head down all the time. So how about going out to the The Venue? You could see a band, take part in our weekly “Big Quiz” or even play bingo. There aren’t many nights where you couldn’t be out doing something with your new course or flat mates. No other university in the country supports their students’ social activities quite like we do. Want to join one of Bucks many sports teams but are worried about the cost of kit? Feel like joining, or even creating a society? Bucks has over 20 different sports and 40 active societies for you to join. We have American Football, Christian Union, MMA and Circus Society to name a few. Best of all, you can join any sport regardless of your ability! Along with kit costs, you also receive free travel to games and any accommodation for away tournaments. Sports aren’t just great for your health, but being part of a team is a great way to make friends. Best of all, every year you can compete in Varsity: our annual sporting competition with our rival university, Roehampton.

Robyn Lipscombe Second year studying Product Design “We are taking a trip to New York this year as part of the course and a part of the cost is being paid by the University. I also often like to work at night so will enjoy making use of the library’s 24-hour opening. The Big Deal On Course will also help with paying for materials for the big portfolio I have to produce at the end of my course."

Dylan Hibbert Third year studying Sports Psychology. Mens' American Football “It has already been a huge benefit to have so much of my sports equipment paid for through the Big Deal, meaning I have been able to concentrate more of my finances on my studies.”

And now, The Big Deal just got bigger. From September, all Bucks students will receive a package of benefits that are tailormade to your course. This can include essential textbooks or book vouchers, equipment and materials, printing credit and subsidised field trips or degree shows. Graduation gown and cap hire is also free from September 2015 onwards. Our facilities are also open at the times you need them the most. The Gateway Library at High Wycombe is open 24/7 – including the group study rooms, general computer rooms and Rusty’s for your latenight lattes and early-morning muffins. We have also extended the opening hours in the Gym. No other university in the country supports its students by providing so many free opportunities. We haven’t even touched on the paid representation roles, trips to the West End or public speaking workshops! To see more, go to bucksstudentunion.org

Pre-Freshers Issue

Lee Stevenson-Rose Third Year Music and Live Events Management

Big Deal.

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The Venue. Abbie Blunt @AbbieBlunt Third Year Music and Live Events Management

Your Nights Out At the venue there is a night out for everyone, whether you prefer a club night or a more casual evening. If there isn’t something that is your taste (which I highly doubt) then there is always the opportunity to get involved with Bucks Students’ Union and make your own night. Under the big deal, everything is free for every night out which no other university in the UK offers. There are lots of free giveaways and prizes to be won throughout the year. It’s not all about the cheap drink prices but the entertainment that’s taking place every night. There isn’t a night at the venue that doesn't have something going on so there is no excuses to be sat at home bored.

Rustys’ Globetrotters - Monthly cultural night inc. Live acts, food and interactive sessions. It is the chance to try something new and experience new cultures without the trouble of having to travel abroad. Comedy Central - Fortnightly stand-up comedians, for a nice relaxed and entertaining Tuesday night. The chance to sit down and enjoy some stand-up comedy. Suck My Acoustic - Runs alternatively with Comedy Central on a Tuesday night as an open mic acoustic session. Anyone can apply to perform at Suck My Acoustic, it is a laid back and relaxing night. The mood is set with candles and flowers placed on all tables. Live Music Nights - Weekly live music taking place every Thursday including talent from local bands to top ten acts like Bastille, Foxes, Scouting for Girls, Rudimental, Deaf Havana etc. Every band or act that you can see at Bucks Students’ Union is for free as part of the big deal, which is an awful lot of money you would be saving on gig tickets. Soap - A weekly themed club night, bringing all sorts of different nights out at the venue. Some of these so far have been fish and chips, frozen, minions, and much more! Blue Rinse - Monthly club night playing all the hits from the 70s to present day, it is a very popular night and has its true loyal fans. There is a perfect bit of variety of music take you back in time to some of the very past classics. Crash - Monthly rock club night which is very popular playing all the old rock classics for those who enjoy a bit of head banging or rocking out. (Partnered with Juke) Juke - Monthly indie/alternative/modern/classic club night for the more laid back side of the night. (Partnered with Crash) Frat House - Weekly club night every Wednesdays normally taken over by societies and sports teams. It is the night after game day for most sports teams and is the chance to celebrate the results of the day. Student led takeovers are ran at the start of the night to allow for a themed night to earn some money for the Bucks society or club. Also with the very popular blow-zone with your chance of making some money of your own. Unisex - Monthly bass music club night, past guests inc Chase & Status, DJ EZ, Andy C; a very popular night with students and often caters for a packed out venue. Clarity - Occasional club night playing all the electro pop classics and is perfect for those that love the guilty pleasured classics. Karaoke - Occasional karaoke night, as everyone enjoys a bit of karaoke after they build up their confidence. Everyone has their favourite karaoke classics that they normally belt out in the shower.

Pre-Freshers Issue

The Ice Bucket Challenge Another craze sweeping across the world with the aim of helping a good cause. For those of you who don’t know the idea of it is quite simple, a person gets a bucket of ice water tipped over their head and then they get to nominate two of their friends who have 24 hours to complete the challenge themselves. The purpose of this is to raise money for charity, every person who completes the challenge is supposed to donate to charity. In Britain the charity that money is being raised for is Macmillan Cancer Support, which is who offer care and support to those suffering from cancer. The charity have raised over £250,000 so far due to the ice bucket challenge. In America money has been raised for ALS Association which funds research into the motor neurone disease

amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. So far a total of $31.5 million has been made in donations to ALS Association. It has become an internet sensation and raised awareness of incredibly important causes, it is impossible to go on social media at the moment and to not come across the ice bucket challenge. Whether it is people reposting celebrities or some of your friends completing the challenge as the chain of nominees continues on. Numerous celebrities are taking part when nominated, people such as Robert Downey Jr, Britney Spears and Justin Bieber are all making the splash. Even in England it has become popular with challenges being complete on day time television when Ben Shepherd on Good Morning Britain and Ruth Langsford

on This Morning completed the challenges live. Even George W Bush has completed this challenge, it has really become an incredible sensation. There is a sheer sense of togetherness and support being generated for the charities due to the great hype which is being created about the ice bucket challenge. It supposedly all began in America when the family of baseball player Pete Frates began their own campaign when he was diagnosed with ALS two years ago. It is truthful that the campaign has raised a great charity awareness. Since that point it has become a crazed sensation that has travelled continents. Some people are now starting to disagree with the charity challenged by saying it is a waste of water which

Trending.

people around the world would greatly appreciate if they were given water to quench their thirst over it being thrown over people’s heads. Although that is a controversial element to the ice bucket challenge, there will always be a chance of lack of water elsewhere in the world. That isn’t something that stops people watering their plants or having regular showers when others are not as fortunate to that luxury. Whatever way the ice bucket challenge has been a success for both ALS Association and Macmillan cancer support. Without this slightly bizarre challenge and individuals desire to help these charities would not have raised as much money. The changes that can be made with such a large sum of money will be extraordinary. #IceBucketChallenge

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Interview.

WHEAtus On 2 October 2014 during this year’s Freshers’ Fortnight, Wheatus will be coming to Bucks Students’ Union and we were fortunate to have a quick chat with Brendan B Brown from Wheatus. And we’ve dug deeply into Wheatus to bring you everything that you’ll need to know about the band. Where did the name Wheatus come from? My dad used to call us that when we were kids...It's a devolution of the word "little". How was the reception of ‘Only You’ for you? Fantastic...It's been embraced by the kids who get it as an anthem of sorts for those who have mixed tastes... what I mean by that is, you like what you like no matter the genre and when you see different types of people at a Wheatus show enjoying it for divergent reasons it all makes sense. I'm very happy about that. Our crowd is becoming more inclusive as we continue to make records. Where did the idea for the Lego video come from? Director/still photographer Oliver Broadbent is the real reason. The guy is just so talented & meticulous. But there's also something to be said for the formats ability to render violence quite impotent & silly, which is what violence always is in all formats anyway. What are your values on vinyl? It's currently the only music I still spend money on with some rare exceptions...I have 3 turntables & I'm hopelessly addicted to finding and buying records. I own 6 copies of Van Halen's 5150, for instance. It's my fav of theirs. Teenage Dirtbag is probably one of your most popular songs, where did the inspiration for that come from? When I was 10, in 1984, there was a Satanic ritual, drug-induced, murder in my town very close to my house. The kid who did it was arrested wearing an AC/ DC shirt and had long been considered a "dirtbag" for his music choices, among other things. Problem was I too listened to AC/DC... I'd avoided drugs & killing my friends until then but alas, I was similarly labeled by teachers, parents, clergy, etc a dirtbag. At the time there was also a serious campaign afoot to blame music for criminal behavior; Judas Priest even stood trial for it at one point. It was in this ignorant, puritanical environment that the song found it's "setting". Anyway, I kept my AC/DC tapes & wore my shirts all the same. It was both an ostracizing & enlightening experience. A few years later, because of the local violence, my parents thought it best that I commute via train to a boys high school quite far from home... that was very isolating.

You've toured all over the world and played shows everywhere. What's been the most memorable moment? There are too many to pick but there are two highlights worth mentioning. The only time Wheatus ever played CBGB's was opening for Joey Ramone....and about a year later we opened for James Brown in Belgium. Where do you see the band going in the near future? Quite a bit of the arrangements from album seven are turning out to be metal...I have this one period in my guitar playing, when I was 14-16 where Metallica's ...and justice for all was all I worked on. I've found myself returning to that in my sonic choices lately. We also have collabs with Drull, K Flay, Josh & Sandy, Math The Band, MC Lars & a few others on the horizon... so, the answer is, all over the place :)

"1D are the real deal." What’s the truth behind you being a One Direction fan? It is the truth... saw them at the Met Life Stadium in New Jersey in August and they kicked tons of ass. I think they are exceptional that way... lots of acts on that level rely on technology to get them through the night...I happen to know for certain that 1D are the real deal. Who’s your favourite One Direction member? Well... Josh and Sandy (from 1D’s band) are my friends and we've had a special chemistry so my opinions are biased... but I do look forward to hearing Zayn destroy those high notes. I don't think any of them can ever be replaced though, so it's tough to pick favs.

Who are the artists that you listen to? I've been getting heavily into the new St. Vincent record lately...Fugazi is always around...another band called Mock Orange...I've recently rekindled my love for The Indigo Girls record, Rites Of Passage... best record to sing along to ever. Math The Band, Horse The Band...lotsa stuff. Rush, always. Any secrets you can share about the band members? One of us has a severe reaction to a certain type of fruit. Not saying who or what fruit. You’ve recently played British Summertime Festival in Hyde Park, what are you going to bring to Bucks to create the same sort of atmosphere? As many songs as we can prep... the set is very dense & up tempo... it's the most rock heavy set we've ever had... a lot of the lighter numbers from years passed have been shelved and the heavy stuff is back in. It's a VERY fun set to play because of the "rip" factor, which has felt a bit relentless in rehearsal so far :) How have you had to adapt to the changes of the music industry? It's been interesting to see things get more positive in social media. I'm not sure about this but I think the trolls are dying out. In our case it has been all upside, no label, no management, no one telling us to wear tight leather pants... perfect. We have lots of music management students at Bucks, do you have any tips for them? Learn how every part of music works or you will suffer. We once had a label person hand us a brand new lip sync edit (one that cut nearly 45 seconds from the song) for a TV show on the day of the performance... four hours from air time. The show had no facility for rehearsal but the real issue was, she couldn't understand what we meant when we told her it was impossible to get it right, having never heard it. It never occurred to her that we couldn't possibly know what we were in for...she just kept saying "but it's your song..." what a f**king idiot. That ended in tears, literally. Which part of the UK are you most excited to visit on tour? Scotland... it just seems to kick ass harder, not sure why. Finally, What’s the best thing about visiting the UK? Marks n' Sparks

F R E S H E R S

B ...IT’SA L L ONLY JUST BEGUN! JAMEELA JAMIL WITH SPECIAL GUESTS

f a R ell d n Ru Bears

ADAM KAY FROM THE

from

ARMATURE TRANSPLANTS

2 e h T

SAT 4 OCT 8PM-4AM THE VENUE

PRIORITY TO WITH WRISTBANDS PRE 10PM. LAST ENTRY 1AM

FOOD STALLS

OUTDOOR SPACES

FREE ENTRY TO BUCKS STUDENTS £5 FOR GUESTS

LAS VEGAS CASINO

PHOTO BOOTH

16 Pre-Freshers Issue

Week 0 21 Sep - 28 Sep

Week 1 29 Sep - 5 Oct

Sunday 21

FRESHERS’ WELCOME

AN INTRODUCTION TO ALL THE BIG NIGHTS

7pm-1am - THE VENUE Until midnight: Snakebite & black - £1.80 | Morgans Spiced Rum & mixer - £2 | Hooch - 2 for £5 All night: Radlers low alcohol Lager -£1.50 Bottled water - £1 | Any draught soft drink (pint) - £1

Monday 22

Tuesday 30

This is not bingo. THIS IS...

#bucksfreshbook Until midnight: Snakebite & black - £1.80 | Morgans Spiced Rum & mixer - £2 | Hooch - 2 for £5 All night: Radlers low alcohol Lager -£1.50 Bottled water - £1 | Any draught soft drink (pint) - £1

4 pint pitchers of Carlsberg/Stongbow/Coors Light/Snakebite - £7 Barefoot Wine (75cl bottle) - £7

Tuesday 23

Thursday 2

Wednesday 24

Carl Donnelly

PAPPYS

4 pint pitchers of Carlsberg/Stongbow/Coors Light/Snakebite - £7 Barefoot Wine (75cl bottle) - £7

Coors Light draught - £2 | Rekorderlig flavours (500ml Btl) - £3 | Red Sta

Thursday 25

Friday 3

TOGA! TOGA! HO S T E D B Y

Until midnight: Snakebite & black - £1.80 | Morgans Spiced Rum & mixer - £2 | Hooch - 2 for £5 All night: Radlers low alcohol Lager -£1.50 Bottled water - £1 | Any draught soft drink (pint) - £1

Friday 26

Saturday 4

Until Midnight: Snakebite & black - £1.80 | Budweiser draught £2 Hooch/Corona/Cubista - 2 for £5 All night: Smirnoff Vodka & Relentless - £2 | Bombs - £1.50 Bols Cocktails - £2.50 - £3.50 | Radlers low alcohol Lager - £1.50 Bottled Water - £1 | Any draught soft drink (pint) - £1

Sunday 28

Sunday 5

Coors Light draught - £2 | Rekorderlig flavours (500ml Btl) - £3 Red Stag & Coke - £2 Tuborg (440ml can) - £2

Saturday 27

Until midnight: Carlsberg - £2 | Gaymers - £2 Smirnoff Vodka Relentless - £2 All night: Radlers low alcohol Lager - £1 | Bottled Water - £1 Any draught soft drink (pint) - £1

1st PRIZE £150 4 pint pitchers of Carlsberg/Stongbow/Coors Light/Snakebite - £7 Barefoot Wine (75cl bottle) - £7

4 pint pitchers of Carlsberg/Stongbow/Coors Light/Snakebite - £7 | Bar

Speed Networking All draught - £2

Range of local, speciality beers!

Wednesday 1

Monday 6

Monday 7

KEG PARTY Until midnight: Snakebite & black - £1.80 | Morgans Spiced Rum & mixer - £2 | Hooch - 2 for £5 All night: Radlers low alcohol Lager -£1.50 Bottled water - £1 | Any draught soft drink (pint) - £1

ag & Coke - £2 Tuborg (440ml can) - £2

4 pint pitchers of Carlsberg/Stongbow/Coors Light/Snakebite - £7 | Barefoot Wine (75cl bottle) - £7

Monday 8

Monday 9

GENTLEMAN S DUB CLUB

och/Corona/Cubista - 2 for £5 cktails - £2.50 - £3.50 | Radlers low alcohol Lager - £1.50

och/Corona/Cubista - 2 for £5 ktails - £2.50 - £3.50 | Radlers low alcohol Lager - £1.50 Bottled Water

refoot Wine (75cl bottle) - £7

Coors Light draught - £2 | Rekorderlig flavours (500ml Btl) - £3 | Red Stag & Coke - £2 Tuborg (440ml can) - £2

Monday 10

Monday 11

Monday 12

Tea Pots of Long Island Iced Tea - £5

4 pint pitchers of Carlsberg/Stongbow/Coors Light/Snakebite - £7 Barefoot Wine (75cl bottle) - £7

Pre-Freshers Issue

Oktoberfest

Week 2 6 Oct - 12 Oct

Monday 29

This is noT bingo. This is...

iT's loud and emoTional. sTay focused.

Play wiTh honour. or Try To cheaT, someTimes ThaT works.

or don'T Play aT all, and jusT ParTy. iT's your choice.

you can win Prizes. They are The sorTs of Things you don'T really Think you'll need

buT when you see Them you will wanT Them more Than anyThing you have ever wanTed in your whole life and if you win Them you will cry and your life will be beTTer.

if you wanT To be ParT of someThing

come Play wiTh us.

The old school bingo communiTy don'T like us.

They Think we are desecraTing Their game.

we're jusT Trying To have fun.

They are mean.

join us.

Tuesday 30 sePTember 8Pm Til laTe - The venue free for bucks sTudenTs ÂŁ3 guesTs

Top Tips.

Pre-Freshers Issue

Tips for Freshers ...or really lost second years

IF YOU GET LOST:

Find someone in an orange polo shirt. Freshers’ Helpers are current students who are on hand during the first two weeks of term. They are a friendly and lively bunch and will all be wearing orange polo-shirts so you really won’t be able to miss them! They are there to welcome you and provide support to assist you in settling into life at Bucks New University and the local community. You will have plenty of time to get to know the Freshers’ Helpers. If you are moving into halls on Sunday 21 September they will be there to help you and show you where the Students’ Union venue is and other general services over the forthcoming fortnight. They will also be running the help desk outside the High Wycombe Gateway building, or in Pulse in Uxbridge, for a one stop shop on all queries, including what’s going on across the week, enrolment etc. The Freshers’ Helpers will be available to advise and give you a helping hand. Some aspects might include: • Pointing you in the right direction - if you are looking for a location on campus or locally. • Offering information about the local area such as supermarket locations, bus and train stations. • Making conversation and introducing you to other Freshers. • Visiting student halls and checking that you have settled in properly. • Taking you to the Students’ Union Venue to meet people and party! • Organising events to enhance your experience of student life and providing you with opportunities to form new friends. • Informing you of recreational activities, events and trips organised by the Students’ Union for you. • Giving you advice on extra sources of information you may need. The Freshers’ Helpers are there to ensure that your experience of Freshers' Fortnight and university life is as memorable as possible. If you have any questions then please don’t be scared to ask - they are there for you!

IF YOU NEED A BUDDY:

YOUR TIPS: "The multi-Faith Chaplaincy hold a stall giving away peoples forgotten or left items. In my Freshers' I managed to bag myself some nice wine glasses, they definitely came in handy!"

"Get involved in everything that the Uni has to offer!"

"If you spend all your money during freshers week you're gonna have a baaad time."

"Enjoy and party while you still can! Come year you won't be partying so much!"

Bucks Students' Union also run a Buddying Scheme whereby current students at Bucks studying similar courses or have an international background support students via email before they arrive at Bucks and throughout the first term. If you don’t yet have a Buddy and would like one, email buddying@bucks.ac.uk for more information and to sign up. To find out more visit bucksstudentsunion.org/ bucksbuddying.

"Put fear and insecurities aside and jump in"

20 Pre-Freshers Issue

Freshers.

Your guide to what you’ll (probably) be doing and how you’ll be feeling over Freshers. Welcome to Bucks! So it’s your first night here in the creepy, worse-than-you-imagined halls; but don’t panic because my guide will maybe put you at ease until you’ve found your feet yourself. It’s not that scary, honest. Sunday 21 September You’ve arrived at halls. Your parents have dropped you off, helped you unpack and bought you mountains of tinned food you’ll probably still have when they pick you up for summer. But what do you do now?

"It was the oddest thing seeing my dad cry..." How you’ll feel: No matter how much you wanted to get away from home this will still be an odd moment for you. You will probably be upset. 2pm Don’t sit in your room alone! Prop your door open and say hi to people, these people in your flat now will almost certainly be your flatmates for the rest of the year. And it is such a relief when the other person says hi first and makes the conversation easier, but why don’t you be that person? If you’re nervous about your fellow first years though, don’t panic, because the Freshers' Helpers – an amazing set of second and third years – will be walking around, as well as your senior residents. How you’ll feel: Nervous? Excited? Still a little upset? Freshers Fortnight is where people make the amazing friends they have throughout uni, so don’t waste time! 6pm This week the pre-drinks start early because the helpers start getting people down to the Students’ Union between 7-9pm. Whatever you’re drinking, use this time to get to know your flatmates! 7-9pm Head down to the Students' Union soon for the Freshers’ Welcome! This week gets pretty busy and you don’t want to be left heading back to halls because the Students' Union was already full… 1am Heading home? Don’t forget to grab some food from Wycombe’s many, many options for the hours you’ll spend chatting with your new friends. How you’ll feel: If all went to plan you’ll feel pleased you decided to come to Bucks.

Monday 22 September 9am If you have to be at uni today make sure you set that alarm clock the night before! How you’ll feel: Rough. 12noon If you haven’t already, make sure you run by the Students' Union between classes and pick up your Freshbook shirt for £2 and hope they’ve got some left. Maybe even send mum an ‘I’m okay’ text, because god knows she’ll be worrying. 8pm Freshbook is starting now so get your shirt ready with an amazing status or a funny nickname and head down to The Venue soon. Oh, and bring a pen – you’ll need it if you want to get that amazing person’s number – or just to deface your friend’s shirts. How you’ll feel: #bucksfreshbook

Tuesday 23 September 5pm That time between classes ending and the evening starting is when you’ll probably miss home most because you’ve got so much downtime. Don’t forget everyone is in the same boat though, so you’re not alone.

"Meet as many people and get involved." 8pm Comedy Central is starting soon, acts don’t start till around 9pm, but get there early because this is a favourite. Oh, and if you sit at the front, expect to be asked questions at your expense. How you’ll feel: Your sides will hurt from the hilarious comedians.

How to Toga

1. Hold one corner above one shoulder.

Wednesday 24 September 12pm For the students who’ll be learning over at Uxbridge, your Fresher’s Fair starts now and runs until 3pm, so you can still see what societies and sports Bucks has to offer. Don’t miss it! Wycombers – your fair is Thursday. Don’t panic! 8pm TOGA! TOGA! TOGA! I think this is the event everyone looks forward to. First Frat House of the year and who doesn’t want to pretend they’re at an American uni? I know I do. So get your bedsheet and your (new) stapler and make yourself a costume to be proud of. The first of many.

2. Pass the other corner underneath your other arm.

How you’ll feel: Excited! This is what university nightlife is supposed to be! Beer Pong! Costumes! Fun!

Thursday 25 September 10am The High Wycombe Freshers' Fair starts now and runs until 4pm so find some time to check out all the stalls, events and free stuff they have to offer. So much free stuff…

3. Go round the body twice, be sure its tight.

8pm Freshers' Festival is a collaboration of two incredible nights - Juke and Crash. Juke is the Students' Union’s brand new Indie/Alternative night and Crash is our resident Rock/Metal night. Don’t expect acts on till late, but honestly, they’re worth staying up past your bedtime for.

Friday 26 September 4pm Your first week of Freshers' is over! But don’t cry because here at Bucks its two weeks of madness, not one, and it is going to be great! Hopefully you’ve made so many new friends all over the University and you don’t hate your classes yet. Wait until third year for that ;)

Other events to watch out for: Enrolment - different times for everyone, but so important! Don’t miss this or you might not get your student finance on time. Oktoberfest - a yearly Freshers' event. Lederhosen, a brass band, cool free hats and a beer stein. Always a popular event. Get there in good time.

4. Double knot both corners on the shoulder.

The Big Quiz - hosted by the infamous Tom Badger. You'll have the chance to win much needed money, so watch out for that! Freshers' Ball - a big finale to your first ever Freshers' Fortnight. Dress smart but be prepared for a messy night. It kicks off early and goes on till late, very late.

How you’ll feel: Ready for your first proper weekend at Bucks? You should be! 9pm Your first Soap night is just beginning. Theme: Neon Hall Wars. Dress in the appropriate colour and watch your step on the UV paint / snakebite mix. That is not how you want to end this week…

"I convinced a couple of girls I was an ordained priest and married them."

5. Fasten securely, accessorise fabulously.

Post Venue food - Charlie’s or Dennis’ food vans on the high street and pick your favourite. Us Bucks students like to choose a side! So that’s it from me for now. Hopefully all this information has given you some idea of how we work at Bucks and if not, you’ll find out soon anyway. Don’t forget to use Facebook to find your soon-to-be flatmates and course-mates and enjoy.

Pre-Freshers Issue

Cassie Fletcher @Cassie_Fletch Third Year Performing Arts

22 Pre-Freshers Issue

Stay safe.

Fire Safety

WOOL 2280 COTTON 4070

BURNS AT

NYLON 4240 CIGARETTE UP TO 7800

SAFETY TIPS

IGNITION TEMPERATURE

PAPER 2180

You will all be thinking about settling into your new homes for the next year and learning what you can and can’t do. Whilst you are in halls (especially Brook Street) you may experience an early morning rise due to a fire alarm being set off. It’s not always on purpose however, it can be quite easily done. So, to avoid being the one that everyone dislikes for the next couple of weeks for waking them up, these are some of the things you should avoid:

• cooking with dirty/greasy grills and ovens the pain of every student’s life, having to clean but it is essential and doing it more often will make it an easier task • unattended cooking which then burns • no sneaking away whilst cooking, you can survive without your phone for a bit so don’t ruin your dinner • using hair spray or deodorant spray near to bedroom smoke sensor • the smoke alarms are very sensitive aresoles can set them off, but it is all for your own safety • smoking in halls (This is against the law) • smoking outside is a better way to get to meet other people so don’t miss out on the chance to make a few new friends if you are a smoker. • using candles or joss sticks (this is prohibited in halls).

Fingers crossed this is never something that you have to do, however it’s best to be on the safe side. In the event of a fire, you should follow this series of steps: 1. Operate the nearest fire alarm. 2. Leave the building by the nearest exit. 3. Report to the nearest assembly point 4. Do not use the lift 5. Do not take any risks 6. Do not re-enter the building until the portable air horns have been sounded three times to give the all clear. We all hope that this is not something that you ever have to put into action and that you have minimal fire alarm wake up calls this year when at halls. Nobody likes standing outside in the winter for an unnecessary reason if it can be avoided.

So, for all of you romantics at heart, you are going to have to stick to rose petals rather than a candlelight dinner

INTRODUCTION TO VOLUNTEERING AND RAG For more info email: jane.bower@bucks.ac.uk

As much as a fire extinguisher does make a good door stop; they shouldn’t be removed as this could cause more harm in the long run, as they are heavy pieces of equipment. And as unattractive the smoke sensors can be, you cannot decorate them or cover them because it’ll cause you more hassle in the long run and it is also a criminal offence to do so. You don’t want your first year in university to end badly, it’s the time to enjoy yourself and make the most of being away from home.

Find out how to get involved and what’s on offer! High Wycombe Tuesday 30 September 2-3pm Uxbridge Friday 3 October 1-2pm

YOU’VE GOT MORE TO GIVE THAN YOU THINK...

25 new things from your favourite students' union Not content with our “Top 25” league position, Bucks Students’ Union is always trying to improve and be better for you. Every day the Students' Union are working towards supporting the experiences of the membership. For those returning students there are a few things you’ll notice have changed over the summer break. And for those newbies to Bucks you can understand why everyone is talking about these new changes. Here’s just a few things, big and small, to look out for from September:

• We have introduced the chance of being paid for writing an article for “The

• We’ve bought two new mini-buses so our members have a more reliable,

•

• • • • • • • • • • •

• • •

comfortable ride. There’s a new extended menu in The Lounge - Including pizza (eat in or take away), hot puddings and roast of the day. We’ve introduced exciting international volunteering opportunities working with charities abroad. Rusty’s will be open for 24/7 during term time. Brand new website to check out at bucksstudentsunion.org. We have a tasty new Sandwich range from "Urban Eats" for Beats, Pulse and Rusty’s. A new, free, Bucks Students' Union phone app will be launched soon to help you keep up with everything that’s going on. We’ve repainted the Students' Union venue! There’s a new early continental Breakfast offer from 6am till 9.30am in Rusty’s - three items for £3.50! We are launching a new TV channel, driven exclusively by content generated by our members. New "Healthy Eats Bar" in Pulse, with Fresh Fruit, dried fruit, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. In line with our strategic plan we have recruited several new staff at the Students' Union, from people working in social media to business development alongside training and development and research – we are now even better equipped to make your experience at university better. By popular demand the Sandwich Meal deal returns to Beats, Rusty’s and Pulse. “Freebie Fridays" - watch out for free offers across all cafes. We really improved the outdoor space at the Students' Union venue so you can enjoy “Al-fresco” dining during the day and use it as a beer garden at night.

ACTIVITIES WEEK WORK. PLAY

SUCCEED

Bucks Student”

• Beats is now open from 8am. • We have gained brilliant new work-space and created a new look in the •

• • •

• •

Students' Union office including a greater area for students to collaborate and develop their ideas. There’s a brand new look for the “Frat House” with new décor, new ‘Punch cocktail’ and plenty of new American attributes coming to Bucks. Our regular International event “Globetrotters” is back, it’s the chance to experience different cultures, food and events from around the world – all for free! As well as a range of excellent new drinks deals in the bars, as a result of customer feedback we are now stocking a low alcohol lager to help you enjoy the evening responsibly. The Bucks Award - working with Mark Sweeney to develop a new award to create engagement with all areas of the Students’ Union and reward individuals against an individual accreditation scheme. We've launched buckshire.co.uk, a small events and equipment hire business contracting out everything from bar staff to temporary bars, from DJ rigs to huge inflatable domes. The project will not only help deliver new income streams that we can invest in the student experience at Bucks but it will give our members great opportunities for part time work in industries relevant to their degrees. International volunteering we will be promoting international volunteering to our students to help develop their skills. Lastly, we have Juke the new neighbour to Crash, first Saturday of every month. Playing your favourite Indie / Alternative / Modern / Classic tracks! Juke also hosts the Freshers' Festival (first Thursday of freshers fortnight!)

If all that doesn’t get you excited for a new term at Bucks then hopefully the classic nights out and activities will do. There are loads of great elements coming to Bucks Students’ Union this year and this is just the start. So make the most of every opportunity you can get for free courtesy of The Big Deal. These are all part of the reason why Bucks Students’ Union is #buckssuMoreThanABar

17 - 21 NOVEMBER For a list of events visit bucksstudentsunion.org/activitiesweek

Pre-Freshers Issue

What’s new for you?

Your Union.

24 Pre-Freshers Issue

Featured Society.

Bucks Musicians Society

Last year was a very eventful year for the Musicians Society here at Bucks New University. The society began the year with a modest membership, having only formed towards the end of 2012-2013 academic year, but 2013-2014 saw the societyexceeding all expectations to achieve gold accreditation. When the word got out that a society existed in which musicians of any sort, guitarists, singers, drummers, and harpists, could network with each other, numbers swelled. It meant that musicians now had a means of collectively organising events and setting up projects. This was a collaborative effort from everyone involved, not just the musicians but the event organisers, the marketing team and the members who came to watch with friends. This all helped the society successfully set up performance opportunities throughout the year. The society participated in several charitable fundraising activities, including ‘Raise and Give’ (showcasing a Busk Stop” - see right, where anyone could come and perform) and ‘Movember’ (where we provided musicians and performers). The society also participated in last year’s Bucks Live event, providing acoustic performances in the morning and a full band in the afternoon. However, the event which the society is most recognised from is “The Main Event”. This started two years ago when a collection of first year students wanted an opportunity to showcase their talents to the entire university. It was actually this desire and this event which led to the formation of the society. The diversity of the music was impressive and a house band was created to provide live music for all of the different genres showcased. Mikill Pane was hired to headline with a live band and the turnout was astounding. Everyone really enjoyed the atmosphere, and the music was an instant hit with the crowd. This event was then repeated last year with Cartaè headlining. Again the reception was superb both with the crowd and performers emitting a mass of positive energy. This year the society returns with plans to excel once again. A new committee consisting of Pooja Vatsa as Chairwoman, Eddie Pocock as Vice Chairman, Ellie Brogan as Secretary and Ndomupei Docherty as Treasurer will now head the society as it soars to new heights. The Busk Stop is planning to return to RAG with an even bigger roster of artists and variety of musicians, the aim being to raise even more money for charity than the £149.25 raised previously. Collaborations with other societies are in the making with plans for not only performance opportunities but also potential trips and miscellaneous events. Many events and opportunities will arise throughout the year as people contact the society for the vast array of professional musicians and performers it offers. Finally, the society plans to continue its tradition of organising “The Main Event” in the final term, aiming to make the show even bigger and better than before. The society offers even more than just opportunities for events. It also offers the opportunity to meet fellow musicians, to network, to set up new bands and make new friends. It is a great place to increase your skillsets, expand your repertoire, and even discover a new passion. However, none of this is possible without you. Your membership and involvement is the only thing that makes all of this possible. So should you be a musician, event organiser, marketing expert, graphic designer or even just a big fan of music please come along to our Freshers' Fair stall and check us out. The society will be providing musical entertainment during the event so feel free to come and introduce yourself and maybe even come and join in! facebook.com/bucksmusicsoc youtube.com/channel/UCCQjnDrYdfrhHcysApBSE3g

See them live: Wed 24 Sep Rose Garden

See them live: Thu 25 Sep The Venue

Pre-Freshers Issue

Eddie Pocock Third Year Music and Audio Production

26 Pre-Freshers Issue

Societies.

Chloe Whitelock

Join the Adventure:

Gaming Society

Hello future Freshers of Bucks New Uni! We are Bucks New Uni Gaming Society, with our main focus for the society ranging from table tops and role play games, to video game events and Magic the Gathering. If any of those take your fancy, then we are the society for you! As a society, we are always trying to find new ways to bring something different to the society, and this academic year will be no different! One thing we are all very excited about within the society is our 24 hour gaming event, which will be held to raise money for the charity Childs Play, which raises funds to give terminally ill kids the opportunity to access the next generation consoles and games. During this event we will have a variety of gaming events taking place, so we are all very excited for that. This event has been very successful in the past and this year we are hoping to raise even more and make it bigger than ever! We are ever expanding within our field of table top games, from Warhammer to Cards against Humanity. As of this year we are going to be expanding even further, bringing in some exciting new things we havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t had as part of the society before. In the past our table tops have been slightly limited, however this year we will be expanding even further to bring you what we feel is a vast variety of gaming. As well as being very big on table tops, we are also very big on our Role Playing games. These are games where we sit around in a group and allow ourselves to be immersed in a pre-made world with our own twists. From Dungeons and Dragons to Traveller, we have something to suit everyone!

Something that was suggested to us by the members of the society was to make console gaming more accessible. With this in mind, we will be organising console events in regular occurrence within the society this year, ranging from Wii tournaments such as Smash Bros Brawl and Mario Kart, to Street Fighter and much more! We are also getting extremely excited to expand our 3DS community with the upcoming release of Super Smash Bros for Nintendo 3DS as well as the remakes of PokĂŠmon Ruby and Sapphire! With these games being released, it is a great way to expand our console gaming and tournaments this academic year. We have a big 3DS gaming community, ranging from games such as PokĂŠmon and Smash Bros to Animal Crossing New Leaf, so there is something for everyone. We also run events in the field of Magic the Gathering, such as drafting and pre-releases, events that allow players to access new formats of playing and new cards as each set is available. These events occur four times a year, giving players as much exposure to the game as we possibly can! If any of these interests apply to you, sign up at fresher's fair for more information, where we can help you find the kind of gaming that suits you! Hope to see you during Freshers'!

Bucks Event Society can offer you the chance to gain licenses and qualifications like a Personal License, SIA License and an Emergency First Aid at work qualification. Along the options to visit local venues and hearing from experienced event managers throughout the year. There is the potential opportunity to get involved with music festivals and the chance of organising a Bucks Music Tour. The Event Soc is also here to help not just Events students, but everyone at Bucks who wants to organize or run events and even work at festivals over summer. It is the chance to develop any passion within the events industry whether it be for a full time career purpose or even if it's just a hobby. The new committee has recently taken over and we are looking to establish the society even further in the coming year. This year we will not only be focusing on working hard but also playing hard to organise socials for all of our members. It is all just a bit fun to unite everyone and is a good chance to get to know one another a little better.

EvEnt Soc

Along with the rebranding the committee has been incredibly busy lately. Myself, Emily and Fabio have been working at festivals all summer, including Glastonbury, Latitude, Reading and Leeds, Boomtown, Secret Garden Party, Tomorrowland, Download and many more. This has helped us to develop possible partnerships with organisers to get Event Soc members down to volunteer at some of the UK’s biggest festivals next year. If getting muddy and a mosh pit isn’t your thing, then don’t worry – there’s something for everyone. We have a local partnership with the High Wycombe Roundtable Fireworks display every year and get regular emails asking for help from different events all the time. Event Soc doesn’t purely focus on festivals and is open to all different types of events, especially getting more involved with The Students’ Union. We will be at Freshers' Fair and around during Freshers' Fortnight; so come join us, after all you’ve got nothing to lose by becoming a member. You can also check us out through our website or various social media outlets. Myself and the committee look forward to seeing you soon.

Interested in Politics?

Join the BNU Conservative Society Jean-Luke Laister

Are you that person who, on a night out after a drink or two, brings up the state of the economy? Or instead of looking for a confrontation with another rowdy drinker, looks for an easy target to take on an intense political debate with? Let’s face it, in those situations no one is ever a winner!

It has also allowed two of our own members to be selected to stand as Conservative Councillors for the Wycombe District Council in the 2015 local elections, two of five candidates chosen by the party to stand in the area are under 24.

The Buckinghamshire New University Conservative Society meet on a regular basis, not only to discuss politics but also to socialise and network with some of the political greats. In the last year alone the Conservative Society has had the chance to meet the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, at the Carlton Club in London. As well as the privilege of a private meet and greet with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Ian Duncan Smith; who visited the University last winter. The BNUCS is associated with the local Wycombe Conservative Party, headed up by local MP, Steve Baker. This partnership has allowed the society to travel to places such as Newark and Harrow to help campaign, sometimes with chauffeur driven transport thanks to Mr Baker himself. The society has also been given a private tour of the Houses of Parliament, including behind the scenes access to MPs offices and a debate in one of the member’s chambers chaired by Steve Baker.

With the 2015 general election in May fast approaching, this coming year is a perfect time for those who wish to improve their campaigning skills to get involved. According to a number of sources, Boris Johnson is quite likely to stand in Uxbridge as their local MP and the society will be more than happy to help him in his bid. Whether we like it or not, it is difficult to pass each day without politics affecting some aspect of our lives. The Conservative Society is about connecting new and experienced people to politics on a local and national level, while also creating a thriving social atmosphere. For more information on the society, please visit our Facebook page: facebook.com/BNUConservatives and visit us at the High Wycombe or Uxbridge Freshers' Fairs.

Pre-Freshers Issue

Glenn Gridley @tumblrcookies Second Year Event and Festival Management

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Featured Sport.

American Football BNU BUCCANEERS

American football is one of the fastest-growing university sports in the United Kingdom (the number of people playing the sport in the UK has doubled over the last three years). The British Universities American Football League (BUAFL) supports more than 60 teams, over 3,500 players and coaches from 46 countries around the world. But our team – the BNU Buccaneers – are one of the best organisations in the BUAFL! American football is a great sport that combines the power needed to deliver a big hit, the finesse and speed needed to catch a ball, the strategy required to second guess the opposition and stop them in their tracks and most importantly, the will and desire that gives you the edge over the competition. An American football team is made up of many positions and requires a range of player builds and skill sets to succeed. The vast majority of our first year players have never played the sport before, and thus everybody starts at the same level. Our team caters for all abilities and we are looking to recruit heavily for the coming season and build on the success of recent years. The club will provide all the equipment you need and our experienced coaches – who have played the sport at the highest level in the UK - will teach you everything you need to know to improve your skills. They are also willing to go the extra mile to help you become an elite athlete, doing things such as setting up fitness regimes during the offseason and setting up a training camp at the beginning of the season. Training camp is a great weekend that will vastly improve your ability as a player and helps the team bond. Whether you are a complete beginner or an experienced veteran you are always welcome to come and enjoy the game. Any shape, any size, there is always a position for you. Prove yourself as a Buccaneer and you may even have a chance to represent Great Britain. I can guarantee that this season will be a successful one. The BNU Buccaneers are one of the most closely knit sport teams at Bucks New University, and welcome any new people into our family, the people who are part of the Buccaneers are some of the nicest people you will ever meet! Our socials are pretty awesome; some of them are about dressing up as superheroes, whereas others involve socialising with other teams and societies. The opportunities are endless when you are part of a sports team due to the support which Bucks Students' Union offers for all training and fixtures are free. The main event on the social calendar is tour - the best four days abroad you’ll ever experience. Being a Buccaneer means that if you need help with anything non-uni related someone will always be willing to put themselves out and help you with whatever needs doing. It is the family away from home that will stick with you no matter what.

"one of the most closely knit sport teams at Bucks" I will finish by saying that joining the American football society was one of the greatest choices I made during Fresher’s Fortnight (in all honesty, not a lot of great choices were made during that week, but nonetheless) and if you choose to join this sport team then it will not be a decision that you regret. If you have played this sport before you will know how good it actually is, and if you haven’t then just give it a shot - and like me - you will realise how awesome it can be! Come and find us at our Freshers' Fair stall or on a night out and you won’t regret it.

Pre-Freshers Issue

Matt Draper Second Year Policing

Human Table Football Netball | Table Tennis FIFA Tournament

THE VENUE | 12NOON - 4pm

FRIDAY 26 SEPTEMBER T-shirt, pint glass and key ring for just £7!

30 Pre-Freshers Issue

Sport. Chris Johnson @chris_d_johnson Event and Festival Management

BNU Men's Hockey Needs You! We are looking for people who would like to play for our team starting this September. As a team we offer first class coaching through our links with High Wycombe Hockey Club and also provide the chance for you to compete at the weekend for Wycombe Hockey team, as well as a Wednesday afternoon for the University which means you'll compete against other university teams across the county. Our team thrashed our local rivals Roheampton Uni at Varsity this year winning 12-2 even when taking our goal keeper off for the second half. This show the strength of the men’s hockey at Bucks, we have had players with no experience join to players who play for teams all around the country, so your skill level doesn't matter to us as long as you want to play. As professional as we are on the pitch, it is completely different story off the pitch. We have socials every Wednesday where some of the best university memories will be made; having different themes each week, dressing up as different characters all in the name of good fun ...and we haven't even mention tour yet! A week in Salou with all your team-mates, nice beaches, beautiful weather and meet people from other universities are just a few things to look forward too. You will also drink, party and bond with the girl's hockey team, as we are one big hockey family. So if you think hockey is the sport for you whilst at University or even if you just to come to our socials, come find us at the Freshers' Fair or search for us on Facebook, where myself and our captain will be able to give you more information about training, matches and socials. Look forward to seeing you join our team in September.

Jean-Luke Laister Second year Accounting and Finance

Rowing Club: Recruiting Now The picturesque settings of the Thames in Marlow is the starting point for anyone interested in rowing or coxing for the Buckinghamshire New University Rowing Club. The sport is open to anyone who wants to give it a try and the club has a great record when it comes to training new oarsmen and oarswomen. In fact, half of the members competing in the winning Marlow Town Regatta squad were Freshers with no previous rowing experience before university. The club is based at the nearby Marlow Rowing Club, just south of High Wycombe. Marlow RC was established in 1871 and has since produced Olympic rowers such as Sir Steve Redgrave, so new members can be sure they’ve come to the right place. The club is split into two crews, the competitive squad and the recreational squad. The competitive crew has a limited number of places but train more frequently on the water at Marlow and come the rowing season, enter a number of regatta races culminating in the BUCS Regatta in May. The Recreational Squad is part of the Students’ Union’s Sports For Fun programme and welcomes any new members

who are looking to break into the competitive squad in the future, or who just want to escape university studies and row on the Thames on a Sunday afternoon. Both crews have the option to train together during the week including a run in the nearby Rye Woods or Hughenden Manor Park as well as other sessions. For those that are interested in joining the club, but not so keen on rowing, there are spaces available to be trained as coxes for the competitive crews. Coxes steer the boat, shout orders to the crew and provide motivation during races. If you are light, with a loud voice and enjoy telling people what to do, we want to hear from you! The club also enjoy great socials which are open to both squads as well as social members. These socials range from weekly nights out on a Wednesday to celebrating the end of the year at Henley Royal Regatta. For more information visit our facebook page: facebook.com/BNURowing, email: rowing@bucks.ac.uk, or come and see us at the High Wycombe or Uxbridge Freshers' Fairs.

I like to ride my

'Buckscycle' Bucks Cycle Society is now up and running for real! This society is a great chance for Freshers to see the more scenic side to High Wycombe and the surrounding areas, as well as meet new people and get fit whilst having fun. Weekly ride sessions will be held for all, whether cross country, mountain biking or flat out road cycling, riders of all kinds will get exactly what they want out of this society. We have an equal mix of mountain bikers and road cyclists so everyone can get involved, even more so now as Sport For Fun were successful in securing their Sport England Activation Fund bid of £96,000. This is how our society, amongst others, is funded. Consequently, this year we will have 15 new bikes for students to use and for our society to book out for those who may not have their bike at University or for those who want to try something new. There will also be the chance to try out different styles of riding as there will be a mixture of mountain bikes and road bikes on offer. We also have two drivers that will be capable of driving the Union's minibuses so we are not tied down to cycling in Wycombe. Aston Hill, Aylesbury, is a fantastic mountain biking park and Milton Keynes have some great track cycling facilities too! Not to mention the possibility of weekends away in places like Coed-yBrenin, Wales, which is an amazing place for all types of cycling. We will also look into signing up as a group to big charity events such as “London to Brighton” and “London to Paris”. When you sign up to the society you will be added to the closed Facebook group where comments and events will be posted about the weekly ride, meet location, distance and duration. Also on here you will see products that other riders recommend, cheap and affordable gear and advice if needed.

At this year’s Freshers’ Fair you will see one stall with a mountain bike and a road bike beside it. You've guessed it, that will be us! Come along and sign up - whether you only want to try one ride or if you want to be serious and work to improve your skills, everyone is welcome. I am receiving skills and training towards my coaching qualification, have been riding mountain bikes for ten years and road cycling for a few years also, so I would like to believe we are all in safe hands.

Our first group ride on Sunday 28 September We will hold our first group ride on Sunday 28 September, the first weekend of Freshers’ Fortnight. It will be a great opportunity to get to know fellow cyclists and try out a taster session. We will aim for a decent length road ride followed by a shorter mountain bike ride for those who are interested. After this, we will decide on which day is best for our weekly rides. Don’t worry if you can’t always make the rides though, as often we will organise spontaneous rides. In this case, a message would be posted on the Facebook group in advance. So, make sure you come along during Freshers’ Fair and say hello. There will be some videos, photos and bikes for everyone to look at, any questions will be answered and suggestions will be noted. All our riders are mixed abilities, no one will be left behind and as a team we will help each other improve and achieve our goals, if to get fitter or faster either way it will be great fun!

Pre-Freshers Issue

Jacob Underwood Third Year Furniture

Sport for Fun.

Freshers’ Fair

Uxbridge - 24 Sep, 12noon-3pm, Room 1.02 and 1.04 High Wycombe - 25 Sep, 10am-4pm, Gateway Building Sign up to our amazing sports teams and societies plus loads of freebies from companies such as:

Transport for Bucks

Endsleigh Insurance

Now TV

intu Uxbridge

Domino’s

Wilkinson’s