Extracurricular activities – Undergraduate Blog

My L’Oreal journey so far!

By Sophie Ruston, BA Business Management

My journey started in my second year when I attended an ‘Assertiveness & Self Confidence Skills Session’ on the 14th November ran by L’Oreal at the Student’s Union. It was advertised as an on-campus evening where I was able to get hints and tips on how to tackle their applications. It wasn’t until I turned up that they told us they would be running a mock assessment centre with the chance to be ‘talent spotted’ and fast-tracked to the final stage of their application!

Around a week later I received an email invitation to their final stage assessment centre in London, exactly a month on from the initial event (14th December). I straight away began researching the company, the brands and preparing for the day. 48 hours before, we received an information deck through with lots of information on potential new Kiehl’s skincare products, our job was to prepare a 20 minute presentation on which product to launch, why, and our omni-channel launch plan.

Fast-forward through 2 days of intense planning and presentation preparing which included analysing data from a survey of my Facebook friends, I was at the assessment centre and presenting to the Head of Digital for L’Oréal’s skincare division. Following the presentation, we were split into groups to take part in a group task which built on the Kiehl’s project, and then completed a numerical and literacy test. Next was lunch and a chance to chat to the current interns and ask questions about their experience and what a placement at L’Oreal was like first hand. After lunch, there was a daunting ‘cut’ where they sent home applicants who hadn’t progressed to the afternoon which then consisted of an attention to detail test, a virtual reality meeting scenario and an individual interview with a senior member of staff.

After successfully gaining a place on the placement scheme, I started on the 25th June 2018 as an ‘E-Retail Intern’ in the Active Cosmetics Division. My role consisted of:

Communicating with online retailers to assist with account management and relationship building.
Collating, reporting and analysing sales results, tracking market trends and promotion results
Ensuring all product launches were planned and executed across e-retailers accurately from start to finish
Creating campaign focused assets for website banners, brand pages and social media posts to encourage uplifts in sales, ‘win on the web’ and increase brand awareness.

As much as I got stuck into my day-to-day role, and after an adjustment period, really enjoyed what the job entailed, it was all the other activities I got involved with whilst on placement which made the year so special! I was part of the intern netball team which played weekly matches against other teams around Hammersmith e.g. against the Disney interns. This was a really great chance to meet up with some of the other interns which I didn’t work with, and find out more about their roles in other parts of the business. With over 100 interns across Marketing, Commercial, Finance, Supply and more from 36 brands and 4 divisions, every intern has a totally different role and experience.

Being part of such a large, international company also meant there were occasions where I was able to get involved with corporate events, such as an event at the house of commons, “for Women in Science”, attended by MP’s, Lords and successful business people. This opportunity to represent L’Oréal at such a significant annual event filled me with pride, and also gave me experience networking with individuals outside of the business. I was also involved with charity and corporate social responsibility initiatives within the Head Office, such as selling raffle tickets, working at product sales and volunteering with disadvantaged children in the community.

All in all, my placement year provided me with such a vast array of experiences, I learnt A LOT, developed massively as an individual, but more than anything had such a fantastic time. I enjoyed it so much, that I even stayed at L’Oréal over the summer and completed another internship in a totally separate role, just so I could gain further insight into the business! I have met friends for life, and am back in London at least once a month, I just can’t wait to be back there full time in January 2021 on their Commercial Management Trainee graduate scheme.

International Summer Placement

By Jamie Taylor, BA Business Management

Over the summer of 2019, I decided to do something with my time to make a difference! I would be spending 6 weeks out in Indonesia working towards making the world a better place!

My placement was with an organisation called ‘AIESEC’ that focuses on achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s), my project was called ‘E-Millennials’ and this targeted ‘SDG 8’- ‘Decent Work and Economic Growth’. The main aim of the project was to promote ‘Entrepreneurship and Eco-tourism’ throughout Indonesia and make a difference to help improve people’s lives.

There were 11 other people in my project team, and this gave our team a real diversity with us all being from different countries from around the world including: China, India, Egypt and Canada just to name a few. There was a belief in what we were all trying to achieve, with us all working together towards the same goal! The project was split up into 3 main components that consisted of ‘School Visits’, ‘Company Visits’ and finally an ‘Eco-Tourism Consultancy Project’ on Tidung island (island off the coast of Jakarta).

School Visits

The School visits were so rewarding as it gave me the opportunity to educate and engage with the Indonesian youth about the SDG’s as well as finding out what their future career ambitions were. Of course, I needed a translator as my Bahasa (Indonesian language) wasn’t the best but ‘Google Translate’ quickly became my new best friend. I had some really positive discussions with the students, and it was great to hear about their different opinions and perspectives!

Company Visits

I had the opportunity to visit a number of companies in Jakarta. This resulted in me waking up at 5am and having to catch a 2-hour train but it allowed me to experience what the Indonesian daily commute was like. To give some context, think of the London Underground at rush hour and times that by five!

Some of the companies that I visited were Nutrifood (Indonesian Healthy Food Manufacturer) as well as Qlausa (Digital marketing agency) these were great learning experiences and gave me the chance to spend time with industry professionals. I found it particularly beneficial to analyse the differences between businesses in the UK and Indonesia.

Visiting Unilever Indonesia was a fantastic experience and it was insightful to learn about all of the Indonesian brands and take part in a brand activation exercise. However, visiting the in-house Magnum Café was definitely a highlight! I highly recommend trying out one of the milkshakes- delicious!

Tourism Consultancy Project

For the final stage of the project I spent a week on Tidung Island. The real value of this trip was to experience the Eco-Tourism opportunities on the island and to give feedback on them to the tourism board. Highlights included, the Coral Reef Restoration Program, the Mangrove Plantation and the Snorkelling trip! At the end of the week I had to give a presentation to the local committee and produce a ‘SWOT analysis’ of tourism on the island!

Overall, this was a fantastic experience and a rewarding way to spend my summer. I would highly recommend AIESEC to anyone as they have programs all around the world and you will be sure to find one that best suits your interest!

‘Go out there and do something that will make your future-self proud’

Spiderwalk 2019

By Natalia Tsenova, BA Business Management

It is not a surprise that our Students’ Union has been ranked 1st in the country for 10 years in a row, from 2009 to 2018, by Times Higher Education. You name it, our SU will most likely have it. From Sheffield Volunteering to over 350 clubs and societies, there are close to an infinite number of opportunities to engage in university life, beyond the content of your degree, and make your experience in Sheffield more interesting and memorable.

Such an opportunity that has contributed towards a great start of my second year has been volunteering at Spiderwalk 2019. The spiderwalk is an annual 13 mile hike at night, organised by Sheffield RAG and it is one of the many fundraising events that Sheffield RAG (Raising and Giving) holds throughout the year to raise money for different charities. The aftermath of Spiderwalk 2019 is unbelievable – over £10 000 raised for four charities, which you can get more information about on the event’s Facebook page.

In the next lines, I will give you a glimpse of what it was like to participate in Spiderwalk 2019.

On the day of Spiderwalk, all of the volunteers were instructed to be at the SU a couple of hours before the event. We were given a 10-page detailed description of the track and a set of instructions on what to do in different situations. As stewards, our main responsibilities were to make sure our group followed the map and to help in case any of the participants were injured.

Once we were allocated to our groups, it was time for hiking. In the beginning, the route was quite flat, as can be expected with our starting point being the Students’ Union, followed by Eccy Road and Endcliffe Park. As we continued walking, the terrain changed quickly and soon, we were in the peaks, breathing heavily and covered in mud. However, unlike my initial expectations, I was enjoying this more than I thought I would. The whole group was having fun, we were laughing and talking all the time and it was great to have such nice people to share this experience with.

The half-point was Whirlow Hall Farm – a beautiful farm in Sheffield and one of the charities that participants in Spiderwalk raised money for. The atmosphere was amazing: live music, good food and a lot of friendly people enjoying the night. We stayed there long enough to warm ourselves and to gather energy for our return journey. This time the route was designed to take us to the SU through Sheffield’s streets. And to be honest, a 6.5-mile walk on Sheffield’s roads is as equally tiring as a 6.5-mile hike in Sheffield’s peaks. Both are hilly, very hilly at some points :).

By the time our group reached the SU, it was already thirty minutes past midnight. I remember going home with my legs hurting, but my soul cheering. It was one of the best nights I have had since the beginning of this academic year and I could not have been happier to have decided to volunteer in the first place.

Thankfully, events like this happen very often in our Students’ Union. Explore the different opportunities the SU offers and enrich your student experience. You will not regret it and who knows, I might see you at Spiderwalk 2020.

How to make the most of freshers’ week!

By James Dylag, BA Business Management

Freshers’ week is one of the most ‘hyped-up’ events in every student’s calendar. There are so many things going on it can be overwhelming; this post is all about making your week as fun as possible.

In Intro Week and the first week of term, the Students’ Union hosts loads of events, like the freshers’ fair. This is an event held on campus and is massively popular with all students. At the fair, you’ll find stands occupied by loads of different companies (Domino’s, Nandos, and ASOS are regulars), who will be giving out loads of freebies and hosting different games to take part in (often with prizes). Freshers’ fair is ideal for a day out with your new flatmates, and maybe even a way to get your hands on some store cupboard essentials! The freshers’ fair is usually held in the Octagon Centre, right next door to the Students Union. You can find out what events are being held this year by clicking here.

Another thing you can do during freshers’ week is get to know your university clubs and societies, and you can do this by attending the club and society fair during freshers’ week. Joining societies is a great way to get involved in extra-curricular activities and expand your group of friends. Societies usually have a small fee to join (mostly they’re around £5), but after joining you’ll be invited to all events hosted by the society. Find a list of societies at Sheffield here.

During freshers’ week, it is inevitable that you’re going to end up on a few nights out. Moving to a new city, you might not be massively clued up on where to go. A safe bet is to look towards your new Students Union. At Sheffield, we’re lucky enough to have an SU that puts on loads of club nights during freshers’ week (and all year round) – these are a great place to meet fellow freshers, get to know campus and the safe bet to have a good night. If a night out isn’t your thing, there’s still loads to do – the SU has its own cinema, and this year is hosting its own street food market!

I hope this post has been useful and answered some questions you might have had about freshers’ week, but most importantly… remember to enjoy it!

What I’ll miss the most about Sheffield

By Eloise Howard, BA Business Management with Employment Experience

It’s sadly come to that time, after four incredible years at Sheffield University, where I have to say goodbye! Here are some of the things that I will miss the most about lovely Sheffield!

The people!

As soon as I came to look around on my open day, I knew Sheffield was the place for me as everyone at the university was so warm and welcoming. Over the past four years I’ve met my best friends, who I’ve been lucky enough to be able to live with each year. University is the perfect place to meet loads of people from all different backgrounds and walks of life, and it’s so easy to find people that have similar interests, as you can make friends with coursemates but also meet people through societies or volunteering.

Not only have I made friends for life in Sheffield, I’ve had many inspiring lecturers that have opened my eyes and taught me about the real world of business and how everything we learn can be applied to the real world. They have also introduced me to exciting new spaces in business management, such as organisational psychology.

The city

Sheffield is a beautiful city that has many perks for students. The nightlife is very fun and cheap, and there’s a night that suits everyone, whether you’re into indie, pop, dance or rock music. There are so many hidden gems around the city waiting to be found, with little independent coffee shops, boutique vintage stores and quirky bars dotted around the backstreets of the city. Kelham Island is one of my favourite areas in Sheffield, previously known as a manufacturing site, which has now evolved into a fun area with lots of alternative new bars, night markets and shops.

Despite the multiple hills that take a toll on your legs, you can also see some incredible views – I would definitely recommend taking a trip to Bole Hill to watch the sunset! Not only this, the Peak District is right on your doorstep, offering some stunning scenery when you want to escape the city.

University

I couldn’t have asked for a better experience at University. Throughout my time here, I have received excellent support from my tutors and have had the opportunity to study exciting new topics in my area of study that have been engaging and challenged the way I view the world. In first year I was a dual student studying French and Business Management, however I knew that this wasn’t the right choice for me. With my personal tutor’s help, I was able to make that tough decision and change my course to single honours Business Management, and I’m so happy that I had that support.

There is so much around the university to get involved with, with endless societies for everything you can think of, from hockey to gin tasting! Finally, the Students’ Union has been a great hub – it really does meet the needs of every student, and is full of great food places, the Sheffield Store, the Student Helpdesk and some amazing nights out every week!

Adjusting back to student life after a placement

By Juliet Norreys, BA Business Management with Employment Experience

Undertaking a placement year is an extremely formative period in your university life. Going into my year in industry I was quietly confident in my ability to work as a team, be proactive and manage my time well; all the buzzwords which surround employability and were used in my applications for jobs. Little did I know that my year would completely surpass all expectations of how much I could learn and the extent to which my knowledge was lacking initially in practical workplace skills. The processes that I had taken for granted, such as creating an email that is both appropriate and coherent whilst also being professional and eloquent, was something that I thought I had down to a tee. When arriving at work I quickly learnt how not to write an email and realised how steep of a learning curve it was going to be! With this said, my year was incredible, and the investment in my development was second to none – I learnt more than I ever thought possible and have come out of it with more confidence in my ability to succeed in my graduate role.

Just as I had adjusted to my working life, working 8-6 every day and enjoying the freedom that came with my weekend, it was time to return to Sheffield. Initially, I thought that I would slot seamlessly back into student life; I knew it well and had done it for the 2 years previous. I was faced with a weird feeling of uncertainty; Sheffield itself had stayed the same (apart from the concourse near the Students’ Union finally being finished!), and yet I didn’t feel prepared for switching my ‘academic brain’ back on.

Thankfully, it only took a few days to settle back into my old student life, and I quickly felt like I had never left. The biggest difference I found is the mind-set I have now means that I can’t help but pick apart my modules, reflecting on what I learned on my placement and taking a more analytical/practical stance towards my studies. I am also much more productive with my time; the pattern of working 9 hours a days has become habit, and therefore the days of long lie-ins has ended! With these extra few daylight hours it means that I have more time to give to extracurricular activities, so I have thrown myself back into sport and part-time work. The one piece of advice I would give anyone returning from a year in industry is to create bucket list of all the things you have wanted to experience in Sheffield that you haven’t got around to yet. If you want to try out for a sports team, learn a language, or take part in something fun like Bummit, now is the time to do it! The last year goes incredibly fast and therefore you need to make the most of the time that’s left to enjoy Sheffield and student life in general.

Everything I’ve learnt about Sheffield over the years

By Rosalie Williams, BA Business Management with Employment Experience

Being in my final year of my course, I feel like I’ve learned quite a few things about Sheffield over the years that I wish I’d known when I’d started. Here they are!

Our SU is AWESOME
Before I arrived I had no idea how fabulous our Students’ Union (SU) is in comparison to other universities. Whenever I visited on open days, I struggled to understand what a university’s Students’ Union actually was, since each university was so different. But, after visiting my friends at universities across the country, I finally realised how lucky we are! Our SU has shops, cafés, restaurants, a cinema, various night-time events (which are definitely some of the best in all of Sheffield!), cash points, and various support and advice services which you can pop into. It’s no surprise it’s been voted the top SU in the country ten years in a row.

Amazing food and coffee at the Steam Yard!

There’s no need for Starbucks
There are so many cute, independent coffee shops in Sheffield. Whether you need a study break, or you want to go on day out with your friends, Sheffield has so many cafés and restaurants that you’ll never run out of new places to go! My personal favourite – and the one which my friends and I always visit – is the Steam Yard. It’s only around a 10-minute walk from the Students’ Union and serves the best coffee and doughnuts.

Compact = convenient
Sheffield can feel small compared to other UK cities like London, Birmingham and Manchester, but I see it as a positive as you’re never too far from anything. It’s an easy walk into town from your first year student accommodation, and the libraries, uni gym and supermarkets are so close by. Not that you need to go to the gym with Sheffield’s infamous seven hills… a short walk can sometimes feel like a hike!

Visiting the Peak District is easier than you think
Despite always wanting to go, it took me until my third year to actually visit the Peak District (which is something I’m totally embarrassed about!). The UK’s first national park, the Peak District, has a host of hiking trails and there are regular buses and trains from Sheffield. There’s so much to explore, and apart from your travel costs it’s a pretty cheap day out!

Why I chose The University of Sheffield

By Katie Bryant, BA Business Management

Choosing where to study your undergraduate degree is a difficult decision. You’ll be spending the next three (or more) years at this university and in this city, so you want to make sure that it’s a choice that is right for you. Here’s what helped me to make my decision.

The Students’ Union

The University of Sheffield has the best Students’ Union in the UK! We’ve been ranked number 1 in the UK for the past 10 years in the Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey.

Why is it so good? The Students’ Union is known for it’s nightlife, and has its own night club called Foundry which holds club nights six nights a week. The favourites include The Tuesday Club, which is very popular for fans of drum and base, Roar which is where all the sports teams go after their Wednesday matches and Poptarts which is amazing night full of everyone’s favourite cheesy pop hits.

The SU is home to some amazing cafes, restaurants and bars such as Bar One (famous for their burgers), Grill and Go, a Pizza counter and a vegan and vegetarian cafe. There’s something for everyone, and it’s not too expensive. There is also a shop, and even a small cinema!

Accommodation

The first-year accommodation is amazing. I lived in Endcliffe in my first year, however all of the accommodation sites are really great and welcoming.

The Endcliffe/Ranmoore site has an onsite gym, bar, restaurant, canteen and shop. It has everything you need and it has a lovely student community feel. There is 24/7 security so you always feel safe, and every flat is assigned a residence life mentor that visits your flat each week to ensure everyone is settling in well and that any problems are looked after quickly.

Student City

As there are two universities in Sheffield, it is a very student-orientated city. The cost of living in Sheffield is low compared to other cities, which was something that was important to me. The city has everything you could possibly want as a student; great shops, markets, cinemas, theatres and places to eat.

As a student, you’re always on a budget, and there are loads of free activities to do around the city, including exploring the vast array of parks and museums Sheffield has to offer. The Peak District is on your doorstep in Sheffield and the city buses take you there for £1.20 with your NUS card. There is breath-taking scenery, fantastic walks and traditional pubs for you to explore in the peaks.

Alumni

The University of Sheffield has amazing alumni. Some of the most famous names include:

David Blunkett – former MP for Sheffield Brightside
Stephen Daldry CBE – director of films Billy Elliott, The Hours, and The Reader. Artistic Director of Royal Court Theatre (1992–1998).
Jessica Ennis Hill – Olympic Heptathlon Champion, London 2012. European Heptathlon Champion, Barcelona 2010. World Heptathlon Champion, Berlin 2009
Eddie Izzard – comedian and actor
Amy Johnson – pioneering aviator of the 1930s
Sir Harry Kroto – Nobel Prize for Chemistry 1996
Lee Child – best-selling author of the Jack Reacher novel series
Hilary Mantel CBE, FRSL – author and winner of the Man Booker Prize 2009
Helen Sharman OBE – Britain’s first astronaut

Societies

At the University of Sheffield there are over 300 societies and committees to choose from. If you can’t find a society you want to join, you can even make your own! Societies are a great way to begin a new hobby or continue an existing interest, make friends and have some fun. From a list that includes beekeeping, horror, Quidditch and cooking, you’re sure to find something that will interest you! As well as special interest societies there are volunteering and fundraising societies too, which allow you to help a good cause and look great on your CV.

Sports

Sport is available at any level – whether you haven’t played in 10 years, or you play competitively, there is a place for everyone to fit in. Give It a Go sessions are run by Residence Life, where you can try out social sports for fun. This initiative is great, as it allows you to try out new things that you might end up loving. Intramural is a higher level where courses compete against each other. There is intramural football, netball and hockey. Finally, there are BUCS teams, which represent the University and compete against other Universities in a very high level of sport.

Life post-exams and pre-rush hour

By Nathan Allaby, BA Business Management

As a final year student, so much focus is on exams during the spring and early summer months, and rightly so; the end result sums up whether or not you have used the last three or four years of your life well. However, post-exams, myself and many of my friends finishing university felt an odd sense of emptiness and lack of purpose. What do you do with your time when you haven’t got an Excel spreadsheet planning out ‘revision blocks’ and ‘lunch breaks’? For many, the summer holiday can be enjoyable for the first week or two where you go back to your family home and receive free food and laundry services. After this, the novelty soon wears off and your old friend boredom kicks in with vigour. In this blog I will give you a brief outline of what I’m getting up to during my 2018 summer break so far and to hopefully provide you with some ideas of what you could get up to in the future!

ESADE Business Summer School (June 16th – June 30th)

Sheffield University Management School offers scholarships to attend a 2-week long summer school programme at a number of universities such as University of Twente in the Netherlands and University of Mannheim in Germany. The scholarship funds the cost of course fees plus accomodation so all you need to pay for is your flight and everyday expenses. The application process is very simple – just a 250 word form explaining why you want to go! I went to ESADE Business School in Barcelona and had the most amazing time meeting people from the US, Kuwait, Belgium, Colombia, India, Italy and Germany, whilst taking classes in social entrepreneurship and e-commerce. Would highly recommend this to anyone!

Leiths School of Food and Wine (July 1st – July 5th)

During my final year at university I became particularly interested incooking and hosted a couple of dinner parties for friends in my student house. I knew that this summer would be the last opportunity to have a significant block of time free, so decided to take a 5-day cooking course in London. Obviously cooking isn’t for everyone but potentially you could spend some time improving a specific skill that you want to learn such as a musical instrument or language.

Amalfi Coast (July 6th – July 15th)

This was a week of complete relaxation just sitting by the pool and strolling around the Amalfi Coast with my family taking regular breaks for lemon granitas. I also loved having the opportunity to practice a couple of recipes I had learnt the week before. Make sure that you spend a good amount of time just resting after exams as I guarantee you will need it!

Berlin (5th August – 9th August)

I went to Berlin for 4 days with a friend and stayed in the eastern district of Friedrichshain. We went to a number of museums and art galleries but the stand-outs for me were the DDR Museum (exploring life in the Soviet Union occupied East Berlin during the Cold War) and the Stasi Museum (looking at the methods of the Stasi to monitor its civilians and suppress opposition). We also went on an amazing walking tour of street art [posh word for graffiti] with a local photographer.

George Street Social Cafe (23rd July – mid September)

I was having brunch with a friend in this cafe and quite liked the atmosphere and staff so I asked if I could work there. Three days later I had my first shift and have really enjoyed learning how to make ‘proper’ coffees and cocktails, although less-so cleaning tables. This job was also vital as I realised that I was severely broke. Just so you know, money is very important if you want to do cool things…who knew?!

When thinking about your own future summer break between the end of university and starting a job, I would advise you to try and plan a mix of things that: allow to you relax and have some fun, develop a certain skill or interest that you have and gives you the opportunity to meet new people that you wouldn’t normally interact with.

Throw yourself in the deep end and have fun!

My favourite society – Sheffield Engineers Rugby Football Club

Hi! My name is Tom and I’m a final year BA Accounting and Financial Management with Employment Experience student. In my blog post today, I’m going to tell you about societies more widely, but in particular my favourite society, Sheffield Engineers Rugby Club (SERFC).

At the University of Sheffield, the SU has over 300 societies. Societies are just groups of students who share common interests – such as nationality, faith, sports, politics, degree subject, hobbies, or anything else you can think of. They range from Acapella & Beatbox Society to Zumba Society, and everything in between. Societies are a great way to extend your friendship circles and meet new people, and what each society meets up to do differs depending on what society it is. Generally though, you’ll meet up a couple of times a month and do what you love doing, with like-minded people. Nearly all societies hold some sort of social, and some have an end of year ball and dance. Some societies, like the Management Society (a.k.a ManSoc, the subject society for the Management School) will do a number of things. ManSoc, for instance, have socials, intra-mural sports teams, book sales and the famous end of year ball.

One society that I am a part of is SERFC. I have been a SERFC member since my first year and we are an inclusive rugby union club who play in the Saturday rugby leagues. Although called the Engineers, you don’t have to be an Engineer to join – we accept all subjects, there is a large Management School cohort who pay for us. We have a culture of no initiations, and we pride ourselves on being inclusive and friendly rugby that anyone can join in with regardless of ability. We have a number of very talented and dedicated players who represent the 1XV and 2XV, and a number of more social members who will represent both the 2XV and the Development XV throughout the year. The club is great because we train twice a week and play once. As other university sports teams tend to play on Wednesday, playing rugby on a Saturday leaves our members free to play other university sports, so if you have two interests you’re free to enjoy both. The club not only plays full-contact rugby union, we also have a Touch rugby team who plays on Sundays (great for players trying to hone their skills or those recovering from injuries) and we have a very successful intra-mural football team, too. As well as rugby, we have the best socials going. The club also has an end of year tour to Croatia and takes part in 7’s tournaments during the summer.

The club has afforded me the opportunity to make a number of long term friends, and I would count my rugby friends as my closest at university. You’ll find that as a younger student, you will be able to get favours/advice/tips from the more senior members which is absolutely priceless as a 1^st year student. The club has afforded me the opportunity also to become a committee member, something which helps boost my skills and my CV. I act as the treasurer for the society and as an Accounting student it is great to be able to do so, as it means I’m able to talk about something else other than my placement in Interviews. In fact, I brought up my role as treasurer for SERFC in my recent graduate job interview – one in which I was successful.

In summary, to any prospective students maybe trawling our blog looking for tips, mine is simple – join societies. Societies are one of the best things about social life at university, you’ll have great fun and make friends for life.