Events and activities – Sheffield University Management School Postgraduate Blog

My favourite places in Sheffield

By Vicky Xian, MSc Occupational Psychology

Sheffield is full of amazing places, from lush green parks to hidden little gems down every crevice. Here are some of my favourite places in Sheffield for anyone who has some spare time, wants some inspiration or would like to get to know the city on a more personal level.

Crookes Valley Park

This park is a stone’s throw away from most students’ front door. I walk past it most days, and I’m constantly awed by the colours, which changes depending on the season. My favourite season is summer, the vibrant colours of the sky, fields, and cherry blossoms are the perfect backdrop for a barbecue! This lovely photo and more like it can be found on the Instagram account: cmm__photo.

Made by Jonty Café

This little café is found on Sharrowvale road, and was discovered one rough morning after a night out. This serves the best English fry up in town (in my opinion). What’s even more amazing is the breakfast is served all day, so even when dragging yourself out of bed well after noon you can still get your well-deserved fry up!

Botanical Gardens

These 19 acre gardens contain 18 different garden areas, including a beautiful large botanical greenhouse. This is free entry on most days, and in the summer it’s a great place to meet up with friends, and chill with food and music. Here’s a picture of the fountain and behind it the greenhouse:

Steamyard Café.

Although very popular, this café is still a gem in my eyes. The café is tucked in a little courtyard on Division Street. The coffee is excellent, but the atmosphere is even better. The coffee shop has an outdoor seating area and is great when there is good weather, but my personal favourite time is when it’s pouring it down with rain outside. Also, they provide a lot of options for vegans or vegetarians, which is great. There is one thing to consider though, it can get very very busy, but I’m not surprised as other people must agree with me!

The Peaks

Do you have a day aside and a car? The peaks is a short drive away, and the drive itself can be jaw dropping. The green rolling hills can really take you away from city life, and maybe even distract you with its never ending grass peaks. Take a group of friends, some food and snacks, a flask of Yorkshire tea, and you can spend a good part of the afternoon hiking up the hills. In the summer the surroundings can drown you in stunning green. However, my personal best time is in the autumn, covered in vibrant purple ferns and with a setting sun it can really feel like a different world. The picture below includes a gorgeous view of Bamford Edge.

Exploring the Peaks

By Abigail Cook, MSc Management

If you’re looking to get out of Sheffield, explore the surrounding areas, and do something a bit different, there are plenty of exciting places to visit nearby. These are a few places that I found out about and enjoyed visiting at the weekends when I wanted a break from lectures and the library.

Poole’s Cavern:

Poole’s Cavern is a natural cavern in the Peak District, approximately an hour’s drive from Sheffield. A one hour guided tour takes you around the cave and you can also learn more in the exhibition centre. Remember to take a jumper or a coat as it can be a bit chilly underground in the cave! You can also spend some time visiting the café and the shop. While you’re there, it’s also worth visiting the panoramic viewpoint at Solomon’s Temple. It’s a very pretty and tranquil walk through the woodland which takes about 30 minutes. Poole’s Cavern makes a great day out if you’re looking for something a bit different or unusual.

Renishaw Hall and Gardens:

Renishaw Hall and Gardens is another enjoyable day out. It is still a lived-in family home, so it can only be viewed by a guided tour which lasts about one hour. You can also explore the stunning gardens and, if you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, you can walk through the woodland and down to the lakes as well. If you start to feel hungry after all your exploring, the café also has a great selection of food and drinks. There are lots of different events that take place here throughout the year, so it’s worth checking out their website before you go to see if there’s anything exciting on.

Stanage Edge:

My final recommendation for a day out in the Peak District is Stanage Edge. This is one of my favourite places in the Peaks that I never get bored of exploring because of its amazing rock formations and beautiful views. Stanage Edge is particularly popular with rock climbers, who can usually be seen clambering up the dramatic rock face. There are several different ways that you can walk to Stanage Edge across the Peak District and you can take in some of the scenic views along the way. This is definitely worth saving for a sunny day, especially because it can get a bit windy and chilly near to the top!

Top tips from my year in Sheffield

By Abigail Cook, MSc Management

After living in Sheffield for the past year, I have discovered several things which I would like to share with other students to help them make the most of their time in Sheffield.

Join societies and clubs:

My first top tip for any student, whether they’re new to Sheffield or not, is: join societies and clubs! At the start of the academic year, it’s worth going along to the Activities Fair at the Students’ Union, where you can get involved with hundreds of different societies. Societies allow you to meet new people, try new things and develop your hobbies and interests. It’s also fun to be involved with something outside your degree course.

One of my favourite things about this year was being a member of the Dance Society, which is actually one of the biggest societies within the University. The Dance Society holds workshops and weekly classes in lots of different styles which range from beginner to advanced level, so there is something to suit everyone. This year, I joined one of the competition teams, so I was able to compete at several competitions against other universities. Competitions are great fun because you get to travel around the country and meet other people who share the same interests as you from different universities. I also enjoyed going to lots of socials and balls throughout the year with the Dance Society. Overall, being part of the Dance Society was a great experience, which is why I would highly recommend joining societies and clubs during your time at Sheffield.

Explore the Management School’s opportunities:

My next top tip is to explore what the Management School has to offer. In addition to teaching, lectures and tutorials, the School offers lots of different opportunities for you to get involved with outside of your degree programme. It’s also worth taking the time to visit the Employability Hub located on the School site, which enables students to access careers support, job and placement vacancies, and attend skills workshops.

This year, I was fortunate enough to go to Canada with the Management School to attend the International Graduate Competition. I spent one week in Montreal with three other students from the Management School, and we met, worked with and competed against teams from other universities from around the world. As well as attending lectures and workshops, and putting together our own reports and presentations, we also had a bit of free time to explore Montreal. This was definitely one of the highlights of my year in Sheffield, and it was all arranged through the Management School.

Discover Sheffield:

My final tip for anyone studying at Sheffield University is: explore the city! Sheffield has so much to offer for everyone, and there are always new things happening. If you walk around the city centre, you’ll find some lovely cafes, shops and restaurants which are only a short walk from the Students’ Union and the IC. Many different events also take place in Sheffield throughout the year, such as Tramlines, a three-day long festival in the city. Whilst you’re studying at Sheffield, it’s a great opportunity to explore and discover the city that you’re living in.

Attending International Summer School in Barcelona

By Nicola Hodson, MSc Marketing Management Practice

One of the things that attracted me most to the masters courses at the University of Sheffield was the option to attend an International Summer School. I have just returned from studying at ESADE Business School in Barcelona for two weeks, which was the most incredible experience, both academically and personally.

During my time at ESADE, I took classes in Global Entrepreneurship and Design Thinking, which proved extremely interesting, particularly as an aspiring entrepreneur! It gave me the opportunity to learn about things I would never normally have the chance to learn about, and the lectures were really fun and engaging. I learnt a huge amount and I’m excited to be able to apply it all in both the remainder of my studies and in a work-place setting. After studying for the day, we would sometimes have company visits- A highlight has to be visiting Barcelona Tech City and learning about all of the amazing innovative solutions they are developing there! During the Summer School, we also had time to explore Barcelona, including looking around the famous La Sagrada Familia, watching the Magic Fountain show, visiting Park Guell, and spending many hours on the beach! There were also excursions during the weekends- I was able to visit Tarragona, a beautiful Roman town, and learn about the history there, as well as visit the old amphitheatre.

One of the most invaluable things I took away from my time at the Summer School was the lifelong friends I made during the trip. I met people from all over the world and was able to learn about so many other cultures, which was honestly one of my favorite things about the Summer School. I now have friends in Estonia, New York, Brazil and many other places, and we have all been excitedly making plans to visit each other at some point in the future!

Fun days out in the Peak District

By Abigail Cook, MSc Management

If you’re looking for somewhere to go on a day trip and escape the city, the Peak District has many beautiful and exciting places that are waiting to be explored.

Chatsworth

One of my favourite places that I have visited whilst living in Sheffield this year is Chatsworth. Less than an hour’s drive from Sheffield, Chatsworth is a stately home that has been featured in several films including Pride and Prejudice. You can spend a whole day exploring the grand house and the impressive 105-acre gardens. In addition to guided tours, Chatsworth hosts several events throughout the year, including a Flower Show, arts and crafts workshops, garden parties and outdoor cinemas. This is the perfect place to take friends or family if they are visiting Sheffield and want to explore the surrounding area.

Bakewell

Famous for the sweet treat, the Bakewell tart, the quaint market town of Bakewell is located on the River Wye, a short thirteen miles from Sheffield. The town is busy all year round with several attractions including gardens, coffee shops, museums, pubs and shops selling books, clothes and gifts. There are also plenty of opportunities for walking, cycling, climbing and horse riding in the area. One of my favourite places to go in Bakewell is the Bath Gardens, a beautiful, peaceful place in the heart of the town which is free to wander in. The gardens are not that big, but the vibrant flower displays are well worth a visit.

Castleton

Castleton is a beautiful village situated at the Hope Valley in the heart of the Peak District. The village is popular for its caves, history, shops, Winnats Pass, Cave Dale and numerous walks in the area. The village is surrounded by dramatic hillsides and overlooked by Mam Tor (the shivering mountain). It is also possible to walk up the hill to the ruins of one of England’s earliest Norman fortresses, Peveril Castle, which stands above Castleton. One of my favourite things about doing this is the beautiful views over the valley, which make a good reward for climbing the hill! Another unique thing to explore in Castleton is the caves, which are accessible by guided tour. In the caves you can see the stalactite formations, and even take a boat along a flooded tunnel. This makes Castleton a unique and exciting day out for anyone looking to escape the city!

Taking part in the International Graduate Competition in Montréal!

By Nicola Hodson, MSc Marketing Management Practice

Just over a month ago, I was fortunate enough to be taken to Montréal in Canada to participate in the International Graduate Competition, along with three other students from Sheffield University Management School. Teams from around the world took part in this competition, representing Australia, Taiwan and Spain, to name a few. After spending a couple of days getting to know the other participants and attending some interesting lectures and workshops centered around innovation, the competition began.

We were given a business case study and had 48 hours working in our teams to resolve it, producing a 20 page report, a 10 minute long presentation and a half hour long presentation. We endured little sleep whilst the competition took place, pushing ourselves to the limit to produce the best work we could. Teamwork was absolutely vital and we all pulled together and kept each other’s moral up when we were tired and struggling, having plenty of laughs along the way! It’s safe to say we were absolutely exhausted by the end of the 48 hours! Almost immediately upon handing everything in, we presented our solution to the business case to a panel of judges and I think I can speak for all of our team when I say how proud we felt at what we had produced under such pressure and with such limited time and sleep!

It wasn’t all work however – We managed to find enough time once we had finished the competition to explore a bit of Montréal including the Grand Prix track! We also saw a wild beaver which we were all very excited about, attended a gala dinner with the rest of the competition participants and visited the Olympic Park!

Attending the International Graduate Competition has honestly been one of the highlights of my university experience- it challenged me, it provided me with lifelong friends and it was just such a fun week. I learnt how to work as a consultant and I learnt just how much you are capable of if you put your mind to it. I’m so grateful for such an incredible opportunity!

My favourite society: ACA SOC

By Emily Addison, MSc Occupational Psychology

The University of Sheffield offers so many societies, you would be foolish not to join one! There is literally something for everyone, from creative to media, political and academic societies, the options are endless.

Having been at Sheffield for over three years now, I have attended a few societies but there is definitely one that is my favourite: The A Cappella and Beatbox Society, or ‘ACA SOC’.

ACA SOC is an easy-going a cappella group that meets every week to rehearse and experiment with all kinds of music using only their voices. They cover a variety of genres from chart hits to old school classics, choral to hip-hop – it’s varied and a lot of fun! Anyone can join the society as they accept people of all abilities, which means you get to meet so many new people and make friends who are studying different subjects. There is also an auditioned group which is much smaller, who last year performed on Sky1’s ‘Sing: Ultimate A Cappella’ Show.

As well as weekly rehearsals, the society is asked to perform at many Uni and charity events over the academic year. One of my favourite memories was performing ‘Sweet Caroline’ at the Sports Awards and the whole audience sang along followed by a standing ovation. The satisfaction performing as a group can give is crazy; you are not nervous because you have your friends by your side, and everyone knows that singing is good for you!

What I love most about this society is its inclusiveness and light-hearted nature. Yes, it is serious when we are rehearsing for shows and performances, but everyone has fun and it has always provided me with a little break from studying. This is why getting involved in societies is so important, it gives you the break from academia that you need while developing skills and making new friendships.

If you enjoy singing or even just like the idea of ACA SOC, you should definitely give it a go! They are always open to new members, and if you would like to find out more information, you can email them at acappellasoc@sheffield.ac.uk or follow their social media accounts (@shefacappella).

If you don’t want to join, then you should consider attending their end of year show which showcases what they have been working on over the year. It is always a sell-out event, so I would recommend keeping your eye out for tickets this year!

Volunteering at Sheffield

By Emily Addison, MSc Occupational Psychology

The University has over 25 volunteering/fundraising societies as well as a host of volunteering opportunities available if you visit the Activities Zone in the Students’ Union.

I wanted to get involved in volunteering so that I could enhance my CV, and I can honestly say I have done so much more than that. Volunteering helps give back to the community of Sheffield as well as helping you develop new skills, make new friends and most importantly have an impact on those around you.

There are so many students at this University, the potential impact we could have on the communities around us is endless. The great thing about volunteering at Sheffield is that it can be as formal or informal as you’d like. For example, if you go through the Activities Zone and sign up to volunteer in a primary school every week, you must be committed and cannot let them down. Equally, there are a number or opportunities where even a one-off helping hand is enough.

I joined The CoppaFeel Society’s University Boob Team (UBT) in my second year at Sheffield as a volunteer. This meant that I helped at fundraising events when I could and there was no pressure to attend meetings nor help at every event. The aim of the UBT is to spread the messages of CoppaFeel on campus. To do this, the committee members and volunteers put on a wealth of fundraising events to raise money and increase awareness of CoppaFeel, so that people understand what they do and their key messages.

Joining as a volunteer meant that I could see the positive impact we were having on campus and I wanted to help even more. So, the following year I ran to be on the committee, which meant I was involved in everything that the UBT did that year; from the organisation to the running of the events, with the rest of the committee. I made so many new friends and we had so much fun while doing something for a great cause, which is why I would recommend getting involved in volunteering to everyone!

To find out more about the volunteering opportunities at Sheffield visit: https://www.sheffieldvolunteering.com/

My postgraduate experience so far

Hi everyone! My name is Mimi, and I study MSc International Management. Before I became a student in September, I had been in a full-time job for years after graduating from my undergraduate. The decision to come back to higher education was not a decision I had taken lightly. It involved many personal sacrifices, including leaving my full-time job and moving to a different city. I was anxious about whether I would be the only one in my course not studying their Master’s degree straight after an undergraduate. Thankfully, I quickly realised that I was not the only one and that there were plenty of students in the same position as me across the University.

Before I started my course, I did not know what to expect from studying at The University of Sheffield. I was unable to attend any of the postgraduate open days, so instead researched my course and the Management School through the website, reading about the modules on offer and the School’s excellent reputation. The course sounded interesting to me, and the idea that by studying my Master’s I could get one step closer to my dream career was exciting, so I made the decision to apply.

My first few weeks at university were spent getting my head around being a student again and finding my way around the city and the campus. I was amazed by the facilities that the University of Sheffield offered. In my second week, I learnt about the Corporate Information and Computing Services department (CiCS) who, as well as helping with any IT issues you may have, can loan out high-tech cameras and provide facilities such as recording booths, editing suites and a TV studio! All of this came in handy when we were asked to film a video about a current ethical issue, as part of a marketing module on my course. I was able to use the facilities offered by CiCS first hand, which was something I really enjoyed. I was a little nervous, as I do not have a background in making or editing film, but I felt it was a good learning experience and an opportunity to gain basic skills in this area.

Another thing that I learnt was that the Students’ Union had been ranked as the best Students’ Union in the UK for the past ten years, and I now know why! As well as the cinema, food and shops on offer, there are countless opportunities to get involved, with “Give it Go” and volunteering activities. I recently volunteered at the Whirlow Hall Farm Trust Christmas Fayre. It is something I have never done before, but I thought that this would be a fantastic opportunity to spend some time with local people in Sheffield by helping the local education charity raise funds. I also had the chance to buy some Christmas gifts!

I spent the day volunteering in the craft room where I made ‘reindeer hats’ with the children. I was also able to spend some time seeing the animals, which I loved. Opportunities like this allow you to contribute to the local community and build your skill set and make friends with people from the city. I highly recommend that you get involved with such activities. After all, the university is not just about gaining academic knowledge but also about the experiences you gain.

Christmas in Sheffield

By Emily Addison, MSc Occupational Psychology

If you’re like me and love the festive season, being away from home and your family around Christmas can be daunting… but Sheffield has got your back!

Every year the Christmas markets come to town, where Fargate, The Peace Gardens and Town Hall Square are filled with over 50 ‘Christmas Cabins’ selling gifts and seasonal food and drink. There is the famous Santa’s Grotto, while The Sleigh Bar and Thor’s Tipi are always a hit with the students! There are also various rides to get the adrenalin pumping and allowing you to see Sheffield from the sky. The markets are usually in town from the middle of November, so there is plenty of time to drag your friends down there and feel the magic of Christmas!

The Christmas Light Switch On sees the residents of Sheffield gather together to watch the town fill with light and Christmas décor. The big reveal of the Christmas tree outside the Town Hall is also one not to miss! This event is hosted by Heart Radio and usually starts early afternoon. A special guest is invited to turn the lights on, as well as live music from local talent throughout the afternoon/evening.

The local theatres also help to get you in the festive spirit, with their seasonal shows and performances. This year the Lyceum Theatre presents one of the best pantomimes in the country, Peter Pan! Not to mention the carol concerts in Sheffield Cathedral, where there is mulled wine and mince pies for everyone!

But most importantly, Christmas in Sheffield means you get to make new traditions; decorate your house with your friends, attend a ridiculous amount of society and group Christmas meals, dress up as an elf (or whatever awful Christmas themed costume you are given!) for Uni Christmas Day, and celebrate Christmas before it has even started!

Christmas in Sheffield may not be what you’re used to, but it is definitely something special.