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Fresh“ENHANCING THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE THROUGH

REPRESENTATION, DEVELOPMENT, ACTIVITIES AND SUPPORT”

Inside you will find a warm welcome from your Student Union team and some useful tips

from them on how to make the most of your freshers week, and of course your entire time at Roehampton University. We have a dedicated team of 4 sabbaticals (1 President and 3 Vice Presidents, elected by students) who work alongside a team of 5 full time staff to enhance the student experience at Roehampton. Roehampton Students’ Union also includes 25 part time officers who dedicate their own personal time and effort to engage all our students and enhance their student experience!Take a look inside this exclusive edition of Fresh to find out what’s going on throughout Fresher’s week and familiarise yourself with the faces of the Students’ Union, they’re not to pretty but they are sure friendly ;) Also throughout the paper look out for TopTips these will be sporadic handy tips as thought up by your Student Union President, Alex Murray. TopTip 1: Come and find us in Fresher’s Week located in the The BigTop (Froebel Lawn), we will be there all week for a friendly hello or a helping hug!

The time has come for you to fly your mothering nests and enter university life and all that goes with it! Excited, nervous, ambitious and hesitant, emotions will surly be running riot right now but fear not, this publication of the Students’ Union newspaper will answer some of those burning questions you have to ask!

A WARM WELCOMEFROM ROEHAMPTON STUDENTS’ UNION

FRESH NEWSPAPER

Welcome To RoehamptonHello - my name is Alex Murray and I’m the President of the Students Union. First things first...

Welcome to Roehampton University and what I hope will be one of the amazing experiences of life! During your time at Roehampton you will meet some lifelong friends and build some crazy memories that you will look back on when you’re winkled and grey. As a student at Roehampton you are automatically a member of the Students Union. This means you can take advantage of all the services the RSU has to offer, you can have as active role as you like but as with everything, the more you get out of something comes from what you put in. We have a great entertainments programme, clubs and societies, volunteering opportunities, great welfare and academic support team, trips away, wide range of student media and much more – so stick your fingers in all the pies!As President, it is my job to ensure your time here is as good as it can be! Whether it comes down to events, education, campus life or learning resources the Students Union is here to ensure you have the best student experience you can have. Another part of my role is to act as the main student representative on university committees – this basically means that I am your voice when decisions are

being made – so if you don’t like something or want change let us know so we can do our best to make it happen! I had an amazing time as a student at Roehampton and I hope you all do too! We’re located opposite the Union bar (standard) so if you want to come and find out more, feel free to drop in and say Hi!

1. GET A FRESHERS PASS With guaranteed entry into ALL Freshers Week events, where you’ll meet a load of friends, the Freshers Pass is a more than a head start in your Roehampton career!

2.INVEST IN THE BOOKS It’s probably best we nail this one out of the park before all the fun stuff. At the end of the day you’re spending loads of money on your degree so make sure you start off with flying colours and invest in the books. In fact, it should be your absolute first priority if you’re getting a student loan through. If you go to your subject briefings during freshers week, they’ll fill you in with what you need!

3.DIG UP THE WACKY OUTFITS Unearth that Superman T-Shirt or Wonder Woman cape from the attic and give it a new home in the form of a dressing up box! Fancy dress is a must here!

4.BRING YOUR CAMERA If you haven’t done so already, invest in a decent camera! There’s plenty of Kodak moments to come so make sure you capture them all!

5.GET NETWORKING Try to use websites such as www.yougofurther.co.uk and Facebook to meet people on your course before you’ve even had your first lecture! Trust us, Its a great way to break into uni with ease.

6. REMEMBER IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS Especially if you’re going to be far from home, remember things such as passports. other ID and important documents or letters that you may need for registration. It’s possible you’ll start job hunting soon, so you may need your National Insurance etc.

7.GET WISE Learn how to use a washing machine, a cooker, a hoover etc before arrival! Practise making some meals that you can afford on a student budget and cook without any hassle!

8.GET FINANCIALLY WISE, TOO! Be sure to open a student bank account and confirm that you student loan is sorted before registration. Make sure your loan will cover accomodation, and if you plan to live off campus try to contact Roehampton accomodation ASAP!

9.MAKE YOUR OWN CHECKLIST - BUT NOT TOO BIG Each student’s unique, so along with this handy list that we’ve made you, make one tailor made to yourself. It makes packing a great deal easier! Remember to pack light! You don’t want to be unpacking for hours during Freshers week and you certainly wouldn’t want to be anti-social, would you?

10. IT SEEMS LONG, BUT IT’S VERY USEFUL Ensure you’ve read all the paper work, contracts etc before joining us! You don’t want to be out of the loop when you get here. Make sure you know where you’re going! Check out www.roehampton.ac.uk and www.roehamptonstudent.com

THE ULTIMATE

FRESHERS

CHECKLIST!

Sabbatical Team...

Alex Murray President alex.murray@roehampton.ac.ukBaz Barrett Vice President Activities baz.barrett@roehampton.ac.ukSteve Molyneaux Vice President Communications & Engagement steve.molyneaux@roehampton.ac.ukClaire Fitzsimons Vice President Welfare & Community claire.fitzsimons@roehampton.ac.uk

Full Time Staff...

Chris O’Boyle General Manager c.oboyle@roehamtpon.ac.ukJon Foley Entertainments Coordinator j.foley@roehampton.ac.ukGemma Kelly Academic Support Advisor g.kelly@roehampton.ac.ukKate Griffiths Receptionist rsu@roehampton.ac.ukKennedy Small Finance Manager k.small@roehampton.ac.uk

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ActivitiesSup little ones of Roehampton! I guess a little introduction is in order! My name’s Baz and I am your Vice President of the Student’s Union.

My job basically entails getting you, the students, to have as much fun as possible and squeeze as much crazy and fun stuff into your social schedule here at the coolest University in town, Roehampton. I, like most Roehampton students have graduated this year but find myself clinging on to the Roehampton bubble, trying to pop it but I just can’t. Studied Sport Psychology in my three years here, loved it. I was Froebel College President last year, again, loved it, wouldn’t change it for the world, and now it’s my time to give something back. My role within the Student Union is really trying to push extra-curricular activities that you as students want to see at your University. These fall under four main areas:-Sports -Societies -Volunteering -Give It A GoThese areas aren’t meant to stand there and look pretty, these areas are there for you to grasp, shake around and squeeze every opportunity

out as much as possible! Every student at Roehampton has the chance to get involved with something they have never done/tried before and it is my job to help make that happen!

“The greatest efforts in sports came when the mind is as still as a glass lake.” Now, we may not be able to set your mind as still as a glass lake but here at Roehampton working in partnership along-side Sport Roehampton we can offer you a wide variety of different sports and a better provision accessible to all. Sport Roehampton provides many benefits for students, from simple health and well-being to vocational experience, skill acquisi-tion, job opportunities and a chance to meet new people and find that hidden sport that could take you to the Olympics! The best way to do this is get yourself down to Fresher’s fair, take a wander, mingle and sign up to what you think tickles your fancy. If you are unable to attend Fresher’s fair then you always have the opportunity throughout the year to sign up to sports here at the RSU.

This year the Sport Roehampton dream is to build as much student participation in sporting activity as possible to get you guys loving the healthy life! If there is a sport that is not yet recognised, that you would like to see then we offer the help and support to get things in the swing. Just contact the sport’s development officer who is always keen to improve student sports participation. The majority of our sports teams are entered in to the BUCS (British University and College Sport) and compete on Wednesday afternoons in the 1st and 2nd terms. Alongside this, the four Roehampton Colleges; Froebel, Digby, Whiteland’s and Southlands are entered into SESSA leagues for more mouth-watering competition!Alongside the blood, sweat and tears of hardcore intense competition, the sport’s teams at Roehampton are BIG on social sides of things and love a good social or fundraiser for their team throughout the year. These socials really show you how becoming a member of a sports team is more than what happens on the field. There are also several infamous sporting events such as Frigby, Shitelands and Frugby. Don’t worry...you’ll soon find out what these are! One prestigious event that Sport Roehampton honours their selves in is the end of year Sport Roehampton Awards dinner, where we can really ap-preciate the people who have made the difference to our time in sport at Roehampton. If sports’ is your thing, don’t hesitate to contact Dave Bush the Student Sport Development Officer (d.bush@roehampton.ac.uk) who will sort you right out! He’s a bit of a hero.

Here at Roehampton, there are roughly around 25 societies for you to get involved with. With the increasing potential to push that number up throughout the year, clubs and societies really opens up your eyes and gives you the chance to experience something new and different. If you find yourself at a crossroads, or feel like there is an opportunity to start something new then we are privileged to do that, whether it is starting up a grass eating society or stamp collecting society you have options! There has been great success with our current societies, especially the third row dance society putting on shows and inspiring students across all four campuses. All of our societies at Roehampton are set up for students, by students, almost like a cute little family! At the end of the year we hold the Societies Achievement Ceremony (SAC) where we get together with nibbles, drinks, look back over the successful year and award different clubs and societies and individuals for all their hard work, dedication and contribution throughout the year. Something not to be missed so don’t hang around!

SPORT SOCIETIES

GIVE IT A GO

VOLUNTEERING

Go on! Just give it a go! In the RSU we’re cool and call it GIAG, where, basically, we introduce you guys to a multi-plicity of activities and opportunities to get involved in, something different for those who aren’t necessarily up for all night parties and outrageous drinking sessions! There are four main areas to GIAG:Trips Away...There is nothing better than packing your bags and fleeing the country for a few days to enjoy more of life’s experi-ences that the world has to offer. So, here at the RSU we offer a wide range of exceptionally priced trips for the tall, short, happy and sad to get knee deep involved! Whether it’s a day trip to the deep, dark depths of London dungeons or a long, sensible weekend away to Amsterdam we can cater for your many needs! These trips are defi-nitely a great way to meet new people, try new things and relax through the stresses of academic work.Activities...‘Actio’ the Latin word for activity; meaning a specified pursuit in which a person partakes:At Roehampton we offer you the chance to gain skills and broaden your options and qualifications to help you succeed in the future. Not only are the activities we provide fun and appealing, they range from cooking classes to foreign language courses to broaden your language skills to adrenalin pumping pole dancing! Meet you people, learn something new...it’s all there!Keep Fit...With all the beer and takeaways consumed, we have to balance it out in some way eh! We work very closely with our partners at Roe-Active to give you guys the opportunity to experience a range of different Fitness Classes that are accessible, fun and well run by Roehampton’s finest trained fitness instructors. Whether you’re into Zumba, Yoga or want to strengthen your abdominals, we have the classes for you! All classes come free if you join as a roe-active member or come along for just £2.50!! On the subject of membership; Roe-active has a fantastic range of memberships to suite your of fitness. Pop down to roe-active to meet the friendly fitness fanatics! Even if you’re not a member and just fancy a light little session, hand over three of the Queen’s finest English pounds and get busy! With over 45 pieces of the latest technology equipment, Roe-active provides professional instruction, customised fitness programmes and ongoing advice and support to shape you up for the beach season!

Volunteering is something we’ve really pushed these past 6 months or so to engage students within the local com-munity, whether that is internal or external to the University, we really want students to learn voluntary stills and gain experience to take into the real world. With our fantastic new volunteering intern, Donna Jarvis, it is an area that we are looking to put a lot of care and attention into and really kick things off the ground. There are two main volunteering schemes that have taken to the main stage this past year. ‘RU Inspired’ and ‘MAD’ (Make A Differ-ence). RU Inspired is a new scheme where it gives students the opportunity to volunteer in the local community and give something back to Roehampton. The more volunteering you do, the more fun you have and the more rewards you receive! ‘MAD’ project is more internally based within the University where more ‘day’ projects are established and students can give something back to the University. A great example of this is how the allotment kicked off immensely last year with students growing their own vegetables, making shelves and cut down hedges. Get involved guys!!So, as you can see kids, there is nearly as much crazy stuff to do at Roehampton than there are grains of sand. The best advice I can give you is do it with a heart wide open. Regret the things you don’t do at Roehampton and I promise you, deep down from the bottom of my heart, the next three years will be the BEST three years of your life. Whether it’s in the bar, on the court, down the street, in the library or at the BOP…I look forward to seeing you guys around! ‘Roehampton…London’s gateway to heaven’

FRESH NEWSPAPER

CommunicationsHowdie Folks! My name is Steve Molyneaux and I have the honour of being your Vice President for this academic year, throughout this

newspaper you will come across all different kinds of job titles so let me give you the low down of what it is I get up to on a daily basis! My remit is the Communications and Engagement Zone, which in a nut shell, is the media and campaigns hub of RSU. It is my duty to ad-vertise all what is going on throughouot each week of the year, whether that is to do with clubs and societies, volunteering opportunities or the regular RSU events. My cheeky tips to you guys would be to make full use of the your student union website (www.roehamptonstudent.com) and social media platforms such as twitter and facebook to keep yourselves up to scratch on university life.

So what about the campaigns element of the zone? Well as you will soon notice, Roehampton Students’ Union run many campaigns throughout the academic year to really engage students in a vast range of social, cultural and political areas. If you have a burning desire inside to campaign for something that means a lot to you, come and tell us and we’ll be more than happy to get you on board.

As Alex mentioned in his opening blog of this newspaper, you are automatically a member of the RSU by being a student at Roehampton, however this does not me we expect you to be on every picket line at every protest and demonstration! All this means is we are here to help and represent every single one of you in almost every element of university life, if we cant help then I am sure we know a person who can ;) You can be as active or inactive as you wish with your student union membership although of course we hope you will come and ask a thousand questions and really get stuck in.

Here comes a cheesy cliché ... the more you put in the more you get out ... it really goes without saying, but to make your C.V. that bit more sexy by the time you leave Roehampton, why not start by getting yourself knee deep in the RSU shenanigans - and remember, its a democracy so you could soon be sitting in my seat as Vice Presi-dent ;)

So now that I have bored you with old school clichés, below is a breakdown of what I can help you get involved with as your Vice President and please if you have any questions fire them my way as soon as you see my face around this wonderful campus of ours!! If you don’t happen to bump into me because your so busy doing every sport, helping every society and campaigning outside Westminster, feel free to drop me an email at steve.molyneaux@roehampton.ac.uk. Massive congratulations on getting a place at Roehampton University and I shall see you very soon! Much Love x

Fresh Newspaper FreshAir RSView Engagement

The extremely smart ones among you will have by now worked out we have a student run newspaper called ‘Fresh’, if you hadn’t worked out what Fresh is ... its what your reading right now ;) This newspaper is entirely the love child of Roehampton students and we are always looking to extend or regular writers, so please get involved from day one if working on a newspaper production is your life long dream!!

Fresh will be released once a month over the academic year, and as we are incredibly wise folks at RSU we plan each one to be released around crucial term dates, campaigns, events and the annual RSU elections. This means you guys are fully informed of what’s happening at your university, hopefully way before its happened. Look out for the Fresh ‘dump bins’ which can be found placed on each college and I cant stress enough how much you will gain from picking one up and having a cheeky read ... if this doesn’t tempt you ... they’re free, boom now your loving life! As Vice President, I am Editor-In-Chief of Fresh and believe me when I say I need all the helping hands I can get to write articles as sadly people get very bored of reading my blogs. Its really simple to do, simply drop me an email with what you want to be put in Fresh or if your feeling extremely ambitious we’ll get you to write and produce your own blogs/articles/reviews without any intervention from me and my media team (well maybe a little just to make sure its all legal and lovely!)The paper cover local (internal and external) news to national and NUS (National Union of Students) news stories, they range from soft to hard features with aim of engaging, informing and representing students at every level.

We love to keep things Fresh at RSU and over the last year or so ‘Fresh’ has become somewhat of a brand for our media platforms. This year (you lucky devils) is what I like to call the golden year of Comms as we finally have it all - well nearly all! You have read about the newspaper not its time to tell you about our newest edition to the team, ‘FreshAir’.

FreshAir is our very own, in house radio show, and as always with us at RSU, its solely created by you guys, the students! This is an absolute fantastic tool to broaden your skills, modernise your C.V and impress furutre employees all whilst having some fun! We have industry standard radio equipment up at RSU which is real simple to use even I can manage it ;) FreshAir is launching for the first ever time this academic year so to record one of the very first shows, bust a groove up to RSU and tell us what and when you want to record. The radio will run from 8am-8pm daily online so please tune in and listen to what your fellow Roehamptoners have to say. Its never been more easy to keep in the know!!

Dedicated to the FreshAir element of the Communications Zone is our new Media Intern for this year, Richard Williams, however myself and Rich will both be key contacts if you wish to get involved with what really is an amazing opportunity...again its free, loving life even more now aren’t you!!

contacts: steve.molyneaux@roehampton.ac.uk richard.williams@roehampton.ac.uk

RSView is the name given to our visual community which enables students to access video based content concerning the union. RSView is a relatively new venture for us, built with the primary aim to give societies and smaller factions within the union an opportunity to raise their profile, effectively offering them a free means of publicity via the RSU website and a chance to take ownership over RSU media. Over the coming year, RSView will be the place to find out about our exciting campaigns and activities. Again, this has been handed to our media intern to head up so that it gains the full commitment it needs to be successful. If you’re interested in filming and editing footage relevant to local or national events, or simply make some great footage of RSU events you have attended then do not hesitate to get involved

Use the same contacts as given for the comms zone.

A new element of the communications zone is ‘engagement’. Although we do a lot of great things up at RSU towers, in the past, it’s not been our best party trick. Nevertheless, it is something we are going push further emphasis on over the next year. Engaging with students involves everything from us communicating with you, to encouraging you to communicate with us, and to take more ownership and direction within the union wherever possible. This can range from giving us feedback to getting involved and running in our annual RSU elections. For example, we have listened to your feedback in regards to our online media and are now redesigning the Student Union website and social media pages to become more accessible to you. Engagement is not only just about feedback though; it’s about activitism and collectivism and in short, getting involved!

Fresh

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Hello Freshlins! My name is Claire Fitzsimons (a.k.a fitzy), and I am your Vice President of Welfare & Community Sabbatical within the Roehampton Student’s Union (RSU). I am here to help you guys out with any personal issues that you might be

experiencing. From financial difficulties, to struggling to keep up with your work load, there is not a problem that you cannot come to me with. I will help you guys come up with solutions and goals to work towards in relation to any issue, in order to ensure that your university experience is a smooth as possible. Because of the nature of my role, I therefore have an open door policy, which means that you are welcome to pop in for a chat at any time! If for any reason I am not in the office, I will swiftly respond to any messages or emails.

Welfare Zone

This year, the focus of the Welfare Zone will be to help you guys learn more about issues such as; mental health, sexual health, alcoholism, drugs, eating disorders, pregnancy, finance management, smoking, personal safety and how to look after your wellbeing. Again, should you find yourself struggling with any of these issues, please do pop us to see us! Your enquiry will be dealt with the strictest of confidentiality. The Welfare Zone works alongside the university’s Welfare Officers and Welfare services. This means that we are able to provide you with up to date, and relevant, helpful information. We can also provide FREE condoms, pregnancy tests, and sell personal attack alarms for £1.

Community Zone

The Community Zones strives to ensure that all students groups have an equal platform to express their opinions and voice concerns. This is achieved thought our students group representative officers such as, the 4 College Presidents, Mount Clare Site Rep, Disabilities Officer, LGBT Officer, Mature Student’s Officers, Women’s Officer, Cultural Diversity Officer and the International Students Officer. All these groups of students help form the awesomeness that is the Roey Community! Our diversity of students is something that is quite unique, and therefore we like to do our best to help each individual student feel a part of our community! We achieve this sense of community through representing students on both a local and national level, and supporting campaigns like Black History Month & LGBT History Week. I also work alongside the local community Police Officers in order to continually address student safety issues. Lastly, I also work with the the university’s Chaplaincy services to help Students of different Faiths again feel a part of the wider Roey community.

There is something for everyone, and there is a group of students for everyone to feel a part of, my job is to help enhance your university experience by making you aware of these groups. It is important to us that you are provided with opportunities to become engaged, and address any personal issues. We want you to have the BEST experience of Roey and will continually strive to make your issues our priority!

Look forward to meeting you all & see you around Freshlins

Love Fitzy x

The Roehampton Safer Neighbourhood Team welcomes you to Roehampton University

and of course to Roehampton itself. I am the police Liaison Officer for the University and

have held the position for the past three years and well as a LGBT Liaison Officer. In conjunction with the Students

Union and the Welfare and Community Department we hold a drop-in session for students, called ‘Report It!’. This

happens once a week and is based in the Union Bar and Cafe (Froebel Campus).Keep a look out for dates which

will be posted online.

As well as doing this we also hold a ‘Report It!’ road show three times throughout the

academic year where we go round all the

campuses and hand out information about personal safety and crime prevention, which gives you an opportunity to

come and talk to

us about any concerns that you may have. Everything that gets discussed is treated in confidence!

We do encourage you to come and see us, not only for you to get to know us, but also for us to get to know you,

so we would love you to pop by and say hello!

Safer Neighbourhood Team

Welfare and Community

Key Campaigns:S.H.A.G Week: 28.11.11-02.12.11Don't Diss My Ability: 13.11.11-18.11.11

Fat Talk Free Week: 18.10.11-22.10.11

L.G.B.T.Q: 06.02.12-10.02.12

FRESH NEWSPAPER

Academic SupportHello, my name is Gemma Kelly and I am the Academic Support Advisor for the Students’ Union.

My role is to support, guide and advise students through any Academic issues.During your time at University, you may require advice about academic issues. The Students’ Union is equipped to deal with any Academic query if we don’t know the answer we will know someone that does.The Students’ Union is an independent service from Roehampton University which can advise and guide students through the University’s academic & disciplinary regulations.

If you are considering an academic appeal against a decision of an exam board, or you wish to make a complaint the Students’ Union can explain the grounds on which you are able to appeal or complain and the correct process to do so. We provide free, confidential and impartial advice to all students, we are

here to guide you through and hopefully reach your goals.

Programme Reps

TopTip

As well as offering academic advice I also

head up the Programme Rep System with

the RSU President, Alex Murray.

What is a Programme Rep? A Programme Rep is an elected student from

your academic programme. Their main job is

to liaise and represent the views and opinions

of students on that course and to feedback to

members of staff and the Students’ Union.

We re-launched the Programme Rep system

last academic year with somefantastic and

enthusiastic reps getting involved, this year

we aim to continue and get academic

representation at the forefront of every

programme.

Being a Programme Rep Being a programme rep gives you the

opportunity to contribute tohow your course

is developed and also represent your fellow

students, ensuring that any issues they have

with their course are dealt with and that any

changes or improvements to the course can

be communicated back to the students. It looks

awesome on your C.V. and gives you a great

experience in meeting skills, public speaking

and is also a great way to meet new people.

Being a programme rep will give you the

opportunity to contribute to how your course

is developed and also represent your fellow

students, ensuring that any issues they have

with their course are dealt with and that any

changes or improvements to the course

can be communicated back to

the students. It looks awesome on

your C.V. and gives you great

experience in meeting skills, public

speaking and also a great way to

meet new people.

Becoming a Programme RepIf you’re interested in becoming

a rep, talk to your programme

convener or drop Gemma Kelly,

Our Academic Advisor and email

on

g.kelly@roehamtpon.ac.uk

“Programme Reps are there to ensure your programme thoughts and concerns are heard. Feel you got what it takes to fill the boots? Contact RSU to find out more!”

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The RSU Interns

TopTip

This year is all about the ‘new’, you’ve read about the new radio station and you’ve heard from your three new sabbs ... well there is more to add to the ‘new’ list. For the first time ever, RSU have employed 2 new interns who are with us until the end of January, they will work alongside the team to

enhance the student experience, with the main aim of their remit being to engage students further. The two interns work on seperate zones within the RSU, Richard (Media Intern) will focus his work within the Communications Zone whilst Donna (Volunteering Intern) will concentrate her efforts around the Activities zone. The ability to have these interns is an amazing achievement, representitve of the great work previous RSU teams have done for Roehampton students, by having them on board this year we hope to interact far greater with every student, on campus or off, mature, post graduate or undergraduate. They will strive to help diversify the RSU’s services and give greater clairty to what we do. Alex Murray, SU President says, ‘The Student Media Intern has been introduced to the RSU to add extra vitality to our range of media. Developing Fresh Air, our student radio station, working on RSview video projects and ensuring you guys have an events photo gallery. The Media Intern will be the main lead for Fresh Air, so any potential radio stars – come and learn how and create your own show for Roehampton’s audio enjoyment. The Volunteering Intern has been developed to support the Activities Zone playing an active role in the volunteering programme ‘RU Inspired’. This will include recruiting volunteers; liaising with local voluntary organisations and developing MAD Projects (Make a difference) to give you guys the opportunity to take part in wider extracurricular activities and build on skills for your CV’.

Hi, my name’s Richard Williams and I’m New Media Officer at the RSU. A big part of my role is running Fresh Air –

Roehampton’s newly launched radio station. The station will be run by the students, for the students, and played

in all public places around campus.

I’m looking to get as many of you guys involved as possible. So, whether you are a budding DJ, or interested in being

a sound technician or producer, feel free to get in touch. The best way to do so is to visit our stall at the upcoming

Freshers Fare, have a chat and sign up, or to email richard.williams@roehampton.ac.uk or steve.molyneaux@

roehampton.ac.uk. We’re also looking for photography students who are interested in snapping various events for our

website, as well as film students eager to document student shenanigans, so please drop me a line too on the above

email address.

You may also see me about as one of the resident DJ’s at the Bop and Club Foot - playing all the best indie, electro and

alternative rock. So come say hello, and request a song too!

R.U inspired to Make a Difference?

It’s a great time to be a student at Roehampton University and I’m thrilled to be embarking on my new role as Volunteering Intern and working with the amazing guys at the RSU. We’re changing the face of ‘voluntary work’

and we’re creating new, fun and rewarding ’volunteering opportunities’ for all you guys at Roehampton!

Fresh up-to-date with the ‘European Year of Volunteering 2011’ initiative, RSU are promoting so many great opportunities for you to volunteer on campus and in the local community. The ‘RU Inspired?’ initiative aims to inspire new and existing volunteers to get involved in M.A.D (Make a Difference) Projects giving you the perfect opportunity to meet new friends, strengthen your C.V and really make a difference!

As a recent Roey graduate I really believe in the project, employers are looking for you to stand out from the rest and in my view volunteering is the most rewarding way to do it! I can’t wait to start rolling out our M.A.D volunteering events, there really is going to be something for everyone. So don’t let these events pass you by -come and get involved! Get your hands dirty with fellow students and staff on our first M.A.D Project held on the allotments at the Froebel campus at the beginning of October. Enhance your team building skills and get a little exercise while working outdoors and then after a day’s graft in the garden we’ll all sit back and admire our efforts with a few drinks and chilled out music before sending off some Chinese lanterns under the Harvest moon … sound appealing? Keep your eyes peeled for more up-and-coming projects on the RSU website!

It really is a win-win situation, not only will you get to be a part of a fun and worthwhile day but you’ll also get rewarded for it! …and I’m not just talking about the satisfaction you’ll get from seeing how volunteering your time for just one day can make such a difference to the tired and neglected worn out environment or a difference to the lives of those who are isolated and lonely in our community … I’m also talking about the ‘freebie’ rewards you’ll receive for logging the hours you give –you can receive gym passes, event tickets, T-shirts, hoodies and much more! There really is no better way to get the most out of your university experience while enhancing your personal skills.

RSU know our students can be anything they want to be …so be involved, be creative, be supportive, be generous, be positive, and be ’Inspired to Make a Difference’.

I can’t wait to meet you all at Fresher fair so make sure you come by and say Hi!!

“Want to write a blog that will have hundreds of people reading your thoughts? Maybe produce a radio show that will win you a Mobo? The place to start is right here!”

FRESH NEWSPAPER

When I started at Roehampton, I was a little unsure as to how the University would cater for the needs and expecta-tions of a postgraduate student. The usual worries of accommodation and meeting people similar to me existed alongside the worries and demands of a postgraduate course. The university did their best to combat these wor-ries through accommodating all post-grad students together in one block - I believe this is an intelligent procedure of the uni as it means you are living with those in a very similar situation and very likely of similar age. I did however find that the events RSU put on are a great way to meet people of ALL ages, giving an amazing opportunity to meet new people - particularly on a Friday night after a long week of studying you’re able to unwind at the Bop. There is a great balance at Roehampton between being young and crazy and having some drinks with the younger students (if you wish to) and relaxing in your post grad block with some of your own music and friends that really just like yourself!!! ENJOY IT GUYS! Bart xx

Well let me think back to freshers w

eek ... the main

thing for me was the culture shock! Perhaps sho

ck is

a strong word to use and somewhat of a cliché ph

rase

but for me the culture was the biggest ta

lking point.

Coming from an Asian culture, I was not so used t

o

the casual party feel about Fresher

s week and then the

regular events throughout the year.

However, what I did

realise was if you don’t feel like you fit in t

o that life-

style, at Roehampton, you don’t ha

ve to. There is such

a broad range of cultures, and stud

ents of different

nationalities that if the Fresher life

style is not for you,

there are a fair few of people to me

et who feel the

same situation. The Students Union is

a vital tool to

use throughout your time at Roeham

pton, they are very

well equipped to helping all students s

ettle in and adapt

to the Roehampton and indeed Lond

on culture. I f I can

give you any advice it would be to embrac

e the differ-

ences you may experience and feel e

ducated and inspired

by those at Roey that do their ver

y best to help you

settle in! Ramesh x

At the age of 18, moving from a smaller city to live in London seems to be the m

ost terrifying experience you can go

through. Who wouldn’t be afraid? Unfamiliar faces, far away from home, in a completely new environment. If there was

ever a time to feel alone this would be it. However, have no fear Roehampton was to the rescue, with many smiling

faces and helpful RSU members I felt at home in no time. The moment I collected my keys there was someone guid-

ing me to my room, introducing me to my flat rep. If I was ever wondering aimlessly around, someone would be there

instantly helping me to find my way. Don’t be afraid to ask for help during freshers week. I’m sure there are plenty

of other students feeling exactly the same way as you. Get involved with the events, freshers week is a great time

to socialise with others, who have come from many parts of England and abroad. Although the freshers p

ass is £40

plus, it is definitely worth investing in as it allows you access to every event. It is the perfect time to get involved

with many drinking games and have your first taste of the infamous student lifest

yle. Even better there are no lec-

tures to get up for in the morning.

My advice to you is to try not to drink too much the night before your degree r

egistration, as I would say the mod-

ule selection is one of the most important decisions you will be making for the rest of the year. Y

ou don’t want to

choose any old module down to the fact you are too hung-over, you want to enjoy the subjects you will be studying.

My highlight of freshers week definitely has to be a trip to the local clubs; ‘The Grand which is in Clapham and Fez

which is in Putney’, as well as trips to ‘The Roller Disco and the Bop’. After a good night out on freshers

week the

university provided us with free bacon sandwiches. Plus there are free shuttle buses to and from ‘The Grand and Fez’;

the beauty of ‘The Bop’ is that it is on Roehamptons door step.

If clubbing is not your thing then don’t worry there are various activities during th

e day which allows you to meet

many people. During the daytime I also spent the time to find out where all the local necessities were, such as the local

shops, the post office and the doctors. This was also a good time for me to sit dow

n and work out how far my

student loan could go. The prospect of having a couple of grand in the bank se

ems incredible but when you break it

down you realise that this has to last me until Christmas. Freshers week is a great way to settle into Roehampton.

For me it was a great chance to settle into Campus life. I was lucky enough to have the best flat r

ep that took our

flatmates out as a group and made sure everyone was happy. If there are still many question

s buzzing around your

head by the Friday then don’t worry as there is a ‘Freshers Fair’ held at the University. Freshers fair is the perf

ect

way to gain information from many companies. They have information on local tak

eaways, societies, volunteering proj-

ects, sport teams as well as having many advice stalls. Plus the amount of freebies given out is great,

I left freshers

fair with: a bag, pens, sweets, t-shirt, a calendar and vouchers.

It is worth going out with your flatmates in the week, getting to know them as they are the ones you will be living

with for the rest of your year. Why not contact people via facebook? It definitely helps. Also on induction days intr

o-

duce yourself to others on your course. Remember a smile goes a long way. Never forget everyone is in the same

situation as you. Kia Brown xx

MEMOIRS OF A FRESHER

WWW.ROEHAMPTONSTUDENT.COM

FatTalk

Welfare&Community

September In 1879 the Suffragette Movement began, which lead to the 1918 Representation of the People Act, allowing women the right to vote for the

first time. The 1983 Equal Pay Act gave women the right to the same pay as men. It is evident that women have come long way! Yet despite all of our opportunities, education, and empowerment, why is it that 75% of women in the UK are unhappy with their appearance and weight, and 61% feel inadequate compared to the media’s portrayal of ‘beauty’?

“She’s too fat to wear that” “You think you’re fat? Look at me!” “You look great, have you lost weight? “I can’t eat that, I’ll get fat” These are all examples of ‘FatTalk’, and it appears that women can conquer all, besides from this constant referral to weight and size! Most of the time, the majority of us are unaware of our engagement with FatTalk...it is that prevalent and almost considered ‘normal’. This is very worrying! Just because something may seem normal, it does not mean it’s healthy! Women and Men alike are obsessed with complimenting one another on appearance. This reinforces the idea that beauty is the most important aspect of a person, which of course as intelligent and well evolved beings, we know is not true. Uttering what may seem like a harmless ‘FatTalk’ remark, such as “I’m so fat!”, only fuels societies growing prejudice towards people that genuinely struggle with weight issues on all levels, on a daily basis!

Fat Talk Free Week 18.10.11 - 22.10.11

It is for the reasons discussed in the ‘what is fat talk’ column that the RSU Welfare & Community Zone will be taking part in the first ever ‘Fat Talk Free Week’ at Roehampton, on the 18th -22nd October. We want to switch the focus from weight and size, to health and wellbeing! Fat Talk Free Week will be held in conjunction with The Succeed Foundation, a young charity founded in 2010. Their mission is to raise awareness of eating disorders and body image issues in order to place more importance on being healthy. This awareness is made available to all (from sufferers, carers, professionals and wider public) through the Succeed Body Image Programme.

The Succeed Body Image Programme has years of scientific research behind it, touching upon the causes and triggers of both eating disorders and negative body image issues. Also the programme has a high success rate of preventing eating disorders throughout Tri Delta Sororities across America. This year, RSU’s Welfare & Community Zone is very pleased to announce that we will be one of only two universities in the UK, to first implement The Succeed Body Image Programme! So if you would like to get involved, both girls and lads, please make sure you come along to the Welfare & Community Zone stall at Fresher’s Fair! In the mean time, keep your ears peeled for ‘FatTalk’, once you are aware of it, it will shock you how consistent it is!

“It is time to make a stand against ‘FatTalk’! Could you imagine how unstoppable us girls would be, if

we saved all of our energy used to dislike our bodies, and channelled it into developing a proud and empowered attitude towards our personal body image?”

What is fat talk... Fat Talk Free Week Succeed Foundation

FRESH NEWSPAPER

WWW.ROEHAMPTONSTUDENT.COM

FRESH NEWSPAPER

WWW.ROEHAMPTONSTUDENT.COM

Hi there! My name is Jon Foley and I have been involved at Roehampton University for the last 10 years now, firstly as a student studying Marketing, through to my current position as Entertainments Co-ordinator at Roehampton Students’ Union. My time as a Roehampton student was priceless and has provided me with so many life experiences and has shaped me into who I am and what I now do.I have been involved with the RSU since the end of my first year, initially as a DJ at the majority of events and then I was elected as one of five Entertainments Officers in my 3rd year of study. This voluntary position taught me valuable skills, both practical and social, and I have continued to build on these throughout my time at Roehampton.

My role as Entertainments Co-ordinator is to essentially programme, organise and run RSU events both on and off the University campus for the students of Roehampton. The main aims are to ensure you guys have the most amount of fun possible during your time here, in the safest possible environment, while offering a programme of events that appeals to as many differing tastes as physically possible! As a students’ union we do try our hardest to provide as varied a programme of entertainment as possible, to cater for the massive demographic here at Roehampton, but as experience has often shown, it is not easy to make every single student happy! This year’s team of officers and I will take on board any ideas that you may have and where possible will try to improve and adapt our services. Most im-portantly of all, every RSU event or endorsed event is organised in a way to ensure the safest and most enjoyable atmosphere possible. We have worked hard on our weekly programme of events over previous years, and now believe we have found a good balance of events to cater for as much of the dy-namic student population as possible.With a few major changes to bars and venues across the site last year and some additional improvements over the summer of 2011, RSU has adapted its programme of events accordingly and feel this will be an extremely exciting year ahead!! We look forward to seeing you all at RSU events throughout your time at Roehampton University!!Jon xx

Entertainments

Wednesday

Thursday

Tuesday

Friday

Weekends

Mondaythe likes of Air Traffic, The Rumble Strips, White Lies, Little Boots, Les Incompetents, Special Needs and The Thirst all taking to the stage. Cheap entry and cheap drinks promos! Slap It On! is a new addition to this years RSU Events programme and is a night for everyone. Whether you are the next David Guetta or simply someone who fancies spinning their favourite tunes in front of their friends, Slap It On! gives you the opportunity to try your hand behind the decks! Simply sign yourself up to a slot behind the bar, bring down your tunes and try win over the crowd. Even if you don’t fancy signing up, come down, be entertained and broaden your musical horizons! Free entry & drinks promos Acoustic Night will also be a Thursday night event encouraging budding singer song-writers to get up and belt out their best. There is no benchmark for talent and we encourage as many of you to sign up as possible, whether you want to sing your own little creations or cover a classic, anything goes! You can sign up for a slot at The Union in advance or simply turn up on the night! Karaoke Night will be another new addition to the events programme this year on a monthly basis, also in The Union. We won’t insult your intelligence by explaining

what a Karaoke night involves, so simply turn up early, brave the stage yourself, or simply stitch your mates up!! Free entry and drinks promos.

There should only be one thought on your mind on a Friday night and that is Bop, Bop, Bop! The Bop is the biggest regular night on campus attracting around 800 party ani-mals each week. It’s a no frills night with drinks promos and fancy dress themes (optional!) each week. The main room in Monte Hall hosts resi-dent DJs playing only the best pop music, student anthems, with the added spoonfuls of cheese thrown in throughout the night. The Union bar area acts as the second room, with Club Foot resident DJs offering something a little different playing Indie / Electro to keep the room bouncing all night. Cheap entry, cheap drinks all night!

Fez is truly an institution within the walls of Roehampton and will continue to be one of the most popular nights of the week. Boasting a fully functional Travolta-esque flashing dance floor, Putney’s Fez Club provides the perfect excuse to cut a few shapes, make a fool of yourself and generally have a laugh. The Resident DJ employs an ‘any-thing goes’ policy to provide the biggest and best mix of music all night long. Requests taken in advance and on the night, if the DJ has it we guarantee he will play it! Roehampton Exclusive drinks deals will be in operation all night, every week.

The Clapham Grand will be held once a month and will play host to our massive club night, which we expect around 1000 of you guys to attend, making these memorable nights! Guest DJs and PAs will appear throughout the year and this London landmark of a venue, with themed nights along the way. Who needs Jongleurs or The Comedy Store when you’ve got your own comedy night, Laugh Out Loud, right here on campus?! This year we will again be teaming up with Avalon, one of the biggest agencies on the comedy scene, to ensure only the best acts are booked for your enjoyment. Scores of great acts have graced the stage over the last 3 years, including Russell Howard, Greg Davies, Alan Carr, Robin Ince, Jim Jefferies, Simon Bird, Jack Whitehall, Lee Nelson and Isy Suttie…… to name but a few! Please, please, please come and check this night out, as it really is a top quality night, with top quality professional comedians, held in Monte Hall, Froebel, sporadically throughout the year.

No RSU specific events are held on Tuesdays, however The Union bar, Froebel, will always be open to nurse your needs!!

This year sees a slight change to Thursdays programming, with the introduction of a 4 week cycle of events, all taking place in The Union, Froebel. Club Foot will be one of the 4 events held in The Union and will be an Indie/Alternative club night with a couple of top live acts performing each week. DJs playing only the best in Indie, Electro, Pop and good old Rock n Roll. This night has been running for 7 years now and over the years has seen

RSU do not host their own regular events on a weekend, but here are some other ideas for you:The Union bar @ Froebel is open Saturday and Sunday, showing all major sporting fixtures as well as serving the usual great food and drink from 12pm through til 11pm both days. Saturdays will see sporadic events throughout each term, with DJs to entertain and

a cheap, local alternative to central London. Sunday roast & the famous pub quiz to end the weekend is a must, but make sure you get down early to secure your seats, as it’s very popular!! Central London is also your oyster and there is so much going on, there isn’t any point in starting to name decent nights out as we’d be hear all day! We recommend checking online, the likes of Time Out, Ents24 and The Guardian Guide are all great websites. Finally, please always travel in a group and be sure to check out travel links on page 22 to find out how to head out and more importantly, how to get back!