Reflections on start of the new academic year – where you are living, settling back in to Bristol, targets for the year.

After an extremely restful summer, moving back into Bristol was a very busy time for me. This year I have started my role as a senior resident in university accommodation, meaning I live in halls and am tasked with welcoming and ensuring new students are having the best university experience they can in their first year. Normally Senior Residents are in their third year or studies or above, and although I am only in my second year of study it is my third year at the university (after switching courses from Computer Science to Theatre and Performance studies). Living in halls can feel somewhat overwhelming at first, meeting hundreds of new people over a period of a few days is for some people a scary idea. The main piece of advice I was given on this when coming to university for the first time was once I’d moved in and settled down, to open my bedroom door and just welcome people in as they passed. Within about twenty minutes I had about ten people crammed into my room chatting about everything from where they had travelled from to which bank people have accounts with (overseas students can find that information really helpful!)

I’m starting this year with a target towards focusing on my academic work. Your first year at university is formative and so does not contribute to your degree classification when you graduate, and arts students (particularly theatre students) are well known for getting stuck in with extracurricular activities! I have always filled my time with performance based extracurricular activities such as being president of Music Theatre Bristol (MTB), directing West Side Story (MTB’s main show 2016) and I am currently the social secretary for Studiospace (our departmental society). Having done so much over my (two) first years, I have decided to take a step back this year to focus on my academic study. I believe this is the best way round to do things if you’re someone who will get heavily involved with societies as you need to know your limits and be able to manage your time. I almost pushed myself too far last year with commitments which is why I’ve decided to take a slight step back this year, and perhaps go to see some amazing student theatre rather than try to be in it all!

Jamie