The Bucks Student: Edition 102

Catch our exam top tips on page 11!

N RDING THE ESTATES PLA THE UNIVERSITY REGA TO ER TT LE T EN UD ST ON PAGE 4 READ THE EXCLUSIVE ’S RESPONSE INSIDE AND THE UNIVERSITY

January 2022 – Edition 102

2 The Bucks Student

Welcome In this edition: Sabb update . . . . . . . . . . 3 EXCLUSIVE ARTICLE. . 4 Emily Crawshaw reacts to the University’s estates plan

Practicing mindfulness . . . . . . . . . 10 Exam top tips . . . . . . . . 11 Don’t panic! We’ve got your back with exams

Christmas projects . . 12 Our Bucks fam. . . . . . . 13 Exceptional circumstances. . . . . . . 14 Even if it all goes wrong, there’s help available

Events calendar . . . . . 16 Smear campaign . . . . 19 STRIVE festival . . . . . . 20 Graduate jobs. . . . . . . . 21 Union Council. . . . . . . . 22 Activities. . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 GLOBAL GAME JAM.24 Men’s Basketball . . . . 25 Bucks Nursing. . . . . . . 27 Musical Theatre Takeover . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Bucks Skating . . . . . . . 29 Puzzle page . . . . . . . . . . 30

Page 4 - Emily Crawshaw took the time to write about how they feel about the University’s new estates plan - read the Uni’s exclusive response here!

Welcome back and a very happy 2022 to you all!

We hope you were able to use the time over the holidays to relax, reflect and recuperate for the term and year ahead. Maybe some of you have come straight back into exams, or are writing a dissertation, or even just have a slow start back to term. Whichever you’re facing, we hope it’s going well and remember that our Advice Centre is always here to support you too.

Did you have any great goings on over the holidays? If you have any stories, photos, interviews, achievements, or even your Christmas presents and you’d like to share, then we’d love to publish it. Drop an email to editor@ thebucksstudent.com and we’ll do the rest to get your content published in beautiful techni-colour across campus!

For all advertising and media enquiries please contact the Students’ Union Communications and Marketing department.

Simon McDowell simon.mcdowell@bucks.ac.uk Oli Gunson oli.gunson@bucks.ac.uk Nellie Hughes nellie.hughes@bucks.ac.uk

Page 15 - Joanna releases the #SmearForSmear campaign

Articles in this newspaper do not necessarily represent the views of Bucks Students’ Union but are that of the specific author. View this edition online at bucksstudentsunion.org/media/ newspaperarchive. © 2022 Bucks Students’ Union

3

Sabb update

January edition 102

By Honor Fletcher (she/her), Tash Neal (she/her), Tom Featherstone (he/him)

I hope you had a restful break and a happy new year. In terms of a New Year’s resolution, this year mine is to take care of myself as a priority and put my wellbeing first. I have another very busy term coming up with University meetings and some of my own personal campaigns but some of the things I’m looking at focusing on over the next term are: Mental Health Framework embedding the framework into our Union policy, publishing them, and continuing to campaign the University for the integration of their own wellbeing policy. I am also focusing on trying to embed mental health risk assessments within our activities across the Union alongside what we do currently with physical risk assessments.

Digital Poverty Working Group This is now in the beginnings of being formulated with the aim to establish the true extent of the issue within the institution to support students with the resources and support they require to support their educational experience.

Run another 3 successful Wellbeing Weeks and the Unions first ever Wellbeing Fair in February.

If you have any suggestions or there’s something you’d love to see at the Wellbeing Fair, feel free to drop me an email: natasha.neal@ bucks.ac.uk.

Happy New Year everyone, I hope the start of your 2022 has been a good one. I am not normally one for new year’s resolutions, but something I am going to make more effort with is dedicating more time to my fitness and wellbeing.

I cannot wait for this term to kick start and get back into university life. As usual as a Union we have loads of exciting things coming up that you can all get involved in and make 2022 a year to remember.

Some of my main priorities for this year include working with several students to support them in organising and running their own campaigns, which is super exciting. It’s so great getting to support our members run their own campaigns and seeing just how passionate you all are. I’ll be working on a few projects of my own including researching further into personal safety both on and off campus, anti-bullying, and so much more. It is great to see so many of our members wanting to raise awareness and make some serious change around important topics that affect university life.

I can’t wait to see what you all have in store for us this term and I’m looking forward to seeing what this term brings.

I hope you all had a wonderful break and a very Happy New Year.

There is so much coming up in the term ahead to look forward to but it’s hard to look at all the exciting opportunities without talking about Varsity. In just over 2 months we’ll be running out against Roehampton in our first proper Varsity fixture in two years. So, I urge you to buy your Varsity tickets and make sure you’re there to support our teams as they compete to keep the RoeBuck trophy on home soil.

Something else to keep a look out for this term is our annual employability festival, STRIVE. This is such an exciting event that we’ll be hosting in person for the first time. On Monday 4 April we’ll be hosting a range of different employers to come in share their experiences, give you insights on their business and show you how you can get involved. As well as this there are going to be panels throughout the day where you can hear from externals as well as alumni on their journey through work. It’s definitely not a day to miss out on.

I’m not really one for New Year resolutions but I have set myself a goal to pick up a few extra training hours in the run up to Varsity and to keep up my title of office DJ. Here’s hoping for a happy and healthy second term.

4

University estates plan

The Bucks Student EXCLUSIVE EXCLUSIVE

EXCLUSIVE

STUDENT LETTER TO THE UNIVERSITY

EXCLUSIVE

EXCLUSIVE EXCLUSIVE

By Honor Fletcher

Students react to Uni estates plan Honor Fletcher Students’ Union President

We are really excited that the University are investing in our campuses, but as the upcoming article shows,there is some student concern surrounding the proposed redevelopment of the High Wycombe campus. In her piece ‘Students react to Uni Estates Plan’, Emily Crawshaw highlights, those in attendance at Union Council had some reservations that University’s plans to enhance the campus lacked extensive consultation and only partially addressed their current frustrations.

As sabbatical officers we recognise that investment in our built environment is important and will be viewed positively by a large proportion of our members. However, given the price tag we also take the view that consultation should be thorough and robust, taking full account of student perspectives and addressing the challenges they face.

Rather than plans being presented in what to many appeared to be a fully formed state. It is only under through considered research and consultation that we can be certain that planned expenditure represents value for money and is being targeted in the right areas.

While the introduction of a roof garden and restaurant may represent improvements, they are not likely to feature in students’ top 10 priorities. Instead, concerns about suitable study spaces, environments that feel ‘more like Google headquarters and less like local council offices’, accessible and well supported learning environments, appropriate technology to enable hybrid and blended delivery, equipment that works and activity spaces for clubs and societies have been raised as critical concerns.

It’s also fair to say that the plans submitted for consideration at Union Council also do nothing to address student concerns at Uxbridge and Aylesbury, and whilst some development has taken place or is planned for these campuses the High Wycombe centric plan highlights even further how different a student’s experience may be dependent on their campus of study. Similarly, students were concerned about the impact of these works on their learning, following two years of Covid, and no detailed reassurances have been provided or communicated as to how the University will ensure a continuity of experience and minimise disruption, relocation of key facilities, noise and the other inconveniences that building work presents.

The Union has raised these concerns with the University, as well as ask that a more detailed consultation is carried out with as many students as possible. We’ve also stressed the importance of clear communications about any disruption and the need for any work to be considered and articulated as part of a wider strategy that considers the future of the entire University estate. It’s under those circumstances that we believe we can reap the full benefit from what is unquestionably positive investment in our facilities and the student experience. Through on-going conversations with the university, we are happy to say the Badger system is now available to all students, so you can report estate related issues yourself. For more information of this system head over to badger.bucks.ac.uk.

5

University estates plan

January edition 102

By Emily Crawshaw

Emily Crawshaw Student council member

EXCLUSIVE

Will East Wing be repurposed into a café and reception area?

STUDENT LETTER TO THE UNIVERSITY EXCLUSIVE EXCLUSIVE

As the Student Council Member, I had already seen these plans twice over the term in meetings, so for me, it was very interesting to finally hear what the students, as a collective group, had to say about these proposals, both through questions that were asked at the end of the presentation, but also with the comments that were being bounced around the room while the slides were being shown to us. The consensus that I was hearing is ‘do we need this?’ and ‘the money should be spent to fix what is broken in terms of learning facilities first before something new is made’.

East Wing - it begins with, a main entrance space from the door under the bridge from Gateway into the main building where a reception area and café space will be made, then this will then spread down the East Wing corridor into the workshops where a new refectory will be built with modern style seating (a bit like Wagamama’s). Then the Rose Garden will become a large, open-plan, covered Atrium, this will be a place where students can meet before/after lectures and socialise, also a place where events could be held, maybe a catwalk for the fashion students, or a performance space for the performing arts and dance courses – it will be a multifunctional space for all to use.

Then, on top of the roof that is being put on the Rose Garden, there will be a roof garden for students to socialise. These are the big developments which the University proposed to us, along with a few added extra areas such as a new help desk and another enclosed seating space called the Winter Garden.

EXCLUSIVE

The proposed site of the new covered atrium

Firstly, where the development is going to go, and what does it look like?

EXCLUSIVE

At this meeting, a large part of the agenda was taken up by the University Estates Presentation which was presented to us by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Nick Braisby, and the Chief Finance Officer, Trevor Gabriele. What they presented to us were their intentions to renovate the areas of the university to create a ‘heart’ for students to gather and utilise no matter the course.

EXCLUSIVE

On Thursday 2 December, I attended Union Council where students gather to hear the updates from different members of the Student Union as well as the university to understand what they have been doing in the background while we participate in the clubs, societies, and different opportunities that they have to offer. It was brilliant to see so many students there, ranging from first years, postgraduate students, and distant learners.

6

University estates plan

The Bucks Student EXCLUSIVE EXCLUSIVE

EXCLUSIVE

STUDENT LETTER TO THE UNIVERSITY

EXCLUSIVE

EXCLUSIVE EXCLUSIVE

By Emily Crawshaw

Now, this may sound quite cool and interesting, but what do students need when they come to university, what are we here for?

Though we are here to meet new friends and to socialise with people, at the end of the day, we are paying the money to gain a qualification.

Do we need all these social spaces?

From what was being said, by students in this meeting, no, we do not need more areas where we can socialise, we need more spaces where we can focus on our education, where we can study on our own or with others. A more multifunctional space in that way, where we can have the privacy to study, but also to have the space to socialise too – with the proposal that was shown, it was very open plan and did not consider this.

These open-plan spaces also do not take into consideration those who have hidden disabilities and wellbeing issues who prefer to be in spaces that make them feel safe, where there are not loads of people gathered in an area, or where there are not constant loud noises, so private areas would also very much benefit these individuals.

Following on from this, as a small university, we already have three areas where we can get food, Beats, Rusty’s and the Lounge where we can get a large variety of different food and drink whether that is hot or cold, these provide it.

As explained above, these plans include taking out the current workshop spaces which are in East Wing and inevitable disruption to the dance studios. In the plans that we were shown at this meeting, there was no insight given to where these vital resources to some of our students are going to be moved to and how they are going to be catered for in the transition period.

Furthermore, there was a lot of muttering around the room and questions asked around why the money is being spent making something new when the old needs to be fixed or replaced?

Firstly, starting with technology. I have had personal experience of this where a lecturer has had to move rooms weekly due to a projector not working properly or not at all, for the speakers not to work, and so forth.

This is unacceptable and gets reported by the lecturers as it can cause weekly disruption to classes.

Along with this, we have just come out of an 18 month on/off lockdown where we have not been on campus for a significant amount of time since March 2020. We have been online or working in a hybrid fashion since then. Though we are back in the classroom, COVID-19 is still around, and isolating is still necessary which means that there need to be rooms that have adequate setups to allow those at home to access the content that is happening on campus such as video cameras/microphone setups. This shows that money needs to be spent in rooms to make sure that the technology is up to speed for the way society is working today. Now, when the technology issue of it not being up to speed or working, was mentioned by one of the students at the meeting, we were met with the information that these areas of the campus are constantly being updated.

So, we believe that when certain updates are happening around the campuses, that we should be made aware of them, whether that is through a notification on the BNU app once a month of what has been going on, or in Union Council meetings just like estates’ plan was brought to us. This is information that we need to know so we can appreciate what areas of the university are being updated.

7

University estates plan

January edition 102

By Emily Crawshaw

• What do you think of all this and what do you think the redevelopment process of the university should look like?

There will be another student consultation… so join in and have your say!

EXCLUSIVE

• How do you think the University leadership team should communicate with the students regarding the redevelopment process?

EXCLUSIVE

• What improvements to education support do you want?

EXCLUSIVE

• What social spaces do you want, is there enough places for your societies and activities?

STUDENT LETTER TO THE UNIVERSITY

• What is important to you at university?

Read the University’s response on the next page!

EXCLUSIVE

This also was the catalyst of other students, especially the dance students to pipe up that they are unhappy with their dance studios, the floor is inadequate along with the size of the rooms, making it an unsafe space to dance in. They were also very concerned with where they would be moved to during the construction work to East Wing.

The first bit of consultation the students have had was this, after the initial plan had been developed and approved. As a body and the customer of the institution we have not been able to express the ideas that we may have in the redevelopment process of the university.

This was a missed opportunity. Meaning that now, there needs to be more conversation with the students about how we want the plans to change from here. Yes, the university may want to start on certain aspects of the redevelopment at the start of next term, but these plans need to work for us, as students, before anything is set in stone. We need to be spoken to, whether that is via a face-to-face meeting where students can express their views, a social media discussion where students can put forward what they would like to see at the “heart” of the university, and this is where more ambitious suggestions such as a swimming pool or an ice-skating rink could be discarded, but more important ideas like more private study spaces could be considered. Moreover, the university needs to ask us questions so that the plans can be altered for us. These could consist of:

EXCLUSIVE

Along with this, the students believe that there should be a consultation one/twice a term to ask us what needs to be done as sometimes our messages do not always get heard if going via our lecturers, heads of schools, etc.

An example of this is the Timberlake building, located on the west side of campus. One of the students brought to the table that their lift had not worked for all three years that he had been in the university so made it very difficult for the disabled students to be carried up and down the stairs so that they could get to class. Secondly, that in the winter, both the students and staff are sat learning and teaching in coats, scarves, and blankets due to the heating not working, and lastly, the Wi-Fi in this area of the building is very weak. There is nowhere near an ideal working environment for both students and staff, and when these problems were mentioned, there was more shock and disappointment across the students in the room.

What should be done from here?

EXCLUSIVE

Though we are here to meet new friends and to socialise with people, at the end of the day, we are paying the money to gain a qualification. Do we need all these social spaces?

8

University estates plan

The Bucks Student

By Professor Nick Braisby, BNU’s Vice-Chancellor

Nick Braisby

It’s important to me that we’re open and honest in making sure all our students know how we’re acting on what you tell us, and so I’ve written this article to keep you informed.

How we invest in your university and act on your feedback

EXCLUSIVE EXCLUSIVE

EXCLUSIVE

EXCLUSIVE

Vice-Chancellor

I received Emily’s report on 7 January and replied to give my personal reassurance about the value of student feedback, and to update Emily on action that was being taken in response to the points raised. Since then, Emily and Honor Fletcher have met with Trevor Gabriele, Chief Financial Officer for a further discussion around student feedback on our estate.

UNIVERSITY RESPONSE

EXCLUSIVE

EXCLUSIVE

The Uni responds

Every year, BNU invests into your learning, teaching and leisure facilities. Your feedback has asked for more information on where this money goes, so I’ve provided a snapshot below, a summary of what’s coming, and details on how you can share your views to let us know what’s working well or where you think action is needed.

Investing in your student experience Since 2019-20, I’m proud to say that the University has made an average annual investment of more than £2.5m into improving our campuses and your course resources, including this academic year. £1m has been invested into our digital infrastructure in that time, including new printers and an enrolment portal, while £800k has been spent on digitally enhancing our classrooms with interactive and audio visual (AV) screens, as well as new printers and more than 300 new PCs and Macs on their way to your teaching spaces.

We’ve invested in a range of other equipment for your courses in the last three years too, including paramedic science, photography, nursing simulation, audio studios and music

production, art and design, architectural technology, physiotherapy, engineering and aviation. We’ve made these improvements to boost your skills, enhance your learning experience and ensure you’re career-ready when you graduate from BNU. Acting on your feedback I want students to know that we absolutely want to fix any current problems on our campuses and that these are being treated as a priority. It’s not a case of just looking forwards to our new estates plans: your current experience is just as important as how we intend to improve it further still in the coming months. We’ve already taken action to address issues some of you have experienced in the Timberlake building. There will be an £83k investment in a new lift, better heating and the Wi-Fi was strengthened in December, plus there is an intention to add toilet facilities closer to Timberlake. We’re also working with the School of Art, Design and Performance to address your feedback about the size and location of our dance studios.

You can tell us what you love, or want to be improved, anytime outside of mid-semester surveys or the NSS by: • speaking to your course/personal tutors, course reps or elected sabbatical offers; emailing the University direct at students@bucks.ac.uk; and • remember you can attend a Union Council meeting to share your views.

And we understand that sometimes you’re looking for a quick, practical fix in a teaching space or your flat in halls. We’ve now created a way for all students to report anything from dripping taps to a draughty window direct by logging on to the Badger system here. You can also access the link from MyBNU.

9

University estates plan

January edition 102

By Professor Nick Braisby, BNU’s Vice-Chancellor

to student letter We’ve heard that you want more opportunities to express your views about our plans, so please reach out in the following ways to have your say:

Some of you have also told us that you’re concerned about a lack of access to workshops and dance studios during the building work. We’ve been working tirelessly to plan ahead, and these early efforts will seek to minimise the potential future disruption to you and your studies.

• After watching the video, please share any feedback by emailing estatesplans@bucks.ac.uk.

• We’ve also set up a project office on the ground floor of East Wing where University staff and our project management team will be on hand to answer any of your questions about the estates plan.

This will build upon our £1.2m investment in developing our Pinewood estate and equipment; our £800k spend on the new Aylesbury nursing campus; and the £700k spent on improvements at Uxbridge.

And now we have the High Wycombe developments to look forward to!

EXCLUSIVE

We’ll continue to work with you and your Students’ Union, providing regular updates so you know what we’re doing. Until then, please continue using the feedback channels mentioned above to have your say so we can act on what you tell us.

EXCLUSIVE

In response to some feedback we’ve already gratefully received about suitable spaces, we’re pleased to say that we’re working with an expert on academic spaces and the Students’ Union has met with them recently to input into this work on your behalf.

We’re really excited about BNU’s future and the ongoing work to improve our campuses so your and our future students’ university experiences are the best they can possibly be.

EXCLUSIVE

• We’ll be setting up another in-person session for you next month to see the plans and share your views. Look out for more details on MyBNU.

Keeping you updated

UNIVERSITY RESPONSE

This includes looking at how we can create flexible spaces for everyone in which you can work together or on your own, using the spaces to learn in the way that best suits you.

We also understand that having a quiet place to study, or to reflect, is just as important as opportunities to meet and work with your fellow students.

EXCLUSIVE

We invited you to attend an online session on 15 December with CFO Trevor Gabriele, to learn more about our plans for developing our High Wycombe campus. We would have loved to host this in person but due to a national rise in COVID-19 cases, we decided online would be best and you can watch what happened here on MyBNU.

EXCLUSIVE EXCLUSIVE

Future estates plans

10

Mindfulness

The Bucks Student

By Claire Sessions (she/her)

Mindfulness

And how we can all practice being a bit more mindful...

We’re all guilty of rushing around, stressing and panicking about our “to do list” getting longer . Life is always on the go and it’s hard to find time to stop and think. Mindfulness minute is an idea I’d like to introduce as a top tip for wellbeing. I was just as skeptical when this NHS buzzword was thrown around but there are many different ways we can practice mindfulness and the benefits can be almost instant.

Mindfulness allows us to focus on the moment, forget the worries and stress around us with the side effect of releasing tension in the body. It enables us to be more in touch and aware of emotions by describing the feelings , rather than the thoughts attached to them.

A couple of examples of quick practices we can adopt mindfully include paced breathing and paired muscle relaxation . Paced breathing can be visualized by picturing a rectangle. Breathe deeply from the stomach, in on the short sides and out on the longer.

When breathing out imagine the word relax and let your body sink down. Grab a sneaky exaggerated smile behind your mask for a quick jolt of dopamine .

Paired muscle relaxation works in similar way. Focus completely on your body, Tense the pair as tight as possible and hold the tension and then release and feel the pressure leave your body . Keep your mind focused on the task and solely focus on the relaxation, if your mind begins to wonder bring it back .

Scan this QR code to find out about more ways we can incorporate a bit of mindfulness into our daily life.

and breathe...

11

Exam tips

January edition 102

By Nellie Hughes

Exam top tips The exam season is fast approaching and as well as making sure you’re studying and preparing for your assessments, it’s also important to look after yourself. A little bit of extra pressure can sometimes give us the kick we need to stop procrastinating, but it’s important that the stress you’re feeling doesn’t get to a point where you become overwhelmed. Check out some of our top tips to help keep your stress under control.

Balance is key

Get the facts

It’s important to maintain your usual sleep pattern, exercise routine, and eating plan. You don’t want to overwhelm yourself with studying and work – give your brain a breather and take some time to look after you, see friends, or even take a day off. You’ll feel refreshed and refocused when you come back to work.

Find out well in advance where your exam is, what time it is, and what to bring with you. Knowing ahead of time will help avoid any last minute panics on the day. Make sure you also take note of who to contact in case of an emergency or if you fall ill or need to isolate on your exam date.

Make it about you

If in doubt, ask

Just because your house-mate is studying 6 hours a day in the silence of the library doesn’t mean you need to, nor should you let that make you feel like you’re falling behind.

Find a revision style, and environment, that works for you and make a plan that you can realistically stick to. It could be mind maps, flash cards, rock music, or even group studying.

The early bird, gets it There’s no such thing as too early. This goes for starting your revision and showing up on the day. The more prepared you are, the less stressed you’re going to feel as you’ve used your time wisely.

Arriving to your exam about 15 minutes ahead of the start time is a good idea to avoid feeling rushed.

If you’re unsure or finding it too stressful, speak to someone. Your personal tutor is there to help support you through your exams and assessments - It’s best to let someone know how you’re feeling so you can always pop into our Advice Centre for a confidential chat. Out friendly advisors are here for you to help take that extra weight off your shoulders. You can email them on suadvice@ bucks.ac.uk At the end of the day, just remember that exams aren’t everything. You can still be successful in life afterwards – employers are interested in your attitude, skills, and experiences. Once you’ve sat your exam, try not to think about it afterwards. If for any reason you feel like you might need to submit an application for any of the exceptional circumstances, don’t hesitate to contact your personal tutor and then get in touch with Academic Registry. But besides this and above all, stay positive and good luck!

12

Christmas projects

The Bucks Student

By Melissa Lamerton

Christmas projects Whilst some volunteers decorated the school bags, others were busy wrapping shoe boxes allowing us to donate 100 hampers to the grateful residents of Ryeview Manor.

The festive period can be a time of joy and happiness but it can also be an extremely difficult time for some.

At the end of 2020 we acquired funding from the Clare Foundation and from Buckinghamshire Council Helping Hands for several projects that took place over the holidays.

Here at Bucks Students’ Union we wanted to create some extra joy and some of the activities were focused on BNU students whilst others assisted those in the wider community.

We also put on a Christmas Extravaganza event in the SU Lounge before the holiday break where students could bring friends and family to the Venue to share a festive meal. To keep the merriment going for students unable to go home for the holidays, we paid for students to attend a Boxing Day dinner at the Spindle and Thread where they could enjoy some good company, good food and help spread the Christmas spirit.

For BNU students we provided 100 Holiday Hampers filled to the brim with a variety of holiday treats and cupboard staples, delivered to their door where possible.

Here’s what some of you had to say about the hampers…

“I just wanted to say I received my hamper today and I truly am so grateful. This has lifted my spirits after major knee surgery.

I can’t thank you enough for your generosity. I am very touched.”

“Thank you for dropping off the hamper. It is honestly a massive help and I really appreciate it so much.”

300 reusable tote bags were hand decorated by our students and staff before being filled with goodies and activities for children from three primary schools in the local area.

Ryeview Manor had some lovely feedback for us “The gifts will lighten up our residents faces, especially those who do not have any family of their own. We are very grateful for all the hard work that has gone into making 100 Christmas hampers.

A big well done to you guys, you truly have warmed so many hearts with kind gifts. We wanted to pass on some loving words from our residents who greeted you at the main entrance…”

Daphne “I think its outstanding, it’s just absolutely marvellous” Brigitte “I can’t believe they made 100, they are very kind people” Ken “It’s just lovely isn’t it?”

Bucks Students’ Union would like to say a big thank you to the Clare Foundation and Buckinghamshire Council Helping Hands. Without the generous funding these organisations provided, these projects would not have been possible.

For any student needing financial support for food please contact the Students’ Union Advice Centre at suadvice@bucks.ac.uk or contact The Student Hub for access to the campus food bank.

13

Our Bucks fam!

January edition 102

By Tom Featherstone

Our Bucks fam!

If you speak to past students from Bucks, they’ll tell you

how strong the connection here is and how much it feels like family.

From volunteering to drive teams to games to even playing for clubs when others have been struggling for numbers. From the start of the academic year its been good to see that this is still the case! In this article I just want to highlight those students who have gone above and beyond the point of call to help!

One club that has really put themselves out there and been whiling to help where possible is Bucks Men’s Rugby. Early in the term it was obvious that Men’s Hockey were going to be struggling for numbers at every match day.

Men’s Rugby have stepped up twice to fill in but notably in one game where they had 4 extra players helping. Josh Fake, Tim Cunningham, Ian Wong and Nico Tissera all went out, had a laugh and enjoyed the game with the latter winning Man of the Match!!

Another member who has really show the Bucks spirit is Josh Fake, who weekly, and sometimes without even having to be asked, drives clubs and society’s around the county to get to different sessions and matches.

Whilst talking about driving other clubs it wouldn’t be right to mention Georgia Reeve who, like Josh, has willingly driven around the country to help a plethora of clubs, notably driving Men’s Basketball the 169mile round trip to Portsmouth University!

Other people to note, Gregor Wilson, who whilst having a break from Hockey went and returned the favour and played for Men’s Rugby who were in the middle of an injury crises.

Dwayne Wilson, Men’s Basketball Captain, had a free week who ran out for Bucks FC 4’s, which was a challenging fixture for the boys but still enjoyed the day.

Something the is noted is the support that clubs that aren’t playing are giving to those who are.

BNU Dance and Women’s Rugby have had supports at least one fixture every week which shows the dedication shown. But none shows this more then when BNU Swans went away with Rugby to Hertfordshire to go and support the boys in what was a tough fixture.

Alongside MT who have been down with Rugby to a bunch of Netball home matches.

There are more students out there that have been helping others which is amazing to see! Your extra work does not go unnoticed, the clubs themselves and us at the SU are thankful for your efforts!

Great to see Clubs and Soc’s down supporting our netballers!

14

Exceptional circumstances

The Bucks Student

Working under some exceptional circumstances

By Kate Hughes

Did you know that the University has processes in place to support you if you face a serious disruption of your studies caused by circumstances beyond your control?

These fall under the Exceptional Circumstances Umbrella in three categories; Extensions, Mitigating Circumstances, or Interrupting your Studies.

Questions to ask yourself Will another two weeks allow me to submit the work?

Yes → Extension No → Mitigating Circumstances An application for an Extension to a submission deadline for an assignment(s) – where a later deadline, usually 10 days, will enable you to complete the work for an uncapped mark → apply to Module Leader Extension Examples that are normally eligible Death of a family member/close friend just before assessment/exam Illness with Covid Examples that are not normally* eligible Missed bus or train, late lift Away on holiday Computer-related problems Ongoing/underlying health issue (where there is no evidence of a flare-up) Am I in a fit state to continue my studies now?

Yes → Extension / Mitigating Circumstances claim

A claim for Mitigating Circumstances – where an unexpected event seriously affects your studies and an extension is not feasible or appropriate (e.g. if an exam is missed). This is not used to apply for Extension to a submission deadline → apply to Registry Officer Questions for you to consider when submitting a Mitigating Circumstances claim: • Were my circumstances ‘unexpected’ or is it something I have known about for some time (e.g. an ongoing medical condition)? Am I eligible?

• Can I self-certify or do I need to submit evidence to support my claim • Does my evidence support my claim, e.g. are the dates when the assessment was taking placed covered by documentation I am providing?

• Have I included all modules/ assessments that were affected?

• Is this course of action going to address the issue? Do I need to speak to a Registry Officer for further advice?

No → Speak to a Registry Officer about interrupting your studies or another form of action

Mitigating Circumstances Examples that are normally eligible Death of a family member/close friend just before assessment/exam Sudden flare up of an existing condition Complications in pregnancy Anxiety and depression (if previously undiagnosed) Examples that are not normally* eligible: Missed bus or train, late lift Away on holiday Computer-related problems Ongoing/underlying health issue (where there is no evidence of a flare-up) An application to suspend Interrupt your studies – where your personal circumstances mean that it is difficult to continue with their studies at the current time → apply to Course Leader & Registry Officer Interrupt your studies Examples that are normally eligible Mental health concerns causing anxiety and depression.

Maternity Examples that are not normally* eligible: Programme no longer running or validation changed

Your personal tutor will be able to discuss your situation with you and explain the options open to you or further information is available on our website bucks.ac.uk/current-students/registry-helpdesk-and-academicadvice/exceptional-circumstances * Please discuss any exceptions with a Registry Officer, especially if your situation is complex

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Events calendar | 24 – 30 Jan

The Bucks Student

The Venue and The Lounge at Bucks Students’ Union are open seven nights a week.

If you don’t see an event listed below, check online nearer the time; bucksstudentsunion.org/whatson

Mon 24

Wed 26

Tue 25

Wed 26

Fri 28 –Sat 30

Fri 28

Sat 29

Sat 29

Sun 30

Events calendar | 31 Jan – 6 February

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Have an idea for an event, want to arrange a takeover, or feedback for our events team?

You can get in contact with the team by dropping an email to; events@bucks.ac.uk

January edition 102

Wed 2

Mon 31

Tue 1

Thu 3

Fri 4

Events photographers we need you!

Contact suevents@bucks.ac.uk to find out more about the paid

opportunities that are available

Sat 5

19

Smear campaign

January edition 102

#SmearForSmear

By Joanna Rose Mendes

Regardless of how your year has gone, there have been several new challenges and stresses to contend with, but it hasn’t always been easy to look at the positives.

However, the decision to screen is always a personal choice, and the goal of this campaign is to raise awareness of the risks of cervical cancer and the benefits of screening as a preventative measure.

According to NHS Digital (2018), only 71.4% of eligible women aged 25 to 64 were screened, this compared to the national target of 80%. Screening had dropped to a 20-year low, with one in every four women in the UK not attending their test. While some of these women will have made an informed decision to refuse screening, pre-campaign research with the target audience revealed that many of them were unable to attend because of: • Lack of knowledge of the risks of cervical cancer • Poor understanding of the benefits of screening

This campaign would encourage women to attend their screening appointments and, if they had missed previous invitations, to schedule an appointment at their GP practice, by providing practical information on how to make the test more comfortable and assuring women that screening is not a test for cervical cancer. The COVID19 pandemic, however, has made smear tests more difficult. There are a variety of reasons for this, including a lack of appointments, difficulty contacting the doctor, shielding, or uncertainty about going.

Whether you are waiting for results, dealing with appointment delays, or just trying to stay positive; I hope you find the support you need.

Therefore, when you participate in the campaign and talk about smear tests this year, I’m asking you to be kind. Yes, smear tests remain crucial, and they help individuals to live longer and healthier lives. However, I hope to encourage people to talk about their concerns or issues by having supportive conversations and listening to their concerns.

Although, in recent months, I’ve noticed a significant shift toward these wonderful conversations, and I understand the value they provide; they can help break down smear test stigmas, provide muchneeded information, or simply remind people to attend through raising awareness of the barriers and determine what kind of support people require.

Throughout the campaign, I’m looking forward to seeing your #SmearForSmear posts; by encouraging women to share ‘lipstick smear selfies’, you can grab the attention of your friends, family and followers and provide a message about how to avoid getting a cervical cancer diagnosis by encouraging women to attend their cervical screening appointments.

20 The Bucks Student

STRIVE Festival 2022

By Sarah Jackson

We are excited to be bringing back a bigger and better face to face Strive Festival for 2022 on Monday 4 April! Designed to meet all your career and employability needs, this will be your opportunity to improve your employability skills.

We will have employers from across the industries available for you to meet and speak to about what they do, any job opportunities they have and tips and advice for you to get into your chosen industry! Examples of current confirmed employers attending are: Thames Valley Police, Brain Tumor Research, Teach Now, Fused4, MNFS Group, ICP Nurseries, and more!

We will be working directly with your course teams, to try and ensure that there are relevant opportunities available to all of you attending, with course team staff and the university’s careers department also attending to give you tips and advice on taking your next steps after leaving university.

There will be panels answering all your questions, run by alumni and local leaders throughout the day speaking about their journeys to success and challenges that they have had to overcome and offering current advice on how to make yourself as employable as possible on leaving university.

Several charities will also be attending the event, with volunteering opportunities on offer to help boost your volunteering hours and your CV, but also a great opportunity to do some good and get involved in something that you believe in.

It is never too early to start thinking about your career so whether you are in your first or final year, there will be something available on this date for you. STRIVE Festival will start on Monday 4th April with different opportunities running all day to enhance your employability skills and put you in touch with your potential future employer.

We will have opportunities in the afternoon to attend different training sessions run by professional trainers but also from some of the employers attending the event, who can give you an insight into key skills required to find your dream job once you have graduated.

Attending STRIVE will enhance your employability and networking skills and it would be great to see as many of you taking part as possible.

If you have any questions, or would like any further information, please email sutraining@bucks.ac.uk.

21

Graduate programmes

January edition 102

By Emily West

Graduate programmes It’s time to start applying to make the most of these grad roles!

As your students’ union we don’t want you to miss out on anything while you are here but also after you leave Bucks. Now we have started 2022 are you starting to think about what you want to do when you graduate?

Maybe you don’t yet know what your next step is and if you are looking for that stepping stone into a specific industry or career, a graduate programme may be just the thing for you. These schemes can provide you with a foot in the door to many large organisations, either in an industry of your choice or just for you to gain basic transferable skills such as communication, leadership, management, finance or negotiation.

Ford Motor Company deadline 28 January With a variety of schemes in areas such as digital & product innovation or business management you can choose a programme that suits you.

They are looking for enthusiastic, problem solving graduates with a passion for the development of cutting-edge technologies and building energy efficient mobility solutions. Working at Ford you will be entitled to the car privilege scheme, with access to discounted new vehicles, access to funds for personal development, hybrid working and all while earning a starting salary of £36,000 per year.

Police Now deadline 31 January This route is open to anyone who has not considered policing before. This is a salaried two year training and development programme where you will develop leadership and problem solving skills. The programme can act as a springboard for participants to become leaders within policing and advocates of the service in other public sector roles. The basic starting salary is £21,402 - £24,780 per year depending on the force applied to but can rise to over £41,000 plus allowances once you have served as a police constable for six years.

DHL – HR programme deadline 4 February As a market leader in logistics and supply chain, we give you scope to reach your career goals, however high you’re aiming. As a DHL Graduate, you’ll benefit from rotating within a variety of business sectors which includes working with some of DHL’s high profile customers such as retail and consumer, life sciences, manufacturing logistics, transport, engineering, and supplier solutions.

This 36 month training programme will give you a CIPD level 5 professional qualification, excellent benefits and a starting salary of £27,000 per year.

Chaucer 24 months of opportunities, practical knowledge and experience, that’s how you’ll be empowered to excel during our programme. You’ll be placed with the Exposure Management team, which helps the business measure and understand the accumulation of exposure, and what losses could occur as a result of catastrophic events. There is a competitive starting salary and excellent benefits for this position based in London.

Graduate schemes aren’t just for those of you studying marketing, HR or business… there are schemes for events, product design and travel too – basically in any industry or for any interest you may have. Many of the schemes accept applications year-round so it’s not too late to apply.

If you don’t think a graduate scheme is for you, here at the Students’ Union we can still help you! Whether it’s assistance with applications, writing your CV or tips on interview skills, we can give you the support you need either through our group sessions or on an individual basis. All of our group skills sessions are available to book through the What’s On page of our website. For individual appointments please contact sutraining@bucks. ac.uk where we can hold a Bucks Award session for you to learn more about how to articulate your skills and experience in an interview setting, or a more tailored session based on your requirements.

22

Union Council

The Bucks Student

By Anna Treble

Winner winner (pizza) dinner!

One exciting thing about being part of the student rep team at Buckinghamshire New University is that you get to be apart of the union Council. Which I absolutely love, its amazing being able to be apart of the “behind the scenes” that you normally wouldn’t see! Another exciting thing is, when you join union Council, you get put into a raffle for a free pizza...and guess who won! Honestly, it may sound cheesy (pun intended) but this arriving today has honestly made my day, had a bit of a wobble, and we all know pizza is good medicine for the psyche! Did not expect there to be chips and a drink provided as well, so even more exciting! Thank you so much Bucks Students’ Union you’re definitely one of the best out there!

The moral of the story, is join in on Bucks Students’ Union’s union councils!! (They’re super interesting and even tasty!)

(Yes, that is a vegan pizza!)

Anna Treble’s winning dinner!

Wellbeing Week

Monday 14 – Friday 18 February

What would you like to see from our upcoming wellbeing week in February?

If you have ideas or requests, get in contact with Tash by emailing natasha.neal@bucks.ac.uk and we’ll see what we can do to support your wellbeing!

23

Activities

January edition 102

By Melissa Lamerton

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Here at Bucks Students’ Union we are busy booking in free activities for BNU students to enjoy!

We have a variety of different events in the making including a trip to Junkyard Golf in Oxford, RollerMania (High Wycombe), a trip to Crufts, Student Pride and a performance of Blood Brothers at the Wycombe Swan.

On top of these days out we are running some highly requested workshops on BSL, singing, guitar and Spanish. These classes can get pricey so make sure you take full advantage of our free sessions! We also have visits from Marshall from PAT so make sure you come down to say hello and help relive the stress of exam season!

Guitar Lessons

Dates for your diary

Have you ever wanted to learn guitar? Whether you are just starting out or looking to improve your technique, we have a professional guitar tutor available for one to one sessions all available online from the comfort of your own home.

Guitar Lessons Weekly from Fri 14 Jan 11am–3pm

Marshall Ever heard anyone exclaim “wow I’m so stressed!” as they gently pet a dog? No? Exactly!

Come and destress with the beautiful golden labrador retriever, Marshall. He loves a good pet, almost as much as our dear Rusty Junkyard Golf We are offering a FREE trip to Oxford to Junkyard Golf!

There are only 6 spaces available for this trip so if you and your friends are interested you need to reserve your place quick!!

Spanish Lessons Online weekly from Tue 18 Jan 6–7pm Marshall Wed 19 Jan - 9–11am Fri 21 Jan - noon–2pm British Sign Language Weekly from Wed 2 Feb (half online and half face-to-face) 6–8pm Junkyard Golf Thur 3 Feb - 6–7.30pm RollerMania Fri 11 Feb - 7.15–9pm Student Pride Fri 25 - Sat 27 Feb Crufts Sun 13 Mar Blood Brothers Tue 22 March - 7.30–10pm

You can book onto any activity through our website so be sure to keep an eye out on bucksstudentsunion.org/ whatson – don’t miss out by not reserving your place early on! If you need any support to enhance your academic experience, pop into one of the Students’ Union offices and we will be more than happy to help wherever we can.

Maybe you have something different in mind? If you have an activity or skills session that you would like to take part in, please do not hesitate to get in touch! We love hearing your ideas and providing opportunities that you want! Contact us at surecactivities@bucks.ac.uk or pop in and see us in one of the Student’s Union offices.

24

GLOBAL GAME JAM

The Bucks Student

By Vytautas Kravčenka

With the start of a new year, BNU Gaming Society wanted to do something BIG. And what is better than Global Game Jam 2022?

An event during which we are challenged to create games given just 48 hours.

We had great fun planning this out and as this is the first Global Game Jam in the university, we wanted to make it a good one! That is why we are bringing some fun things to the event as well, such as: a Live stream of the event on our twitch page, game trailers competition at the end of event (and prizes for it), free food and beverages, hot beverages for those staying overnight, rest area and possibly even a couple more “activities zones”! While all of these mini events keep our spectators and participants entertained, the event itself is going to help in the future.

Global Game Jam shows our passion to games, builds up our portfolio and gives experience in the field of games. While the event is focused to those interested in games, it is not limited to just those.

Game development involves a lot of different course material such as art, sound, programming, story writing, team managing, sports, medicine, history, linguistics and many more!

Why should you participate?

• Participating in this event will show your future employers the passion for your field.

• It adds to your portfolio which helps a lot when applying for your future positions!

• Socializing and learning about game development.

• Learning team and other skills.

In a nutshell, this is an event you do not want to miss. Let’s jam it out the right way- Once you sign up via: globalgamejam.org/2022/ jam-sites/buckinghamshire-newuniversity, meet us at the library at the start of event (Friday 28 January, 5pm) hear out the theme of this year GGJ and start jamming while occasionally enjoying other “for fun” activities.

• Food and drinks throughout the event for participants.

If you still have any questions, feel free to contact us below: Email: bnugamesoc@gmail.com Instagram: bnugamingsociety Twitch: twitch.tv/bnugamingsociety We look forward to seeing you at our Global Game Jam!

25

Men’s Basketball

January edition 102

By DiJean St. Marthe

Men’s Basketball

This year Bucks basketball has been on an uprise, we have had around 12 new freshers join us and they have been a great addition to the team.

Everyone has been very welcoming to them, and they have been very excited to play Basketball with the universities team. We have had a new coach join us this year, his name is Sam, and he attends this University too. He has been a great coach so far and has changed the dynamic of the team massively, bringing more skills and discipline.

So far, we have played 5 games and we have won 4 out of the 5 and only lost 1 game to Kingston University. There was one game that we played against Chichester where we won 55-54 so it was a very tight game, but we were very happy with the win. We are 3rd in the league now but if we continue to win our league games then we will hopefully only rise up on the table. We have played two cup games and have won both, so we are going to the next round, which we are very excited about and can’t wait for the next game.

We have got involved with some volunteering this year doing some poppy selling at the Eden centre for British Legion, which was great to get more of the team involved in volunteering and helped us to get to know each other better. Netball put on Netball-4-RAG, we put a team together with some netball and basketball players where we reached the finals but unfortunately, we lost to the Students’ Union team. This was a great team building exercise and allowed us to learn a bit about netball too.

We haven’t had any socials this year yet, but we are hoping to put some on and join in with some other sports teams in joint socials. We are going to try to get some themed and sober socials throughout the year, which will help with team building and a way for us to have fun together not playing basketball.

Men’s Basketball train Monday’s 7.30–10pm and Friday’s 6.30–8pm in the Events Hall along with a Sports for Fun session Tuesday’s 8:30–10pm

MONDAY 21 FEBRUARY

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Bucks Nursing Society

January edition 102

By Amy Pile

Bucks Nursing Society Welcome back everyone, we hope you had a lovely break.

We are reaching out for unwanted Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health books for students to purchase. We are panning for a book sale to take place in February all books at very affordable prices and the money raised will go towards the society and support students with sessions and events.

It’s a great chance to grab a bargain and some great books that will support you throughout your studying!

NURSING BOOKS WANTED

FOR NURSING AND ALLIED HE ALTH We are searching for second-hand, good condition textbooks for our nursing students to purchase.

Why should you donate?

So that books are available to everyone but also to support those students who are less fortunate, this will make a difference in their studies!

If you have any Textbooks please drop off at Uxbridge Campus!

Any money fundraised will be spilt between BNS and our 2 RAG charities.

Please contact bucksnursingsociety@gmail.com or jennifer.hanley@bucks.ac.uk If you are unable to drop off at Uxbridge campus

We are back with our breaking barriers sessions where we can support each other and share our uni life experiences, remember to Keep an eye out on the what’s on page for this but also our Anatomy & physiology/drug calculation study groups.

We are busy putting together some upcoming events for all our members and we look forward to sharing this with you all!

If you haven’t already please do sign up to join the society it’s FREE. Hope to see you all soon !

28 The Bucks Student

eover

ak Musical Theatre and Rugby T

Following from our successful return of performances, Bucks Musical Theatre have had a very busy start to the new year preparing for another showstopper of a performance! Excitingly after two years Bucks MT is officially in rehearsals for our Students’ Union Takeover. This year we will be joined by Bucks Men’s Rugby.

Yes, that is correct Bucks Men’s Rugby will be performing Musical Theatre!

An evening of 80s fun and performances including a fabulous duo of George Michael from Bucks Rugby’s very own President Brandon Tester and Vice President Tim Cunningham.

Not only this and so much more, we certainly haven’t missed the opportunity to make sure the Bucks Rugby Lads are dressed in the most ridiculous 80s Outfits! It simply wouldn’t be an MT takeover without some cheesy outfits, music, dance and not to mention the all important karaoke.

Please do come and join us on: Wednesday 9th February, 8pm at the Students’ Union With your best 80s vibes! It’s a promised pre frat house event of fun, games and top class entertainment not to be missed!

We look forward to seeing you all there!

29

BNU Skating

January edition 102

By Amy Sorrell

Rolling into 2022

With BNU Skating

A huge warm welcome as Captain, Amy, to the New Year and plenty of new opportunities with BNU Skating.

I hope everyone spent their holidays recuperating from the hectic first semester and are feeling refreshed and ready to kick start the new semester, whether that comes to your degree or any extracurricular activities or ideally both.

As a new club, our 2022 is all about building up our club’s reputation and bringing students different activities they can get involved in. We want to continue offering trips to RollerMania at the Wycombe Leisure Centre which is open to any student from beginner level upwards. There is a huge range of Skating experience amongst our committee, so don’t worry about falling over because we do that regularly.

Speaking of the Committee, we have been hard at work in the background making sure there are plenty of years for BNU Skating to come! We have a combined total of over 250 volunteering hours, with plenty more coming as we focus on giving back to the community, attending the One Can Trust and The Chiltern Rangers over the following semesters.

To help raise money for the society, we hosted a bake sale during December where we brought you delicious goodies that helped raise over £100! And this will be used for future trips and any activities which the club organises for students.

BNU Skating Celebrates ‘Society of The Month’ for December 2021.

Mya (Social Sec) and Jamie (Secretary) at our bake sale.

Through all of our hard work with fundraising, organising trips, meetings and volunteering, we were recognised in December by the union as ‘Society of The Month’, which was a massive achievement for a new society like ours.

Also, may I add, a huge congratulations for everyone else who made it on the board!

Therefore, I owe a huge thank you to anyone who has helped BNU Skating, either by attending RollerMania or by simply donating a £1 at our Christmas bake sale.

Also, we cannot wait to be supporting the university at Varsity this year as our committee members are also part of BNU’s sports teams. As well as this, we will be hosting a fundraiser where you can sink your teeth into some delicious waffles, and another RollerMania trip!

There is so much to look forward to in 2022 and as a society, BNU Skating cannot wait to get started!

30 The Bucks Student

Puzzles and colouring page

Puzzles and colouring!

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Using only the letters in the word wheel, how many 4 letter or above words can you find?

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