It’s time to chat to our WSA Welfare Office, Sam. Let’s find out her favourite place in Winchester and more in the Q&A below…

What do you study and what year are you in?

I study Games Design and Art, and currently I am in my third year.

What is your main aim being Welfare Officer?

If I am honest, I want to be that very loud voice (apparently us northerners are loud? I mean I know I can be, but I’m honestly not loud often and without reason!) for the people who don’t feel like they can speak out. … Read the rest

Congratulations to all of our recent graduates! This is an exciting time of year (we’re talking selfies with your pals all robed up, holidays, meals out and ciders in the sun) but what happens when it’s time to face reality and begin the job hunt?

Here are 8 of our top tips for you to bear in mind if you’re yet to secure a job.

1. Don’t let rejection put you off your search. No one likes to be rejected and we understand it can be sad when you don’t make the cut for a role you set your heart on.

After much consideration, we are pleased to announce the shortlisted students for our Excellence in Volunteering (EVAs) Awards.

The quality of nominations was extremely high and we had a tough job whittling down the longlist, but we are excited to announce the award winners at our ceremony on Friday 12 May at 19:00 in The Cube.

To view the full list, go to www.unionsouthampton.org/evas

Non-dining tickets are available for just £15 each at www.unionsouthampton.org/boxoffice.

For the latest award updates, check out our official EVAs Facebook event.… Read the rest

Student Volunteering Week is well underway this week. On Monday and Tuesday, we offered opportunities to meet charities and pick the brains of our student volunteers on the Concourse. As we gather our marigolds and bin bags ready for today’s Community Clear Up at Portswood Recreation Ground, we caught up with some of our members to ask them what they get out of volunteering their time.

Volunteering can add something to your social lives as a hobby as well as being an activity that can enhance your CV.

Ambrose Chou is a Youth Rep for his Parish Church and is … Read the rest

We know that January can be a stressful time for you what with exams (dare we mention it) and adjusting to life back at uni after Christmas.

That’s why we have arranged for the Safety Bus to run from 20:00-06:30 between Monday 09 January – Monday 30 January. You can get back home safely whether it is pitch black or the early hours for just £1.50.

Find out more on our website.

 … Read the rest

Are you an international student joining us this year? Worried about meeting new people, whether you are international student or not? Perhaps you’re just a friendly person and want to meet a range of new people? Well there’s nothing to worry about, because we have organised the Global Speed Meet, with the aim of helping you to meet new people from different cultures in a relaxed environment for FREE.

The idea of speed meeting people goes back a long way, and is based on a simple premise that you have a very short period of time with someone to introduce … Read the rest

So you’ve been told time and time again that you should try and talk to as many people as possible, particularly during Freshers’ where the majority of people are nervous and missing home. That’s all good, but how do you go about it? The first words in a conversation can make or break it, and not knowing what to say when you first meet someone is not a good feeling – but that is where our guide comes in. We’ve got a selection of conversation starters for you here, so read on to see which ones you could use.

• “Hi,

Students may be the envy of most of the working world during the long summer holiday, but three months can be a long time to fill. When you’ve finished watching the latest season of Game of Thrones and you’re starting to get a little sick of daytime TV, it’s time to hit our list of things to keep you busy…

1. Write a letter to your uni friends – An actual old-fashioned, pen and paper piece of snail mail.
2. Go for a run – Download a running app to help you track your progress, hit play on the new Blood Orange

However hard we try to deny it, the end of the year is nigh, which means another cohort of amazing students have to graduate from Southampton and go forth into the wide world. But have no fear – there’s still a month or so left to make the most of your time in Southampton, so we’ve compiled a list of 50 things to do before you leave our humble city.

1. Have a BBQ on The Common
2. Find one of the prizes in the Hartley Treasure Hunt
3. Get a selfie with Susu the cat
4. Indulge in a 10 piece breakfast from

With exams and hand-ins to contend with, we understand that this can be a stressful time for you. That’s why we’re running a relaxing programme of events to remind you that You Are More Than Your Studies and to take some time out for yourself.

We all know exercise can have a massive impact on your mood, and yoga in particular has been proven to benefit your wellbeing and boost memory and concentration levels – exactly what’s needed to stay focused for those crucial study sessions.

So we’re holding two FREE yoga classes in WSA and SGH to help you … Read the rest