Author: rebecca.hobson

Staying safe on a night out

Posted on by rebecca.hobson

The legendary Bristol nightlife is coming back to life again! 

Bristol is a city that knows how to have fun so here are some useful resources to help make your fun night out a safe night out.

  • The city of Bristol want you to enjoy the nightlife to the max. Bristol City Council have recently launched Bristol Rules – a campaign to encourage us to stay safe, respect each other and call out inappropriate behaviour. Here are their helpful links and tips on how we can all help each other to have fun and stay safe in Bristol. 
  • Bristol city council have also joined forces with Avon and Somerset Police and Bristol city Centre BID to address the serious concerns around drink spiking. The Stop Spiking campaign provides helpful advice on how to recognise when drinks spiking may have occured, what to do if you think a drink has been spiked and where you can get support in Bristol. Find out more here.
  • Bristol Students Union have listed some practical tips on how to stay safe this Autumn. Check out their useful links on seeking support around drugs or alcohol.  
  • Our Security Serivces are always on hand to support on campus too. They operate 24/7/365 to help us learn, live and have fun in a safe and secure environment. Find out here how you can contact them and read their useful tips on personal safety. Point number one is to add the Security Control Room number (0117 9287848) and emergency number (0117 3311223) to your contacts on your phone.  
  • Did you know we also have our very own neighborhood police officer to support Security Services? Read our recent interview with Sian Harris who gives us an insight into the role she plays at the University
  • If you, or someone you know, experience unwanted actions or behaviour, the University has teams in place to listen and support you. Find out how you can report unacceptable behaviours and what support is available to you here.   

Don’t forget, look out for each other, plan how you’re getting home, keep an eye on your drink and remember to respect your neighbours. Have fun! 

 

Welcome Week Wrap up

Posted on by rebecca.hobson

To all new and returning students, a very warm welcome to you all!

It’s been brilliant to see students on campus again. Our first ever Welcome Village brought the festival vibe to Royal Fort gardens and Tyndall Avenue with activities including live music, food stalls, street performers, plus a very warm and friendly welcome from our student support and inclusion advisors. Highlights included free yoga classes from the Yoga Society, getting glitzy at the glitter bar, waffle fries and so much more.

Afternoon tea?

Students were treated to the quintessentially english fresh scones, cream and jam in the Global lounge, our dedicated meeting space bringing together students together from all over the world. The team and their student ambassadors couldn’t resist raising the ongoing debate…“What goes first on your scone – cream or jam?”

Bristol SU Welcome Fair

To top it all off, the Students Union Welcome Fair took place on the Downs on Friday and Saturday. New students had the opportunity to meet the enormous range of student groups and find out more about volunteering or joining a network. No doubt they bagged themselves a load of freebies and discounts too!

Time is ticking on and it’s already the end of your first week of teaching. Don’t forget we have a wide range of study support resources. Please remember that we expect and encourage you to wear face coverings when inside University buildings on campus to keep everyone as safe as possible.  

Have a great weekend!

Tis the season to…get a little more.

Posted on by rebecca.hobson

To help you enjoy the break and take some time to look after yourself we’ve got Academic Support all wrapped up for you.

 

 

Before the break we have extra Academic Support on offer through our Faculty Study Skills workshops. These are running until 19 December – check out what’s still available.

Many of our services are still open while you’re away from your studies; even during the University closure dates we have study areas open and some of our services running. You can see the opening hours for these services online.

While students are not officially back until 14 January, the University reopens on 3 January and we’ll be here for you if you have any questions.  You can contact your Personal Tutor, speak to our Student Information Service and use the libraries and study areas.

While you’re away, if you’re feeling overwhelmed with your studies, maybe take some time to reflect on what you think could help you when we reopen. Start a portfolio with Personal Development Planning (PDP) and jot down which areas you feel you could use some guidance on.

See what Academic Support is on offer for you through our Study Support pages.

Happy Holidays!

 

Tis the season to…be mindful.

Posted on by rebecca.hobson

If you haven’t met your new neighbours yet, why not take the festive season as an opportunity to say hello and maybe share a mince pie or two? They could keep an eye on your empty house over the holidays and perhaps bring your bins back in for you once you’ve gone. It’s great to build relationships with the community around you; find out what’s happening in your local area and get involved. You’ll meet new people and feel part of your neighbourhood.

Try to also remember your neighbours if you’re planning a festive celebration and the impact it might have on them. The guide to community living provides some good advice.

During this season we tend to generate a lot of extra stuff. Bristol Waste offer some useful ideas for recycling, reusing, re-gifting and donating to help us be mindful of our impact on resources and landfill.

Be mindful of safety – look after yourself, your belongings and each other. Security Services promote useful tips on personal safety. And if you are going to be away, make sure everyone takes responsibility for switching things off and locking up.

This time of year particularly can be difficult for some people, so help out where you can. Check out SU Volunteering for opportunities to make someone else’s festive season a little brighter.

#TisTheSeason

Joni Lloyd, Community Liaison Manager

 

 

If you’re staying in Bristol, don’t forget to join the University Staying in Bristol Facebook Group listing events and activities taking place over the festive season.

You can also find out about our opening hours during the holidays including study spaces, the Students’ Health Service and the sports facilities. If you want to talk to someone over the festive season, you will be able to access support via our Residential Life Support Centre, open to all students for urgent issues, whether you live in Uni residences or not. There are also self-help tools to provide support, including Big White Wall.

 

Tis the season to…stay connected

Posted on by rebecca.hobson

As the term comes to a close, some will be preparing to return home to friends and family, while others will be staying put for ‘Bristmas’ in the city.

Whatever you have planned for the festive period, be sure to make the most of your break by enjoying time with others and finding time to unwind.

Stay connected

Those spending the break in Bristol are invited to join in with a variety of festivities.

The newly launched Bristol SU Living Room on the fourth floor of Senate House is running lots of seasonal activities, including Christmas crafts, old school games and traditional nibbles to ease you into the holiday season. Look out for the daily Festive Mingle events from 17 – 20 December too.

This is a great opportunity to find out about events taking place in the local area while the University is closed and meet other students who might be staying in Bristol during this time.

All students staying in Bristol over Christmas are welcome to enjoy Christmas lunch with all the trimmings and take a Boxing Day Tour around the historic listed Goldney Gardens and Grotto. Join the UoB Staying in Bristol at Christmas Facebook page to stay in touch and keep posted on other festive events taking place during the holiday.

Relax

The holiday season is the perfect time to take a breather from the busyness of the first term, unwind and nurture your wellbeing ahead of the New Year.

For those staying in Bristol, please find out about our opening hours during the holidays including study spaces, the Students’ Health Service and the sports facilities.

If you want to talk to someone over the festive season, you will be able to access support via our Residential Life Support Centre, open to all students for urgent issues, whether you live in University residences or not.

There are also self-help tools to provide support, including Big White Wall.

Recap

After the festive break comes the January exam period. Ease the pressure by getting clued up on all the academic support and tools available to you on the Study Support pages.

For further academic support, we offer drop-ins, revision workshops, one to one sessions and tutorials.

#TisTheSeason

 

Tis the season to…celebrate community.

Posted on by rebecca.hobson

Watch some festive greetings from Eva Larkai, Chair of the BME Network and Aisha Rana-Deshmukh, President of Bollywood Dance Society.

How will you be spending your time over the holidays? #TisTheSeason

If you’re staying in Bristol, don’t forget to join the University Staying in Bristol Facebook Group listing events and activities taking place over the festive season.

You can also find out about our opening hours during the holidays including study spaces, the Students’ Health Service and the sports facilities. If you want to talk to someone over the festive season, you will be able to access support via our Residential Life Support Centre, open to all students for urgent issues, whether you live in Uni residences or not. There are also self-help tools to provide support, including Big White Wall.

 

Tis the season to…enjoy your city

Posted on by rebecca.hobson

If you’re staying in Bristol over the holiday period, why not get out, explore and enjoy your city. There is plenty of festive fun taking place and why not join the Facebook group open to all students staying in the city for the holidays.

Here’s our pick of Bristol’s festive offerings.

Get your skates on

Try out your fancy footwork at the Millennium Square ice rink until 7 January. If ice skating isn’t your thing, there’s plenty to enjoy at the Winter Fair with a Christmas Market, Apres Bar and Big Wheel to choose from.

If you prefer your festivities a little more stationary, wrap up warm and head to the We the Curious big screen for free showings of Love Actually (6 December), Gremlins (13 December), the Polar Express (16 December), Elf (23 December) and Home Alone (3 January).

Skating at Millennium Square

Festive fun

If you’re looking for quirky gifts, or just fancy getting into the festive spirit, Bristol has plenty of Christmas markets to choose from.

St Nick’s market will be open every day until Christmas with outdoor markets from Wednesday 12 December.

St Nick’s Market, Bristol

Let it snow

We might not be in for snow on Christmas Day but there’ll be guaranteed snow at Millennium Promenade from 1 to 7 December and again from 15 to 21 December on Corn Street and Clare Street from 5 to 7 pm.

If you’re missing the real thing, take a look at our snowy snaps from earlier this year.

Sparkling lights

We think our city always looks beautiful, but there’s something special about seeing it decked in lights for the holidays. Start at College Green then wander up Park Street to Clifton for those festive feels.

If you’re staying in Bristol, you can  find out about our opening hours during the holidays including study spaces, the Students’ Health Service and the sports facilities.

We know that the festive season isn’t easy for everyone so if you want to talk to someone, you will be able to access support via our Residential Life Support Centre, open to all students for urgent issues, whether you live in Uni residences or not. There are also self-help tools to provide support, including Big White Wall.

And don’t forget, join the University Stay in Bristol Facebook Group listing events and activities taking place over the festive season.

 

Gearing up at the library

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Over 150 staff members in our nine libraries are busy preparing for the arrival of the new students and looking forward to showing off their extensive resources, inspiring spaces and specialist services making all libraries accessible to everyone.

Boosting those brain cells doesn’t just mean work, work, work though. Jez Conolly, Head of Student Engagement at Library Services is keen to provide plenty of opportunities for students to relax and refresh so that precious time you commit to studying is even more effective.

‘We want to encourage users of our libraries to include regular breaks in their study patterns. Working constantly without breaks isn’t great for your productivity: when you’re tired and stressed, it can be hard to take information in or do your best work. So it’s really important to get into the habit of stepping away from the study desk and taking some time out.’

Arts and Social Sciences library’s dedicated relaxation space

‘You’ll find a relaxation space on the first floor of the Arts and Social Sciences Library where you can ‘unplug’ for a while, plus in the Wills Library,we now have a ‘Library of Possibilities’ space with soft seating and a collection of more contemplative non-academic reading matter. This year we’re introducing new ‘take a break’ cards which will enable you to indicate to others when you’re on a break and when you will return to your desk. At especially busy and stressful times in the year we provide a range of enjoyable mindfulness activities designed to help you rebalance and relieve some of the revision pressure.’

Wills Memorial Library: Library of Possibilities
Wills Library, University of Bristol

The Library support team including, Jez Stein and Mary Lockwood, are also beavering away preparing for your arrival.

Library support information at the Arts and Social Sciences Library

Library services and spaces are designed so that they’re accessible and inclusive wherever possible. There are study spaces available to suit your preferred learning style, featuring social learning spaces, collaborative group study rooms, low-distraction and silent study areas.

If you’re a part-time student, studying outside of Bristol, have a disability, dyslexia, or caring responsibilities, the Library Support team aim to provide a range of services to make sure the library is accessible to everyone. We can work with you to discuss any specific needs or requirements you might have in terms of study space or access to resources. Please feel free to arrange an appointment time or just drop in during office hours.

 

Library support is based in the Arts & Social Sciences Library.

Email: library-support@bristol.ac.uk

Tel: +44 (0) 117 928 8502

Textphone users can call via typetalk: 18001 0017 928 8502

Check out @bristolunilib on Twitter and @bristol_uni_lib on Instagram.