As we spoke about in Sharing the Festive Joy and Collect for Christmas as a department, SCCO (Schools, Colleges, Community Outreach) see Christmas as a time to use our best characteristics to do good for the community and others around us.
So, in the Christmas spirit, we have devised a list of our favourite festive films that represent each of the characteristics (they also give you an idea of some brilliant Christmas films you could watch to get yourself in the spirit)!
Home Alone - Purpose
No one can say that Kevin doesn't have a purpose in Home Alone. He has vision, ambition and a goal. That goal is to get rid of Harry and Marv, the (rather stupid) burglars in some of the most inventive ways. Well done, Kevin, you had a goal and you achieved it!
I'm scared of you because you're the unknown. You're in a new city and I'll be there with loads of people I don't know.
What if I don't like you? What if I pick the wrong course? I'll be stuck with you or risk losing a lot of money! No one in my family has been to University and haven't even thought about you as an option...
I have, though. My teachers are saying I should go, that I could do really well. I don't like school much, though, so I don't know if I want to carry on studying. Maybe I should just get a job straight out of college.
I want to know what you're like from people that have really been through the experience themselves.
To round off a busy week of celebrating the great work of our International Volunteers, Nottingham Trent Volunteering wanted to say a big thank you to our International Volunteers.
A group photo of some of last year's International Volunteers.
International Volunteering at Nottingham Trent University has been ever-growing since the first group of students were funded to go to Romania in 2011. This year 34 students volunteered in Guatemala, Sri Lanka, Romania and Uganda for ethical, non-profit organisations.
It's the time of year where the Students in ClassroomsMentors, Associates and Ambassadors are training ready to go into local schools to support students in their studies.
Although they will be going into schools to help students learn and grow, it is a massive learning curve for them too and they are not without their worries...
Starting something new can be very daunting. Meeting new people, in a new environment and doing something you've never done before is a big thing!
Offering support throughout is something Students in Classrooms prides themselves on. There is also support in place from the 'dedicated school coordinator' who is available to help students or Mentors and Associates whilst they are in the classroom.
It's Christmas time and here in the Schools, Colleges, Community and Outreach department (SCCO), we see that as the perfect opportunity to up our charity work to make sure everyone in our community has a merry Christmas.
So, it's time for us to gather everyone's presents ready for the 'Collect for Christmas' scheme. The scheme asks staff across NTU's 3 campuses to support one, two or all three charities: Age UK, The Salvation Army and 'Stars' for children.
Jessica volunteered at Little John's House which is an orphanage in Romania. This was her first time as an International Volunteer. Read on to find out what encouraged her to offer her time and how she found the experience...
A Group Photo of the Little John's House Volunteers.
What Inspired Me:
I applied to volunteer with Little John's House in Romania after receiving an email about the international volunteering opportunities. I thought that volunteering for a great cause would be a good way to utilise my time in the summer holidays. It would also increase my experience working with children which is something I want to do in the future.
For #iwill week, over 300 students wrote their volunteering pledges on a paper chain for it to be transformed into a Christmas decoration for Stonebridge Farm in St Ann's.
On Tuesday 30th November, we passed it over to Stephen Gee at Stonebridge Farm. The cafe had already been decorated top to bottom in beautifully festive Christmas decorations (put up by keen volunteers) so we decided to decorate the animal's pens with our paper chain.
Suze handing over the Christmas Decorations to Operations Coordinator, Stephen Gee.
A photogenic goat and sheep loved having their pen decorated and came over straight away to see what all the fuss was about (as well as posing for a photo)!
In honour of #iwill week, we want to shout about some of the volunteering that wedo as a department. Staff volunteering is very important to us and this is emulated through the great volunteering work our staff members partake in.
Want to know why our staff love volunteering so much? Look no further...
Students Partaking in the #TakeoverChallenge at NTU.
This week, NTU hosted 30 students for the 'Takeover Challenge' which took place across the country.
The 'Takeover Challenge' is designed to put children and young people into decision-making roles within the workplace. This gives them the chance to give their opinions and also benefits the companies as they get to hear a fresh perspective on their work.
Tweet welcoming the students to NTU.
After being given an overview of the day and an ice-breaker challenge, the students that came to NTU were split into groups and went to work within three different departments: sports, the library and our department, School, Colleges, Community Outreach (SCCO).
The students that came to take over SCCO were briefed about what they would be doing for the day.
It was their job to take over the roleof our Creative Content Developer and do some vlogging about University life! They needed to design their vlog in a way that young people would find engaging and informative but the main point is that they were completely in control.
They were then put into groups of 3/4. These groups were mixed with students from different schools to give them a real taste of what it's like working with people they didn't know. This is the first lesson in what work is really like, you have to work with people you don't know all the time!
Then, each group went off with their supervisor to visit different parts of the University.
Group 1 visited the Employability Centre, the Volunteering team and the Global Lounge.
Group 2 visited the Student's Union, the Sports Facilities and the Library.
Group 3 visited the Chaucer courtroom, the Centre for Broadcast Journalism, the Nottingham Business School Trading Room and had a general campus tour.
The students also took over our social media!
The students were given a brief overview of each department by a member of staff that worked there. This was important as they needed to understand what each department was used for in order to inform their audience correctly.
After this, the place was theirs! They worked out who would be presenting and who would be behind the camera and made their vlogs using creative an innovative ideas.
After a morning of vlogging, and an energising lunch, the students took to the editing suite to edit their footage. They worked using the programme 'Windows Movie Maker' and played about with cutting, music and text so their vlogs would be as engaging as possible.
For an insight into the vlogs they created, here is Group 2's work:
After sharing the vlogs with one another all of the students came back together to write up what they found useful and what could have been better about the day.
The students all worked excellently together, taking on their roles maturely and thoughtfully, just like they would if they were really at work!
For more information about the #TakeoverChallenge click here to go to their website.
If you're a Post 16 students, chances are you're starting to think about your personal statement for University. Yes, this seems a very daunting task and it's hard to know where to begin but stop worrying and relax. This is your own 'Personal Statement Toolkit' and it's full of tips on things like what to include and how to structure your personal statement.
1. Self Confidence
It is so important to show self-confidence throughout your personal statement. Your positive points need to shine through so you can win over the University you are applying for.
To be able to speak positively about yourself, you need to understand your good points (and try to believe them too). This will help you write an honest and effective personal statement that shows off everything great about you.
Write down 10 positive things about yourself.
A great place to start is by writing down a list of 10 positive things about yourself. These can be anything from your personality to your skills. The list will help if you get stuck for positive things to say whilst you're writing your personal statement. You can just revert back to your list and pick out something positive - simple!
It's Halloween on Monday which is the perfect excuse to turn your hand at some fun crafts or recipes perfect for the day. They are all really simple to make, look very effective and are fun too!
1. Eyeball Snot-Tail
If you're planning on throwing a Halloween party or just want a way to make your jelly spooky, these are perfect. Also, you don't need many ingredients to make these slimy, snotty desserts and they are so simple to make.
We have an exciting opportunity for you! Nottingham Trent University has partnered with The University of Nottingham and The Sutton Trust to give you the 'Pathways to Law' programme.
Established in 2007, over 2,000 students have benefited from taking part in this programme. It is aimed at bright students from underprivileged backgrounds who are interested in pursuing a career in law.
The programme runs over a two year period throughout your A Level studies. By partaking in the programme you will have the opportunity to attend University sessions like lectures, seminars and workshops and will also undergo a work placement.
You're well into your first term of the year and some of you will already be starting to think about studying for your exams. Whether it's your mocks, resit exams or the real thing, some of you will probably have questions about how to study for them.
If the word 'exams' fills you with dread and anxiety then stop. You don't need to worry anymore! In this post, we are going to share 5 of our best study tips that you can start using straight awayso your exams are as stress-free as they possibly can be.
1. What type of learner are you?
It's important before you even start studying to know what sort of learner you are. By understanding how you learn, you can tailor all your revision to exercises so they will be most beneficial to you.
There are 3 styles people learn best in which are:
Visual (SEE it) Auditory (HEAR it) Kinesthetic (DO it)
The New Art Exchange is situated in the heart of Hyson Green. It seems the perfect place to house the largest gallery in the UK to celebrate cultural diversity within art and society.
It’s #WorldMentalHealthDay today and in the true spirit of
the day, we have decide to explore how creativity can help sufferers of a variety
of mental health issues.
It can be scary and lonely when suffering from a mental
health disorder and sometimes it is hard to see a light at the end of it.
Creativity, however, can help lighten these overwhelming
feelings of negativity. It helps by focusing your mind on something positive
and by creating something bright and beautiful.
Although mental health is an extremely complex and varied
topic, these 3 self-help activities are brilliant at allowing you to take a few
minutes out of your day to relax and create.
1. Positive Origami Heart
Once you’ve got the hang of folding these origami hearts, you won’t be able to stop!
Our step-by-step guide shows you how to fold your square pieces of colour paper into a lovely heart. It’s really simple and very effective in switching your mind off from any stresses and allowing yourself to concentrate on folding precisely.
With it being Dyslexia Awareness Week, we have interviewed current NTU student, Thomas Jones, who studies Building Surveying and has dyslexia.
Dyslexia is a hidden disability and is the most common learning difficulty.
The theme of this year's Dyslexia Awareness Week is 'Identification of dyslexia' and we were interested to see how Thomas got diagnosed with dyslexia, his concerns, struggles and how it has impacted his life at University.
Thomas rowing with his team in Chester.
1. What were the initial symptoms that led you to realise you had dyslexia?
It's Freshers' Week for nearly all Universities across the country which means lots of new students are embarking on one of the biggest journeys of their live's...
Starting University is an exciting and nerve-wracking life change and one that usually does take a while to adjust to. Also, believe it or not, most students aren't starting University just to party every night and live on a diet of instant noodles!
So what about those students who do prefer a quieter night in opposed to going out clubbing? Being recently graduated, I know that lot's of my best nights were spent staying in with my flatmates watching films and cooking together.
There are so many opportunities within Sports Volunteering like coaching and leading University sports clubs, organising sport projects and events and coaching young people in schools.
We really believe that it is beneficial to lots of aspects of your life. For example, coaching can help you gain confidence and also allows you to network within the community.
It's rewarding! You'll be making a difference in the community by sharing your own skills and knowledge about your sport and engaging people to keep active and enjoy it.
We asked Sports Volunteer, Jess Stanfield about her experiences within the role to give you an insight into what it entails and how it has helped her during and after University.
This summer, the volunteering group travelled to Guatemala to do lots of proactive work for the people out there. Ishmael Niheeba Gordon was one of the volunteers on this trip and has given us a sneak peek of his diary whilst he was travelling.
The volcano in Guatemala.
Friday 8th July 2016
On the 8th July, I travelled to Guatemala with my
volunteering group via Houston, USA. It was 9 hours to Houston from Heathrow
and we nearly missed our transit flight because the queue was extremely long.
When we found out that Nottingham Castle was displaying ten original drawings by Leonardo da Vinci, we couldn't wait to head over and see them for ourselves. Not only are the drawings intricate and beautiful to look at but they are from one of the most renowned artists of all time!
Leonardo worked using a variety of mediums from pen and ink to red chalk and his drawings were just as varied. Leonardo did technical, scientific drawings and also sketched anatomy and the body. He really was good at everything!
Saturday Art& Design Club isn’t only rewarding for the young people (aged 13 -16 years
old) who attend the weekly workshops but it’s also beneficial for the student
assistants that support the Club. In
this post, some of our student assistants tell us why they have enjoyed the
experience this year.
Jonathan Price, graduated from Graphic Design in July 2016
I was initially interested in the role of student assistant as it was an opportunity to add some context to my studies and share my knowledge of art and design with the Saturday Club.
Jonathan working hard with his group.
My first task was to demonstrate how letter forms could be created from playing card symbols. Initially, this was a daunting prospect however I enjoyed sharing my ideas and helping the participants get stuck into creating typography.
One of the most rewarding aspects is seeing the young people’s investment in art and design at such an early stage of learning. Many seem set on a path towards higher education. By sharing my perspective of a creative education, I hope the students will pursue their passions, carving the way for the next generation of creative talent.
National Saturday Art & Design Club's trip to London!
Throughout my involvement I have become more confident about giving advice and guidance to the students. I feel more comfortable presenting ideas and talking to the group at each session. This confidence has definitely helped in the later stages of my degree. Discussing ideas and presenting projects are key aspects of a creative degree and Saturday Art & Design Club has allowed me to improve on these skills away from the pressures of university project work.
Group photograph of the Saturday Art & Design young people.
Saturday Art Club has already proved to be an excellent talking point with potential employers, as it adds emphasis to my skills in a non-academic environment. It has also allowed me to work with a more diverse age group, which is beneficial if pursuing a career in education. Overall, it provides evidence of my investment in creativity and can only improve my prospects as a creative graduate. For this reason alone I would recommend that anyone who is genuinely passionate about art and design and wants to share their knowledge and experience should get involved with this fantastic project.
*Saturday Art & Design Club runs free weekly workshops at Nottingham Trent University from October to July. The workshops are open to pupils aged 13 -16 years old. If you would like to find out more, please contact Sarah Barkley at: sarah.barkley@ntu.ac.uk.
Saturday Art
& Design Club isn’t only rewarding for the young people (aged 13 -16 years
old) who attend the weekly workshops but it’s also beneficial for the student
assistants that support the Club. In
this post, some of our student assistants tell us why they have enjoyed the
experience this year.
Holly working with a group of club members.
Holly Barrett, Graduated from Costume Design
in July 2016
The main thing that drew me to working with the Saturday Art club
was the opportunity to work alongside something that inspires and helps engage
young people with the arts, something that can be easily over looked by many.
The club tries many different techniques from photography to
making paper costumes. It really gives
the young people the chance to try things they may not necessarily get to try
at school, enabling them to find talents they may not have realised they had
and discover things they really enjoy doing.
I really enjoyed seeing the wide range and high standard of work
the students produced and seeing the groups commitment to give up their
Saturday mornings, to attend the club made it a pleasure to also give up my
Saturday morning lie- ins to help the club.
Through the different sessions I helped with I also felt like I
learned a lot of techniques and was even able to use parts of the university I
wouldn't normally come across, like the photography studio.
I also learnt a lot during the masterclass with artist Zack
Mclaughlin, this was particularly interesting as he explained about the
route he had taken since graduating university, to get to where he is now. This was inspiring as I have just graduated
and am about to head out into the exciting, yet scary, world of working in the
creative industry.
Working with the club has been really enjoyable and I wish
everyone all the best with wherever their futures take them. If I ever get the
opportunity to and working with young people and the arts in the future, it
will definitely be something I would get involved in.
Holly helping a member of Saturday Art & Design Club to create a model bird.
Ellie Barlow, graduated from Costume Design
in July 2016
I
was initially interested in this role as I thought it would be a good
experience while I was studying at NTU. The most rewarding thing I found was
seeing how creative these young students are and their eagerness towards their
work and helping each other, especially on a Saturday morning! I have learnt
many skills, such as keeping up with the energy of the students! I feel like
this has been a great opportunity while studying at NTU because it has made me
feel useful by encouraging the next generation of creatives, while studying
myself.
Ellie showing a Saturday Art & Design Club member work on her laptop.
*Saturday Art & Design Club runs free
weekly workshops at Nottingham Trent University from October to July. The
workshops are open to pupils aged 13 -16 years old. If you would like to
find out more, please contact Sarah Barkley at: sarah.barkley@ntu.ac.uk.
Through the eyes of a budding architect: My name is Urvi and over
the past year I have been involved in the Saturday Art & Design Club at Nottingham Trent University.
Here’s a little bit about my experience.
Finding out about the
Club!
We were told about
Saturday Art Club in a school assembly and I instantly liked the idea of
creating art on the weekends with no restrictions. It also appealed to me especially because of
the stressful environment we are used to at school.
First thoughts:
Initially I thought the
Art & Design Club would be like every other place where we are treated like
children and monitored each step of the way; however we were treated like young
adults with the freedom to approach our work however we wanted, making the
experience more enjoyable.
Saturday Art & Design Club in the photography studio.
New friends, skills and
experiences:
From the Art Club we
learnt a massive range of new exciting skills such as screen-printing,
calligraphy and photography. Of course we learnt a lot about different artistic
techniques but during the trips to London and the galleries we also learnt a
lot more about the world of art and the growing creative industries.
We learnt how to review
and interpret pieces of art and design which then helped us understand how to
develop our work and approach it in more creative and abstract ways.
I think the whole
experience as a whole was great. From the trips to London to the weird and
wacky photos we took of each other in the studio, all of it has been
exhilarating because we were surrounded by people who shared the same interests
as us making it easy to have fun.
Saturday Art & Design Club in London.
What I enjoyed the most:
At Saturday Art Club I
would say the freedom to experiment with different materials and stuff was
probably the best part. Normally at school we are often restricted even when we
are told to be creative so at Saturday Art Club it was so easy to think big and
follow through (even though my grand ideas didn't always work out).
Arts Award:
Saturday Art & Design Club also offered us the opportunity to take the Arts Award (optional). All we had to do was jot down our thoughts about what we had accomplished or where we could have improved at the end of each session. Whether we did the award or not it was a good way to reflect back on our work and experience.
Portrait of Urvi
I hadn’t taken Art as a
GCSE. Consequently I wasn't able to get onto my A level course however I was later
told that I could also use the Arts Award as evidence to prove I was capable to
sit the course and now I am signed up for the Art A Level classes at my sixth
form.
Architecture – my
career goal:
My future career aspirations
are to become an architect. I would love
to work on designing buildings in creative yet abstract ways to bring a bit of
art and fun into simple things in our lives that we see every day.
I would strongly
recommend Saturday Art & Design Club to anyone who has an interest in Art or anyone
looking for something new and fun to do as in the end you leave with more
experience and great memories.
*The Saturday Art Club runs free weekly workshops at Nottingham Trent University from October to July. The workshops are open to pupils in Year 9 – 11. This is a targeted event based on widening participation criteria. If you would like to find out more, please contact Esther Triffitt at NTUSaturdayArtClub@ntu.ac.uk
So the time for you to move away is soon approaching (a few weeks to be precise) and you are trying to decide what you need but you can't remember it all..
Fear not! Below we have put together a very long yet important list of all the university essentials you will need. If you forget anything you can always buy it in the city you move to. However, it is way cheaper to grab it all from home whilst you can.
Some places (university halls mainly) will be equipped with some of these items such as knives, spoons etc. However, if you are going to be sharing, it might be worth taking your own just to make sure you have some to use.
We haven't included things such as clothes, shoes etc as that is pretty much common sense and hopefully you won't forget to bring them!
Note: Not everything item will apply to everyone so use this as a guide.
Kitchen
Some sauce pans (2-3 should be enough)
Cutlery including knives, forks, spoons, masher
Cutlery holder
Kettle
Toaster (if you need one)
Tin opener (you will be eating alot of tin food)
Chopping board - I bet you that you will cook at least once.
Chopping knives - Tesco and Asda do a cheap set for about £5
Frying Pan
Oven gloves - no one wants any accidents to happen
Scales, baking tray and measuring jug - if you like to bake
Plastic tubs for storage and leftovers - these are essential!
Note Books - you need to make notes in lectures right?
Reading List (don’t worry if you haven’t received one yet, you will do soon) - I don't recommend buying every book in advance and you might not use them all and it will be a waste of money. You can ask your lecturer which ones you will need in lectures. The rest you can borrow from the library for 3 weeks free of cost.
Diary - you need to get organised
Wall Planner - You can pick one up from the Freshers Fair
Old text books and notes that are relevant to your university course. I still have my notes and books from GCSE Business (I study Business) as I can still use parts for my university modules
Dictionary and thesaurus - you will need to these for your reports/essays
Noticeboard and pins - some accommodations have this so you can check in advance. It is super handy to put post it notes (buy these too) on the board for reminders.
Files or folders - it's up to you how many you get. I recommend buying a few to start with and then get more as and when you need them. These are super handy for storing your module notes as you will need them in your second year and third year.
Washing and Cleaning
Laundry basket or bag (bag will be easier to store)
Coat hangers
Washing capsules - most accommodations won't let you use powder
Fabric softener - if you like to add this - check with your accommodation if this is allowed first
Washing-up liquid, sponge, scourer
Cloth and rubber gloves - you will need to clean eventually
Anti-bacterial spray and wipes
Kitchen roll
Black bin bags or white bin liners
Bedding- including sheets, duvet, pillows. It's a good idea to get a few bed sheet sets so you can have one ready whilst the other one is in the wash.
Blanket or throw - it will get chilly in the winter
Full length mirror (May be a good idea)
Desk lamp/bedside lamp - always handy to have. Your accommodation might provide one so check with them first
Any extra storage - I recommend getting one that has wheels so it is easy to move around. Wilkinson's have some cheap ones
Small dustbin for your room
Cushions - you need to be comfortable
Documents
Passport
Driving Licence (if you have one) and insurance documents
Passport photos for ID cards - you might need a photo for when you arrive at your accommodation to prove you are who you say you are
National Insurance card
Your acceptance letter from the university
Student Finance letters
Your accommodation details and contract
CV - you need a copy of this (online copy is fine)
Exam certificates - you may need these when registering
Discount cards e.g. 16-25 railcard, NUS card - you can buy a NUS card during welcome week. If you are planning to travel a fair amount then I really recommend getting the railcard. You can get discount off the price with an NUS card too! You make the money back pretty quickly too. However note that there are restrictions in what times you can use the railcard. I still think it is worth it though.
Other
TV - you will need to check with your chosen accommodation if they already provide you with one - you will need a TV licence too
Alarm Clock - you need to get up for lectures on time
Hair Dryer/Straighteners/Curling Tongs (If you use them)
Extension lead - will come in handy all year round
Laptop and a laptop bag
Please note that it can take up to 5 working days for your student finance to appear in your bank account so you will need some money to cover your costs in your first week.
Have we missed anything? If so leave a comment below so we can add them! Have any questions about moving away? Then tweet usor email us
