The Buzz Newsletter 28th Sept 09

FRESHERS SPECIAL 28th SEPTEMBER 2009

WEL . COME to Uni!

We asked some of your future coaches and mentors (aka The Media and Communication staff ) to share their freshers views and give you warm welcome. „„ WILL BARTON - Course Director, BA Advertising and Media

“Working in a university is a bit like being in farming or sports. It has a clear annual rhythm. Each year the same things happen at the same time. Just as the football season starts off with the Charity Shield match, Uni starts with Freshers’ week. Even for old hacks like

pictures courtesy of John Lister

“... there’s a sense of new beginnings, new faces and new grass on the field.”

me who have been here for years, there’s a sense of new beginnings, new faces and new grass on the field.

“ ...ready to make the next big move in your life.” “Although the first few days are going to be busy and often confusing, they should also be fun and I hope the rest of your time here will be too. A lot of the time you’ll have to work hard and sometimes things won’t go quite the way you wanted but most of you will find yourselves in three years’

time wondering how they went so fast and see yourselves ready to make the next big move in your life. Sometimes things seem too much for you to cope with. Whatever the problem, the first step to solving it is to talk - usually to your personal tutor in the first instance, but you should feel free to contact any member of staff if you need help. It’s what we’re here for and we can always find a way forward for you, so if things get tough,

“...studying in an Art School should be hard work and fun.” don’t be worried, embarrassed or ashamed of asking for help. “You’re studying in an Art School and that should be hard work and fun. If it ever stops being either of these things then something’s not right, so let us know. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

Welcome 2 Uni! CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

„„ JOHN KEENAN – Associate Lecturer “Freshers’ Week is the most important single week for students, not only because you are introduced to the staff and get your timetable, but also because you get a flavour of

“...you get a flavour of what university life is.”

what university life is. The freedom experienced during this week can be both frightening and wonderful and is often a mixture of both. We all deal with this in our own ways and there is no right or wrong way as long as you feel comfortable.” He advises: “Try not to feel too pushed and pulled by pressures from other students or from the expectations of being a “student” and do make the most of what the university offers: lectures, seminars and facilities. You are paying for this and it is a waste if you are not using it.” He adds: “I hope that you grow through the three years of university as people, that you form friendships and good memories to last for a lifetime. University is what you make it.” „„ PAUL ADKINS – Skills Instructor

image source: ukstudentlife.com

“WELCOME! This is going to be a really hard year, so run away now …

or prepare for a life changing experience.” Paul hopes the new generation of freshers will remember to bring a pen and some paper, underlining the importance of soberness. He believes time and experience is what sets apart one generation of freshers from another. „„ SPENCER MURPHY – Senior Lecturer “It’s a nervous time for the fresher’s, my heart goes out to every one of them! You don’t know anyone, you don’t know where anything is… we’ve all been there. As if this feeling only last about a week anyway! But

“It can be nervous for the lecturers as well… we don’t know anyone either and we have to stand there and waffle on!” it might be funny to think that it can be nervous for the lecturers as well… we don’t know anyone either and we have to stand there and waffle on!” “In the current climate, with all the gloom and doom about the economy, student debt, unemployment and blah blah blah … Any incoming student could be forgiven

“This is going to be a really hard year, so run away now …”

image source: cvone.co.uk

for feeling a little apprehensive if not downright depressed! But this is great time to begin your degree in so many ways. The job market will pick

“This is great time to begin your degree in so many ways.” up and students will be in the perfect position with their wonderful degree from Coventry University! Ok, maybe I’m going a bit over the top...” Spencer hopes this generation of freshers will bring: “New ideas, new perspectives…but in short just an enthusiasm and a passion for what they’re doing! Students teach me just as much (if not a lot more!) as I could possibly teach them.” „„ JOE PAXTON - CSAD Faculty Chair “I’d like to take this opportunity to give a warm welcome to all the new students joining the School of Art and Design; and a warm welcome back to those progressing to their next year. I am your Faculty Chair, which means I am your representative to the Students’ Union for this academic year. Within the next few weeks every student will have the opportunity to get involved with the Students’ Union by becoming a Course Rep. Those elected to Course Reps will also have the chance to become a Faculty Board rep, meaning further involvement in our Student Union. In the mean time, I’m your primary contact for any problems you have with your courses and university experience. Never hesitate to contact me or stop me for a chat!”

My first week @ Uni by KATRINA STEVENSON

„„ The joy of getting into your choice of university brings excitement as to what the future lays ahead and it all begins with that first week, your own Freshers Week.

T

he anticipation of going to university had drawn upon me all summer and then suddenly I was there, feeling the vibe and the flustering of Fresher’s Week. I was looking forward to meeting new friends and colleagues, while,

“...at the same time, I was feeling the shear fear...”

my parents, sent out to fight the world on my own. There was so much to take in and it seemed like there was not enough time to do it; every corner I turned to there was someone feeding me with more information. The thing I was mostly looking forward to was obviously the social aspect of Freshers Week, the opportunity to meet new people and explore Coventry city centre. Not only within the events organised by the university but also within those organised outside the sports clubs and societies. There are so many opportunities available to freshers that I felt overwhelmed and it was hard for me to choose. At first, I went for

“Every corner I turned to there was someone feeding me with more information.”

“I was soon right at home in the buzz of freshers. “ was soon right at home in the buzz of freshers. When the day came to move in to halls, my mind was all over place, what to say to people, where to go, what to do. Where do you begin? After all that I had to say goodbye to my parents which was something I was glad, but scared of all together. I basically moved from the comfort of my own home, from the care of

cheap drink and a cheap night out; and lava ignite on a Wednesday was also a very lively night. Still, as I discovered throughout fresher’s week, there were plenty of social events advertised that it was better for me to just follow the crowd. I figured that would get me out and about and help me learn everything I needed to know as I was going along, well at least in terms of a good night out. I didn’t expect Fresher’s Week to be as jammed packed as it was, I was constantly on the go and this still continued even after that. Some of the facilities and advice services available during Fresher’s Week were things like healthcare and living advice, which I think I should have taken into account. Apart from that Fresher’s Week is just a fun and exciting week to get your student head around things and settle in appropriately. Hope you have a great deal of fun on yours! pictures courtesy of Katrina Stevenson

at the same time, I was feeling the shear fear of going into big lecture halls, way larger than your average classroom. But with many friendly, more experienced people around, I

almost everything and then I realized this really wasn’t possible. So instead, I picked out all of the things that I was interested in and went from there. I found that on Mondays Kasbah was the best place to go for a

“Fresher’s Week is just a fun and exciting week to get your student head around things.”

Fresher’s Cov Cons’ „„ Ex Sky news boss, Nick Pollard is coming to Coventry University on Wednesday the 30th of September to discuss the future of TV News. And who is better to tackle the subject than a man who affirms “for most of my ITN career I worked on the Ten O’Clock News”. Nick Pollard started his career at the fragile age of 17, as a trainee reporter, with no clue whatsoever about what journalism was. Later he completed an NCTJ (National Council of Training for Journalists) course and had the opportunity to cover Lady Diana’s death and September 11, which he describes as „„ Motoring journalist of the year and editor-in-chief of Haymarket’s Autocar magazine, Steve Cropley is to turn up at the Coventry Conversation on Thursday the 1st of October to comment upon the automotive media further than the obvious. At a time when the automotive press is mostly know by the mass audience through BBC’s show “Top Gear”, Steve Cropley comes forward to speak about the hidden reality and the truth behind the close doors of motoring journalism. As from the 5th of September 2009 the

image source: cutoday.wordpress.com

by TEODORA BELEAGA

“two huge stories in different ways”. Pollard says: “Attitude is everything. You can get a pretty long way in journalism just by being good technically, but the very best people have that indefinable latest motoring journalism awards, The First Headline Auto, have found Steve Cropley and his team of writers from Autocar at the top of the automotive press. Cropley has won Features Writer of the Year and Journalist of the Year over Ken Gibson, motoring editor of the Sun, and Tom Ford, the host for Channel Five’s “Fifth Gear” show, while Autocar has swiped four gongs from their rival sister magazine What car?. One judge from the panel dared to say that Cropley is “one of the top five most important journalists in the world”

^ Co

ming to Cov

something extra which I don’t think can be taught.” With a journalism career of over 40 years across all platforms, Pollard argues that he choose journalism for “it was the only sector that allowed you to enjoy yourself and get paid for it and go to the pub at the end of the day”. Can that still apply for today’s journalists? “Does TV News have a future?” Coventry Conversation with Nick Pollard on the 30th of September 2009 at 1pm in Ellen Terry Building, room ETG34. while another judge described him as “the ultimate journalist in every way”. Steve Cropley has helped putting together the postgraduate degree in Automotive Journalism at Coventry University, particularly through his teaching as a visiting professor. “Looking Beyond Top Gear” Coventry Conversation with Steve Cropley on the 1st of October 2009 at 1 pm in Ellen Terry Building, room ETG34.

image source: clean-image.co.uk

„„ Jon Gaunt, presenter of the SUN’s online radio talk show, “Sun Talk”, and newspaper columnist, is coming to Coventry University on Friday the 2nd of October to talk about his experience within the worlds’ famous tabloid. Although the SUN light is believed to be dangerous by some, Jon Gaunt seems to have found his

place inside its coverage. Having faced the Broadcasting Standards Commission five times so far, 48 year old Gaunty is rather familiar with controversy on air, describing himself as a “working-class, educated guy with, in broad strokes, a rightwing agenda”. Former Drama student, play writer and TV script writer, Jon Gauntknows that drama covers the inside and outside of the media. You wouldn’t want to miss the chance to listen to a man who’s radio portfolio includes: BBC Three

Counties Radio, BBC WM, BBC London 94.9, BBC Coventry and Warwickshire, Talksport and three Sony Radio Academy Gold Awards (2001). His latest radio talk show, “Sun Talk” is broadcasted online in England on the Sun’s website every weekday from 10am to 1pm. As from this summer the show is also broadcasted on regular FM in Spain. “My life in the SUN” Coventry Conversation with Jon Gaunt on Friday the 2nd of October 2009 at 5pm in Ellen Terry Building, room ETG34.

image source: editorsblog.org

The student and staff newsletter of the Media and Communications department of Coventry School of Art and Design Edited by Teodora Beleaga Many thanks to Will Barton, John Keenan, John Mair, John Lister, Spencer Murphy, Paul Adkins, Katrina Stevenson and Joe Paxton.