The Students’ Union building is located on the North Holmes Road Campus with the offices situated upstairs

A typical night at the Union, Freshers Week is the best time to make friends and meet new people!

Students’ Union

What is a Students’ Union?Who are we? What do we do? What can we offer you?

The Students’ Union is an organisation run by students, for students. It is comprised of elected officers from the student population of Christ Church and completely governed by the students.

As a student of Canterbury Christ Church, you automatically become a member of our Union, and have the ability to shape the way our Union is run. You now have the ability to vote for the students you wish to take your Union forward, or even run in the elections yourself.

There are also many sports teams and societies which are headed by students, which you can join, and plenty of opportunities in which you can gain valuable experience in your particular field of interest.

Through being an automatic member of Christ Church Students’ Union (CCSU), you are given the opportunity to

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attend and vote in the Union’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), which is where the Union’s financial year is presented to you, the members. The AGM also allows you to determine the direction of CCSU for the following year.

Make sure you are not hiding in the shadows during your time at Christ Church, as there are countless other perks to being a member of the Students’ Union which are explained throughout the rest of this newspaper.

But what is so special about

CCSU? There is more to the modern Students’ Union than the average uni-goer realises. The sheer length and breadth of the day-to-day workings of this particular body is too vast to document here but broadly speaking it’s here to safeguard the students interests, campaign

on their behalf as well as provide the services that oil the processes of student living. This could be anything from helping to get you out of academic hot water to landing you that job you need to keep you in Apple Sours and cheap kebab meat. But whilst that may seem like a fairly straightforward idea on paper it’s actually a huge undertaking.

Over the course of your degree, you will notice the Union’s activities. Our absence from university life would soon become startling clear. We are committed to providing the best platform for every student, which is fundamentally what drives Union staff through lengthy working hours. That’s why the President can get away with wearing shorts to work - it’s the pay off from many, many hours of sitting in meetings with the council and other similar parties.

But remember this: YOU, as student and stakeholder, run the Union. So why not take the time to drop in and find out what it can do for you.

...will you begin to fulfil yourself through your studies but also having new experiences with new people. For those of you who are in your second or third year or even have studied at a

uni before then you will know the excitement which lays ahead, especially at the beginning of a new year. So go out and have fun, enjoy every aspect that uni life has to offer but most

Welcome Freshers 2010! Story continued from front page ...

importantly be yourself, I am sure everyone will love you. From all of us at the Unified team, have a fantastic year! Keep a lookout for our next issue in early November.

Fancy running the Union?A brief outline on ways in which you can get involved with the Students’ Union, make a difference to the way it is run as well as enhancing your own CV at the same time!

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Your Union is run by you guys, from the Events Committee to the student newspaper, sports clubs to Student Reps, the

Union has students right at the heart.

We are looking for students who don’t mind making their opinions known, who like chatting to other students about

what really irritates them and who aren’t worried about letting the Union and the University know about what they are doing wrong, or right, to come and be part of the Union Council.

Council meets every three weeks or so, and the students who sit on it make the decisions about what policy the Union should be making, about what battles it should be fighting or about what sports clubs should be available!

Full training is provided, and it looks pretty amazing on that all important CV!

We have a number of vacancies at the moment that we are looking to fill in the Elections in October, so if you are interested check out www.ccsu.co.uk/elections about how to get involved.

Positions available are:

Mature Students Officer

Ethnic Minorities Officer

International Officer

Women’s Officer

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Officer

Satallite Campus Officer (for Folkestone, Medway and Salomons, not Broadstairs as this site has its own Committee).

Welfare Officer

Education Officer

Students with Disabilities Officer

Community Officer

Ethical and Environmental Officer

Societies Officer (must be a member of a Society - for more infor see ccsu.co.uk)

1st Year Representative

2nd Year Representative

Final Year Representative

Postgraduate Officer

Inter-Professional Learning Officer 5 x Faculty Representatives

3 x Broadstairs Committee

All of these positions work alongside the 4 Full Time Officers:

President (Steve Godwin)

VP Student Activities (Kal Sajad)

VP Education and Welfare (Silvia Rasca)

VP Sports (Steph White)

The Student Trustee (Rob Gill)

and the following Part-Time positions (which have already been filled)

Campaigns Officer (Matt Stone)

Sports Officer (Liviu Jipescu)

Entertainments Officer (Tallie Henshaw)

Broadstairs Committee (Jamie Dove, Richie Martin)

For more information, please feel free to contact becky.cripps@canterbury.ac.uk

Becky Lamyman

Become a Student Representative Being a Student Rep not only looks great on the CV, but allows you to voice your concerns and make a difference to the uni experience

Ellie Martin

Canterbury Christ Church University values its students and is keen to hear from them about their experiences of their programme. By becoming a Student Rep you become part of the volunteering team within CCSU and through this you will make a huge difference to the lives of students. The University recognises all student volunteers with an annual awards ceremony and a mystery prize.

Your views are crucial to the running of your department. Student Reps meet with staff to feedback the concerns and experiences of students on the programme and negotiate solutions which will benefit the student body.

Programme staff look for new Reps at the start of the academic year, simply inform your tutor of your interest. Once you have been elected, then visit the Students’ Union website for training times: www.ccsu.co.uk/studentreps. We look forward to working with you this academic year.

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A welcome from the Broadstairs CampusAdem Djemil, Student Union Campus Co-ordinator for Broadstairs, gives us an insight into life at the campus

Coming to University isn’t just about getting a degree as there’s so much more to get out of it. Of course getting your qualification is a major incentive but here at Canterbury Christ Church University and especially Broadstairs Campus we aim to allow you to make the most of your time here.

Although we’re on a separate

campus we’re all part of the same university and so it’s my job to make sure that you all get the same opportunities as you would at any other campus be it Canterbury, Folkestone, Medway, or Salomons. This means the opportunity to join a sports team or a society, come out on Students’ Union nights, and also get the same level of representation as any other student.

We’ve got a great Freshers Fortnight organised with something for everyone so no matter what you’re into you should find something you will enjoy. I would personally recommend coming out on every night though as Freshers is a great chance to meet a whole range of new people and make some great friends. Often the people you get to know in

the first couple of weeks can turn into your best mates for your whole time at Uni.

To get involved in sports or societies please come along to the Freshers Fayre on Tuesday 28th September (10am-2pm in the Carey Building) where you can find our sports captains ready to get you to sign up for their team along with society presidents who will tempt you to join up with them. There are also opportunities at the fayre to get further involved with the Students’ Union and sign-up for rallies, campaigns, and all the other things the Union does.

The main virtue of the Students’ Union is that we are here working for you, run by students for students, and so if there are any areas that you feel you are missing out on then please

get in touch. You can find out plenty of information on the SU website www.ccsu.co.uk or don’t hesitate to see me for a chat in the Broadstairs Office (CG15) or while I’m out and about during Freshers helping

to run events. You will also find our Freshers Crew very helpful as they will be around all week (wearing distinctive t-shirts) and have been there and done that as they are 2nd and 3rd year students at the campus.

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Jamie Stephens (Left), Rupert Bhatia (Centre), and Lee Matthews (Right)

Dying to present that genre-busting Country & Western Dubstep show that all the kids have been crying out for? Fancy writing the new big radio comedy or getting VIPed for gigs and festivals around the area so you can tell your favourite band just what you thought of that shonky second album? Well all those opportunities and more could be just around the corner.

CSR FM is the UK’s first student-led community radio station to gain a commercial licence and a joint venture between Christ Church, UKC and their respective Students’ Unions. Now in its 4th year, it’s gone from strength to strength, providing a wide range of programmes. With all the hard work, they’ve also had an inordinate amount of fun, winning national awards and pulling off high profile broadcasts such as their three-day live coverage of the recent Lounge On The Farm festival - a huge achievement for such a young station.

The station is always on the lookout for volunteers to contribute across the board - from marketing and events to tech, IT and electronics or digging up the next big thing from the stacks of promos they receive. It’s not necessary to have any experience, just a friendly disposition and a

Canterbury Student RadioFancy yourself as the next Chris Moyles? Get involved with CSR 97.4 FM, Rhiannon Noot reports ...

Christ Church Television

Christ Church Television is a brand new online channel which gives you a chance to showcase your skills and talent. Whether you wish to film a comedy, create an animation or showcase your sports team, CCTV is the place for you.

Throughout the year you can expect to see shows such as

CCTV is up and running, go to www.ccsu.co.uk/cctv to upload your videos

Liviu Jipescu‘Uni Cribs’ or ‘Match of the Day style’ highlights of university sport games. There will also be coverage of Christ Church’s version of ‘The X Factor’ in which students get the chance to sing their hearts out in the hope of being the next Leona Lewis and also winning loads of goodies.

Students studying one of the many media courses at the university, such as Film, Radio and Television, will also be able

to showcase their short films and documentries on CCTV.

The channel will broadcast online at www.ccsu.co.uk/cctv, via a new youtube channel and also on the screens in the Students’ Union Bar at the Canterbury Campus.

We have a brand new state of the art Sony HD camcorder and are also looking into buying more equipment for the channel.

Breaking into the media and broadcasting industry is a tough task. Employers seek people who have practical and on the job experience but with so many of you wanting to make it in the industry, there is little opportunity to gain work experience with the big companies. So where better to learn your trade and gain content for your showreel than at university.

If you are interested in working for CCTV, look out for our stall

at the Freshers Fayre on 22nd September or email kal.sajad@canterbury.ac.uk

dedication to help CSR grow.

27-year old Andrew Venning is in his third year at Christ Church and got involved to further his dream of becoming the next John Peel:

“I was never very good at playing music so I figured I’d just talk about it instead. I started as a reviewer so I got to hear all the new releases anything up to two months before they went on general release. Eight months later I was the Head of Specialist Music and in charge of developing our music shows and helping playlist the station.”

Now CSR’s Station Manager, the FRTV student is enjoying the varied nature of what he does;

“One minute I’ll be talking to

bands about booking sessions or training presenters, the next I’ll be helping build an outside broadcast studio or climbing a lighting tower to rig up a receiver.”

“I’ve learnt a huge amount, interviewed some of my favourite bands and had a lot of fun. I love being able to play that record that you may not have thought about for ages and didn’t realise you wanted to hear again until it comes on. That makes my day - this is definitely something I’ll be looking to do when I finish my degree.”

Lee Matthews is one of the station’s flagship specialist music presenters and a Canterbury Christ Church alumnus. He graduated three years ago but still presents

his ‘Departures’ show every Tuesday night at seven.

“In 2007, I won the award for best specialist music show from the Student Radio Association, which is driven by Radio 1. Most people who win this award go on to become professional radio presenters – Alex Zane, Scott Mills and Greg James all won one. However, I like the freedom to choose my music and create my own programmes, which is why I enjoy working at CSR. It’s wholly dedicated to bringing quality, alternative music to the public’s attention. My collection comes from around the world and can include old classics as well as modern, rarely heard music.”

Radio Co-ordinator Jamie Stephens is responsible for overseeing the project and keeping to CSR’s ideal of making radio vibrant and relevant to its 15 to 24-year-old target market.

“I come from a commercial radio background and am dead set on getting radio back to how it used to be. If someone’s got a great idea here it can be on air pretty much immediately and so there’s a spontaneity that can be lacking elsewhere in the industry. We’re not stuck with rigid commercial music playlisting either so we get to play what we like - If its good, it goes on. ”

A former news editor at KMFM, the 35-year old was drawn to the job by the huge potential for the radio station.

‘Its amazing to work with such creative, raw talent. They’re all volunteers who work long hours for no pay but are still incredibly enthusiastic about what they do. Given the breaks, a staggering amount of them could do a job in the wider radio industry.”

“Our recent 3-day live coverage of Lounge On The Farm is a case in point. There are large commercial stations with bigger budgets who would have struggled to pull that off so smoothly.”

Regardless of experience, as long as you have enthusiasm, there are plenty of opportunities to join the team both on air and off. CSR needs DJs, producers, marketing gurus, community liaisons, techies, designers or out-and-out radio anoraks – all manner of weird and wonderful people. So if you can mix, lig, photoshop, program, chat the hind leg off a donkey or spend hours up a pylon rigging an outside broadcast CSR has a home for you. You just need a big smile and a willingness to get stuck in.

For more information on the Station, visit www.csrfm.com, find us on Facebook or email info@csrfm.com..

Fight Freshers Flu Fast

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Sooner or later, most of you will suffer! Unified’s Emma Langridge shares her tips on how to identify and tackle the numerous symptoms of this nasty little ailment

As Freshers week gets under way, nursing a cold is one of the last ways you want to be spending your time. Unfortunately, illness is something you’ll most probably encounter very early in your undergraduate course, when the dreaded ‘freshers flu’ attacks.

A nasty head cold isn’t ideal for

those late nights out at the clubs or proving yourself at sports initiations, however freshers flu usually hits just before you head to your first class. In fact, illness affects around 90 per cent of new students during the initial weeks at university, with common symptoms including a fever, sore throat and coughing. Causes of this pesky bug can be put down to the wide range of different people from every corner of the country, as well as other countries, moving into one area together and spreading

germs.

Also, a poor diet mixed up with alcohol consumption is the perfect cocktail for catching a cold. Dr Peter Mace, clinical director of BUPA Wellness says: “Stress, which may be induced by tiredness, combined with a poor diet, late nights and too much alcohol, can weaken the immune system and be a recipe for ill health. All this can make students more susceptible to infections within their first weeks of term.”

Amongst the endless chaos and excitement of freshers week, it is easy to forget registering with the local GP surgery. Make sure signing up with your nearest health centre is one of your top priorities, as you never know when a quick check-up with the local doctor will come in handy during your time as a student.

As for battling that niggling cold, rest and relaxation is often the key to a speedy recovery, yet a lack of essential vitamins and minerals may also be a contributing factor to a persistent sniffle. Ailment-busting minerals and vitamins are found in a variety of everyday food and drink, proving that a good diet can maintain your wellbeing.

So even on a student budget, you can boost your body and eat your way to feeling great with this guide to super vitamins

and minerals!

COLD SYMPTOMS

Super vitamin: Vitamin CThe ascorbic acid found in Vitamin C helps boost the immune system and improves white blood cell count, encouraging the body to fight infection fast.Where can I find it?Broccoli, peppers, oranges and kiwi fruit.

HANGOVER

Super vitamin: B vitaminsThis vitamin is essential for restoring energy levels in the body and therefore great for replenishing your body after a heavy night drinking. Where can I find it?Bananas, dairy products like milk, cheese and yoghurt.

DRY SKIN

Super vitamin: Vitamin AVitamin A helps to form new skin cells, as well as keep your skin soft and supple. It is often added to skin creams, with its antioxidants tackling the free radicals produced by the body that damage cells. Where can I find it? Eggs, dairy products, oily fish, red and orange fruit.

BLOODSHOT EYES

Super vitamin: B vitaminsThis vitamin cleverly helps to regulate the amount of fluid in the eye. A deficiency of vitamins B2 and B6 causes the blood vessels on the surface of the eye become inflamed with blood.Where can I find it?Dairy products like milk and cheese, fish and meat (in particular, liver).

BAD BREATH

Super vitamin: Vitamin CVitamin C creates an inhabitable environment for any unwanted mouth bacteria and kills them, getting rid of excess mucus and toxins that cause bad breath. Yet experts warn that this is not a permanent cure and only lasts around an hour.Where can I find it?Citrus fruits, broccoli and red vegetables.

LETHARGY

Super vitamin: IronIron is essential for haemoglobin production, the oxygen-bearing substance found in our red blood cells. Even a slight lack of iron or minor deficiency can make you feel lethargic or worn out. It is important to maintain your iron levels by modifying your diet or by taking supplements.Where can I find it?Red meat is a great iron source, dried fruit and egg yolks.

Emma Langridge

The Oscar winning drama based on the true story of football player Michael Oher depicts the life of over weighted Afro-American teenage boy from the ghetto.

Abandoned by his parents, by social services and society he sleeps occasionally on the couch of a friend’s house or in the gym of a school. He has no perspectives and it seems like he has lost even the slightest grain of hope for the future.

Then out of nowhere his life changes over night when Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock), wife of an ex-football star with a suburban house and two kids,

The Blind Side - Release Date 06/09/10feels sympathy to Michael and decides to help him get out of the vicious cycle of poorness and misery and give him a chance to fulfil his potential.

The youngster has a lot of personal issues to fight with. For that reason having a family who supports him is the first step on his long way to self-discovery. The Tuohys give him not only a roof above his head but also encourage him to play football which turns out to be Michael’s genuine talent and he becomes an All-American offensive left tackle. At the same time the boy changes their lives in mysterious ways. It turns out that money and social status

are just a bubble they have lived in. Not until Michael becomes part of their family they realise how lucky they actually are for having each other and start enjoying the really precious moments in life.

Although it sounds too good to be true and the plot tends to lack of over dramatic turns of events (as we are used to in American dramas) the fact that this is the actual life story of Michael Oher makes this film a real heart warmer. “Big Mike” wins us over with his pureness and teddy bear sweetness. Sometimes we need to believe in fairytales because they might exist after all.

DVD ReviewsUnified reviews three movies set for DVD release for the upcoming month

If you don’t have anything better to do on a rainy Sunday afternoon Cop Out would be the ultimate entertainment provider. A funny (it cannot beat The Hangover though) and relaxing story about two cops on the track of a rare baseball card.

Suspended from work, Jimmy Monroe (Bruce Willis) is desperately trying to find a way to pay for his daughter’s dream wedding. The only idea he comes out with is to sell his priceless Andy Pafko card that

once belonged to his father. Unluckily for him the precious possession gets stolen the moment he is about to meet a buyer.

Jimmy starts a private investigation together with his cop partner of 9 years Paul Hodges (Tracy Morgan) that leads them to a Mexican narco boss who is looking for a certain Mercedes. Jimmy and Paul are compelled to make a deal with the gangster. They have to find the car and exchange it for the

Entertainment

Cop Out - Release Date 20/09/10“Pafko”. The only thing the cops don’t know yet is that they are not the only ones recruited for the assignment.

Expectedly the two get involved in a very big mess and have almost no time to find the card, save a hot female hostage, kill some bad guys and find out whether or not Paul’s wife is cheating on him. Of course all that happens in between car chasing in a graveyard and a real bullet storm coming from hell-bent gang members who

What do top secret agents actually do? They chase and fight the bad guys, experience high adrenalin levels and in the end save the world (again). It sounds like every American boy’s dream.

James Reece (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) has been waiting for an opportunity to prove himself as a senior CIA operative. Young, smart, educated and passionate Reece is the PA of the American ambassador in Paris. His life consists of completing low-level CIA assignments for his boss

(sometimes not exactly legal) and having candle light dinners on the balcony with his French girlfriend. Until one day he receives the long awaited call – a real top secret job with a real partner. Reece is appointed to help special agent Charlie Wax (John Travolta) in whatever he is up to. But Reece’s enthusiasm vaporises very fast after he meets Charlie – wisecracking, brutal, violence addicted and a real magnet for trouble.

Soon the two get involved in furious car chasing and drug

From Paris with Love - Release Date 30/08/10

want the Mercedes too.

There are no big surprises in this film and Bruce Willis does what he does best – die hard (but in a funnier way). Tracy Morgan is definitely the best choice for Bruce’s partner following the successfully established Lethal Weapon combo. And Seann (I checked the spelling) William Scott makes a small but memorable role as big-mouthed and masochism addicted thief Dave. Just enjoy and laugh hard!

dealing on the way to their real assignment - to stop a terrorist attack. Naturally, nothing is the way it seems to be and no one is trustworthy. Reece starts having doubts in his skills and purpose in life. However, he has no choice but to fight side by side with Wax who teaches him a valuable lesson: “If you wanna be a secret agent man, you have to roll like a secret agent man. “

This typically Luc Besson flavoured story is all about action, catchy phrases and

Unified’s DVD Reviews are brought to you each issue by Irina Peltegova. For more reviews please check out www.ccsu.

co.uk/unified

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a lot of cursing (despite the misleading title). The film doesn’t disappoint for a minute in its pure parody-driven fiasco in Paris’ underground world.

On top of that John Travolta delivers one of his best performances in recent years. We all know playing the cool bad guy is his specialty (as seen in “Swordfish” and “The Taking of Pelham 123”). This time he proves himself to be brilliant in playing the bad good guy. This film is a must see for all Paris lovers.

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There are parts of our world that, once visited, get into our hearts and minds, leaving a profound experience engraved upon us for years. For me, South India has to be one such place.

Earlier this summer, I joined thirteen other Education students and three lecturers from Canterbury Christ Church University on the annual Faculty of Education ‘Goodwill’ study trip to South India. I had no aim but to let South India and its people take and show me life firsthand, and that I would deal with any challenges this would bring with the people of South India.

Passage to South IndiaWith India fast becoming an economic and cultural “super power”, Mark Wilson briefly reflects on his recent visit to the subcontinent.

Mark WilsonAfter ten hours of flying, an airline “chicken curry” for lunch and dinner, and a further transfer in Doha we finally arrived in Thiruvananthapuram, the beautiful capital of Kerala. After spending a couple of days acclimatising in the major beach resort of Kovalam, we travelled four hours out of Kerala to the city and municipality of Dindigul in the Tamil Nadu state. This was our first ‘taste’ of non-tourist India, an opportunity to be captured by India’s extraordinary ability to overload your senses with the mixed, vibrant intensity of its colours, smells, sights, tastes and sounds. A visit to the Market is no exception to this, offering up a chance to interact and trade with the inhabitants of Dindigul is a truly wonderful experience. It is estimated about 70% of

the total population earns their livelihood directly or indirectly through agriculture in this part of India. Thus, cotton, onions, groundnuts and if you are adventurous when it comes to trying new things, Panneer Grapes and spices are all cheap and easy to come by. Other important industries include leather tanning, hand loom sarees and the trade and manufacturing of tobacco. As you would expect, hospitality and food is a major part of the Indian and Tamil cultures. Popular vegetarian (Hindu) and non-vegetarian (Christian and Muslim) dishes amongst our group included: Sambar, masala dosa, various biryanis, fish molee, dal fry, vegetable spring rolls and potato curry all mostly served with steamed rice, the staple diet of the region. It is an Indian custom to eat with your right hand only and to leave a small amount on your plate as an indication you have eaten enough...this was never easy when the food tasted so good!

On all occasions we found ourselves being greeted quite unexpectedly by generous, warm and welcoming Indians. The traditional welcome involved having a “tikka” (vermillion) put on the forehead and/or being garlanded. Many Indians believe in the phrase “Atithi Devo Bhavah”, meaning a guest is the reflection of God, and that giving gifts and welcoming guests eases the transition into the next life.

After a few days in Dindigul we set off on a further two hour journey winding through the Western Gates to the Goodwill Children’s Home in Thandigudi. This would be our home for the next 8 days. The Children’s Home provides long term care and education to ‘destitute’ children in South India. Nevertheless, it came as such a relief to also see that this care was not only through children’s homes alone, but that the charity is also reaching out through its ‘Tribal Outreach Programme’ to assist both children and whole

communities. I spent a day with the programme’s staff visiting schools and projects [on the back of a motorbike], and I couldn’t agree more with their sentiments, that they really do change and improve people’s lives on a more direct level this way, a way that many large charities still find it hard to do.

The next stop was Madurai, the holy temple city. Being the home of the grand Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple makes Madurai one of the most important places of Hindu pilgrimage in the world. For the Hindu people of Madurai the temple is the centre (quite literally) of their cultural and religious life. This can be experienced by taking part in one of the many evening processions, as some of us did

wholeheartedly.

Finally in summary of this trip, Keith Bellows once said: “...I had been seeing the world in black and white and, when brought face-to-face with India, experienced everything re-rendered in brilliant Technicolor.” He is right and whilst on the train from Madurai, I remember sitting and reading in a book that: “...It is impossible not to be moved when seeing humanity present itself in such a creative burst of cultures, religions, races and tongues. The only thing more difficult than to be indifferent to India would be to describe or understand India completely.” – I couldn’t agree more. You really do...have to see it, to believe it.

Talking with a local student on the train from Madurai

Above: Typical Indian Family and TransportBelow: Children doing what children should be doing, having fun

1. You arrive in halls for your first day of university life. How exciting! Do you:

A – Unpack all of your clothes and enter into your hall’s induction programme.

B – Unpack your pearls, thongs and Jimmy Choo’s, not forgetting to apply the lippy liberally.

C – Attempt to decipher the Union Handbook and the rest of your welcome pack. Hold on, why the hell is the water flowing the other way round the toilet bowl?

D – Watch whilst mum unpacks for you, then stock up the fridge.

2. You say goodbye to your parents and then go to see your hall mates. Do you:

A – Observe the boy-to-girl

ratio, but think... “Hmm, oh well, not to worry.”

B – Feel disgusted at the amount of chavs there are in Kent.

C – Find yourself thinking that you wished everyone would speak more slowly.

D – Follow the lad who is leading the procession to the watering hole.

3. Your first day is nearly over. It’s the evening on your first night in halls. Do you:

A – Have a few sociable drinks not forgetting that you need a clear head for tomorrow.

B – Get a cab to London baby…Canterbury just isn’t cool enough for you.

C – Recoil in horror at the vast amount of liquid in the pints

given to you.

D – 4 pints down! 10 to go! Do well. GET IN MY SON!

4. It’s a glorious Sunday afternoon. Life is good. Do you:

A – Orientate campus and familiarise yourself with your new place of learning.B – Another trip to London, this time it’s lunch at The Ivy with your girlfriends.

C – Trot down to the town centre and admire the beauty of Canterbury cathedral.

D – Change your sheets. Snakey B vomit is not an attractive colour. Then it’s off to the Union for some more!

5. Unfortunately, it’s time to start commencing the next stage of your education.

It’s your first lecture. Do you:

A – Scribble down the notes safe in the knowledge that you’ve thoroughly read around the subject beforehand. At the end of the lecture you nominate yourself as year rep and win convincingly.

B – Catch the heel of your Jimmy Choo’s on your way down the lecture theatre stairs, falling flat on your backside. BLUSH.

C – Thank the Lord that the lecture is all numbers and not words.

D – Regret not taking that BA at UKC.

Freshers’ Personality Test

1. You arrive in halls for your first day of university life. How exciting! Do you:A – Unpack your wealth of black jeans and black T-shirts with mythical beasts on the front, before meticulously arranging your textbooks in alphabetical order by author.

B – Let your mother unpack your clothes into your drawers whilst you head to the nearest offie to stock up on booze.

C – Unpack your cravates, loafers and love sheathes.

D – Sharpen your eyeliner pencil, touch up your fading roots and cut the tips off the gloves your mummy bought you.

2. You say goodbye to your parents and then go to see your hall mates. Do you:

A – Ask everyone what their favourite episode of

Babylon 5 is and discuss which actor was the best Doctor Who.

B – Immediately ask where the nearest watering hole is, then lead a procession of students to the pub.

C – Hang back in your smoking jacket watching the ladies go by.

D – I HATE THEM ALL. WHY WON’T THEY DIE?!

3. Your first day is nearly over. It’s the evening on your first night in halls. Do you:

A – Invite “everyone” back to your room to compare A-level marks (not grades; grades are far too ambiguous) compare pokémon cards whilst enjoying a few simple maths problems.

B – 4 pints down! 10 to go! GET IN MY SON!

C – Light some candles in your room, fluff the pillows and smooth out your tiger-striped satin sheets in preparation for

marking off Notch 1 on the bed-head.

D – Liberally apply some black and white face paint, listening to My Chemical Romance whilst feeling sorry for yourself.

4. It’s a glorious Sunday afternoon. Life is good. Do you:

A – Make a trip to the Games Workshop to increase the size of your Warhammer 40k army. With this student loan, heck, I can get a 5000 point army rather than my measly 2500 point regiment.

B – Head to the Union bar with your newly acquired drinking partners ready to shout and scream at the overpaid footballers on Super Sunday.

C – Move on to bed-head notch number 2 by going for a delightful tea and scones picnic followed by a bit of *whistle* underneath the weeping willow trees.

D – Head off to town to buy

Boys and Girls, take this test to see where you fit in with the diverse Uni lifestyle at Christ Church

yourself some stripey black and white tights.

5. Unfortunately, it’s time to start commencing the next stage of your education. It’s your first lecture. Do you:

A – Head straight the to front row ready to answer any questions the lecturer has and more importantly, to correct him whenever he makes the slightest mistake.

B – Sit in the back row throwing paper aeroplanes whenever the lecturer’s back is turned.

C – Skip the lecture and head to your tutor’s office to conclude where you left off the other day. Notch 3 down! You Dawggg!

D – Sit off to the side of the lecture theatre taking down the notes and listening attentively whilst keeping your air of solemnity. After all, you’re ultimately out to please daddy so you can continue with the family accountancy business.

18Lifestyle

LADS

LADIES

Summer Ball 2011 will be bigger than everEvents and Marketing Co-ordinator for CCSU, Andrew Cameron, tells Unified talks of the highs and lows of putting on a Summer Ball

20Features

Christ Church Summer Ball2010 Summer Ball. headlined by Feeder and Example, proved to be a huge success. 3rd Year Matt ‘Beasty’ Power gives us his own take on how the Ball went down

A tired Andrew Cameron

After working countless hours for the summer ball preparation this year, it finally paid off. I had an absolutely awesome time and stayed until the end. I thought to myself I better not pre drink too much because I don’t want to be legless and miss all the acts. This was a good idea because I got to see everyone, unlike some people who were hammered before they even got there (Georgie) and were acting more like an old granny by the end of the night compared to a 20 year old student. A few people complained that there wasn’t a hog roast but were they blind? Did they miss that

huge pig being spit roasted? Anyway all I was interested in was the drink, the people and the events.

Feeder was a great act it’s just such a shame they couldn’t stay on all night. Example was absolutely amazing, being front row and jumping up and down non stop wore me out but I soon perked up again when I met him face to face! My reward for endless hours helping out in the Students’ Union (Thanks Cam!)

The end of the night was quality as Artful Dodger did the final set and I was lucky enough to see him with all the football boys and the girls. I especially loved it when he decided to pour vodka down my throat and then get it all over my suit as well! Oh well it was worth it!

All of the rides went down a

treat. There was talk of there being a Ferris wheel but that isn’t quite my cup of tea, so I was happy to get there and find out they had the waltzers! Which ironically CAN be compared to a teacup!

The food was good, the drinks weren’t over priced, the acts were amazing and the general atmosphere couldn’t have been any more hyped up and enjoyable. Well done to all the team that helped setting it up and thanks to everyone I was with that night for giving me a quality night which I’ll never forget!

What does the day of Summer Ball involve?

A very early start, lots of coffee and a fully charged phone battery! My day will start about 7am at Uni making sure that all of the staging equipment set up the day before is still safe, ensuring that all of the trucks are full of speakers, amps, lights and sound desks and we have everyone to unload and set those up.

There are so many people on

site that I need to be everywhere at once, whether it be making sure that the portable toilets are on site and in the right place, the funfair has arrived or getting the beers and champagne in the fridge for the bands and DJs!

Once the acts start arriving I need to ensure that they are happy and have everything they want so that we can get on with the sound checks everything is ready for the night ahead... There are always last minute issues, which could be anything from decorations in the wrong place, a toilet not flushing or not enough radios for our security... Then its a quick change into a nicer suit for the evening, a security briefing, meeting the VIP reception guests then on with the event, usually starting with a couple of local or up and coming bands, then onto the more famous acts and DJs! Once everyone has had the best night of the year and left at 4am, its clean up time! Great

fun! Then about 7 in the morning I might just get to bed!

How long does it take to plan such an event?

I start planning the next ball almost immediately after the ball has just finished, its an ongoing job from year to year which could be doing deals again for the marquee and decorations, or some of the most fun part over summer heading to a couple of festivals to hunt for some new acts, Sadly work does not pay for this, but its all fun anyway... The hard work starts around Christmas time when the advertising starts to go out and tickets soon go on sale. Sometimes at this point we have not signed the contracts for the headline act but our students are great at buying the tickets early so that they don’t miss out.

We have had some top acts in the past, including Girls

Aloud, Example and Edith Bowman. Having these big name acts or DJs sets you up for high expectations. How will you ensure the next summer ball will attract bigger and better names?

There is always a high expectation for the summer ball to have the latest chart topping acts and the hottest DJs of the moment, but its not an easy part of the job to book high profile artists... especially with such a tight budget. However, what we alway try to do at Christ Church is discover up and coming artists early and book them in as soon as we can. This way we can sometimes get some great deals for the ball... We have had some great luck in the past booking The Feeling, One Night Only and Tinchy Stryder nice and early.

How do you go about booking these acts? Why do they want to perform for

CCSU?

This is one of the most difficult parts of my job; I have to work out who our students want to see, then speak to agents and managers and try to negotiate the best price we can to have the artists perform. One of the main reasons they perform is that they are told to by their managers, in exchange for money, but most of all its to make sure their fans get a great show.

Any indication as to what we can expect this year?

I am already in talks about our headline act for 2011 and if we can get the timing right then we are set for the best ball yet. Can’t give too much away yet but it should be bigger than ever before. It is the event you should most be looking forward to, and we will definately be bringing back the 3am breakfast!!!

The Waltzers at this years Ball

Above: Feeder performing on the main stageBelow: Example gets the crowd going

Mean Poppa Lean

Join one of the many established societies or set up a new one!

The Equestrian Society is always looking for new members.

Polo Farm is located about two miles east of Canterbury.

Get involved! There are many Sports and Societies on offer here at Christ Church Students’ Union. Pop up to the SU office, located above the Union bar or attend the Freshers Fayre on 22nd September for more information

24

CCSU Sports and Societies

VP Sports looks forward to her second year leading Canterbury Christ Church sport

Also in Sport and Societies this issue...

For many, starting University can be a fairly taxing few weeks. Often full to the brim with opportunities to further your drinking capabilities, meet new (often quite strange) people in your halls whilst trying to remember which course you have chosen and attempting (and failing) to remember everyone’s name.

In taking these first few tentative strides towards becoming a student, you may find it hard to envisage how you will have any time left to join a society after you have fulfilled your liver’s self destructive desires.

I remember to this day the monumental nature of the hangover that encapsulated my entire being on the day of the Freshers Fayre in my first year. I almost failed to make

Page 22 ...

Joining a Society - VP Student Activities, Kal Sajad, gives an insight into all the societies we have to offer and how you can get involved.

Page 22 ...

Equestrian - Unfied catches up with Holly Archer and Lauren Harvey who talk about the joys of the Equestrian Society.

Page 23 ...

Polo Farm - The Sports Club now offer special rates for CCCU staff and students to use their excellent facilities.

Steph White Says...James Alder

Story continues on Page 22Story continues on Page 23

There are numerous ways in which you can get involved. Don’t shy way, go and grab it by the balls!

it to the toilet let alone to the Students’ Union to sign up for runnyabouty things that day.

However, I’m eternally grateful that I did and that I continued to get involved in new things throughout my second year at Christ Church. It gives you a much more insightful look at what your university has to offer in terms of sports and other societies that provide for so many different areas of interest.

As President of the Cricket Club here at Christ Church, I know how much of a positive experience it is to represent your university at any sport, or just to meet new people doing something you enjoy, no matter what it may be.

The sheer number of sporting teams (with certain sports boasting up to 4 competitive sides in the BUCS leagues) allow people of all abilities to get involved and to wear the colours of our wonderful institution in battle! I’ve heard

so many people say that their involvement with a sporting team or society during their time here made it as special as it was. University should be some of the most enjoyable years of your early life, so try to find something that suits you. As you will all find out there is a huge range of different things to get involved with here at Christ Church.

Of course, and I won’t shy away from this, getting involved with a society, be it a sporting one or not, will more often than not have a vibrant social side to it as well as the obvious purposes. It goes without saying that as a first year, certain tasks may be bestowed upon you for completion that will signal your initiation into that society. Fear not, they are great fun and are never as bad as the second and third years care to make out, unless you play Rugby, in which case they are more than likely to be worse.

Sport and Societies

Turning up at 2pm for a double period of sport, the teacher; an athletically built woman with cycling shorts, whistle and a stop watch swinging round her neck informs the class that bleep tests were the order of the day for next two hours. Absolute hell; panic sets in amongst many faces; how can I get out of this? I can’t say that I have forgotten my kit; I’ll just have to wear that skanky lost property, maybe pull the period pain line; ooops that one was used by Michelle last week…begrudgingly kit is changed into and off to hell everybody went! I love sport but that isn’t the case for everyone. But I have... news

VP Sports Steph White shows that she can turn her hand to any sport you throw

at her