The cloisters are usually reserved for waiting nervously pre exam or taking anxiously organised group photos. The nook rarely experiences the competitive cheers and chants that accompany the yearly Freshers Address. Reminiscent of a bizarre mix of Step Up 3 and a cliche college movie, as all 4 student bodies fought it out. Freshers stood by looking confused, as we targeted each group with insults (only partly meant with malicious intent) and promoted our own union.
Once we had lost our voices we headed in to the much more formal address. All of the speeches were extremely inspiring and felt like the perfect beginning to the university experience for the flurry of freshers sitting anxiously in Bute Hall. In particular, Aamer Anwar’s speech about overcoming adversity and utilising your voice for activism was incredibly relevant and influential. The freshers guide film created by GUST captured the wholesome excitement of coming to uni.
The whole experience took me back to reimagine the hope and excitement of being a fresher. I think it was a great start for freshers to get acquainted with the student bodies and feel supported by members of the university. As cheesy and cliche as it sounds, nothing can be more invigorating than a university trusting you with the potential to become a world changer.
[Zara Grew – she/her]
qmunicatemagazine.com 