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Fresher’s: Campus FYI’s

I hope starting university has been everything you were expecting and more. Having fun is a massive part of being a fresher at Kent Uni but there are also a few things that you could be useful to get out the way. Here are a few useful pieces of information designed to give you some information about what campus has to offer and how to make the best of its facilities.

1. Registering for the University Medical Centre

For the first time, this year, you can register at the University Medical Centre online (http://www.kent.ac.uk/medical/register/index.html).This should make the whole process a lot easier and hopefully less stressful. It’s always a good idea to register for the doctor’s as soon as you can – fresher’s flu is no myth!

2. Where to get money out on campus

In total, over the campus there are 6 cashpoints. There are three in the banking area; one outside of NatWest, another at Barclays and a third which is hidden in between the two banks, through an archway, on the right. Because this last one isn’t as obvious it is a great one to visit for avoiding queues! Also, there is another one outside of essentials. This is in a really good location, especially for when you want to nab some money on the way to the bus stop when you’re going into town. However, on a night when the venue is open it tends to have a queue of around ten people as standard. So if you know you’re going out in the evening, popping out to the cash machine that afternoon can save you standing in the cold and get you to venue quicker. And finally, there’s the cash machine just outside of venue which can be really handy. However, just a small word of warning, last year it seemed to stop working periodically so you can’t always rely on it to get your funds for the evening!

3. Working your way around the library

Not sure how much time you’re planning on spending in the library (http://www.kent.ac.uk/library/templeman/index.html) this year, but for when you have a deadline it can be a good place to go to in order to escape from the distractions of your house or halls. It is made up of 4 different floors (so offers a good work out) all with designated social, quiet and silent work areas. These group study areas and the library cafe are a good place to meet up with people from your seminars to discuss essays or any group assignments. If you’re struggling, the chances are half of your seminar group is too. So just mentioning to someone that you could have a brainstorming session in the library is a good way to help yourself stop panicking and also to meet some more people. There are loads of printers on the different levels and you can buy printer credits online or through a little machine on the second floor. This is a great way to get rid of any annoying loose change. You can also pick up a loyalty coffee card from the library cafe, which you can use in Rutherford and woody’s too. If you’re like me and, when essay deadlines arrive, constantly have a cappuccino or cup of tea by your side, you can end up with quite a few free coffees by the end of the year.

4. Getting a job

I’m sure you’ve heard that coming to university can be a very expensive time; going out, food shopping, and just generally living can sometimes add up to a lot. In my first year I realised that if I wanted to carry on going on out and having an amazing time, guilt-free, I needed a job. Luckily, Kent offers a great service, Jobshop, which can make the search easier and a lot less stressful. It lists a lot of local part-time jobs in one place. Signing up for it is free and you get alerts whenever a new vacancy is posted onto the website. It also makes you realise that even if you don’t seem to be seeing them advertised around you there are still plenty of jobs out there.

5. Everything in the palm of your hand

For all you lucky people out there that possess an iPhone; Kent University has its own app! It contains the things such as:

• Campus guide including a “you are here” GPS feature

• A facility to log into Moodle, webmail and the student portal.

• A service where you can check PC availability in the library.

• It also features an RSS feed with various options which allow you to choose from:

The latest news, places to eat and drink on campus and opening times, information on the theatre and cinema.

All in all, this app has an abundance of information which can save you a lot of frustration and cluelessness. Just search ‘University of Kent’ in the App Store.

6. Support on campus

Something that I was unaware of until this year was the Student Advisory Centre, located in the Mandela Building. Here you can go along for drop-in sessions just to ease any tension about housing, finance or visa applications etc. This can be a great way to talk to people directly rather than sending a constant stream of emails to a number of different people who might not be the right person or reply straight away. Furthermore, there is also the Student Learning Advisory Service – (http://www.kent.ac.uk/uelt/learning/index.html). This can help you with any academic queries or worries you might have. From my personal experience, when the time came for writing essays I found it hard to stop having fun and actually do some work. I’m still not sure I’ve quite mastered the idea of planning ahead and preparing for seminars but it’s comforting to know that if I should decide to have an academic related meltdown this year, the Student Learning Advisory Service will be there to give me advice on planning my essays, note-taking, handling my work load etc. This link takes you to its website which has a longer list of what they can help you to achieve – http://www.kent.ac.uk/uelt/learning/students-page/essays.html

7. Kent Union Website

A great place to go if you have any other queries is the Kent Union Website (http://www.kentunion.co.uk/). This has lots of information and links to getting your student voice heard, going out, Jobshop, Societies, sports, Advice, Volunteering, student Media and shopping! If you’re bored or interested to know more about the services, nights out and opportunities in Canterbury the Kent Union website is the one to visit.

Hopefully, this article has helped you feel a bit more aware of the facilities around you. Also, even if it hasn’t, by the end of the first term you’ll know have learnt it all for yourself anyway, hopefully!

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