So exam period is upon us!

Not much to report other than revision revision revision! My first exam is in 2 days (eeek!) And then one a week until 14^th May, I can almost taste the freedom. I’m pretty nervous as there’s quite a lot of pressure to do well because my final degree depends on these grades. I’ve submitted my dissertation and I have no more coursework left to do in my undergraduate studies, which is a little sad.

I’m still on the graduate job hunt and it really is as difficult as people say, I’m still not completely sure in which field I’d like to go in to once I’ve finished which makes it even harder! I’m quite interested in student experience and activities within universities as getting involved myself has made my time at Greenwich complete.

Before I finish there are a few things to look forward to including Sports Awards, which is being held at Charlton Athletic Football Club. We get to dress up and have a nice meal with all the other sports clubs, followed by the awards which include Club of the Year (which Cheerleading has been nominated for), Best New Club and Sportsperson of the Year (which I have been nominated for!), and members who are graduating also get their colours for contribution to their teams. We also have summer ball coming up on the 16^th May which looks good (providing it doesn’t rain – fingers crossed!) as it’s going to be held on mission field at Avery Hill. Last year was really good; we had a silent disco, bumper cars, shisha and zorb football to name a few things. Following this the Students’ Union hold their own awards for student staff, volunteers and societies.

Cheerleading also have an end of year awards ceremony and leaving meal before everyone goes home for summer, and an AGM to decide the new committee (which I am SO sad about, having been on committee for the past 2 years!). It’s so strange that it’s all coming to an end!

Anyway, before that I have revision to do!

Lots of love,

Melissa xo

P.S. completely forgot to tell you that Greenwich won BEST SOCIAL UNI on tour :D which makes it a hat trick my 3 years on tour.

Meltdown Imminent!

So third year stresses are fully taking hold. Dissertation deadline is looming (28 days and counting), revision is starting and job hunting is under way. Add this to running a sports team, 2 jobs and a social life to maintain, you could say I’m a little stressed!

Since my last blog post, I was elected NUS Delegate (again!) which means I get to represent the university at the NUS national conference in Liverpool which I’m really pleased about – although it is a week before my first exam (but I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it). This does mean that I have to be super organised with my revision; I have two 3 hour exams and one 2 hour exam, which admittedly I am quite nervous about!

Sports tour is also coming up 2 weeks today, which is where all the sports teams go to Lloret de mar in Spain together; play sports and make fools of ourselves in fancy dress! It’s always so much fun and is a really good bonding experience for Team Greenwich (the collective name for our sports teams).

HOWEVER… this puts added pressure on me to finish my dissertation on time if I want to go on tour. The way I see it, if I work hard, I deserve a break (cue me utilising the 24/7 library hours on campus).

My next day off is Wednesday – the cheerleaders are having a showcase of our routines and stunt groups as part of varsity and to raise money for Cancer Research UK. We’re also going to be selling refreshments to raise money to the other sports teams competing on the day. Varsity is where the sports teams from Greenwich and Medway (our Kent campus) play each other to win the Varsity title (I may also be playing my debut match for Women’s football – but we’ll see about that as I’m terrible at football!)

On Thursday, the cheerleading squad are teaming up with Coppafeel (a charity for breastcancer awareness) to raise some more money at an open training session. We’re planning to teach people the basics of cheerleading and then set fun challenges for the groups.

Top Tips:

• Make time to eat well (bags of sweets at your desk won’t do!)
• Exercise – keep fit and let of steam. Win-Win!
• Get some sleep, you’re no use to anyone when you’re tired
• Make sure you have time for yourself and to relax or see your friends
• Organise your time!! Post it notes, white boards, lists – whatever you find easiest!

No one said third year would be easy, but I’m sure it’ll be worth it in the end!

UGM present… Welcome to Carnival

UGM present…  Welcome to Carnival

So as you know I am Chairlady for the University cheerleading squad (Greenwich Mermaids). Last weekend we competed in a national university championship and had an amazing weekend, coming 3^rd in Level 1 and 8^th in Level 2 (which is a massive improvement on our scores from last year’s university nationals – I’m incredibly proud). A lot of the team are new this year, so for many of them it was their first competition which can be very nerve-wracking but they smashed it and their performance was awesome!  I also competed with my stunt group and managed to perform the routine the best we’ve ever done, hitting every stunt with some great feedback from the judges.

Competitions can be very expensive; from entrance fees to travel and accommodation if the competition is far away (we’ve been to Loughborough, Bath and Birmingham to name just a few) but are 100% worth it!

To try to help us get to competition, the squad are holding a fundraiser event at Sparrows (the SU bar at Avery Hill) and the theme is…CARNIVAL!! Think tropical colours, feathers and sequins, what is not to love?! We’re having a range of stalls on the night like guess how many sweets in the jar, limbo, photo opportunities and shotgirls.

Hopefully we’ll make enough money to compete again soon because the team definitely have the competition fever now. Last night we had a fun training session to let off some steam after working so hard – I’ll include a photo of me trying out being a flyer rather than a base!

Until next time,

Melissa xo

Pics: Left – Right
Level 1 squad (UGM Navy), Me flying, Stunt group (UGM Elite), Costume Ideas and Carnival

Crazily busy!

Hi Guys J

So third year is craaazily busy (sorry for no blog posts in a while). There is so much to do and so little time! It’s so important to organise your time at university to make sure you get a good work/life balance. I like to get involved in quite a lot around the university – as you can probably tell.

At the moment, the Students Union (SU) elections are coming up with lots of roles available to run for; President, 3 Vice Presidents (Student Activities, Education and Campaigns & Welfare) – which are full-time paid roles, 11 part-time officers and 6 NUS Delegates – which are unpaid alongside studies.

Last year I was elected as an NUS delegate which was a great experience as I got to attend the NUS national conference in Liverpool with 5 other delegates from the University of Greenwich, along with hundreds of other people from Students Unions around the country. We got to vote on national policies that the NUS take to parliament and challenge MPs on bigger issues like tuition fees and the rising cost of living for students. Although I’ve never been involved with politics I found the experience really educational and exciting (the feeling like you’re making a difference to other students’ experiences is really rewarding). The voting system and election process was a little daunting at first but there were workshops and FAQs on the SU elections page to help with any queries and help on where to begin (www.suug.co.uk/elections).

                                                        

A lot of people don’t really know how influential the SU are (no, it’s not just the student bar!), they get involved with campaigns around the university which affect everyday life – think reducing bus costs, rent prices and wifi included in halls, as well as sports and societies opportunities and wellbeing and advice services to make your student experience even better.

I really would recommend running in the elections – even if you have no idea about politics or aren’t usually involved in the Students Union, you really have nothing to lose and a lot to gain ( it looks great on your CV and you get to meet some lovely people).

Nominations close Friday 6^th February!!

“A true friend is someone who thinks you’re a good egg….even though they know you’re slightly cracked..!”

Hiiiya J

So this weekend I took a break from my busy uni schedule and went to Portsmouth to stay with my oldest and best friend, Carla. We’ve been best friends since we were 3 and have been on many adventures together. Now we’re both in our 3^rd year (Carla goes to Portsmouth Uni and studies Radiography), which coincidentally we both decided to go to uni at the same time at 21. Going to uni later than a lot of my friends was quite daunting as I thought I’d be one of the oldest but it wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought – especially as Carla went at the same time we really supported each other even though we’re at different universities.

Anyway, back to the weekend! I arrived in Portsmouth on Friday evening, sooo excited to see Carla. We hadn’t seen each other for 5 months due to me moving back to London for the summer to work over the clearing period. We decided to go for dinner and drinks at Giraffe in Gunwharf Quays – if you’ve never been to Portsmouth, Gunwharf Quays is an outlet village by the marina with shops and restaurants. At the moment they have their Christmas lights and decorations so it’s even more picturesque. We had so much to catch up on, it was a great opportunity to let off some steam and relax as we’ve both been under a lot of pressure at uni (deadlines quickly approaching!!!). We were going to go out out after but after a tummy full of food and even more gossip we decided to stay in and drink (maybe we’re getting old after all haha!).

On Saturday we had a wander around the shops and I spent money I didn't have (as usual) and bought a fluffy blanket and a Harry Potter deathly hallows t-shirt for my girlfriend, Georgia. We had lunch in a pub on the high-street and decided to go for dessert in pretty much the best place I have ever experienced – Scoops. Scoops is an ice cream parlour with waffles, sundaes, crepes, milkshakes! I have quite a sweet tooth so I was in heaven, I had a Nutella and banana waffle with Nutella ice cream and Carla had an M&M peanut butter waffle but they were so huge we could have shared!

I had such a nice, relaxing weekend with Carla but next time she’s coming to visit me in Greenwich, so I can show her round all the amazing things London has to offer. Although I’m really glad I chose to come to the University of Greenwich, it’s really nice to experience somewhere new for a few days!

Lots of love until next time,

Melissa xo

“Athletes life weights, cheerleaders lift athletes!”

Hey guys!

Had a very busy week with lots to organise for our cheerleading competition coming up (3 weeks and 5 days…but who’s counting?!) I’m very excited but a little nervous.

I've never been a particularly sporty person but somehow (maybe a miracle!), uni has changed me in to a new person. As I mentioned before, I’m chairlady for the cheerleading squad which I absolutely love! My fitness and flexibility is better than it’s ever been and I love that our squad is accepting of all shapes and sizes!

A little bit about the sport…

A lot of people think that cheerleading is just waving pom poms but I assure you it’s much more than that! Competitive cheerleading includes stunts, dance, jumps and tumbles and is a lot of hard work. Stunts are my favourite part … A stunt group consists of 2 bases (that’s what I am) who do the lifting, a flyer (that’s the one in the air) and a backspot (at the back supporting the stunt with the bases). More difficult stunts can also have a front spot that is like a third base.

Walking out on the competition mat is very nerve wracking but knowing you have 25 of your best friends around you is also one of the best feelings. I also compete separately with my stunt group which can be a lot scarier because all eyes are on just 5 of you – but the adrenaline is amazing and we somehow pull it off! We also have a dance squad who compete in jazz, pom (yes – dance with pom poms!!) and hip hop, although I haven’t had the time this year to join dance as well.

At competition, we show off our skills for 2 and half minutes and are judged by a panel of judges against other squads and universities. We aren’t the best (unfortunately) but have progressed a whole lot since my first year which I’m very proud of J

That’s all for now but I’ll update you with our progress and competition results soon!

Lots of love,

Melissa xo

p.s - here is a picture of us messing around (as usual) at one of our previous competitions.

My First Blog

Hey, my name is Melissa and I’ve just started my third and final year studying BSc Criminology and Criminal Psychology.

The first 2 years have been a whirlwind! It sounds cheesy but time really does fly when you’re having fun. Although settling in to third year is a scary prospect – lots and lots of work to do including a 10,000 dissertation along with multiple exams and countless assignments, I’m really looking forward to getting stuck in. My course is very interesting but not quite as CSI as many people assume when I tell them what I study (although we do talk a lot about serial killers, it isn’t quite as glamourous as on TV!)

I’ve really enjoyed getting involved with lots of different things at Greenwich including (one of my favourite aspects of university life) being part of the cheerleading squad. Last year I was social secretary which included organising lots of social events and fundraisers which was so much fun getting other people involved. This year I have been elected to be Chairlady which is a bit more responsibility as I have to ensure the smooth running of the squad. I really enjoy competing nationally with the squad, getting to travel all over the country, including my hometown of Bath – which I loved as my family and friends from home could come and watch to see what all the fuss was about! I would definitely recommend joining a sports club or society at uni as they really do become like a family, especially if you aren’t local to the area like me J. There are SO many different options and even if there’s nothing you fancy, you can set up your own society or sports club.

I also work for both the university and the students union alongside my studies which is also great for meeting new people and it’s great doing both as they are very different which means I don’t get bored of going to work! (Plus my spending habit is a little ridiculous….)

That’s all for now you know a little about me but I’m sure I’ll be back soon!