My Welcome Week Diary
Dee Gilbert, who's studying a BSc in Geography, is a Peer Guide for the School of Environment Natural Resources and Geography. Here's her Welcome Week Diary to give you a taste of what goes on during the first week at Bangor.
Saturday 22 September
11 o’clock Saturday morning and already the halls site is buzzing with the new students as they begin the first day at the University and prepare to say goodbye to their parents. Peer Guides begin the search for their freshers, and after a brief introduction and making sure they’re all settled in okay, the socials begin! Cheese and wine being the theme for the School of Natural Resources and Geography, new students (with a bit of gentle encouragement from the peer guides) begin to mingle with everyone on their course. A few pubs later, first night in and friendships have already begun to be formed!
Sunday 23 September
Day two of moving in and despite how tired we are as peer guides, off we go with smiles on our faces to find more freshers who move in today! With the sun shining and the Christain Union supplying a very lovely BBQ for everyone, spirits are high, so meeting and greeting todays’ freshers is done with an extra buzz! The evening again of Cheese and Wine turns out to be an even bigger social than Saturday, as now all first year students have arrived! With the music on and the chitter chatter and laughter of both peer guides and freshers, another successful day of welcoming students to Bangor is complete.
Monday 24 September
Early morning start and with a few freshers feeling under the weather, time for the peer guides to wake them up with a tour of not so sunny Bangor! Despite the rain, peer guides take the freshers on a brief tour of Bangor before heading back to Thoday for the welcome talks! 2 hours later (cut in half by a lovely lunch) the first year students have officially met all staff members, picked their modules and have been introduced to the course by lecturers and peer guides!
Tuesday 25 September
Another early morning (good preparation for the year of lectures ahead) the first year students meet their personal tutors individually for a chat. Noise of chatter comes from the coffee rooms where students are waiting and talking to peer guides. Computer session time, and several peer guides are around helping everyone to get used to the system! Unfortunately the ever popular beach trip is cancelled due to bad weather, however not to worry: Peer guides have a back-up plan! The afternoon is spent doing team building exercises and a scavenger hunt around the building and Bangor (making sure that everyone knows where they are and where they need to be going). 7pm arrives and time for quiz night! With refreshments ready, and wonderful quiz masters, everyone’s general knowledge is put to the test!
Wednesday 26 September
Middle of the week and a much quieter day for everyone… Oh wait! Day 1 of Serendipity! All clubs and societies gather in Maes Glas where everyone; old and new students, are able to sign up from anything from the football team, to the northern society! SENRGy’s very own award winning society ‘Bangor Geographical Society’ put on a UV/Paint party in Bar UNO and then it was onto the University club ‘Academi’.
Thursday 27 September
Another early start, as peer guides give freshers the ‘exciting’ library tours! And with them out the way, Chloe and I wait in the coffee room for anyone to come and have a chat about anything they like!
Friday 28 September
With the week coming to a close, and a needed rest for everyone in order, field trip day arrives! Geography students, along with their lecturers and peer guides go off to the slate museum and the fascinating electric mountain. A fantastic and successful week for everyone involved is topped off with a cocktail party with style! Safe to say, everyone will enjoy being able to sleep in tomorrow!