Confessions of a Postgraduate Rep

Well folks, It's about time I was positive after the elections isn't it? I mean I'll be honest, all this cheating and injustice has turned me into a right moaning Myrtle and those who are reading this, didn't pay for me to bitch and moan but rather tell you wonderful folks about all the wonderful things that I've been up to. So what have I been up to (apart from analysing videos with a large quantity of wine)? Well I'm firstly delighted to announce that #DMUGlobal have finally listened to me after 6 months and are actually letting PGs go on a Mass Trip. Yes that's right. DMU Global are giving 20 students(both PGT and PGR) the chance to go to Berlin in September at a discounted price. It's the ultimate way for Master's students to reward themselves for their hard work and the chance for them to network with alumni from across the English Channel. Myself and Jonny (i.e. the bloke who does all the articles and videos) are currently putting togeth...

You know what folks, I'm very worried. In fact, I'm going to be blunt, I'm petrified. If you remember, my last blog entry had me discussing the future. The bottom line is, I leave in just over 3 month and my replacement will take over in November. Now I'm uncomfortable that there's a gap, it's common knowledge. Unfortunately, By-Laws are By-Laws and so it's a bad hand this year for a great deck in the future. What scares me now is the fact that I personally both as a student and an officer, don't like who's watching my PGs in the gap. I've already said in writing why I don't like some of the Full Time officer team (note the SOME) from a student angle but since then, a video has been released. I have been nice enough to post said video on my blog but should it not run for whatever reason, you can access it here.   The section in question, I want to draw attention to is between 17 and 34 minutes where Gavin from the #NotMyDSU mo...

Well, It's officially 3 months and 8 days until this is all over. Whilst this may sound like a long time, in the whole of officerdom, it's quick. Far too bloody quick. Which is why for a majority of today, I have been putting together a handover document so that whoever my replacement may be, actually has some knowledge startiting their role. Knowledge that I would have killed to have all of that time ago. My guide will look to have everything from common problems, important contacts, meetings and words of wisdom. Including the important one of watch out for dickheads, because nobody likes dickheads. It's a scary thought actually. Knowing that one day, you're going to have to let your baby leave the nest. I'm hoping that these next 3 months will help me get used to the fact that one day, I'm going to have to leave that desk and this role and move on with my life. In addition to this, I'm also working on a project that, if it takes off, will be the ...

Wow. What a weekend! Since Friday night, I have been part of 2 protests, 1 occupation, 1 petition and we're not even a week in yet. Ok. So let me rewind it back for you all. I briefly mentioned last week that there was an election. I say briefly because I wasn't allowed to go into the full details due to purdah. Now purdah is over, it's open hunting season. So I ran to be the Union's next VP Student Activities, because I loved representing you guys this year and I want to get more groups involved in the SU. I also wanted to help sports out because they were being slightly shafted. So I did the right thing and spoke/drank with students, held my own during interviews and just being the general smiling bubble that I was known to be. Then Friday happened. If you haven't been following social media or seen the results show , I lost. Not very surprising. But then Derrick lost. Suddenly the shock factor started to rev up. Soon, bombshell after bombshell was dropped...

My oh my, how quickly has this year flown by. It seems like yesterday and now it's fucking March. March at the SU means 2 things, varsity and elections. I'm involved in both this year! For those who don't know, Varsity is our annual competition with those other folks from the University of Leicester. Think of it like the Olympics only with a lot more alcohol and offensive chants and you've essentially got our varsity. I started by watching the Futsal Varsity on Friday night which was very enjoyable if only for the lads micky taking of one UOL who decided to wear knee pads indoors. Why? I do not know given that futsal isn't exactly the most violent of sports. Saturday, I was then at the QE2 sweating in the humidity of the pool spectator area. Mental note, if you plan to watch a swimming gala, bring all of the anti-frizz spray because I ended up looking like a poodle. In case, you haven't guessed, I went to see the swimming varsity because my friend was taki...

Many of my readers will know that over the last year, I have been dealing with all sorts of mental health quirks (of which you can read about here , here and here ), in some ways this blog has been just as much as case of me documenting my experiences with my mental health as it is what I've been doing in post. Which should mean that some of this post shouldn't be a shock to you. I should have seen it coming to be fair. I was getting really bad anxiety about half 7 last night and was having to deep breathe in order to maintain some sanity. I then went to see a couple of my friends as I often find, I calm down if I can talk to someone. This is where this incident had the shittest timing ever. I went to bed about half past midnight and ended up having a nightmare. I won't go into the full details but it involved my one of my estranged family and the death of my mother. Naturally, this dream was very distressing especially when it came right out nowhere and it caused...

Hi guys, As you may have remembered from last week, my Twitter is currently taking a short nap until the end of term due to Purda. Which means that my next few set of blog entries are particularly important as they're going to be my main form of communication.  So what have I been doing this week? Well I have set up a Facebook Group for all our distance learners , this will be publicised more next term when I'm off purda but there is nothing to stop you joining it in the meantime. I've also been starting to do costings for a potential mini-residential for distance learners so watch this space. I also had a briefing for a very special event that starts on Monday. I'm not allowed to say what this event is until one minute past midnight on Monday otherwise the Voice Team will beat me. Let's just say that I won't be writing about my post for the next two weeks.  So until Monday folks, Toodle Pips