With the January exam season coming to a close, it has freed up a bit of time in and around lectures for students to get stuck into something other than academic work.  Personally, I devote much of my free time to playing sport – it’s a way of letting off steam and gets me away from my desk and out of the house!  Top of the agenda at the moment is the Politics Running Club – it’s predominantly student led, and having signed up for the Great North Run in September, training is picking up pace.  I also get my fix by playing in the University Rugby team – I’ve been injured for the last few weeks, but I’m finally getting back into the swing of things and am looking forward to cracking on with the rest of the season.  Away from the university sporting activities, on Sundays, my housemates and I also play in a 6-a-side football league.  Sunday’s are probably the quietest day of the week, so this afternoon run around is much anticipated, and allows us all to try and emulate what we’ve been watching the previous night on Match of the Day!  Without doubt, I think getting involved with activities outside of the academic realm is important.  My interests mainly revolve around sport, but there’s plenty to get involved with at Newcastle.  Irrespective of what endeavour you chose, I reckon life at university without them would risk becoming slightly monotonous, as they break up the week, and are welcome distraction from work!

The question of what to write for my first blog post caused me to consider what would I tell someone who was starting his or her university life.  After some thought, I would say join societies!  For the majority of students, who don’t join societies, their course mates and flatmates represent their entire friendship group.  On starting university I joined five societies, and I can say without doubt that it has been one of the best decisions I have made.  Through joining the politics society I went on a trip to Madrid last Easter.  I joined the Anglo-Chinese society where I attended weekly mandarin lessons.  The International Development Society where I helped organise their annual conference to much success.  Due to my interest in business I joined Enactus, a society that through the positive power of business sets up social enterprises around the world.  Lastly, being from the countryside I was eager to get out of the city now and then, so I joined the Fell walking society who organise weekly walks and climbs in the Lake District and Scotland.  Some of these societies continue to be part of my university lifeand others have drifted into the background whilst I focus on the academic side of university.  My belief is that first year is time to join as many societies that take your fancy, to get opportunities to meet people, have experiences and learn about things that don’t feature in your degree.

 Friday 14^th December, the last day of term, essays handed in, bags packed, 350 Newcastle students heading to Austria for a Ski trip they will never forget. Coaches were subject to a little delay leaving the Student Union due to difficulty packing in so many skis and boards, but by 6pm the last of the Newcastle pirates (the dress code for the bus) was en route to Dover and beyond. The student only ferry was a sight for sore eyes at 2am; thousands of students from Universities across the UK all heading to more snowier climes were sprawled out across any available floor space like sleeping lions, catching zzz’s before a crazy 8 days ahead. As nighttime fell for the 2^nd time finally after what seemed like days on that 15-hour coach journey, touch down in Mayrhofen! With a resort map in hand a can of red bull in the other and a new NUSSC t-shirt and beanie we were sent off to find our accommodation for a quick turnaround.

After a first night full of frivolities everyone was up at the crack of dawn for the day ahead and the sight of snowy mountains. First on everyone’s agenda was collecting hired skis and boots before heading to the main Gondola in town which took you from 650m to 1,800m above sea level in just a few minutes. The conditions for skiing were amazing, several days of beautiful sunshine and a couple of blizzards meant thatincredible powder snow covered the resort on and off the piste for the entire trip. The week was pretty much constant fancy dress, the themes set before we leftranged from Disney characters to “make your own” outfits, which were mostly created from the local SPAR bags.Scratch Perverts and Rudimental also played in the resort while we were there in the infamous Arena nightclub; the chart-toppingtune “Feel the Love” became the song of the week.

Inevitably the trip came to a very sad ending, nobody was looking forward to a repeat performance of the bus journey home, but it was the 22^nd of December and everyone was excited for Christmas. The trip was truly an unforgettable experience, hundreds rebooked straightaway onto the Easter Trip to AlpeD’Huez, and I will certainly be booking onto the trip for next Christmas. Huge thanks go to the NUSSC Committee and Outgoing who organised the trip. If you want a peak as to what actually went on, here’s a video of memories that will make you want to go next year!