Swmae Pawb! Hey Everyone!
Connor here, and I’m the Cardiff School of Managements school rep this year (yikes). A title like that makes me sound serious and important. In fact, I’m just another student doing my bit to better everyone’s experience within Cardiff Met. That’s what the Students Union is there for after all!
In my first year, I was a course rep, it felt only natural to continue in the role or become more involved. Thankfully I was given the chance in CSM and I’m looking forward to the work to be done!
So, what’s occurring?
Well I’ve had probably the busiest summer of my life. I spent the tail end of July in Fiji painting a school. It was with an organisation called VESA (Volunteering Eco Schools Abroad). I actually got on board with the idea after going to a presentation in uni last year, who would’ve thought I’d actually end up going. I then spent pretty much all of September and the start of October in Japan following Wales in the Rugby World Cup. Thankfully I was home before Typhoon Hagibis hit.
With me going to Japan, I actually missed the school rep training and the start of the term by two weeks! I’ve been thinking in investing in a sleeping bag in the library since I’ve been living here with all the work that I’ve had to catch up on, thankfully I’m nearly done.
I spent a lot of this Summer away, I got the opportunity to go to Fiji through uni! You could too!
Haven’t you got enough to do already without being a school rep?
In my opinion, just leaving university with a degree is a waste of your potential! Cardiff Met offers so much in terms of extra-curricular activities and work experience that it would be a shame for me to leave and not get involved. I think of it this way, there will be thousands, if not, tens of thousands of people graduating the same day as me, maybe with the exact same degree and grade. What will make me different to anyone else when applying for a graduate position? Having all these extra bits to add to a CV such as “Worked in the Students Union” or “Volunteered abroad” will really set you apart from the competition.
You don’t have to work in the SU or travel far and wide to set yourself apart from others in the job market. Joining societies, taking extra classes or getting involved in a project are just a couple of ways you can stand out. Look on Methub, checkout the Students Union, follow the social media pages. The opportunities to be had are too good to miss in my opinion.
Furthermore, we wouldn’t have amazing things such as Student Minds, Societies, Campus Canines, MetFest or the Christmas Ball without the amazing work being done in the Students Union. Like I said earlier, the Students Union is for Students and run with Students. We pay a lot of money for our courses, these degrees are the launch pads for our careers, any question, any concern, any niggle is what the Students Union is here for. Take as many opportunities as you can, leave your comfort zone sign up for that extra class, it all benefits you in the end.
I think Cardiff Met are going to have a fantastic year, best of luck to everyone with their studies. Remember, any question, any concern, any niggle, the Students Union is here for you.
Connor