#HELLO WESTMINSTER A TASTE OF STUDENT LIFE STUDENT A Turner LOOKING TO THE FUTURE | #HELLOWESTMINSTER 1 CONTENTS 3 WELCOME HELLO ALL! A quick hello from our Students’ Union President, Freya A WEEK IN THE LIFE OF 4 A STUDENT I’m Freya, President and clubs, while there are Our Sabbatical Officers (from left to right): Rituja tells us about her busy of the University plenty of museums, parks, schedule juggling coursework, shops and galleries to see of Westminster ETHEL TAMBUDZAI student life and work experience on a bustling London day. Vice-President Students’ Union. We also want to tell you a 6 ON CAMPUS bit more about life at the LUDOVICA BERNABO Check out our campus locations I hope you’re looking forward University of Westminster, Vice-President across the city to studying with us in London. and perhaps answer some This magazine will give you FREYA THOMPSON questions you might have about President 8 HOME AWAY FROM HOME an insight into student life finding work, accommodation Find out what it’s like to live in here at Westminster, and and student support. DAN SEAMARKS student halls give you some helpful tips for Vice-President things to do and places to I hope you enjoy reading the TOP 10 HIGHLIGHTS see while you study here. At JOSEPH IKEBUDU 10 magazine, and look forward to Vice-President (not pictured) Read about some of our favourite night London offers an eclectic OUR LONDON meeting you soon! Westminster moments from the 22 selection of restaurants, bars past year Our students share their favourite hangouts in the city 14 LOOKING TO THE FUTURE New libraries, new labs, new VR 23 PASS THE POPCORN technology – find out how we’ve Take a break from your studies been investing in your future and catch a movie at our very own cinema 18 GET INVOLVED There’s something for everyone 24 OPPORTUNITIES AT with all of our societies and sports WESTMINSTER Learn a language, study abroad and other ways to build your CV 26 WORK EXPERIENCE Five students give us an insight into finding their dream placement 28 AND THE PRIZE GOES TO... A spotlight on some of the awards recently won by our students 30 OUR GRADUATES See what some of our Westminster graduates are up to now WELCOME | #HELLOWESTMINSTER 3 A WEEK IN WEDNESDAY I start my day with classes and editorial meetings. I manage a student journalism website called Voice THE LIFE OF MONDAY of London as part of my semester one assignment. During this class, we prepare all the material for the upcoming Friday Newsday. I spend the rest A STUDENT MY day begins of my day working at the CEC. Each Wednesday early as I practice evening I also attend industry masterclasses or Rituja Rao is a final-year meditation techniques employability events across London. I get to network that I learnt at the with professionals from a variety of industries. Journalism BA Honours student, University’s Mindfulness a National Representative for the sessions. Then I head to Erasmus Student Network and my classes on investigative manages the student-run news journalism, where I TUESDAY site Voice of London. She lets us write stories and conduct investigations that will lead to in on the fine art of juggling your my final project. Afterwards I TUESDAYS are my day off at university, many passions. go to the University’s Creative so I spend some time at the CEC. I then Enterprise Centre (CEC), where go to the central London campuses to I work part-time managing the attend Debate Society meetings for mock CEC’s blog, social media debates. Afterwards I have a Skype channels and newsletters. meeting with the National Board of the My job complements my Erasmus Student Network (ESN) UK, where degree and I gain much- I work as the National Representative of needed work experience. the UK. ESN works towards increasing SUNDAY youth mobility and welfare in 40 countries. After organising the rest of my week I call it a night. SUNDAYS are my favourite Rituja working at the CEC Fresher’s Fair Party as the day to explore London and its Student Digital Communications Manager. ACTION! street food. I go out with my friends to grab a meal and discover new places. I walk SATURDAY around London markets, FRIDAY THURSDAY museums, bridges and more. I have been to cool art I wake up early, head I attend a full Newsday as I THIS is an intensive day for and short film festivals, off for my weekly work on the Voice of London. I my theory modules as I prepare which are super cheap grocery shop and start write news stories, edit videos for my dissertation. I attend a for students. When cooking at noon as and interview people. I recently series of lectures and seminars I get back home I prepare food for interviewed lawyers, futurists and spend half of my day in I complete any the entire week. and robot developers for a the library. I also meet with the remaining tasks, and Saturdays are for special edition about artificial Royal Literary Fund Fellow on then organise myself catching up on my intelligence. campus to get his tips on my for the week ahead. ESN duties. Every few months I fly to a different essay-writing skills. European country to At the end of the day, I cook an At 8pm, I settle down to watch attend ESN conferences authentic Indian dinner before I When I go back home, I start a cool movie or TV show before to discuss the future meet my friends. We head out working on graduate programme going to bed early, ready to of the organisation. to central London to enjoy the applications as I am in my final begin the next week… I usually spend the vibrant nightlife and spend our year and keen on securing a job entire weekend at the night dancing off the entire week after graduation. conference. at a club. A WEEK IN THE LIFE OF A STUDENT | #HELLOWESTMINSTER 5 CAMDEN 4 TOWN TOTTENHAM 1. CAVENDISH CAMPUS CAMDEN TOWN Our Cavendish Campus is truly in the HARROW heart of London, right next to the iconic STRATFORD BT Tower and just a short walk to the world-famous Oxford Circus. The Campus BAKER has state-of-the-art labs as the home of our STREET science and technology courses. KING’S CROSS REGENT’S PARK Closest Tube station: Great Portland Street, EALING Warren Street or Goodge Street MAIN MAP HEATHROW AIRPORT Maida Vale EUSTON AD 2. REGENT CAMPUS O R N Regent Campus is located on historic TO HARROW CAMPUS IS 20 MINUTES FROM CENTRAL LONDON US E Regent Street. Based in the shopping WARREN district and close to the BBC and many STREET GREAT EUSTON of the city’s museums and galleries, the 3 PORTLAND SQUARE STREET Campus is the perfect location for our LITTLE 1 social sciences and humanities courses. T BAKER O The Campus also includes Little Titchfield VENICE T STREET T E BLOOMSBURY Street (2a), home to our leading law REGENT’S N D H OA PARK E R A courses, and Wells Street (2b). BON M LE ARY GOODGE C Closest Tube station: Oxford Circus M O STREET U R T 2 2a R O B A A 2b D K E BRITISH R MUSEUM S 3. MARYLEBONE CAMPUS T R E HOLBORN Opposite Baker Street Tube station and E T EET D STR the famous Madame Tussauds, our XFOR TOTTENHAM O COURT ROAD E Marylebone Campus is a modern and U N OXFORD E lively campus with state-of-the-art facilities. V A CIRCUS BOND Y Our business, tourism, architecture and R R STREET E SOHO U MARBLE G B property and construction courses are all S COVENT ARCH E E N FT GARDEN taught here. T A H S S T Closest Tube station: Baker Street R ON E LEICESTER E PICCADILLY T CIRCUS SQUARE D N A P R A M E S A T R T H R S V E K R I MAYFAIR L A 4. HARROW CAMPUS N CAMPUS E TRAFALGAR Our Harrow Campus is home to our L SQUARE creative talent as the base for our media, GREEN AL LY PARK M IL LL arts and design courses. Situated in leafy D A OUR CAMPUSES OFFER FUN AND INSPIRING PLACES A P HYDE PARK C north west London, the Campus has IC TO LEARN, HANG OUT AND BECOME PART OF THE P GREEN cutting-edge specialist facilities, on-site WESTMINSTER COMMUNITY PARK halls of residence and a close student community. It’s only a 20-minute Tube ride Three of our campuses are in the very heart of central London, HYDE PARK to our central London campuses. with our dedicated media, arts and design campus in Harrow, CORNER Closest Tube station: Northwick Park north west London. All of our campuses are conveniently located near everything a premier global city has to offer, such as cultural attractions, music and gigs, cafés and shops, nightlife, BUCKINGHAM HOUSES OF free city events, and in close proximity to the UK’s top employers. PALACE PARLIAMENT HOME AWAY FROM HOME BUSINESS STUDENT KAROLINA GIVES US A GLIMPSE INTO LIVING IN STUDENT ACCOMMODATION WHAT’S IT LIKE WHAT IS THERE TO HOW DID YOU WHAT HAVE YOU LIVING IN HALLS? DO IN THE LOCAL DECORATE LEARNT SO FAR? Q&A AREA? YOUR ROOM? I live with five other Living in halls has people in a shared flat We have a good choice For ideas on decorating given me a lot of on the same floor.