glasgow university students' representative council council representative 05/06 students' guide the university glasgow guidethe 2005 - 2006 STUDENTS’ REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW rab's da the guide No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise without prior written permision of Glasgow University Students’ Representative Council, whose work is ©2005 The text in this book is provided for information only, and is used at the reader’s own risk. Glasgow University Students’ Representative Council assumes neither responsibility nor liability for any errors or inaccuracies that may appear. The Guide is published by Glasgow University Students’ Representatives Council, John McIntyre Building, University Avenue, Glasgow, G12 8QQ contents introduction p6 a quick overview of student life and this guide succeed p14 getting more out of uni - media, clubs, sports, volunteering learn p44 keeping on top of your degree and what to do if you don't live p66 organising your finances & housing, and keeping healthy play p128 having fun outside of study - bars, museums, shopping appendix p160 people, index, maps, bus and subway info introduction a quick overview of life as a student and a look at what this guide has to offer student life p8 opportunities, problems, solutions the src p8 your representatives and how they can help unions p10 two options, the choice is yours the city p10 exploring glasgow beyond campus introduction guidethe guidethe introduction Introduction About the Guide It's not always easy starting something new or being in a new place or situation though. This book won't tell you everything you need Everything from dealing with your finances to to know about Glasgow University, it won't meeting departmental deadlines can start to tell you everything about the city and it won't get on top of you. It's important to remember tell you how to spend your life over the next that almost everyone else is in the same four years. It will give you some idea of what's situation. You won't necessarily know how on offer in Scotland's most dynamic city and to cook the minute you arrive and there are provide you with information on some of the people in 4th year who still don't know how opportunities available to you on campus. It to use the library. will also point you in the right direction if you have problems or need advice. If you follow the advice in this Guide you'll find that most of the problems you come The Guide is put together by the Students' across are pretty normal and that the answers Representative Council, they can advise you to your problems are also pretty easy if you on anything that's covered in the book. If you just ask the right people. Glasgow is one of the wettest cities in the UK, an umbrella is a cheap but essential purchase think of something that's not covered then let them know. It's the only way they can make There's so much support available on campus to drink your weight in lager during Freshers’ As well as running services, the SRC is also your life easier by improving their existing that there's always going to be someone to turn Week but you’ll find that the services they responsible for representing students’ interests services. to if things do go wrong. From the Student offer will be invaluable throughout your time to the university and the wider world. If you Information Desk in the Reading Room for the at university. have problems with your course or library simple things to the University Counselling opening hours then they can pressure the Life as a student Service for the more serious times. All students are automatically members of the people that matter. If there's enough interest SRC so their services are open to everyone. As they might even launch a campaign about it. University may be the first time you've had Find out more in Live [p66-127] well as the cheapest photocopying on campus, this much freedom and independence so a 2nd hand bookshop, and the free campus to There’s a five person executive who make the enjoy it while you can. You may never have halls minibus service they also run some of the day to day decisions and they’ll be happy to this much again. You have the opportunity SRC UK's finest student media groups [see Succeed deal with any problems you have or advise to try out new things and meet new people, p18-27] and organise valuable volunteering you on where to go to get it [their full details learn new skills and build towards a career or You’ll probably already have noticed that opportunities [see Succeed p40]. Perhaps most can be found in the Appendix p162]. If you future that may, in the end, have little to do Glasgow’s union system is different to almost importantly, they run an Advice Centre that want to get more involved in the politics of with what you studied. every other university you’ve visited or heard can help you out with almost anything that university life then it’s worth considering about. Whilst most universities have just one can go wrong at university. Whether you need becoming a Course Representative [Learn p59] Everything from wind surfing to journalism organisation that looks after everything from to appeal against your department or need or even running for election to Council, the is laid out in front of you and you'll regret it academic representation and welfare support advice on money troubles they can help [see SRC’s ultimate decision making body. if you don't at least give something a try. If to cheap pints and stodgy food, Glasgow has Learn p44-63 and Live p66-127]. The service is nothing else you'll find it pays off when the four separate student bodies. free and confidential and the advisers will be The SRC can be found in the centre of job interviews start. happy to deal with everything from a quick campus in the John McIntyre building. More The Students' Representative Council won’t be visit for information to a full consultation on information on all its services and events can Find out more in Succeed [p14-43] throwing flyers in your face or challenging you more serious matters. be found on www.glasgowstudent.net 8 www.glasgowstudent.net Introduction 9 introduction guidethe guidethe introduction SRC Services The Unions The SRC provides a If you came to Freshers’ Week then you can hardly have failed number of services that to notice the Glasgow University and Queen Margaret Unions. will make your life easier They’ll work tirelessly to sign you up during the first few weeks and, in some cases, of term so prepare to be approached almost anywhere on campus cheaper while you're at and asked to sign up. Even if you don’t think you’ll go along very university. They can all often you might as well join up to one or the other. It’s free, so be found in the John even if you never use the members only services or get in cheap to McIntyre Building. any of the club nights you won’t have lost out. The only difficult decision you need to make is which one to join. Photocopying Cheapest photocopying Find out more in Play [p146] facilities on campus. They've even bought themselves a nice new Exploring the City colour copier. Once you've finished with Hunterian Museum, Hunterian Art 2nd Hand Bookshop Gallery or Zoology museum on campus and you've got bored Bargains galore on with eating the same old Union food every day (unless you've academic textbooks and discovered the Old Library Restaurant of course) you'll probably Disused rail tunnels are just one of the many hidden treasures of the city. The tunnel pictured you can sell them on want to explore Glasgow a bit more. is only a few minutes walk from campus and has an overgrown underground station inside. again at the end of the year. There are maps at the back of this book [see Appendix p172] to a better introduction to Glaswegian culture Transport give you an idea of the geography of the place but you'll want to than any open top bus tour ever could. The Campus to Halls Minibus get yourself an A-Z as soon as possible so you can find your way East End market is spilling over with cheap Getting about the city couldn't be easier. The The regular evening around properly. This will also come in handy when you are flat tobacco, meat and clothes, pirate DVDs and Subway runs a slightly odd circuit around the service gets you back to hunting [see Live p100] in the future. second hand records and furniture. city but will get you to most places of interest. halls for free. Saves on Don't forget that some of them are even on bothersome walking. Apparently Glasgow is 'Scotland With Style'. What this means, The centre of Glasgow has become a shoppers the South Side (Ibrox football stadium or the nobody is quite sure but Glasgow has a history of such silly heaven (usually described as the best outside Carling Academy for instance). Advice Centre slogans so people have pretty much just got used to it. of London) and you could spend plenty of A source of information time and money wandering from the chic Buses run everywhere and operate 24hr and advice on almost Being European City of Culture and City of Architecture and boutiques of the Merchant City to the high services between town and the West End.