Refreshers week – what's on?

By Bobbi Carsley, First Year English Literature

Take off your Christmas jumpers and throw away your exam notes because Refreshers Week is here and the SU is ready to welcome students back to a fresh spring semester.

Refreshers Week is the slightly less hectic Freshers Week. With one term of the academic year under their belts, returning students have had time to settle back into university life, and freshers have had a term to work out how to navigate campus (or at least, get lost less frequently).

Many begin the New Year eager to start something new. Running from the 21st to the 29th of January, Refreshers Week will see a series of societies and clubs offering free tasters and a host of opportunities at the Refreshers Fair.

Give it a Go! Takeover Day on 21st January

The Give it a Go! Takeover Day will take place on Saturday 21st January at the Richmond Building, with societies hosting multiple sessions between 11:00 am and 16:30 pm. Students can try out as many sessions as they desire. A detailed calendar showcasing the full breadth of societies hosting Give it a Go! sessions can be found on the Bristol SU website.

Other Give it a Go! events will span the whole week, with a wide variety of activities for students to choose from, catering to interests of every kind.

Discussing the Give it a Go! sessions, Tara Kripalani, Events Officer for the University of Bristol’s Pole and Aerial Arts Society, said ‘we welcome everyone to try something new this year’.

‘Taster sessions help provide students with a chance to try out a new activity. Pole and aerial is the most fun way to work on your strength and flexibility while learning tricks that are sure to impress your friends’.

Refreshers Fair on 25th January

The highlight of the week is the anticipated Refreshers Fair on Thursday 25th January, held in the Richmond Building from 12:00 am until 17:00 pm.

If you’re not looking to join any new societies, the fair will be hosting stalls from local food companies and vintage clothing brands for students to get inspiration for their new wardrobes and lunch spots.

Those looking for a part-time job will also have the opportunity to learn more about the jobs on offer through the University Careers Services, as well as several independent businesses pitching themselves at the fair.

Various representatives from University services will be present to talk about the facilities available to support students mentally, physically and academically.

Refreshers Week is a great way to kickstart new experiences that you can continue to enjoy through the summer term. Even if you’re not looking for a brand-new hobby but simply seeking a change of pace for a few days, Refreshers Week invites everyone to get involved in whatever way suits them.

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Chloe, a first-year film student, expressed her excitement for Refreshers Week. ‘I personally want to get more involved with different societies, especially after my New Year's resolutions’.

For first year students in particular, Refreshers Week may be just as important as Freshers Week for joining societies offered by the Student Union. Following on from the first term which saw first years thrown into a new and turbulent routine, Refreshers Week comes at a time when students have adjusted and are ready to take on a new challenge.

Featured image: Bristol SU

What events will you be attending this Refreshers Week?