Heya! My name is Chloe and I am your Academic Affairs Officer 2019/2020, here to push students to take an active role in making Aberystwyth a better place! During my time as an undergrad, I studied psychology (which doesn’t mean I can read minds, disappointing I know), and spent most of my time here in the union as an academic rep, volunteer officer and committee member for multiple societies.
I decided to stand for my role in February 2019, because I had learned throughout my years that engaging with my students union is empowering, and there is nothing I want more than for other students like myself to feel the same way.
What would be your top 3 tips for any new students starting at Aberystwyth in September?
1. Get yourselves out there! Freshers week can be really intense, but every single one of you is in the same boat trying to find new friends and activities to get involved in, so talk to lots of new people and sign up for clubs and societies. You will make some lifelong friends here in Aberystwyth, and they may not be on your course or in your house, so give yourself every opportunity to get involved and meet new people
2. Take on some volunteering! You will have undoubtedly come to university to get yourself a shiny degree certificate and an endless supply of good times (or at least the ones you can remember), but another really key aspect of a well-rounded, employable student is one with tangible dedication to more than their taught subject. Take on a project outside of your studies, like joining the A-team, standing as an academic rep, raising money for charity or lots more, and log your hours using the SU’s online system to get an awesome certificate to attach to your CV. You get to make the community of Aberystwyth better, and have a really fun time doing it too!
3. Know how to have your say! – Aber SU promises to let students have the last word, so I encourage all incoming students to do just that! Find out who your officers and reps are (top tip, it’s all on the AberSU website and your officers faces are plastered pretty much everywhere), attend zones that cover all aspects of student life (wellbeing, sports, societies, Welsh culture and academia), and know how to get your ideas heard. If you want to make a change, we want to help you make it happen, so make sure you are super savvy with your connections!
What are some causes you care about?
As a student who attended university extremely far from home, it was super important to me to be able to take time to myself to visit my family while still having access to my work and resources, especially when prepping for exams over the holiday periods. I am super passionate about making sure that students are able to access everything they require to succeed off campus, or at least beyond working hours, such as course content and lecture materials, relevant journal articles and the permissions required to access them, and course specific software.
If you could change one thing at Aberystwyth University, what would it be?
If the land could be flat that would be absolutely marvellous
Choose three words that best describe you.
Quirky
Outgoing
Passionate
What is your favourite meal?
Anything with a 2:1 gravy to food ratio, bonus points if there are Yorkshire puddings involved
Do you have any hobbies or interests?
Unfortunately for those unlucky enough to share an officer space with me, music is a big love in my life. I am constantly singing, humming, or just bopping in general to my own tune, and I am classically trained in 7 instruments, self-taught on a couple more. My entire extra-curricular life revolves around making music, or spending too much money on listening to others do the same. I am also a massive adrenaline junkie, and I have an international rollercoaster bucket list with over 300 rides in about 20 different countries to complete.
What is your favourite Aberystwyth hangout?
Sunday night. Inn on the Pier. Karaoke. That is all.
Name a favourite place you have visited and why.
Whistler, British Columbia, Canada. All. The. Way. I am lucky enough to say that at 21 years old, I have spent over a third of my life living just outside of BEAUTIFUL Vancouver BC, and nothing will ever beat the weekends I spent with my family up in the 2010 Olympic village ziplining, ATVing, skiing, taking in gorgeous mountainous views and snapping pictures of a mama bear with her cubs underneath our chairlift. I would go back there in a heartbeat, no questions asked.
If you were a superhero, what powers would you have?
Anyone who knows me would describe me as the CLUMSIEST person to ever (attempt) to walk the earth, so I think my super power would be to make all those who cross me super clumsy so their plans just fall apart beyond their control. I think that would make for a really stupid but funny movie