Of all UK universities, the LSE has the highest proportion of students involved in societies and sports teams. And there’s a reason that’s the case.
Getting involved in sports and recreational activities is a brilliant way to make new friends, continue activities you enjoyed at school, learn a new skill (talent?), and even help to further your career.
The Welcome Fair is your start to what is, for many students, one of the best things about university life. And here’s our introduction to it with lots of advice to help you make the most of tomorrow and Friday.
1. Have a look at the lists of societies and sports before you arrive.
You can find further details of these on the LSESU website which is also where we’ve put information about running your own society, the Organiser’s Hub, and becoming an LSE sports ambassador.
LSESU Sports: bit.ly/Societies2015
LSESU Societies: bit.ly/Societies2015
TIP: Before you arrive at the SU building, make a list of the societies and sports teams you really want to become a part of. This means that you can keep a look out on the day so you won’t miss them at the Fair.
2. BYOF (Bring Your Own Freshers)
If possible, go with other new students so that you can do the Welcome Fair together. While clubs and societies are a great way to meet people who are interested in similar things to you, if you’re unsure about starting something new on your own then bringing friends along can be a way to make it easier.
TIP: The students in charge at the stalls will want you to join them and get involved so don’t worry - they will be really friendly!
3. Don’t go in the morning – everyone goes then. Nor at the end of the day. 2nd day less busy.
You got all that? Don’t worry. There will be queuing regardless of the time.
It’s difficult to get it right - and it’s even more difficult not to be put off by the huge numbers of people. If you can, try to go at off-peak times (early morning, lunchtime, and last thing) and you should find it easier getting around the building to find those all important clubs and societies that you really want to join. We think that the second day will be less busy as well.
The Welcome Fair is one of those key events that you need to try to go to and it’ll definitely be worth it once you’re inside the SU building!
TIP: The busier the Fair becomes, the more fun it is so get stuck in! If you can’t hear what people are saying over the noise then you can always ask them to repeat or you can find club updates on their respective Facebook pages.
4. Pay for sport and society memberships when you like – you can do this 24/7.
The LSESU website lets you pay for memberships online which is brill because you can decide what you want to join at any time whether it’s while you’re on a run through Hyde Park, or sat in bed watching House of Cards.
TIP: Don’t be tempted to spend loads on memberships. It will be difficult to keep up to date with everything if you join ten societies and you won’t miss out if you stick with one or two!
5. Pick up a map!
If this information is too late and you won’t remember most of it then at least make sure that at the beginning of the Fair you pick up a map to find out what’s on each floor of the SU building.
It’s a little maze-like inside and even some third years won’t know what’s on the 5th floor.
TIP: The Three Tuns is where you will be able to pay for memberships. If you want to join a society, ask for a barcode and get the SU to scan it in for you at the end in our student pub.
Tweet or send us a message if you have any further questions!
Forget Fresh Meat or Cops With Cameras - the RAG Welcome Week nights don't have to be drink riddled. But they are a lot of fun, and they’re definitely one of the best ways to get to know the people you'll be living with this year.
But if you're a new student in London, partying in the UK capital can take some getting used to.
After thinking about my experience as a fresher last year, here are my top five tips to help you enjoy these nights - they might be the best you’ll have at LSE!
1. Plan your transport in advance.
While the clubs booked for the RAG nights this week are a lot of fun, some of them may be a little tricky to find.
The LSESU Venue is very easy to reach from halls but for Fabric (nearest tube: Farringdon), Shaka Zulu (nearest tube: Camden Town), and EGG (nearest tube: Caledonian Road), you may want to plan ahead.
The best ways to sort your transport are with:
Citymapper - a real-time public transport app which shows you the easiest routes involving public transport.
The TfL Route Finder - online route planner run by the people in charge of public transport in London.
If you’re going to use a taxi then make sure that it’s a licensed cab. You can find more advice on staying safe here.
Finally, travelling with friends, or as part of a larger group, is advisable just in case.
2. Make sure you've got the essentials.
This includes keeping plenty of water and healthy snacks in your room, wet wipes if you can’t face a shower when you get back to halls, and, if applicable, stay safe with sexual protection.
If you need any free, independent and confidential service advice or guidance, we recommend contacting a member of the LSE Peer Support team, go to a walk-in clinic or speak to your Community and Welfare Officer.
3. The alternative events are just as fun.
Our What’s On page online lists plenty of events that you may want to go to during Welcome Week. Whether it’s a trip to the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Southbank, or Borough Market, we’ve got loads of student led tours around London.
Other events include a breakfast for students with children, a lunch club, the RAG Monopoly Board Challenge, and the Alternative Evenings at the theatre, ice rink, a ping pong bar, and on a night bus.
More info is over on the page itself.
4. It's okay to not go to every night-time event.
By Friday night last year, my friends and I were exhausted from all the Welcome Week nights. Instead, we curled up with a DVD (Notting Hill FYI) and made up for four late nights in a row.
It’s great to make the time to switch off and take a break when you need it. you won’t be missing out and you’ll feel a lot better!
TIP: Ask around and see if floor-mates want to join in, they may be relieved someone has suggested it.
5. Manage your time (and your student loan).
There is loads going on throughout the week whether it’s an event or induction session the School or LSESU is running. You may also find that London is an expensive city to live in so it’s important to budget and plan your first week.
Set a limit for your spending and stick to it! Then make a list of all the events you want to go to (we’ve put some suggestions together here) and make sure you know where the compulsory ones, such as the LSE Welcome presentation, are.
Most importantly, it is unlikely that you will have a week like this again so make the most of it and I really hope you have a lot of fun.
Taking part in sport at LSE is one of the best ways to have fun here.
We have over 40 sports clubs with more than 3,000 LSE students as members, who play to have fun, to compete and to represent LSE both locally and nationally. All sports clubs at LSE are part of the Athletics Union, which is affiliated with LSE Students’ Union.
Seasoned pro or total beginner, there’s a club for everyone. You can meet members of the clubs in person at our Welcome Fair (10am-3pm on Thursday 24th and Friday 25th September) and try them out for free through the Give It A Go programme.
In preparation, you can peruse a full list at lsesu.com/join-in/sports/clubs - or see below.
Societies are the heart and soul of student life at LSE - they’re groups of students who share a common interest. Becoming a member is hands down the best way to get more out of your time at university.
All societies at LSE are affiliated to LSE Students’ Union - we have more than 200+ of them, with thousands of members.
You can meet members of the societies in person at our Welcome Fair (10am-3pm on Thursday 24th and Friday 25th September) and try them out for free through the Give It A Go programme. In preparation, you can peruse a full list online at lsesu.com/join-in/societies - or see below.
180' Consulting
ABACUS
Accounting
Accounting and Finance
Accounting Organisations and Institutions
Actuarial
Advertising, Marketing & PR
African-Caribbean Society (ACS)
Agape
AIESEC
Albanian
Album
Alternative Investments
Amnesty International
Animal Rights
Anime and Manga
Applicable Maths
Arab
Argentinian
Artichoke
Asia Careers
Atheist and Humanist
Austrian
Bacchus Friends Wine Appreciation
Baking
Baltic
Beekeeping
Benelux
Board Games
Brazilian
Bridge
Bulgarian
Business and Finance Group
Catalan
Catholic
CEMS
Central American
Champagne
Chess
Chile
China Development
Chinese
Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA)
Chocolate
Christian Union
Cider Appreciation
Colombian
Conservative
Consultancy
CSR and Ethical Business
Cypriot
Czech and Slovak
Debate
DESTIN
Development
Digital Arts
Divest
Drama
Economic History
Economics
Ecuadorian
Emerging Markets
Emerging Peacebuilders
ENACTUS
Energy
Entrepreneurs
European
Fashion
Feminist
Film
Finnish
FoodCycle
French
Gaming
Geography
German
Global Brigades
Global Right to Education
Graduate Investment
Graduate Management
Green Party
Grimshaw Club
Hayek
Head Space
Health
Hedge Fund
Hellenic
Hillsong
Hindu
History
Home Students
Hong Kong Public Affairs & Social Service (HKPASS)
If you’re new at LSE and wondering what ‘UGM’ or ‘Union General Meeting’ means, wonder no more! We asked the LSESU Democracy Committee to explain it all.
Have you ever look at something on campus and think it could be improved? The Union General Meeting (abbreviated to UGM) is the perfect opportunity to do something about it! Whether it’s about education, welfare, halls, mental health or anything else, the UGM is an open space where students can raise issues that really matter. Getting involved will allow you to literally change LSE from the bottom up, getting the most out of your time here!
This year, they are held every Thursday from 1 - 2pm in the First Floor Cafe of the Saw Swee Hock Student Centre.
At these meetings, the Union gathers together and discusses issues affecting it. As a student body, we use the time to hold our Elected Officers to account, to discuss/debate current issues on campus, and generally to give you a platform to make your LSE experience the absolute best it can be.
UGM Motions
Motions are proposed before the meetings, debated at them and then voted on (lsesu.com/vote). If a motion is passed, it becomes the Union’s policy for the next three years.
UGMs have been responsible for ensuring that the Union lobbies the School to divest from fossil fuels, for establishing the new elected Officer position of BME Students’ Officer and bringing a wider variety of non-meat options to campus catering outlets through the Meat-Free Mondays campaign The variety of motions brought to UGMs by students is as wide and diverse as our student body. If you have a motion which could improve student life then we’d love to hear it.
Democracy Committee
UGMs are facilitated by Democracy Committee - that’s us - five students elected to make sure that democracy procedures run smoothly and are open to everyone.
We’ll have a stall at the Welcome Fair to talk to new students in person, and we’ll be contactable via our Facebook page throughout the year. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions!
UGMs are your chance to make real, tangible changes during your time at university, and also a great place to be sociable and meet like minded people! So what are you waiting for?
Submitting a motion
To submit a motion, you use the form at lsesu.com/yourunion or email [email protected]. More details on how to submit the motion are downloadable in the UGM guide.
Details of previous motions and voting results are on our website too at lsesu.com/yourunion.
A story emerged last year of Professor Kelly getting trapped in a lift at LSE with some freshers. The story was retold countless times by the ten students caught in the debacle before eventually making headline news in the LSE’s student newspaper, The Beaver.
This interview, Professor Kelly’s latest encounter with freshers, may be far less dramatic but it aims to provide useful hints and tips about the learning that takes place at the School, and how to adjust to the challenges of LSE life.
Having worked at the School since 1995, Paul Kelly has now risen to the high profile position of Pro-Director of Teaching and Learning, and also lectures as a Professor of Government. This places him at the very heart of the LSE as he now works alongside the rest of the Directorate.
What makes studying at LSE so significant?
Studying at the LSE changes lives and students will make relationships here, they will meet people, they will learn things that will transform their lives and that’s the most important thing.
How can new students prepare themselves for the LSE way of teaching?
LSE is very different, certainly from school, it will also be quite different from many other universities. The School is so unique because we are a very international university, we’re a single faculty university so that also makes the experience different.
The biggest adjustment is from being at a school [and then going to] to an institution like the LSE. You are expected to be an adult independent learner and even though lectures have, historically, never been compulsory, you should always go to them.
Can you explain the educational structure at LSE?
Lectures are taught by professors, full time faculty, hopefully some of the most senior in the department will be involved in the teaching of first years. Class teachers are then either faculty or GTAs who are PhD students and they work together with the professor to design the classes which support the lectures.
In some departments such as maths or stats, furthermore, there will also be full-time teachers covering certain kinds of courses.
In later years, classes become known as seminars and the sizes of these move from big to medium to small as you progress from first to second to third year. The amount of choice you have in your degree will also increase over the years.
How will an LSE education change a student’s worldview?
What is distinctive about the LSE is the very high quality departmentally focused education. We specialise and we do this very well.
Students don’t all end up in the City because the reality is that they go a lot more destinations and they are very employable. This training students receive in quantitative and analytical skills is an important part of what the School provides. For example, the Economics department doesn’t teach you Economics, they train you to be an economist.
How can students benefit from the recent restructuring of the academic year?
Departments can now align their lectures and classes, and the opportunity for mid-term assessment to provide students with better feedback during very intense teaching terms where there is enormous amount of work. During the reading week some departments will try to provide their students with breathing space while for others it will genuinely be a reading week so that students can catch up.
As the interview came to an end, I had one final question for Professor Kelly. Was there one piece of advice he would now give to himself as an eighteen-year-old fresher? In a typically calm and self-assured manner, the response was ‘do everything exactly as you did before’. #NoRAGrets
Keep following the updates on the LSESU’s ‘Official Freshers 2015’ group throughout September for more interviews, blog posts, and advice. You can also send a message via the LSESU Facebook page, or Tweet us using the handle @lsesu.
Back in July, we interviewed a number of students to find out what they really thought of the halls they had called home during first year. These reviews were originally posted individually on the Official 2015 Freshers' Page but they were so helpful we just had to put them all together in one handy blog post.
1. Intercollegiate Halls (Nutford House)
"The best thing about living in intercollegiate halls is the time you spend with people from other unis as it gives you the best of both worlds. However, you may sometimes feel cut off from LSE life but this can be avoided if you put yourself out there to make friends during your time on campus.
The nightlife was great and there was a real attempt to create a buzzing community vibe with trips to UoL events, the intercollegiate sports day and plenty of nights out. Before you move to halls make sure you focus on taking the essentials and be prepared to buy a few things in London that you hadn't thought of previously."
Jamie, a second year Government student.
2. Rosebery Hall
"I loved meeting people and living on my corridor. You could just go to your friend's room and knock whenever you wanted. The games room was a great place to hang out and the committee organised great fresher events with open bars. The social life was the best feature of the hall. Everyone loves to have a good time and we have a few regular nights out a week. The location was great and it was such a nice walk to School. There were some maintenance issues including no hot water at some moments and you'll need to take some home comforts with you for your room. Sharing kitchens can be tricky and sometimes food will get stolen so just get ready for student life!
When packing I would recommend a door wedge, food and drink to break the ice, and nice duvet covers and cushions to make it feel like a home from home.
The food is alright - the salad bar provides a good alternative and there are three options for dinner which means plenty of choice. And the cake is great! They give huge portions but some meals can lack flavour and options are quite different from what you may get at home.
The one tip I would give is to get the freshers band early before term starts! If you don’t then it will make integrating a lot harder – in the week you want to focus on making friends instead of queuing up to get one of the last few. And make the most of freshers because once the work starts you’ll find yourself hiding in your room a lot more!"
Beth, a second year International Relations student.
3. Bankside House
"The best thing about Bankside in my opinion was the size of the halls. The number of undergrads (600) and postgrads (200) studying there means you get a fantastic diversity and variety of people, which allows for a really vibrant community to develop. One of my greatest fears before coming to uni was that I wouldn't be able to find friends but at Bankside, the size of the halls means you're that much more likely to find people who you'll get along with. The bar is another great aspects of the halls, and acts as Bankside's social hub. Finally, Bankside has an unbelievable location just off the Southbank, which means you're never far away from all of the amazing things London has to offer.
Make sure you pack a kettle! It can be a real hassle walking down to the communal kitchen every time you need a hot drink, so I found my most prised possession this year was a kettle, which could be a life saver on a hungover morning when all I needed was a coffee!
I would also add that the nightlife around Bankside is really good. Within walking distance you can find Ministry of Sound which is one of London's best clubs, and because of Bankside's central location, transport to all of the other major student clubs in London like XOYO, Fabric and LSE's infamous Wednesday night venue Zoo bar is very easy.
The food in Bankside was pretty good. There are three option to choose from at dinner which include a meat, fish and a vegetarian option (along with Halal and Kosher specials) and the staff make a real effort to vary the menu each week. As a vegetarian, my choice was always a bit more restricted, but I never had a problem with Bankside dinners. The best thing about Bankside dinners is the chance to get together and socialise as a group at the end of the day!
Finally, the one thing I'd say to a Fresher would be not to worry. LSE and living in London can seem like a daunting prospect, but the reality is that you'll settle in to life here really easily. The staff and support networks available to students at LSE are fantastic, and it means that any problems you might have are quickly resolved. London is an amazing place to live, with so much to see and do and so my main piece of advice would be to really get stuck in to life here and you'll amazed at what you can get out of your time at LSE."
Seth, a second year Government student.
4. High Holborn Residence
"The location is excellent and being so close to LSE has been such a help. It also means that when going on nights out you don't have to travel too far and nearby Covent Garden is great to explore at the weekend. This does mean that that hall is expensive but you save on travel so it doesn't feel as bad.
The rooms are quite basic so pack things that remind you of home - it'll help a lot!"
Hannah, a second year Economics student.
5. Northumberland House
"The hall was quite small therefore you got to mingle with most people at the socials - mind you, those were well organised by the committee.
The location was ridiculous - on the corner of Trafalgar Square - a melting pot of festivities over the weekend. The downside was the noise; the windows aren't well sound proofed.
My one tip for a fresher? Get yourself involved in as many activities as you can muster."
Avi, a third year Law student.
6. Passfield Hall
"Passfield was the perfect size - not tiny like Northumberland but not massive like Bankside. You at least recognise if not vaguely know a huge percentage of students living there, which is decent by LSE standards.
It is extremely convenient for campus as well. I walked in most of the time during first year and it took 25-30 minutes. Wardens are laissez faire enough to let people get on with studying and living in the Hall which is another plus, and they only seemed to step in when things actually got out of hand.
It's probably one of the best halls at LSE for the social life.
All in all I'd give Passfield 8/10 and I would live there again. If Passfield was a chocolate bar it'd be a Dairy Milk; dependable, and never a disappointment."
Theo, a third year Economic History student.
7. Carr Saunders Hall
"The fact that it was so small meant that it was really easy to make friends and this was helped by the great nightlife as well. There was always someone who wanted to go out and we had a great community vibe.
The one problem, however, was the overnight guest policy whereby you had to sign the person in the day before they arrived to get permission. For stays over three days long you had to write to the warden.
The staff were really friendly and always willing to help despite this and there were few complaints about the food. The location, close to the BT Tower, was also a real advantage to Carr Saunders.
It was a great year."
Tilly, a second year Geography student, and Kamran, a third year Economics student.
If you want any more information or advice about housing for next year then you can contact the SU at any time either through our Facebook group or by emailing [email protected].
