Hi! I'm Sophie, one of your Student Living Assistants. To get to know us a little better, here's what we get up to in a typical day...
I wake up to another jam-packed day at uni. Today I have lots to keep me busy. First today, after a bus journey up to campus, I head over to the 9 West building (home of Chemical Engineering) ready for my labs. These take all morning as there are normally lots of results to be taken down.
After lunch I get my laptop out to start looking ahead to an event we have planned. As a Student Living Assistant, we don’t just talk about how to put rubbish in bins - we also sort events out for student halls, to hopefully make first year even more enjoyable for them!
Along with other assistants on the team, I’m helping organise a virtual quiz night for Solsbury and Marlborough accommodation, where hopefully we can see flats come together in some good friendly competition! Luckily a fellow Student Living Assistant helps me with questions, as I’m struggling on the last bonus round, so they come to give me their ideas and we get closer to having the event all ready.
After my afternoon lecture, it’s time to do a loop of the flats I’m assigned to with virtual check ins via MS teams, to tell them about some information the accommodation team have sent out to the students. I have a partner to team up with so we are more equipped for any situation that may come up. In one of the flats, only one member answers the call as the other people in their flat are out either at lectures or with other friends. We tell them the information they need, but also check on their wellbeing. They are quite worried that they aren’t fitting in with their housemates, and are starting to feel a little lonely. We chat some more, and reassure them that there is so much support here to help them find their place at Bath.
We discuss how there may be course mates they would rather spend time with, or how they could speak to their flatmates about being more involved in their plans. We discuss what hobbies they might enjoy, as societies can become a great source of friendships. We also give contact details for the University’s wellbeing staff if the student feels worried about their mental health. We are going to pop back next week to see how they got on, but things are already looking more positive. We often find that just talking through your problems or concerns really does make the world of difference. We are here to help with all problems students might encounter living in first year accommodation, as we want to ensure that you really get the most out of your time at Bath.
We make sure all of the students we speak to know the information they need, and ensure they don’t have any other issues, and then we go our separate ways for the evening. Luckily I batch cooked a chilli last week so had a easy microwave meal for today! I take some time to sort out my work from the day, and then I end my evening off by meeting my course mate from some 2 for 1 cocktails; a nice end to a busy day!
Hi, I am an external incoming postgraduate student, hoping to study for an MSc this September. I'm inquiring whether there are any available positions to become a student living ambassador.
Hi Olivia, I think we have now filled the positions for the next academic year. Please email livingsupport@bath.ac.uk to enquire if there are any more opportunities available.