Monthly Archives: November 2023

Templeman Library in autumn sunlight

Events roundup: 20-26 November

This week there’s lots on including events for Disability History Month, sustainability and opportunities to spend time with others in nature.

Monday 20 November: Support session, British Sign Language and advanced essay writing

Student Support and Wellbeing (SSW) are running a support session for students affected by the recent terrorist attacks in Israel and ongoing war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza. This is a drop-in session taking place from 13:00-14:00 on Monday, upstairs in Locke Building near the Coop, staffed by a mental health adviser and counsellor from SSW. All students are welcome.

Fancy learning some British Sign Language? Come along to free BSL lesson in Pilkington, Medway, over lunchtime on Monday.

Improve your essay technique at this advanced essay writing workshop at Canterbury campus.

Tuesday 21 November: Bali summer school, bookmaking workshop and advanced essay writing (Medway)

Udayana University in Bali is running three exciting Summer Schools in 2024: Sustainability and Ecotourism, Intercultural Communication, and Coral Reef Restoration. Find out more at the online information session about spending your summer in Bali.

Come along to our drop-in book making workshop to explore the creative, therapeutic and educational potential of a unique collection of artist books and learn to translate your emotional reality by making one for yourself.

Improve your essay technique at this advanced essay writing workshop at Medway campus.

Wednesday 22 November: Therapy dog, University Community Choir and sustainability workshop

Take a break with Coco the therapy dog, a certified Pets as Therapy dog with Pause for Paws in Nexus, Templeman Library. Coco is very friendly, calm and loves to be fussed over.

Try something new and feel more connected by joining the University Community Choir. They meet every Wednesday during term-time at the Canterbury campus.

Want to learn more about sustainability advocacy, and what Kent is doing in response to the sustainability emergency? Find out more about Sustainability at Kent, why it’s important, and how to develop your skills at our sustainability workshop in Jennison Lecture Theatre.

Thursday 23 November: CV and cover letter help and gleaning info session

Find out the essentials for CVs and cover letters, including trends, hints and tips. This event is taking place in Keynes and will also be livestreamed.

Are you interested in how we can prevent food waste by collecting growers’ surpluses and redistributing them to charities and food banks? Come along to the Gleaning info session at Woody’s.

Saturday 25 November: Outdoor activities

Your Residential Life Assistants (RLAs) are running multiple outdoor activities on Saturday. Choose between a nature walk in Blean Woods, meeting Ponies or a women’s social walk around Canterbury campus. Book your place on the Home at Halls App.

Sunday 26 November: Christmas arts and crafts

As we get closer to December, why not join the ResLife Ambassadors for an afternoon of Christmas themed arts and crafts in Keynes to get into the Christmas spirit.

See more student events.

 

app store on iPhone

Useful apps to download

Here are some useful apps, services and social media channels to download, use and follow as you start your studies at Kent. From getting around to helping you study smarter, here are a few of our suggestions!

Apps to download

Uni Kent Student App – This will hold all the information you need about becoming a student at Kent – a must have! It has quick links to key services such as your Kent email and Moodle as well as other useful features.

Safezone – This is the campus safety app which gives round-the-clock safety reassurance to all students and staff. It’s free to download and easy to use. You can access first-aid, security, or safety assistance via your phone.

Order Up! – Skip the queues with Kent’s app for table service and click & collect. The app can be used in all University of Kent catering outlets. Simply scan the QR code on the table to order.

Bus apps – These apps have a journey planner, live bus information (in real time) and you can even purchase mobile bus tickets at discounted prices. For Canterbury students, download the Stagecoach app. For Medway students, download the Arriva app. Find out more about travel and discount offers available to students.

Train apps – Southeastern. The ‘on Track’ app helps you access (also) real-time information on trains in Kent. Especially helpful if you’re looking to travel to London from Canterbury West and want to find out when the next train is! There is also National Rail Enquiries which provides information on trains for the whole of the UK if you are travelling outside of Kent.

Taxi apps – Only a few of the companies have an app some of which include: Longley’s Private Hire (Canterbury), Computer Cabs (Medway), and Vokes Taxi (Medway). You can find more information about booking a taxi in the UK and the full list of the services the University of Kent uses. If you’re a Canterbury student, check out the Student Safe Taxi scheme. 

Circuit – This is the campus laundry service app. All launderettes on campus are card or app operated so if you need to do a wash, make sure you familiarise yourself with the app ahead of time. Find out more about laundry services on campus.

Home at Halls – This app is here to make your life easier whilst living on campus. It has a range of great features meaning you can report any accommodation faults you find, complete your room inventory when you arrive, access important information about your accommodation agreement, contact the team for support and receive updates and more all in one place on your phone. The app is free and whilst you should download the app in advance, you won’t be able to sign in with your Kent login until after you have collected your keys from reception. 

Students’ Union app – Get the most from your student experience with Your Students’ Union App! Your one-stop-shop for getting involved with your Students’ Union. It’s your SU – at your finger tips! Discover events, vote easily in elections and join sports and societies with a few quick steps.

Other things to look at 

Who doesn’t want to work and study smarter? Make sure to check out our software finder to discover free apps and software for students and staff to help you make the most out of your time at Kent. From helping you stay focused to supporting accessibility needs, we’d highly recommend you have a browse. Did you know, you can download Microsoft Office 365 for free?

For student discounts check out Unidays. From discounts on food and drink to clothes to technology it’s a must to check out! Happy browsing!

woman pulling leg to stretch before running

Staying active at uni – free gym membership

Join Kent Sport 

All first-year students and students living in accommodation booked through the University are given free Kent Sport Premium Plus membership! This means you have access to all the facilities and services at Kent Sport.  

Kent Sport operates all the sport and fitness facilities across the Canterbury campus. All students, staff, and members of the public are welcome to become members, with a wide range of benefits including access to:

  • Air-conditioned, fully-equipped gym with cardio, weights and strength training equipment
  • Large fitness and dance studio with up to 60 group exercise classes per week, including our LES MILLS Virtual classes
  • 3 multi-purpose sports halls for almost any indoor sport including an NBA standard basketball court
  • 3 full-size, floodlit artificial pitches for football, rugby, lacrosse, hockey and more
  • 4 full-size indoor acrylic tennis courts within the Indoor Tennis and Events Arena
  • Dedicated boxing area
  • Social sport and activity programmes including ALL Active and Give It A Go (students and staff only) 
  • Access to the Kent Sports Clinic performance, physiotherapy, and rehabilitation services (discounted rates for members)

You can join Kent Sport with a free Pay to Play membership, simply by creating a new online booking account.

Join a student sports club

Kent Union run more than 60 different sports clubs on campus, with sports ranging from American Football to Ultimate Frisbee, and each club is open to any student regardless of experience. The sports are represented at a range of levels, from recreational to competitive, so there is something for everyone! 

View the full list of sports clubs

Sports Scholarship Scheme 

The University of Kent offers athletes the opportunity to join the Sports Scholarship Scheme, which provides sport-specific training, advice, guidance, and funding to continue competing while studying. The Sports Scholarship Scheme is delivered by Kent Sport.

Get outdoors

There are lots of green spaces in Kent, so why not take advantage of them? Going for a jog or a walk outside is great for clearing your head after a long day of studying. 

If you want to start running, parkrun is a weekly free timed 5km run, jog or walk every Saturday in parks and open spaces. The Canterbury parkrun starts at the Sports Pavilion on Parkwood Road, and the Medway parkrun takes place at Great Lines Heritage Park (Gillingham). 

If you’re looking to take in more scenery, then check out Kent Sport’s Active Campus Routes webpage for some popular walking, jogging, and cycling routes across campus and further afield.

Exercise with a friend

It can be daunting to exercise alone in a gym, or to join a sports club by yourself. Exercising with a friend will mean you’re less likely to get bored, and you can motivate each other by planning new and exciting workouts! On those days when you don’t feel like working out, having someone to keep you accountable will mean you’re more likely to stick to your exercise goals.

Cycle or walk to uni

Instead of taking the bus or driving, take advantage of the many cycle paths and footpaths around our campuses. Walking or cycling as part of your commute is a great way of including activity within your daily life – and it’s good for the environment! 

Find out more about walking and cycling at Kent

calendar with yellow marker pen

Managing your studies

Good time management and organisation are key to staying on top of your studies. You will need to plan your time and your assignments, maintain a good filing system for all your study materials, and ensure that you keep pace with your course.

Plan your time

Use a time planner

Use a time planner to take control of your time. This will involve organising your studies (lectures, seminars, reading and assignments) along with all other activities and commitments in your life (work, family etc) throughout the year. Try colour coding different activities on your planner to help keep track of them.

Plan each assignment

Start each assignment as early as possible. Working backwards from the deadline, consider the stages of work needed to complete each one and estimate how long you have to dedicate to each, then plot them on your time planner. Complete each stage of work on time to avoid last minute panics and to meet your deadlines. For a sample of stages in one type of assignment, see managing your essay.

Set achievable goals and prioritise tasks

Divide individual days into bitesize chunks of time and allocate an achievable task to each session e.g. 9-11am – Read/make notes on Journal article x; 11-12am – Draw up essay plan for assignment y; 12-1pm – Proof-read report z… etc. This will keep you focussed and productive, and ensure constant progress.

Consider which tasks are both important and urgent – e.g. Proof-read and submit assignment x – and prioritise these on your daily schedule.

Set up a filing system

Group, organise and store information and work in a logical order

  • Think about where and how you will group, organise and store course information, handouts, research and your notes so you can find them easily e.g. ‘Module X: Topic A/B/C/D’ or ‘Assignment Y: Research/Notes/Drafts’.
  • Number assignment drafts (essays, project reports etc) to keep track of the most recent version.
  • Use ring binders with labelled dividers, computer folders/files or a mixture both to stay organised and save time.

Back-up work regularly on your computer to avoid any risk of losing it

 

Keep on top of your work

Be pro-active

If you find yourself falling behind with your studies don’t ignore it, reflect on the reasons, consider solutions and take action – action can even be seeking advice if you are struggling or not sure of what you are doing

Seek help in plenty of time if you need it

Ask your lecturer or seek advice from relevant university services which may include:

Resources

For more information on all topics mentioned above and more visit the Student Learning Advisory Service – University of Kent (SLAS) we also offer appointments and workshops.

What to pack?

‘Don’t over pack!’ is one of the most common responses whenever we ask students for the advice they would give for those about to arrive on campus for the first time. 

It can be tricky to know what you might need and what you should bring with you, so this is definitely a decision that shouldn’t be based on ‘what more can I cram into the car/suitcase?’ So with this in mind, listen to the voice of experience as our students and staff share their top tips so you can save yourself the pain of trying to squeeze in a second food dehydrator… 

Aleena, Psychology student and Liane, English Language and Linguistics student – ‘make a packing list’ 

Aleena: ‘Making a list would be useful, as I found I missed out [packing] a lot of essentials and had to spend money buying things I already had at home.’ Fortunately, we have a packing list to help get you started but another piece of advice is to ‘pack boxes so items related are put together (e.g. kitchen, bedding, bathroom etc.)’ says Liane ‘this makes unpacking quicker and easier’. 

Student unpacking in bedroom

Laura, from our Accommodation Team – ‘check what’s already in your room’ 

‘Know what’s already included [in your room/accommodation] to avoid wasting valuable space by packing duplicates. You can check what is in your Canterbury or Medway bedroom online.’ 

Omar, Architecture student – ‘don’t forget the essentials but prioritise things you can’t easily buy’ 

‘Bring your chargers and double check on things that you need to use every day, such as soap, as it’s easy to forget. But don’t worry too much about these as you can literally get them from anywhere, just mainly bring the things that aren’t easily bought or replaced if you need them.’ 

Sam, from our Housekeeping Team – ‘know your bed sizes’ 

‘Aside from forgotten passports or driver’s licences, this is one of the most common mishaps for new students. There are different bed sizes across the rooms on campus (and in private accommodation) so don’t buy any bedding until you have accepted your room offer, and double checked the bed size online so you know which size sheets to buy. Some folks have trouble getting hold of sheets for the 7ft beds, but a king size flat sheet will fit.’ 

Bed sizes from standard single to XL double

You can find out what size bed is in your room online. 

Phil, from our Catering Team – ‘don’t pack the kitchen sink’ 

‘Just bring enough to get you started as you may want to go in with your flatmates for to buy some items. If you live in accommodation with a meal plan you shouldn’t need anything beyond your basic crockery and cutlery, as kettles are provided. If you’re going to live in self-catered accommodation we suggest just buying a set of crockery and cutlery for yourself, plus food storage containers and basic pots and pans.’ 

Student and parents unloading car

Beth, History and Social Anthropology student – ‘make it home’ 

‘The best bit of advice was to bring decorative items. Strings of lights, small potted plants for the windowsill or desk, photo frames with silly, happy photos, blankets and pillows, etc. It makes the room that bit more comforting and homely and can help with the homesickness.’ 

Ella, Wildlife Conservation student – ‘bring things that remind you of home’  

‘Bring as many things that remind you of your home. Bedroom ornaments or just things, and bring white tack and printed photos and put them up all over your room.’ 

Kent Union officers sitting on deckchairs chatting

Harry, Psychology with Clinical Psychology student – ‘someone else will have what you’re looking for’. 

‘Don’t stress about forgetting things and feeling like you need to pack every little thing – someone else will have what you’re looking for and will let you borrow it! Also, there is a shop on campus and everything you need can be found in Canterbury.’ 

Of course, there are also some things you should 100% not be bringing. You can probably guess these but anything with a naked flame, (such as candles, incense, joss sticks, oil burners, barbeques, or smoking paraphernalia) is one to avoid. Cars, mini-fridges, adhesive strip lights, heated airers, multi-way cube adaptors and pets are some of the other items featured on the prohibited items list. 

Our Canterbury Arrivals and Medway Arrivals pages are full of useful info to help get you ready to arrive at Kent including more info on what to bring (Canterbury and Medway editions). Plus we’ve got more advice from previous students coming your way, including tips for settling in, so keep an eye on the Accommodation Twitter and Facebook pages for all the latest blogs and useful information before you arrive. 

We look forward to welcoming you to Kent soon! 

 

Student presenting

Global Entrepreneurship Week: Celebrating our student entrepreneurs

What drives entrepreneurs and their ambitions, and the realities of starting a business were under the spotlight in ASPIRE as part of events marking Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) 2023 (13-17 November).

Students and graduate entrepreneurs came together to mark the worldwide event which had the theme ‘Entrepreneurs Thrive Here’ and promoting Inclusive Entrepreneurship, encapsulated by the GEW UK 2023 strapline: ‘Access All.’

On Wednesday 15 November, ASPIRE-supported students and graduate business owners took part in a dynamic panel discussion sharing their experiences.

The panel included Kent Business School graduates, Toufan Bracke and Rens Van Steenes, founders of Pomme de Frere, a street food business offering authentic Belgian frites.

They were joined by Munya Mwaijumba, a Journalism student and founder of the online beauty platform – Glimmer – which is connecting independent hairdressers with customers – and Ike Dhave, a KBS student and founder of the streetwear brand – Playhard.

ASPIRE Project Officer, Artur Slowinski, hosted the event, guiding entrepreneurs to share their stories and insights with the audience of fellow students. They delved into topics such as developing sustainable business ideas and turning them into reality.

Toufan emphasised the importance of entrepreneurial mindset, sharing how their venture was born out solving a gap in the market for evening food in St Andrews. He said: “There is nothing more rewarding than the feeling when we charged our first customer one pound”.

Munya advised aspiring entrepreneurs to start working on a business venture as early as possible, adding: “there is always something to do when you’re an entrepreneur, start as early as possible as you don’t have much on”.

Ike highlighted the importance of strong social media presence, explaining: “We launched our business without even having a physical product, thanks to the successful social media campaign”.

Following the panel discussion, ASPIRE hosted the weekly Business Start-Up Journey workshop. The ASPIRE’s programme is designed to grow and develop entrepreneurial skills. The journey ends with an exciting pitching competition on 20 March 2024. Discover more about the Business Start-Up journey.

Group of students by car on farm field with food they have gleaned

Right to Food Uni: how to get involved

Everyone has the right to healthy, affordable and sustainable food. It should be a universal right irrespective of who you are and what your circumstances are.

The University of Kent has committed to being a Right to Food University – the first in the world. It is a commitment to bring everything the University does – its research, teaching, our students and staff, catering and everything else we do – to support the Right to Food and to make a real difference, on our campus, in our communities, across our region, the UK and internationally.

How to get involved:
Students are central to this work and we would like to invite all students who might be interested in the Right to Food to come along to the following:

  • Gleaning event on Thursday 23 November at 17:00 in Woodys
    Get hands on with  Kent’s Right to Food initiative by joining the Kent Gleaning collective. As well as reducing food waste and helping distribute fresh produce to those in need, you’ll get some fresh air, meet new people and earn employability points through volunteering. Come along to this event to hear more about gleaning in general and how you can become a volunteer with the Kent Gleaning Collective!
  • Right to food info event on Tuesday 28 November in Templeman (TS1) at 16:00
    Hear about the initiative, find out how you can get involved and a free meal and drink in the Gulbenkian afterwards. To book your place email s.bloor@kent.ac.uk

Learn more about the Right to Food initiative.

Two students walking into the medical centre

Reminder: have you had your vaccines?

Infectious diseases can spread easily at unis so make sure you’re up to date with your vaccines and aware of the common signs and symptoms of meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia.

If you have missed one or more vaccines, make an appointment with your GP as soon as possible.

After arriving at university it is important you register with the local GP surgery, who will also be able to advise regarding your vaccinations. We have a GP surgery on the Canterbury campus you can register with.

Advice and information is available on the NHS website:

 

Students, staff and alumni involved in the Disability History Month project

Introducing Disability History Month 2023

Disability History Month (16 November – 16 December 2023) is an annual event that aims to promote acceptance of disabilities (physical, mental, visible and hidden) and champion change to ensure that all people have fair and equitable access to opportunities and services. 

At Kent, we use the month as an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the services we have available, ask students to tell us what is missing, and encourage open and honest conversation to raise awareness and challenge assumptions.  

The national theme for 2023 is Children and Young People, with a focus on the experience of disablement amongst children, young carers and young people in the past, now and what is needed for the future. For many of our students, this will be a recent experience and something that may have been positive, or negative. 

Barriers caused by society 

For a long time, society operated under the assumption that the barriers experienced by people with disabilities were caused by the limitations that their bodies and minds placed upon them (the Medical Model of Disability) and the only way to overcome these was to treat the person rather than consider how to remove the barrier.

The fact that society itself may pose a barrier for people with disabilities was not a concept that was widely considered until the Social Model of Disability was created. This model, first expressed by Kent Academic Mike Oliver, says that disability does not come from the physical or mental limitations imposed by a person’s body or mind, but rather by the limitations and barriers inflicted by society around it. These barriers could be physical (lack of drop curbs or ramps), institutional (jobs that do not adapt to the needs of people with disabilities), structural (lack of pathways for diagnosis at a young age), societal (attitudes towards mental health), or political (lack of investment in social care or individual welfare). All of these factors contribute to a society that puts barriers in place for people with disabilities. The model also supports the concept that if you remove barriers for people with disabilities, many other people also benefit (for example if you put a ramp in, a wheel chair user can easily access a building, but so can someone pushing a buggy, using a walking stick, or with a twisted ankle).

Another model is the Psychosocial Model which, like the Social Model, believes that society imposes restrictions on people but also acknowledges that some conditions do benefit from medical interventions and by adopting both approaches you offer people with disabilities the best opportunities to succeed. In short, making society more accessible for people with disabilities ensures that it is more accessible to all.

What’s on at Kent 

At Kent, Disability History Month is organised by both the University of Kent and Kent Union. Events are open for staff and students and the vast majority are free. See the full list of events. 

Key events include the virtual exhibition of Disability History at Kent, where you can see the evolution of support for people with disabilities from the earliest days of the University right up to present day. 

There is a bookmaking workshop being run by Stella Bolaki, British Sign Language lessons, the Accessibility at Kent: Empowering Students to Learn, Work and Grow workshop, run by Student Support and Wellbeing, Careers and Employability Services and Kent Union and is your one stop shop to finding out everything at Kent that can support you, and the Neuro-Insurgence Open Mic Night, plus more.  

Please check individual event listings for accessibility information. If you have any queries about the accessibility of any of our events for Disability History Month please email StudentEDI@kent.ac.uk.

Resources 

We are committed to ensuring that all students and staff are supported at Kent, and are able to study and work to their fullest potential. We also take discrimination, harassment and bullying extremely seriously. If you feel that you have been subjected to any form of bullying or discrimination due to a disability, mental or physical, visible or invisible, please do report it via the Report and Support tool. This will trigger an investigation and support for you, although you can do report anonymously if you prefer.  

Look out for more blog posts and information over the course of the month, and we hope you enjoy Disability History Month. 

If you have any comments or feedback about this month’s activity, or any other History Month or equality, diversity or inclusion related activity, please do email EqualityandDiversity@kent.ac.uk.  

Watch the latest iCSS cybersecurity video for online safety

The University of Kent’s Institute of Cyber Security for Society (iCSS) is ramping up their efforts to keep everyone in the know about the growing risk of cyber security in our highly digitized world with their latest animated video above, “Why does cyber security matter for everyone?”

This is the second animated video in the series, following “How to be cyber superhero”, which was released earlier this year for Safer Internet Day. 

The new video was produced by iCSS Director Professor Shujun Li and Science Animated (SciAni), a company dedicated to scientific communication with the public. A team of iCSS researchers also contributed to the project.

As the UK Government recognized Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Education with a Gold award, iCSS is committed to promoting cyber security and online safety for all students and staff at the University of Kent. They recently launched a Moodle e-learning space called “Cyber Security: Training, Awareness and Engagement for All Students” and the Kent & Medway Cyber Security Student Society (KMCS3), both aimed at educating students from all subjects about cyber security. More initiatives are in the works, so keep an eye out on iCSS’s website and social media accounts for updates.