Author Archives: Miriam Sandiford

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! 

 

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 

Join our Postgraduate Open Event, 15 Nov

Discover how to reach your goals at our Open Event on Wednesday 15 November, 17:00-19:00, in Sibson. 

Choosing where to progress your career ambitions is a big decision and we’re delighted to invite you to our Open Event.

Open Events are a fantastic way to meet our staff and postgraduate students and to find out how Kent can help you make your ambition count.

You can also find out more about all our scholarships, including some that are exclusive for Kent alumni!

This event is for potential postgraduate students (Master’s and PhD) and their supporters.

Book your place

Four students sitting chatting at table

Kent 2030: give your feedback

Help us bring together our next five-year plan for the University.

We’re looking into an number of big changes which include making it easier for you to fit study around other activity and making sure we build in better links with industry in our courses.

The earliest these changes would come into effect would be the 2025/26 academic year.

Find out more about Kent 2030 and give your feedback.

Student working on laptop

Student Success Expectations Survey closes 17 Nov

The Annual Student Success Expectations Survey is now open to all students! Make your voice heard in this long-standing piece of academic research.

Why are we doing this?

  • We want to understand what you hope to achieve during your time here and how we can best support you.
  • We want to learn more about your academic expectations and your hopes and plans.
  • We want to use your responses to help develop and improve services for students.
  • We want to better understand whether there are any potential barriers to your progress so that we can plan to mitigate these going forwards.

Prize Draw

In return for 7-10 minutes of your time you will be entered into a prize draw to win a whopping £300 Amazon voucher and you’ll also be added to a Divisional draw for a £20 Amazon voucher! The number of £20 Amazon vouchers available per Division depends on your engagement, so we are really encouraging as many of you to complete the survey as possible.

Plus you will also earn yourself 5 Employability Points, which can be cashed-in to apply for exclusive internships, placements and training on the Employability Points Scheme. Student Success will get in touch directly with any lucky winners to arrange prize collection.

Complete the survey now.

Student smiling stroking pets as therapy dog

Events roundup 6-12 November

Find out what’s on this week:

Monday 6 November: Writing skills workshops

Brush up on your writing skills with workshops from the Student Learning Advisory Service (SLAS) on writing introductions and conclusions and paragraph writing. These are in-person workshops or online access on request. See more SLAS workshops.

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.

Tuesday 7 November:  Black Student Voices Summit and Go Abroad Fair

One year on from the launch of the Kent Union project Black Student Voices, Kent Union are hosting a summit to present the findings of the researchers and also celebrate the Black community on our campus. You’re invited to join for a full day of community building, learning and fun.

The Go Abroad Team will be joined by providers of Summer abroad opportunities in Nexus on Tuesday afternoon. Come along to hear about the opportunities and funding available for volunteering, internships and study abroad opportunities for Summer 2024.

Wednesday 8 November: Coco the Therapy Dog and pizza making session

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

Join the ResLife Ambassadors for a pizza making session.  Chef Benjamin Elsbury will show you how to make a pizza from scratch! Places are limited so book on the Home at Halls app.

Thursday 9 November:  PGR Yoga/Writing Retreat and Cheese Tasting

If you’re a postgrad researcher, why not come along to this Yoga and Writing Retreat? The day starts with an hour of yoga to prepare the body and mind for writing. You’ll then be encouraged to work in blocks of 50 minutes on your thesis/project, with refreshments provided and a short, guided mediation after lunch.

On Thursday evening you can join the ResLife Ambassadors for cheese tasting in Sibson. Find out how cheese is made and learn how to taste cheese like a food scientist.

Saturday 11 November: Learn how to build an app

Join us for this one-day workshop when you will learn how to build an app in Bubble, with our Tech Entrepreneur in Residence Jon Carroll. You’ll also get a free lunch. This event is part of the Business Start-up Journey series by ASPIRE.

Sunday 12 November: Glass painting and colouring

Enjoy a relaxing Sunday afternoon of glass painting, canvas painting and colouring with the ResLife Ambassadors in Keynes.

See more student events.

Student opportunities

  • The Canterbury Safer Streets Survey has been extended. The survey, run by Canterbury Christ Church University, is conducting research with students in Kent and Medway and aims to understand better the experiences of students in relation to a wide range of safety issues.
  • Student art pass – a year of art and opportunities for £10. Your Student Art Pass lets you dive into culture on a budget with free entry to hundreds of museums and galleries across the UK and 50% off major exhibitions.

Student Learning Advisory Service…at your service!

Did you know that the Student Learning Advisory Service (SLAS) is hosting no fewer than twenty five on-campus workshops at Canterbury and sixteen at the Medway campus this term? Most of these workshops are being delivered as hybrid sessions so you can join even if you cannot make it in person. 

As we speed towards the second part of the Autumn term and assessment deadlines start to loom large on the horizon, it’s a great time to seek help from our advisers. Among the various academic skills workshops we have on offer are: 

  • Writing introductions and conclusions 
  • Paragraph writing 
  • Presentation skills 
  • Effective reading 
  • Critical thinking 
  • Using AI as a legitimate tool 
  • Advanced essay writing 
  • Good academic practice using TurnitIn 

Plus we also cover a range of maths and stats topics such as: 

  • Probability 
  • Anova and Chi-square testing 
  • Calculus – stationery points and slopes 
  • Calculus – differentiation 

See all SLAS in-person events and book online.

SLAS is here to help you become your best ‘academic you’ and to achieve your goals. 

LibrarySearch Discover

LibrarySearch Discovery: take your research to the next level

We’re thrilled to let you know about some upcoming enhancements to LibrarySearch to help transform your research. From 1 November we’re launching LibrarySearch Discovery, a pilot scheme running from November 2023 until April 2024.

LibrarySearch Discovery will provide access to 50 million+ curated Open Access resources in addition to the extensive collections already available from University of Kent libraries, making it easier than ever to find the right information for your next assignment or research project.

Open Access (OA) resources are freely available, digital content from around the globe. They are part of a wider ‘open’ movement to encourage the free exchange of knowledge and resources to widen access and encourage creativity.

Open access - examples including good information supply, free and fast access to scholarly information and efficient research and innovation

Key benefits of LibrarySearch Discovery

  • Free access to 50 million high-quality academic journals, ebooks, datasets and educational resources
  • Clearer layout that’s easy-to-use with search results separated by collection type
  • Seamless, accessible browsing of collections anywhere, from any device
  • Intuitive interface to filter and rank your search results.
  • Direct links to available online content regardless of format.

Finding resources will work in exactly the same way, with a simple keyword search in a single search box.

Screenshot showing LibrarySearch Discovery search results screen showing location of new tabbed search content: Library collections; Digital collections and Open Access resources.

The new search results page will initially show you all relevant items held in our Library collections but you can also view search results from our Digital Collections and Open Access resources just by clicking through the three tabs.

We hope that you’ll like the look and improved functionality of the new LibrarySearch Discovery interface. If you would prefer to use the original LibrarySearch or LibrarySearch Digital you can choose the ‘Classic’ or ‘Digital’ views available at the top of the screen.

What’s next

We are really pleased to be able to share these amazing resources with you and hope that you’ll take full advantage of the opportunities LibrarySearch Discovery provides.

We’ll be demonstrating how to get the most out of Open Access content during the year and in our library training.

We are committed to providing you with the resources you need for your academic study and research, and to working closely with you to ensure we have a successful pilot.

If you have any questions please get in touch: helpdesk@kent.ac.uk