@Wonkhe
Partnerships Coordinator. Was Community and Policy Officer. Former Education Officer @ NCL. Loud, opinionated northern gal 💚 views my own, (she/her)
📚Thought I’d start a thread I can add to of all my books I read this year. I’m not here for any big “I want to read x amount of books” or for this long everyday. I just want to read to relax, shut my brain off and chill. So strap in if you want some fun (non-HE) recs.🧵
One thing I don't think anyone talks seriously enough about is the absolute culture shock of coming to university. Particularly, as a student from a more working-class background.
I’ll start with the caveat that I hope they’re happy and congratulations!
BUT (call me unromantic), but I would be absolutely raging if a man did this lol. This day is about your achievements - don’t make it about your relationship. Do it tomorrow, or the day after! Just no !!
Wrong. Yes we were in the same Russell Group uni, in the same lectures, and on paper, had the same opportunities. There was a whole other language, cultural norms and conversation topics going on that I did not understand and couldn't be part of.
Now, before anyone says anything, I am not saying that all posh, upper middle class people are inherently bad. This is just me commenting on the culture shock that you get when you come to uni and meet some of these people whose backgrounds are worlds apart from yours.
already 'levelling up', so to speak. Their access has improved etc, but what levelling up truly means is a convo for another day. What I'm trying to say is, I don't think as a sector, we've fully broken down how overwhelming uni can be for students from w/c backgrounds.
The best example I have to describe this is when I came to university, I had multiple people ask me where I went to school. Now, I knew these people weren't from the same city as me, and usually when I had been asked this question it was from someone also from Sunderland who
wanted to know if I went to the same school as them. I couldn't understand why they wanted to know what school I went to. I remember them telling me which school they went to, with a very expectant look on their face, waiting for me to recognise the name.
There's a whole hidden curriculum of customs, of knowing what societies to join (which cost money to join, as I was shocked to learn as a fresher after signing up to join 5 different societies at freshers fair), and generally how to 'be' at uni.
I genuinely did not know boarding schools were real. I thought they were fictional, romanticised places that were made up for readers' enjoyment in Enid Blyton books. I didn't realise I would be in seminar rooms with people who had never had to 'commute' to secondary school.
Before I came to uni I genuinely had no clue that boarding schools were real. Call me naive, but I had no clue. I knew private schools existed, but from my experience they were small, not particularly elite, and often closing down, in my city anyway.
I don't think they were trying to brag, they were just trying to bond with me, and this was a very innocent, normal question to ask to them - now I've reflected on it. But, it made me feel very out of place.
Now, if I'm being honest, me being me wanted nothing to do with some elitist private school club, and laughed about the anecdote with my mates from home later on. But what I'm trying to say is, I think we have this assumption in HE that because a student gets 'in' to HE, they're
Now, this may seem just a funny anecdote, because usually when I say that people laugh and roll their eyes and nod knowlingly, like yeah uni is an eye opener - but hey, you made it to the same place as them without paying £1000s for your education, so everyone wins, right?
Genuinely, if I hadn't found
@_dxrxthy_
to share my bewilderment at the way some people on our history course seemed to just know how to be or to validate how overwhelmed i felt, not sure what i would've done tbh.
i oscillate between feeling perpetually angry at the state of the country and also being depressed about the mess that it is. Who gives a fuck about the extra £8 a week we're all going to get by paying less national insurance if none of the core public services work.
Tokens. Many students from working class or lower income backgrounds have a huge amount of pride, it’s inbuilt in their families and culture often. The support we offer its about making those students feel supoorted, without alienating them further and making them, and
Their families too, as that is another big part of it, feel like charity cases. I can bet a good amount of money that if you approached most working class families whose kids are going to uni and called them ‘working class’ or offered ‘special support’, they’d be mortified.
Thread has more traction than I expected. I’d like to add that obviously there are big nuances, and things like race and gender identity absolutely intersect and need to be included in any convos about class. These were merely some observations I feel we don’t talk about enough.
In terms of what we can do to fully support working class students to ‘level up’, I don’t think anyone has fully figured out how yet. But it does go beyond university entry, it’s about schools and grad job opportunities. It’s also about making sure WP students don’t feel like
Am I horrible that this video filled me with irritation. Come on now. Maybe it’s the dislike of public proposals, but this is the higher education equivalent of proposing at someone else’s wedding
So excited to be joining the
@Wonkhe
team as their new SUs Community and Policy Officer! Couldn’t be more buzzing to get started and hopefully help make some SU officers jobs’ a bit easier!
I was sexually harassed by a member of staff in Oxford Road Manchester Sainsbury's. A staff member shouted multiple sexual innuendoes at me, making comments about my appearance and that he found me attractive. No other member of staff stepped in I was shaken and upset so (🧵)
If anyone does this during my sister’s graduation this week, I will be having very stern words. Please don’t spoil the ceremony for everyone else, it’s not just about you.
Why is this presenter saying ‘not now’ to summer and coco, isn’t this the point of the reunion for some messy arguments between islanders? Please this is so boring let them kick off
#LoveIsland
Very very worried about how many SUs are reporting anecdotal cases of students being pulled into informal, viva style interviews where academics/members of staff are attempting to identify if they have used Generative AI. 🧵
@SarCampbel
Yes!! That was my critique exactly. Understand he thought this was wonderful, and he may have. But *objectively* why not do it during his, or at any other time?!?
Posts like this and the “laddish” uni culture and norms they uphold is why it’s important SUs and unis keep up those campaigns and conversations around consent, safe sex etc.
Officially started my new role in Team
@Wonkhe
as Partnerships Coordinator this week.
Excited n a little emosh to be leaving my Community and Policy Officer role behind - but luckily I get to keep doing some of it for the next few weeks as I slowly handover to
@Mackmarshall15
✨
Working in a cafe this morning and overheard a little girl at the table next to me say that she was having "the best day ever" because she'd been on a walk and was now eating a cake. Honestly, me too gal, a little walk to get a coffee and cake? Talk about an excellent day.
In all seriousness, when it comes to staff-student relationship policies, I really cannot believe we're stuck in such a rut of disregarding logical thinking. Is telling academics they must not date their students really *that* much of an infringement on freedom.
A few SU staff have commented on how valuable it’s been to be at an event that caters for both SUs and university staff, rather than seeing each other as in constant opposition. An interesting reflection, and hopefully starting some fruitful discussions
#SecretLife23
One thing that has amazed me on this trip is learning that the Wi-Fi in European trains actually works? No having to use mobile data, you can rely on the train wifi! Who would’ve thought? Cross country and LNER take notes please.
Is anyone else absolutely rubbish at chilling out/resting? The weather is crap so spent the afternoon doing nothing to try and get some rest, but now I am bored, cannot sit still and keep giving myself tasks to do even tho I am so tiredand *need* to have the rest. Any advice pls
🤔 Conservative-led Bromley Council is spending £50,000 on
#coronation
celebrations, which it said will be taken from its community fund, usually reserved for grants to charities.
👑 Find out how much your council is spending ⤵️
one thing about chronic illness/endometriosis in particular is you don’t realise how much pain/discomfort you’re in daily until one day you have a pain free day and you’re like wait hang on, this is how people feel most of the time? no wonder I had no energy before.
Does anyone remember in secondary school when you had to “back your exercise books” with wrapping paper. Well I’ve just found my sister’s history exercise book from year 7, that is covered (and I mean covered) in photos of Lady Diana. I am howling.
Iconic. No1 Ar Di fan x
Students being allowed access to a kitchen in student spaces to cook for themselves, heat up lunch, make hot drinks etc at RUC Student House in Roskilde. Safe to say they couldn’t comprehend that many of our students have had to argue just to be allowed access to a microwave.
@it_se
Yes exactly this! It’s why understanding what’s expected of you, and staff at universities explaining it to you rather than presuming you already know is so important.
I’m not one for over-sharing on the internet but as I’ve spoken about my endometriosis surgery recently - I saw this earlier and thought I’d share. I’m angry that this stat is real. I’m angry at how misunderstand endo is. I’m angry at how endo pain is dismissed. How is this okay?
I hope if you read this article one thing you take away from it, is that there are some really small things university staff can do to make students feel more comfortable and set realistic expectations of uni.
This! I cannot stand networking. It’s not because I don’t like meeting new people, I love it. And I’m good at it. But there’s something specifically vile about “networking” that is so unnatural and makes you come away feeling shit about yourself, convinced you looked an idiot.
When you're a working-class student being told to "network" with people from privileged backgrounds, you're in no way prepared for how much you *won't* like them. No one talks about the idea that poor and working-class people have genuine reasons to dislike such interactions.
@SundayMargot
I think this is so common!! I don’t know what the solution is, but I do know it’s not the usual ‘join a society’ thing, even if it’s free. What are they gonna get us to join, the ‘not posh kids soc’.
Had a few chats with SUs this week, and one thing many are worried about is not only students going hungry and needing food banks etc. They’re also not sure how best to do comms to ensure as many students not only know about assistance available, but don’t feel ashamed to use it.
I am telling you right now if I had to do Maths until A Level I would not have gotten to study my “high quality, high outcomes” Russell Group degree, Rishi. I’m decent at maths, but suck at maths exams and their riddle-like questions. Why should that stop my outcomes?
I want to give young people the skills they need to get great jobs.
We'll do this by:
🎓Scrapping rip-off university degrees
📚Creating the new Advanced British Standard
🧮Teaching Maths and English to every child through to 18
It’s almost laughable how many SUs I talk to who have spent months, and I mean months, trying to get a microwave, fridge or kettle into a shared student space. Cost of living pressure aside, every staff room going has one, why is this stuff so hard?
Thinking about the support plan I had in place from pre-arrival at university, and how only a handful of academics ever put any of my reasonable adjustments in place. Or just acknowledged their existence.
Currently only 36% of students have had all the support that has been approved by their university actually put in place. By 2033 we want to see this increase to 80%, but how? 1/2
Something really special about staying close and catching up with your sabb team. Maybe it’s ✨trauma✨ bonding but truly so lucky my time as an officer brought me these wonderfulhumans (+2 more not pictured)💚
I don’t understand why all universities don’t have mechanisms for students to self-certify and advocate for their own needs when it comes to assessment. Why are students not able to define for themselves if they are in an unstable and unhelpful situation?!
Proud to be from an apparently certified “woke” uni. Hope all the campaigning for basic student/human rights with did last year at the SU contributed to this. Newc and proud baby !
this!!! I always feel kinda shamed or not a ‘good enough’ student activist for working so closely with the Uni. BUT, there is nothing wrong with productively working within the system to make constructive change. Good working relations go a long way in enabling u to make change
Working in the sector can be hard at the moment. People are tired, there’s not much money, not much free time. But spending time with a team of cracking SU staff and officers today for New Rules Manchester does remind you how much people can, and want, to make things better.
With this photo from SLoS the other day, it may be time to update my twitter header as there is finally a photo of me presenting where I’m not pulling a face
One thing I’m repeatedly baffled by, is how students, particularly undergrads, are repeatedly treated like children in universities. Maybe it comes from the anti-student narrative that the press permeates that students are all irresponsible, party-going delinquents. (1)
I'm not saying this phenomenon *isn't* happening, the ongoing impacts of the pandemic likely play a part. BUT when are we all going to be honest with the fact that some academic writing is actually just not that good. It's overly dense, complex and sometimes poorly written...
Faculty friends, what are we doing about reading comprehension? I have more students struggling with getting through scholarly texts, understanding dense or theoretical articles, finishing the assigned reading each week, etc.
Secret Life of Students was extra special knowing my fellow ex-NCL sabbs were cheering me on. The postgrad officer to my education officer
@EleanorRoseMc
and my successor
@Mackmarshall15
. Truly lucky being an officer brought me such fab friends - and colleagues!🤩
Very proud of my friend (and also lovely colleague) Sunday for this and all the other crucial work she does in this area. Stories and personal experiences are brave things to share, women owe no one these stories but I’m always so admirable whenever anyone does choose to share💖
Thread. A few weeks ago, I was speaking to a journalist from ITV about sexual misconduct at university. I have always addressed this issue from the position of a policy editor.
I keep thinking about how grim all of the stats are about Disabled students' experiences. All the polling we've done, the UPP Student Futures does, and
@ChangeDisabled
has done points towards the sector is doing pretty terribly on supporting Disabled students to do well.
I’m such a sucker for a pastry, if a cafe has a good pastry selection I have to buy one. If hotels have pastries at their breakfast, you best believe I’m eating multiple and take some spares for later. Pastries no1 fan.
@sainsburys
I already gave the staff member on the customer care line all of that info. Why does it matter if I have a Nectar card, that’s clearly not going to stop your staff from sexually harassing someone is it?
Can we all just not with allowing the media to romanticise how brilliant standing in The Queue in the freezing cold was for 12+ hours. Regardless of your opinions, can we all just call a spade a spade and say it is, objectively, ridiculous to queue for that long to see anything.
Moving out of Newcastle this weekend and feeling emotional. I’m staying in the north east, but it feels like the end of an era. I’ve lived here since 2017 when I moved out for uni. I’ve grown up, met the best people and became myself here and it feels very weird to be leaving.🥺
Travelling to Kraków today to visit the Auschwitz-Birkenau museum with the Lessons from Auschwitz Universities Project, with
@HolocaustUK
and
@UJS_UK
. Honoured to be part and able to learnwhat changes we can make to make our campuses and SUs safer and more welcoming spaces.
Had the absolute pleasure of hosting our The Education Awards last night, after months of planning. Was great to see so many staff and the students who nominated them come together to celebrate the difference that staff member made to their uni experience. Was pretty magical🥰
A little psa to outgoing sabbatical officers: this time of year as an officer can be tough. You're knackered, you're probably burnt out, stressed about the future and panic-writing job applications, whilst also being terrified you 'haven't achieved enough' during your term.
I’m not being dramatic. I have a right to be able to shop in a store without being sexually harassed. I shouldn’t have to listen to comments about my appearance or how “I can say what I like to him” because he just “wants to hear my voice”. I just wanted some fucking fruit.
the grip that girl boss feminism has over people is baffling. a woman in power is not a win for feminism if their policies and beliefs endanger others, especially those with marginalised identities.
One thing that has really frustrated me while observing the campus protests is the disdain people seem to have for students doing *anything*. There's still such an attitude that students are just "playing at politics" and shouldn't be taken seriously.
I’ve recently caught up with some of my old sabb team as more of us move to live in the same city again. Once again I’m banging on about the v special friendships I formed with my sabb team and how lucky I am to have been elected the same year as this lot✨
The topic of sabb burnout is one v close to my heart, and I think there are some systemic things we need to address to make the role less prone to burnout. But, for those officers struggling rn I tried to pull together a practical guide to easing stress.
At the University of Zagreb and the sharp inhale from our delegates from across the UK and Ireland when the staff running the Student Centre said the 3 course student meal is 88 cents, subsidised by the gov and uni.
I thought Finland was cheap with their under 3 euros meal.
A massive good luck to any potential officers waiting for SU election results today. You’re all wonderfully brave.
A special shout-out to anyone re-running. There’s no shame in not getting reelected. You’ve still got ages left to leave your mark - the 2nd term isn’t essential!
@Cakeislovely
Oh my gosh that exact situation happened to me at an Oxford 48hr outreach trip! I was told very dismissively that if I needed to work I would have to save up if I wanted to do well at the uni.
@arantingreader
No legit!! I saw and was like excuse me ?!? Go AWAY. Also imagine being the other student behind like ok :/
Aware I sound I sufferable but I just think some things are not cute😂
To no one's surprise, these cases are predominantly made up of international students. It's almost like people can hold unconscious bias against non-native English speakers, just like AI detectors.
It’s kinda hard to not get bogged down in just how bleak Britain is, especially in its lack of ambition and annihilation of all youth-based services. Who will be the next big leaders, culture makers or just generally a happy future generation when we’re left with crumbs.
A small plea to SU websites, if you have your student officers front and centre on the site, please include their contact info, i.e. email, front and centre too. I know Instagram is cooler but we do *still* need emails. Or maybe I'm just ancient now and know nothing.
All I’m gonna say, because we had an article like this make the rounds when I was an officer, is if you want to pick a fight about where your SU spends money, maybe don’t take it out on the democratically elected, likely tired burnt out student officer.
please can we give some of the other girls some screen time, i’m so bored of Gemma, why do itv always give like 3 boring people so much focus
#loveisland
Pleased my thread has sparked some reflection and much-needed discussion over the past week. I don't have all the answers, but a little bit of empathy and awareness that just because students are at the same uni, does not mean their experiences are equitable is a step forward.
We need to work much harder to make explicit the hidden rules & norms of university life so that poorer students aren't made to feel inferior or excluded. Another article on the jarring class divides on campus - following comments from
@livia_scott_
Out as I just wanted to leave the store. Initially I told myself I was being dramatic, that I might have misheard him, or maybe he was drunk. But then I realised no. That was catcalling. It was intimidation and it was sexual harassment.
@sainsburys
sort it out.
The irony of having a conversation with an SU today about being worried about running their usual "don't be pressured into signing early for houses" campaign this year in the current market, with Durham students having to queue overnight to get a house for NEXT YEAR. Bloody hell.
Not all the team pictured, but what an absolutely cracking bunch of student union staff and officers who accompanied us on our study tour across Central Europe this week.
The willingness to learn, question, and explore makes these trips truly magical.
Very grateful😎
@SueRowlands2
How come they just KNOW what to say!! (turns your they are often wrong, not that clever, it’s just their posh accents and confident delivery that makes it seem so)