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Meet the Postgraduate Society

12 November 2019

 

We met Andrew, Anirudh and Danielle to hear about the benefits of being part of a society - and how it's already helping them build their confidence and boost their CVs.

What’s the idea behind your society?
Andrew: The idea is to get research and postgraduate students out of the office. Many researchers can be quite isolated in their own spaces, and we want to help them feel part of student life.
Danielle: The society is very much about the social side, but we also aim to support each other professionally.
Anirudh: It can be lonely as a standalone, so our society hopes to bridge that gap.

Do you think postgraduate students can sometimes struggle to feel involved in the social side of uni?
Andrew: Yeah, I think they can. The age of our student population at Teesside is more mature – there’s a big proportion who are 28 years old and older, with their own commitments and families.
Anirudh: Everyone is very busy and has a lot to do. Postgraduate study is particularly heavy-going in terms of your workload, so socialising often isn’t a priority for these students.
Danielle: I agree. I think there’s a perception that student life can sometimes feel tailored towards first and second year undergraduate students, so we want to help increase that sense of community for postgraduate students.

What can members expect from the society?
Anirudh: We host tea and coffee socials, trips to places like Whitby or York, help with poster presentations and more. Our members tell us they want the society to support them socially and professionally, and they have an input into the activities we do. They tell us they want to have fun. Once the Student Life building is open, we want to host coffee mornings in there ideally once a month.
Danielle: We can all get so busy with assignments, but it’s great to have something to look forward to.
Andrew: We’re a supportive group. We check in on each other, whether it’s dropping someone a message on Facebook to ask how their research is going, or just having a general chat. It’s a really nice community.

I think there’s a perception that student life can sometimes feel tailored towards first and second year undergraduate students, so we want to help increase that sense of community for postgraduate students.

Danielle

How has running the society helped you?
Danielle: I’m quite a shy person, so already the society is building my confidence. I’m getting skills I wouldn’t have learned without the society. I know I’ll be putting it down on my CV!
Anirudh: I already am! When you put time into something like this, you develop and you can use it as evidence when applying for things in the future.
Danielle: Being involved in a society gives you great experience and it really helps you to get to know more people. I like that we can help people.

I know you’re not from Teesside originally. What do you love about it here?
Danielle: I feel so settled here – and I’ve only been here a few months. I moved around a lot as a child as I grew up in an army family, but this feels more like home than anywhere.
Andrew: Teesside University is welcoming and friendly. I prefer here to home! Even my parents love it here. They always comment on how helpful and friendly the people are when they go out into the town centre shopping.
Anirudh: This is my first year in the UK – I studied my undergraduate and master’s in India. The staff are so helpful here and everyone is great.

Teesside University Students' Union has a host of clubs and societies you can get involved with. You can find out more about the postgraduate society on the Students’ Union website or find them on Facebook at the links below.


 
 
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