End of the line, everybody off the student experience train. Choo choo.

So we've finally made it, the exams are over, the dissertations are in, and already the student population has decreased dramatically. Just from working in the Students' Union it is obvious just how many students have gone home for summer. I don't think I've seen a real student in the building all day, although maybe that's because the builders have blocked off most entrances and no one can work out how to get in.

For some the long summer holidays are ahead of you, for others the student life is officially over and the summer will involve months of job hunting and interning. Don't forget that you can still use the Careers Service for a year after you graduate. Given the current job climate this might well be a good time to get stuck in there and speak to a careers advisor and do some serious reading in their library. If you are coming back to study in Sheffield in September make sure you make full usage of your summer holidays, visit friends, chill out and pack out your CV with volunteering experience. You'll be thankful that you did it when you come to the end of your degree. Believe me I know plenty of final year students who are kicking themselves for not taking up internship and volunteering opportunities when they had the chance.

For those of you staying here over the summer, the Union is still open in parts. The Interval will be open throughout the Summer, however hours are reduced. In addition the Activities department have come up with a wealth of volunteering activities for Post graduate students to get involved in. And don't forget your new student officer team will be here for you throughout the summer to discuss important issues with.

If you are struggling over the holidays there are people you can talk to. It's perfectly ok to seek out help over the summer and the University support services are well aware that a students' life at home can be complex. So whether it's moving house, finding a job, suffering bereavement or even divorce don't be afraid to get in contact with the Union Welfare Officer and the University support service, found at http://www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/ . The Students' Union Advioce Centre will also be open 9-4pm, Mon-Fri throughout the holidays. They can offer you advice on international issues, housing trouble and finances. So if you aren't sure how you are going to financially support yourself next term, or if there are cracks appearing in your wonderful new house, don't hesitate to drop in arrange an appointment with an advisor.

I hope you have a fantastic summer whatever you are doing.

Good luck

The Magical Revision Bus

Hello all

This year Union Council mandated the Officer team to come up with a way to get students working late home safely at night. The 'Women's Safety Bus' stays but a compromise must be found for other students. Consequently, we are proud to bring you our brand new pilot scheme 'Revision Bus'. The bus will pick students up on the hour, every hour, from the I.C, between 9-3am most nights. It only costs £1.50 and you can get on alone or with friends. It's strictly first come first served though so get there on time to avoid disappointment. The bus will take you anywhere within a 3 mile radius of the I.C, so that's basically all student residences, but we certainly can't take you to Worksop, sorry.

Pick up point: Information Commons only
Times: 9pm-3am Mondays-Saturdays, Sunday service 9pm-12am
Cost: £1.50 payable to the driver. (please try to have correct change)
Who is it for?: All students. (please note the bus is designed for people studying, if you are drunk and disorderly you may be refused travel)

The Women's Party Summer Special has arrived

It's the event you've all been waiting for 'The Women's Party Summer Special' is here! Thursday 10th June, 7pm-11.30pm, tickets cost £4.50 advance available from the Union Box office.

A one off evening you wont find anywhere else, the Women's Parties happen twice a year and bring something a little different to the Students' Union. This year we are having an activity filled summer special and it's a fantastic way to chat and socialise with friends.

The ticket price includes a free vegetarian buffet, desserts, soft drinks, head massages, deco patch craft workshop, henna body art and our in house DJing. Remember to bring a little extra cash for the jewellery making session.

Why have a Womens' only party?
The Womens' Party has proved to be a hit with a diverse range of students, but its core aim is to include our students who are exluded from usual club nights, either for cultural, religious or personal reasons.

We hope to see you there!

The women's mini bus will be available to take people home running from 7.30pm to 2.30 am

Staying safe in Sheffield

The day light hours are getting longer and soon enough you might even be able to swap your coat for a cardi. The summer is coming and with it so are long nights in the I.C writing dissertations or revising for exams. It's important to remember that whilst maybe the clouds have gone away, opportunist thieves have not.

Please remember that walking home from the I.C on a balmy night, alone, lap top in hand, whilst convenient is not the most sensible of ideas.

Depending on where you live there are public transport routes across the city.

1.Get a bus.
The number 52 runs from outside the Union and goes through Broomhill and Crookes.
The number 40 goes from West Street and stops in Broomhill and Ranmoor.
The number 94/95 goes from the back of the Arts Tower and goes to Walkley and Commonside.
The number 80 will take you to Endcliffe Village.

2.Get a taxi.Hail Safer are a charity who promote taxi awareness, they have two simple rules. Always try to get a taxi with friends, and sit in the back.

3.Walk with friends.Waiting for all your mates to get their stuff and finish chatting can be a pain but it's the best way to make sure you all get home.

4. If you're a woman student get the Women's minibus.The Women's minibus costs £1.50 and will take you anywhere within a 3 mile radius of the Union. Ask the security staff on the night where the bus will be as building work has disrupted it's pick up point.

5. If you absolutely must walk alone then carry a safety alarm and don't listen to your i-pod or talk on your phone. Safety alarms are available for all students from the Women's officer and Welfare Officer.

Vote for women, for students, for anything

On Tuesday at 7.15pm the Sheffield Fems will be hosting 'What About Women?' One part of a national campaign to get our prospective new MPs to be up front about the policies that will affect women in the next Parliament.

You may have noticed that the major political parties are clamouring over the new 'young mums' vote. As far as I was aware young mums always existed, but it seems to be the first time West minister has even noticed they are a significantly large part of the electoral pie. Cue a deluge of snappy policies designed to woo the politically unaligned woman, ranging from 20 hours free childcare, 19 months parental leave and various niche tax breaks, women have a wealth of policies to pick and choose from.

However I was disheartened when absent mindedly watching 'This Morning' in a Coventry hotel room, I realised the Lovely Lorraine and a female journalist were bemoaning this new interest politicians had in their lives. The general tone was 'stuff it Gordon we've got this far without your help we don't need you now'. Whilst I can understand this attitude I was horrified at the thought of spurning this communication out of pride. Yes it's a gimmick and yes they all want to get their mits on a few more votes, but I'm of the personal opinion that it's about time to get our moneys worth. You want Lorraine's endorsement that you're the right party to vote for? Well then you had better come up with something better than these half baked excuses for a manifesto policy on women.

Essentially I would rather use this new flattery and fawning the political parties have developed towards women to its best advantage. The pay gap still exists, Parliament is only 20% female and paternal leave is currently available to fathers for only 2 weeks. I am ecstatic that parties have started to address these areas as serious vote winners but I'm looking for something better in a political party than a vacuous statement about how terribly awful the pay gap is. I'm hoping that at tonight's hustings I'll get some better answers from the Sheffield prospective parliamentary candidates.

The event takes place on 23rd March at 7.15pm at the Quaker Meeting House, 10 St James Street, Sheffield.

What are Student Officers and why should I even care?

Chances are you have just tried to get to your lecture and have had to fight your way through crowds of people singing, shouting, handing out flyers, waving placards wildy, threatening to attack you with a rhino, and even a dancing car/chicken or two. By this point you are probably wondering what on earth is going on, have the students gone mad? Is this a new form of tuition fees protest?

No it is the beginning of the Student Officer elections, and unfortunately for you there will be a few more people on the concourse to avoid than just your average, depressed, Embrace flyering teams.

What are Student Officers?

Student Officers in short are democratically elected once a year to represent students and to run the Student's Union. Officers work full time for one year and get paid for that year. They are a strange breed of students in limbo. They are technically students but they don't study and they are also full time members of staff. These people dancing across the concourse will one day be managing directors and sit in executive board meetings, finance committees and trustee board meetings, and will essentially be responsible for whatever the Union does for one year.

They also each have a portfolio or area of work, this is where they are expected to focus the rest of the time they don't spend on being managing directors. So that may be Activities, Welfare, Sport, Women's etc.

Why should I even care?

Officers have a fair amount of leverage when it comes to steering the political direction of the Student's Union. The Student's Union is frequently required to make political statements to the media, or with other trade Unions such as the UCU, and your Officers will play a huge role in writing these statements. For example, down in a particular Student's Union in London the Activities Officer was required to justify the existence of the Islamic Circle society to the baying national media. Not a task for the faint hearted.

These people will shape your student experience. Club nights, drink prices, nursery places, sandwich shops and the rest will all go past the Student Officers at some point. So although all drinks in bar one being bright pink* for the next year might sound like a brilliant manifesto statement right now, do you really trust this person to determine the financial forecast of a multi million pound charity?

*This isn't any one's policy...or I hope it isn't... I don't even like pink.

Women Mean Business! psst It'll look good on your CV too.

Ever been sat around with your mates and thought about what it would be like if you could set up your own business? Maybe a shop or bar, or even a quaint cafe.

If I could set up a business I think I'd make a cafe/bar which is set up like a late 60s time warp. There would be flared trousers, corduroy sofas, retro furniture galore and Jimmi hendrix on the juke box. Fortunately for the general public I'll probably never set up my Woodstock cafe, however if I went to the Enterprise event next week I could make that pipe dream a reality.

Myself and the Enterprise zone have teamed up to put on 'Women Mean Business' an event for female students interested in Enterprise. Here's the gist. Women as a whole don't tend to climb very high up the business ladder, a number of things get in the way. So this event is one way to tackle the pay gap and encourage more women on their way to becoming successful business women.

When is it? Wednesday 17th February, 5:15pm to 7:30pm
Where? Information Commons, Collaboratory 1
Who is it for? Final year University of Sheffield students from any discipline and any level of study.
How much is it? Tickets are £1 from the Students' Union box office. Spaces limited.

What does the event involve?
We have invited dynamic, successful business women to act as mentors for this event. Working in small groups, students will be assigned a mentor who will introduce their business and explain a real problem their company is facing.
You will then work with your group to research and develop solutions for your Mentor's business . You'll have the chance to ask them questions to guide you along the way. You can be as original and inventive as you want to be. You never know, your idea might be just the solution they were looking for!

How will this improve my job prospects?
Many graduate employers want to see evidence that you can work successfully in a business context -
this event will give you specific examples of the following in-demand skills for your CV:
Teamwork
Leadership
Problem solving
Awareness of issues facing businesses
Experience of solving real business problems
Experience of working with high level business people
Presentation skills

You will also be demonstrating your skills and making valuable contacts with some inspiring local business women.


Want to find out more? Visit www.sheffield.ac.uk/enterprise

Tickets on sale at the student's Union Box office for £ 1. Refreshements will be provided.