Thursday 15-07-2021 - 10:34

Without sounding too much like a cliché, winning the Students’ Union’s election back in March was truly a highlight of a very monotonous year.

 

As a sufferer of anxiety, I was incredibly nervous to start in the role, and that’s not even taking into account the current world situation. I had just completed my teacher training in a socially distanced, masked-up classroom (which some training just cannot prepare you for!), and the reality of working in a world with COVID had really hit home.

 

Luckily, a few things really eased the process.

 

 

Tip 1: Your space

 

If you have your own desk space, make it your own. We may have done this in a pre-COVID world, but really take the time to now make your space your safe haven.

 

For one, it livens the place up a little, and while its main goal is to help you settle in, it will also make you more approachable for your peers and allow barriers to come down.

 

As you can see on our officer Instagram stories, our desks have become really important markers of our personalities, in addition to the place we do our work, so be sure to look after your space!

 

 

Tip 2: Talking Points

 

Try and find something in common other than COVID-19 and lockdown experiences. We all know that lockdown stories make for easy small talk that we can rely on for the near future, but soon they will become repetitive, as well as the fact that they focus on the past.

 

Look to the future and how you can bond now, whether from a distance or not.

While creating our own spaces in our first weeks, Georgia (FoHSCM Officer) bought myself and Rhiannon (FAS Officer) a desk plant each, I hand-made coasters for us all, and we all brought in a few accessories from home.

 

The trick here was, because we all had our own versions of the same thing such as the plants, it created a sense of unity and something to bond over as we all reminded one another to water them.

 

 

Tip 3: Face masks

 

As an officer team during our induction week, we all got to know each other, in addition to the full time staff (again from a distance!). Georgia, the new FoHSCM Officer, brought along an unintentional ice breaker I never thought would become a ‘thing’ – a vibrant handmade face mask.

 

If you have any interesting face masks that are appropriate for your workplace, don’t be afraid to wear them if you want to! Again, it’s about showing people who you are in a professional way.

 

 

Tip 4: Enjoy it

 

I have decided to use the 1 Second A Day app which, for those who haven’t heard of it, allows you take one second short clips or insert a photograph for a one second transition and builds them all up into a video you can choose to process and save after any time.

For me, I am capturing one second of each work day, and plan to do so for the year I am in office.

 

You could do this for any number of things – hobbies, fitness, nights out, whatever you like. You don’t have to have a clip for every single day of the week. It will help you reflect on the good times of the past year, our country reopening, joining Edge Hill University or your final year here, and show how far you have come with something that you’re proud of.

 

As far as my start to work is going, I have found likeminded people I am excited to work with, and have actually got a routine back and a reason to leave the house that doesn’t include food shopping!

 

If you want to keep up to date with my work and the rest of the officer team, give us a follow on Instagram!

 

 

 

This blog was written by Kathryn Murphy, your current Faculty of Education Student Engagement Officer. If you’d like to get in touch with Kathryn, or if you’re a Faculty of Education student and need some support on your course, simply email murphka@edgehill.ac.uk.