Hey I’m really sorry nothing has gone up since Friday, had a mad weekend and everything has got a bit hectic this week, but don’t worry, everything that needs to go up will be here by the end of Wednesday, so that will include all the pictures and interviews and everything that happened over the weekend.
Sorry for the delay.
Em. x
Hey guys, just a quick treat for you now as I’ve had a little help in getting reviews for things I didn’t attend myself last Thursday evening and Monday of this week.
Nick Townsend is a 2nd year BA Hons Journalism student and here are his reviews for Wine Tasting and Speed Dating.
“We want the finest wines available to humanity” demands Richard E. Grant’s title character in the student cult classic, ‘Withnail & I’.
For the participants of the wine tasting class though, they had to make do with the finest wines available to Co-Ops limited range of discount bottles. Maybe not humanity, but humane in the sense that the bottles of red and white were all Fair Trade.
I reasoned with the ‘Give It A Go’ volunteers that my lack of ID shouldn’t forbid me from participating (as I am and look 23!), by arguing the case ‘real wine tasters don’t swallow.’
As participants sat down, moderator and wine connoisseur Helen Gittins spoke of much wine varies throughout the world and how subtle the differences can be and how the qualities of the samples are judged and determined are set by parameters.
Using standards such as smell, taste, transparency and fluid density (referred to as leg) students were encouraged to guess the hidden ingredients inside each brand with a free bottle offered to those with the correct answer.
The samples of wine given ranged from the vineyards of South Africa, Argentina and France. By the end of the evening participants ranging from the non-regular wine drinkers to the fully fledged oenophile, were able to appreciate the process of wine production with a deeper understanding of its geographical origin…or maybe they’d just found out how much they could drink for their £2.50 admission!
The speed dating had the biggest turnout for a paid event on ‘Give It A Go’ with nearly a hundred participants in total.
The event invited a large spectrum of personalities to meet, befriend and woo members of the opposite sex within 3 minutes. This is the true acid test of the dating game. Attempting to sell yourself (personality wise that is!) in 180 seconds proved difficult for some but effortless for others.
Myself a participant – I began to tire of the same introduction patter of “Where are you from?” and “What are you studying”. To avoid this déjà vu of Freshers’ Week, I began to throw other questions within my intro such as, “What’s your favourite dirty joke?” or “Is the fact we’re both here an act of desperation or proof we want to meet other outgoing people?”
There was an American girl there who seemed more relaxed about the event than all the other participants, who I’m sure didn’t feel like she was just ‘giving it a go’ as her culture practically invented the format of speed dating.
Whilst the girls complained there were too many frogs and not enough princes (many also suspiciously claiming they were there just to offer support to a friend) the only objection from the boys was that the room was too dimly lit making the event seem overly romanticised. I even overheard one boy say during a break, “I won’t find my future wife here, but there’s plenty of totty!”
And who says romance isn’t dead?!
Now if any of you are currently thinking, “I’d like to have my review up on there” then send it into pfeatures@uclan.ac.uk and I’ll get it up on here too.
I’ll be posting up yesterday and today’s events in about half an hour, but for now, thanks to Nick and I’ll be back soon.
Em. x
Hey, hope you’ve all got that Friday feeling and are looking forward to the weekend and the major events Give It A Go has planned!
But, first of all I better let you know what I’ve been up to today.
Well, earlier on I went to the ‘How To Get Yourself Published’ session. Our tutor for the event was Debbie Williams, who before taking up her current role in UCLan’s School of Journalism, Media and Communications, worked as a ‘Children’s Buyer’ for Waterstones.
Debbie’s job specialised in children’s books and she chose nearly every childrens book that Waterstones sold for ten years, that’s some responsibility I think you will agree!
But, back to the event! Today was really a brief introduction into how to go about writing any book, not just a children’s one.
To start of with the key is to do your research. There are many different trade papers, year-books and websites that can give you an up to date look at what publishers are looking for. For instance, there is currently way too many fantasy children’s book available due to the brilliant success of Harry Potter, so if you’re planning on writing one, I’d leave it a few years and go for a more niche market.
Following on from that Debbie advises that you write to the publishers asking what they would like to see more of and any advice they give you, from telling you how to lay out a manuscript and what themes they would like to see, through to the fact that they might only speak to agents and not directly to authors should all be taken very seriously. If a publisher has told you not to do something and you do exactly that, they won’t be very impressed and your name might be remembered in the future.
From there your book writing can taking any number of twists and turns. The publishers might want you to write a few chapters and synopsis, through to the entire story that turns into a series. The key is to keep ahead, have stuff prepared, do your best to sell the idea and be professional, but don’t forget to be thick skinned if they don’t like your ideas.
I have to say this event was very interesting. Although I’m not looking to write any sort of book at the moment, but it certainly gave me an insight into how I should go about it should I ever want to write one. It also seemed to be interesting for those taking part, as they walked out with plenty of notes.
After that I popped down to see how the Acts of Kindness board was coming along and the progress was steady but looking good.
Ideas ranged from cooking a meal for you friends, to sending a box of cough sweets to an ill friend, so for those of you that haven’t sent your cards back in yet, do it on Monday so the board can be filled up!
I think this is a really nice idea and it’s a really positive thing to have in the student community. The ideas that I’ve seen are great and I might do a few myself.
The final event for the event was the abseil down Harris Building. It commenced at 1.30pm this afternoon, but I can assure people that it was still going strong at gone 5pm this evening so I think it’s safe to say this event has proved pretty popular.
Due to the big numbers I didn’t take part this year, but I can assure you from last year (and you can read my entry from last year for yourself on this blog!) it really takes some guts to climb over that wall, even if those on the ground don’t think it’s that high up!
On that point I have to say it pretty funny watching the bemused students coming out of Foster Building who did that thing, you know when someone else is looking up so everyone copies just because they’re being nosy?! I think a few were a bit envious, but I heard quite a few say that it’s something they could never do!
Still it was good to see so many students taking part and enjoying themselves (or not as the screaming from some suggested!) because that’s what GIAG and being part of the SU is all about.
Now, before I go I just want to say thankyou and sadly, goodbye to Nicola Rolph, who is leaving her job in the Student Involvement and Development (I think that’s what it stands for anyway) centre in the SU.
Nicola has been behind GIAG since it first took place last February and it is thanks to her and Kelly Burdett, our Activities and Participation Officer that GIAG is what it is.
So thanks Nic, take care and good luck with your new job.
And that’s it for now.
I’ll pop all my pics, interviews from this week and let you know bout the weekend’s events in about an hour, but right now I need my tea!
Tata. x
Hey everyone, really sorry I didn’t get back on here last night, felt a bit too tipsy after the cocktails! I got to say, it’s the cheapest way I’ve seen twenty-odd people get tiddly!!!
Right then, so to start where I left off. Last night I headed on down to the Atrium where an array of spirits, liquors and mixers had been lined up and the guys from Mojito in town were ready and waiting to show us how to make some great drinks.
To start off with we were all treated to a cocktail called Cham 69 (or at least I think it was called that) and then a choice of either sambuca or tequila, which really helped to loosen everyone up and started off the tipsy feeling in me (I’m such a lightweight it’s ridiculous!!!).
Throughout the night we were offered more drinks if we wanted and Blue Lagoon and Sex on the Beach were available, but the really fun bit was when we each got the chance to make a cocktail. I’ll be putting up some pics tomorrow of people making their various ones and how they all turned out, but I have to say I don’t know how the guys working behind a bar remember everything that goes in! Not to mention not breaking anything when they are flinging the glasses and bottles around (which I’m reliably informed is known as “flailing” in the trade!), but not much of that went on last night.
When it came to my turn I made a Key West Cooler, which has at seven different ingredients that included vodka, midori and I think orange juice went in there as well. I was pretty pleased with the effect too because it is meant to be layered and I think everyone who made a layered cocktail achieved it so we were all pretty chuffed with our efforts.
One tip not to forget when making your own cocktails is: one of sour, two of sweet, three of strong and four of weak!
I think the highlight of the evening was when Hayley Stubbs had to make and drink a Flaming Lamborghini. I have absolutley no idea what went in it, but it was meant to be on fire when she drank it (though there wasn’t enough sambuca left to get the effect) and as she drank it two more shots were put in it! Hope your hangover wasn’t too bad this morning hun!
But, in all seriousness the idea for the masterclass wasn’t so that everyone could get drunk for £2.50. It was a great way to try out drinks that you may or may not like and learn a few of the techniques needed to make them. The question and answer session that the guys did was helpful, but my only wish was that there was a receipe list handed out at the end.
Interviews with Hayley and Chek who runs Mojito will be up tomorrow with some pics.
So then, on to today. Well, I’m happy to report I didn’t have a hangover, just a lecture 😦 but after that was done I headed off to the Arabic Language class that was on.
Unfortunately, I did get to this half way through, which didn’t help me to pick it up, but I have to say I found out more than I had though I would.
The booklets that we were given were fantastic and we used them to spell our names and learnt how to hold a basic conversation in Arabic.
But, I also learnt how important it is to be polite in their culture. It might sound like a nag but I think too many of us tend to forget our ‘P’s and Q’s’ in today’s world, but our tutor for the session, Summer Mouallem told us how important politeness is and how easily you can offend someone if you forget.
Now, I have to admit I struggled to pick up the lingo and the writing still doesn’t make sense to me and I wasn’t great at getting my tongue around some of the words, but I think it was a great taster session for anyone hoping to take up the language as an elective or certificate and even if they chose not to do Arabic it was a great advertisement for the University’s language department.
An interview with Summer and some pics will also be going up tomorrow.
So then, what else happened today I hear you ask?! Well, to be honest today was a relatively quiet day for GIAG 08. Unfortunately, Irish Dance Class was cancelled due to lack of interest, but the Ikea trip certainly generated enough people’s attention and the Cooking and Eating event held tonight in the Atrium was a sell out by lunchtime.
I didn’t go to either of these due to other commitments, but I can tell you that those of you who went to Ikea should have gorgeous looking rooms and houses now (I have to say most of room is covered in Ikea products) and those that went to the masterclass should have some great ideas to eat healthy this year. Not only that, but you should be pretty stuffed too!!!
I went to a similar masterclass last year and it’s still on the site if you want to read the review, but for those who missed tonight’s event, have a look to see if the Cooking Masterclass taking place next Thurday (2nd Oct) evening isn’t fully booked yet. It’s a similar event and a good excuse to try some great grub!!!
Right well that’s all for now, but come back tomorrow for those pics, interviews and little bit more about what’s been happening in GIAG, including the Clubs and Socs Fair, Lacrosse and the Pie Eating Contest in Source tomorrow night!!!
And if you have been to any of the events or are planning to go, let me know, send me your reviews, pics comments and anything else you think would great on the site and I’ll get them up. My email is pfeatures@uclan.ac.uk.
Remember, it’s your union, your GIAG and this is site is yours too so let everyone know what’s going on!!!
Bye. x
Hey guys just a quick post. I know quite a few of you have been looking at this blog and I also know that a lot of you have been to lots of the Give It A Go activities over the last two days, so if you have then please add some comments.
It’s your SU and whether you liked something or not, or if there is an event you’d like to see in the future, this is great way of letting them know and I’m sure people would like to know what you think instead of reading about what I’ve been up to all the time!
That’s all I have to say really, hope to see during the week!
Take care,
Emily J
Right then, my first ever blog! I’ve never done one of these before so please bear with me!
Well first of all let me introduce myself. I’m Emily Davies, 20 and a 1st Year Journalism student. I’m Pluto’s Deputy Features Editor and have been given the opportunity to sample as much of Give It A Go 2008 as possible!
My job over the coming week is to take part in as many activities as I possibly can and let you guys know how I got on, though hopefully I’ll see lots of you at the events anyway (I’ll be the one with the dictaphone and camera!) finding out how much of a success you think the week has been.
Right now I’m really excited about doing this, but I’ve been warned by the end of it I’ll be really tired! From what I’ve heard the events are being booked up quickly so if you haven’t already got tickets, you better get down to the SU as soon as possible.
The week looks like it will be great fun and give everyone the chance to take part in some new activities. Personally, I can’t wait for the Roller Disco, but knowing me I’ll be on the floor more than anything and the Speed Dating should be good, especially as it’s so close to Valentines!
Each day I’ll give you a preview of what I’m doing the following day, so if you want to see me abseiling or just to say hi and let me know what you think of Give It A Go 2008, feel free!
I think that just about sums it all up. I hope you’re all as excited as I am about this, can’t wait to give it all a go, it’s definitely going to be something to remember!
Keep an eye out for my next blog and feel free to add your own comments and stuff too.
Take care and go get those tickets!
Emily J
Giving It All A Go 2008 
Give It A Go: Day One
September 22, 2008Hi guys, can’t believe it’s six months since I last wrote on this site! But here we are again and this time we have two weeks of ‘Give It A Go’ so there will be plenty of stuff appearing on the site.
For all the freshers and those that didn’t visit the site last time, I’m Emily Davies, Features Editor of Pluto and I’ve been given the task of giving as much of what’s going on a go as poss. I was shattered by the end of the event back in February so who knows what I’ll be like by the end of the next two weeks.
Again I’m looking for anyone who goes to the events to write their own reviews and add comments for the site, especially as I can’t make it to every event and if you see me at an event (I’ll be the short, ginger person with a dictaphone and camera!) come over and let me know what you think of the site and the whole GIAG experience.
Now I think I need to add this, if you are interested in an activity then you really need to sign up for it down in the SU otherwise there is a pretty good chance the event will be cancelled due to lack of interest so don’t just turn up, let them know in advance. The buddies are down in the SU if you need some help and want to know a bit more about various events and trust me, no matter what you do, you will have a good time!!!
Well that’s it for now. Unfortunately Reiki was cancelled this morning due to lack of interest, but Circus Skills in on right now and the Drama Society are also hosting an event in the SU this afternoon so hope to see you there before I rush off to my lecture at 4pm! Then I’ll be popping into Source at 5pm to have a go at the Wii Boxing Tournament so if you think you could fly like a butterfly and sting like a bee get yourself down there!!!
Tata for now,
Em. x
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