In this blog, we spoke to Neuroscience alumni Tim Loong about some of the useful activities taking place during Welcome Week at Queen Mary University of London.
Welcome Week at Queen Mary starts on 16 September. It's an exciting time where you’ll become an official student at Queen Mary, and where you'll be able to make loads of friends, many of which will last a lifetime. Here are some things you can look forward to during your first week at university.
Campus Tours
Qmotion? The Hive? The People's Palace? There’re loads to see and many buildings to remember on our campuses here at Queen Mary. Join one of the guided tours at our Mile End campus that will give you an overview of everything in Queen Mary. Guided tours leave regularly throughout the week from the information point in Library Square.
Library Tours
In addition to finding textbooks and other course materials, the library is probably the best place to study on campus. Here, you can loan books, DVDs, laptops and more. Take a library tour to get yourself familiarised with all the library has to offer and you'll be set for the rest of your time at Queen Mary. Library tours are available at both the Mile End and Whitechapel libraries. Find out more at this link: https://www.qmul.ac.uk/newstudents/faqs/library
IT Services
Don't forget to check that your Queen Mary IT account is running and working smoothly. Queen Mary's IT services team will be running a support desk where you can go for help with setting up and running your account. They'll be based in the library throughout Welcome Week. Your IT account will be required for everything tech-related, including Wi-Fi access, the e-learning portal known as QMplus and MySIS, the student information portal. It is essential that all of this works so don't hesitate to drop by if you're having any trouble. Find out more about QMUL's IT services here: https://www.its.qmul.ac.uk/services/students/
QMSU Fresher's Events
Many of the events happening throughout welcome week are organised by the Queen Mary Students' Union (QMSU). QMSU is a student-run organisation that serves as the voice and a hub for all students. There are loads of QMSU events during welcome week including a UV rave, a Comedy Central Live night and the highly-anticipated Fresher's Boat Ball. Head over to https://www.qmsu.org/freshers to find out about all the events on offer and for tickets.
Welcome Fair + BLSA welcome fair
QMSU is the home of all our student societies here at Queen Mary. They’ll be hosting the Welcome Fair during Welcome Week which is probably the largest event of the year. There, you'll be able to explore all the student societies that are on offer before picking a few (or a lot) to join. Oh, and there's usually free pizza too. Students studying on Biomedical Sciences programmes can also visit the Welcome Fair hosted by Barts and the London Students' Association (BLSA). BLSA represents all students studying at Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry and since these courses are part of Barts, you'll be able to join in all the fun at the BLSA too!
Enrolment
Lastly but most importantly, don’t forget to attend enrolment. Enrolment is the process where you officially become a Queen Mary student. For enrolment to go smoothly, bring everything listed on your pre-enrolment certificate with you, these documents will be checked and scanned at this time. You'll then have your picture taken for your student ID card, which will stay with you throughout your time at Queen Mary. You'll be able to use your ID card for access into different campus buildings, for use in the library and for all your printing and copying needs too. This card will also serve as your official student ID and you'll be able to get loads of student discounts in many different places around London and the UK. Enrolment happens in The Octagon in the Queen's Building on the Mile End campus so be sure to attend.