When life just isn’t what you expect…

Many times in this job so far all eight officers have been invited to events where mingling and speaking to high up University types is the aim of the game. This is a role that we enjoy very much and are pretty pleased whenever we are asked to attend them. The fact that there is usually free food and drink at these events is purely coincidental (suffice to say these lunches are usually one of the few times ALL of the sabbatical team are in attendance). The most notable recent events we have been invited to have been; lunch with the new Vice Chancellor, a BBQ with the Chaplaincy, a Fish and Chip supper for International students and a very nice buffet lunch at the grand opening of the Information Commons.

The start of this week saw a mysterious event added to our diaries which was lunch with another University department, now I’m not saying that we were all blinded by the prospect of food being on offer but… well, we were all blinded by the prospect of food being on offer. It turned out this meeting was somewhat more formal and in depth than any of us had realised and arriving in a room to 9 or 10 seated individuals giving a summary of their aims for the year ahead and the ways in which they planned to involve us officers was surprising to say the least. To say that we had nothing prepared would be an understatement, and my plan to just show my face and load up on food was looking distinctly less likely, but to save the day a discreet text was sent to Marika (who fortunately was still working on international time) to bring paper and pens for all as she arrived.

You might think the situation had been regained by this point however the ground didn’t really start to open up until the end of the meeting as I closed my folder and motioned to leave, it was at this point that the chair of the meeting announced that for the next 45 mins the student officers would be presenting back to the committee...

Needless to say I didn't feel very comfortable for the next three quarters of an hour.

Its here where I usually suggest some sort of moral of the story, or at least some attempt at a witty comment but after pondering this event in depth I think all that can be said is...

45 mins of awkward conversation is outweighed by a full on free lunch anyday.

Communication is the Key

I guess when you recieve an e-mail from your Dad asking were your next blog is, you realise its time to write a new one...

Last week all us Sabbs spent two days being trained to train and motivate. These sessions were really worthwhile, however if I had to some them up in one word then I think 'Communication' would be it. In my mind it ranks up there with the phrase 'Time Management' in terms of clichés that are easy to say but not so easy to do. The fact that our facilitator was a professional hypnotist slightly worries me, I have vague memories of

"Look into my eyes, look into my eyes, the eyes, the eyes, not around the eyes, don't look around my eyes, look into my eyes, you're under."

I have no proof of this but lets just say you don't want to say the word "cabbage" three times in front of Emily Savage.