What does your lanyard mean to you?

They’re an essential organisation tool for Bristol students

8 years ago

Bristol fashion freshers interest lanyard people style uni uob vox pop

People running around with Lanyards bouncing around their necks is a familiar sight in Bristol – it tends to be an indication that the student is a fresher, but not always.

Some would be distraught at the loss of their lanyard, and some simply don’t care. Some consider it a fashion statement, and some consider it a way to unclog their wallets.

We decided to get to the bottom of the lanyard epidemic by asking the people of Bristol about theirs. What does it mean to you? What do you use it for? And what would you do if you lost it?

Nick, Biology, first year

“It is essential. It has a bottle opener on it, so I saved money on a bottle opener. If I lost my lanyard I would 100 per cent call the Police. My lanyard tells people I can ski.”

Emma, Medicine, postgrad

“Usually we wear the NHS ones but this one shows I am a student. I’m wearing it now just to go to hospital, so I wouldn’t be that upset if I lost it.”

Michelle, Sociology, first year

“It means a lot because it’s a convenient way to keep everything together, and also it’s a Social Sciences and Law lanyard so it represents what I study at uni because it actually has the name of my faculty on it. I wear it out of convenience not fashion – if it clashed with my outfit I would still wear it. I would just buy a new one if I lost it.”

Justine, French and Spanish, first year

“It means a lot to me. Without it I can’t get into my room and eat my food. If I lost my lanyard I would cry.”

Sena, Biochemistry, first year

“Well I keep my U-Card in it so it means that I can get into all the Science buildings. If I didn’t have it I wouldn’t be able to go to lectures. If I lost my lanyard it would mean losing my U-Card so I would probably freak out. It’s completely for convenience for me, but I see loads of people walking around with them completely empty so I suppose it is a fashion statement for some people.”

Oliver, Chemical Physics, first year

“My lanyard means nothing to me, that’s why I threw it away. I seriously hate those things, just put your key and your cards in your wallet like all normal people.”

Nikhil, Economics and Management, first year

“Well, it was given to me, so I don’t have any emotional attachment to it. It’s definitely more for convenience – I don’t really care about fashion too much. It’s just easier than having it in your pocket. If I had something in the lanyard I would go crazy… but not about the lanyard itself, just the card in it.”

Julie, Neuroscience, third year

“It means, like, nothing. I mean, I own it but it’s got bunker written all around the outside. We don’t really have these in the US. It kinda just got shoved in my face at the Freshers’ Fair. If I lost it I would continue carrying on with normal life. It would actually save storage space. It’s not a fashion statement… well actually, it is – it’s the way you know freshers are first years.”