An Interview with JCR Presidents

All good things come to an end and certainly some of Southampton’s second year students are learning this by preparing to pass the JCR baton onto a group of bright-eyed bushy-tailed freshers. […]

11 years ago

Alice North

News
SOTON

All good things come to an end and certainly some of Southampton’s second year students are learning this by preparing to pass the JCR baton onto a group of bright-eyed bushy-tailed freshers. Nominations opened on Monday for the JCR elections.

Being a JCR is a quick and easy way to launch yourself into SNOC status (small name on campus) plus you gets lots of free stuff from SUSU… In all seriousness, being a JCR is a completely unique experience as there are no other committees quite like it, you have a massive budget to play with and you get to really affect the events and campaigns that are put on in your halls too.

The Soton Tab interviewed a few of our soon-to-be-ex-JCR presidents to find out more about what it’s really like to be a JCR. We asked them a series of questions and have selected some the best answers below.

Lawrence Smith: Glen Eyre

Soton Tab: What was your best moment as JCR president?

Lawrence: My best time as President was definitely drinking at Glen Bar with Rudimental and sharing a Dominoes with them!

We’ve even left our own little legacy at Glen Bar – the Gleneyre-gasm cocktail!

ST: Why are Glen Eyre the best halls?

Lawrence: l try to keep the list short – Glen are without a doubt the most friendly and welcoming halls (even in the pouring rain as seen on move in this year) and have the nicest, greenest grounds with a fantastic bar, common room, cinema room and gym – after all we are everyone’s first choice! And of course we’re not Chamberlain, which is always a relief.

Tasha Onwuemezi: Monte

ST: What was your best moment as JCR president?

Tasha: When all the B block freshers knelt down and sang ‘God save the Queen’ to me.

ST: Why is your hall the best in Southampton?

Tasha: Geographically, ’cause it’s five minutes away from a 24 hour McDonalds….. But also because of its diversity; there are so many different types of people at Monte and due to its phenomenal size, you’re always meeting new people. Also, our bar is sick 🙂

Josh Darby-MacLellan: Archers Road

ST: What have you achieved during your time as JCR president?

Josh:

It’s impossible to take sole credit for these achievements so I’ll like to to say that these achievements are the result of being part of my JCR team.

Our first achievement as the new JCR was smashing the other small halls in a boat race over the training weekend
and helping the previous JCR to bring out the freshers to the Small Halls Ball at Orange rooms. Refreshers week with our best event being Mardi Gras. We managed to get St Margret’s halls common room a new TV alongside getting DVD players, remote controls and HDMI cables in Romero and Gateley common rooms.

ST: Why is Archers the best halls?

Josh: Well that’s easy 🙂. Our size in terms of residents makes it the perfect breeding ground for a real sense of halls community; we’re closer to the city centre, Bedford Place and Bevois Valley than most other halls; and we all have ensuites!

David Gunns: Chamberlain

ST: What has been your best moment as JCR president of Chamberlain?

David: SHADE Festival was an incredible experience – even though I almost didn’t make it! We had a great turn-out and perfect weather, a really chilled out day of live music to finish off our Fresher year. To top it all off, having Rudimental perform at Glen Bar when ‘Feel the Love’ was No.1 was something special!

I’ll never know how the main guy got through a whole litre of neat Absolut vodka in just a one hour set!

ST: Why is Chamberlain the best hall?

David: Put simply, Chamberlain has the best community spirit going, and an incredible party atmosphere! During summer exams scores of people would turn out every day to revise, sunbathe and have BBQs on the grass patch behind our halls, and at pre-drinks new faces were always welcome! Not only that, but in a year we’ve managed to dominate Glen Bar with a majority of their staff having lived in Chambers! We’re a growing community with a New Chamberlain Hall due to open in 2014!!

Charlie Evans: Connaught

ST: What have you achieved?

Charlie: We feel as a JCR we have achieved the successful running of 3 successful sport teams, with all reaching the latter stages, and in two cases the final of the inter mural. We feel we have made these run smoothly, and given the opportunity for freshers to play a social side of sport.

ST: Why is Connaught the best hall?

Charlie: Connaught is the best halls due to the community spirit felt throughout halls, and the unique experience of everyone feeling welcome and knowing each over throughout halls.

Greg Pluck: Bencraft

ST: What was your best moment as JCR president?

Greg: The first Sunday of freshers week because it’s the first time we got to meet all the new freshers and was the first of my own organised events, which went really well and us second years got a cheeky free bar!

ST:: Why is Bencraft the best hall?

Because we’re all by ourselves we feel more like a family, you get to know everyone in Bencraft. Unlike the big halls when you see someone from halls you know who they are and chances are they are a mate.

Highfield, Erasmus Park, Orion’s Point and Private Rented JCR Presidents declined to comment.

Alice North