Why and How I Participate in Global Campus Events

Stephanie Lee-Wildt

President of the Hispanic Society

Hola! I am a final year Law student and the current President of both the Hispanic Society and the Latin Dance Society. Fellow University of Huddersfield students may have seen (or heard) me around campus! Last academic year, I hosted the Daebaila dance competition and performed at both Global Food and Culture Festivals.

Global Campus Events are hugely popular, fun and exciting international student events held at the University of Huddersfield. In this article, I’m going to tell you why you should get involved in Global Campus Events, particularly during Global Week!

The academic year at the University of Huddersfield is filled with lots of different events and activities that celebrate the diversity of our student body. These events are hosted by our student societies with the University’s Campus Events team and they are open to participation from everybody. With Global Week coming up on the 15th February, I wanted to let you know about my experience as well as how and why you should be getting involved with these Global Campus Events!

My Experience of Campus Events at the University of Huddersfield

I have loved both planning and participating in Campus Events as these events not only give me a break from studies, but they also allow me to meet lots of new people. Creating events for the University was not something I had in mind when I first came to Huddersfield, but through my society, I have found it to be really enjoyable! It allows you to freely collaborate with friends, whilst developing project management skills such as communication and time management. The Campus Events are also open to everyone; so, you do not have to be an international student or a member of a society, which allows you get to know others with similar interests! Through these events, I have made friends from all over the world including Japan, Romania and Algeria to name a few. Global Campus Events at the University of Huddersfield help unite many students into a very welcoming and supportive community, where you can easily make friends!

A fun night at the K-Pop Party, organised by the South Korean Student Society.

It is also great to see how Campus Events give opportunities for students to showcase their culture and talents through individual society nights or the big Global Food & Culture Festival. These events can include high energy performances, traditional outfits and delicious food, which allow you to fully immerse yourself into the community. I have found it to be a great way to learn about new cultures first-hand. This means you can get a free taste of the spotlighted country’s amazing cuisine whilst watching a traditional dance or a music performance! Plus, with the online cooking workshops, you can also learn to make dishes alongside the society!

Global Campus Events - International Food

Students trying lots of different food during Global Week 2020

Here I am with some members of the Hispanic Student Society on European Night

Online Campus Events at the University of Huddersfield

Currently, due to the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, all Campus Events have moved online. This has encouraged new types and styles of events starting with live-streamed performances, gaming tournaments and video tutorials! So, whilst I cannot go and cheer my friends on at venues, I can safely support and watch their performance from my home. Moreover, their performance is now also saved in the UoH Campus Events Facebook page too, to watch back at any time! I am also loving the gaming tournaments where you can be part of an online gaming community online for future games. The best part about online events is definitely being able to learn new recipes through video livestreams. Many societies are teaching how to make famous dishes from their countries such as Thai Green Curry, Risotto and Pierogi to name a few. It is a great opportunity to learn how to make different dishes whilst on a student-friendly budget!

These online Campus Events are a way to stay safe and stay creative during the pandemic, whilst keeping spirits up! They have also kept the immersive experience that in-person Campus Events have by their interactive nature. Online meet and greets have been hosted by some societies with quizzes and language lessons included, similar to the physical events. Again, you do not need to be a society member or know the language, these virtual events are also open to all those who are interested in making new friends and maybe learning something new.

Stay Safe and Stay Creative

Inspration on how to stay safe and creative.

This video was created when lockdown restrictions were eased. Recently lockdown measures have been tightened again. For the latest information, please check the Government website.

The Upcoming Virtual Global Week

I have always recommended and invited my friends to participate in at least one event during the University’s Global Week! The Global Week event is a series of events that occur within one week of February, hosted by the International Student Societies and the Campus Events team. Different events occur during each day of Global Week including tournaments, society nights and the Global Food & Culture Festival. This year’s Global Week will be held virtually with 5 days full of various events focused on food, fashion and music! It will be super exciting to be able to tune into the UoH Campus Events page on Facebook, to see what is taking place after classes, instead of waiting until the evening on campus!

The Future of Global Campus Events

As you can see, Global Campus Events are hugely popular at the University of Huddersfield and a key part of student experience! Even a global pandemic is not stopping these events, so I am sure that in future years these events will continue to grow.

Currently, at the time of writing (2/2/21), the UK’s vaccine rollout has had a favourable outcome so far, with over 14 people per 100 within the UK now having the vaccine, which is the third most per 100 people in the world. Currently, in the UK, over half a million people a day are getting the vaccine. So, there is hope that physical events will return soon! Nevertheless, some online events might be here to stay since they have proven so popular!

Summary: Why and How You Should Participate in Global Campus Events

Campus Events are a great way to directly learn about the world and its different cultures. This can range from small facts to phrases to recipes!
You can meet and make new friends.
Getting involved in Campus Events are a great way to develop many useful skills such as networking, communication, project management and presentation.
You can participate by supporting Campus Events on Facebook and Instagram! Make sure to like and follow to stay up to date and participate in events! It really is that simple!
You can also, always contact the Campus Events team on Facebook with any ideas you would like to pitch.

I hope you found this to be a helpful guide to Campus Events! I, along with the International Student Societies, welcome you to try something new and different at a Campus Event!