Exeposé Online

Making the headlines since 1987

Peter Firth

The Mystery of the Sabb

I’m not going to lie to you, when I arrived in September I had no idea who or what Sabbs were. The extent of my knowledge was that they were six huge faces staring down at me when I walked into the Forum for the first time. If I’m honest, I’m still not entirely sure what it is exactly that they do – but at least I know their names and could potentially recognise them around campus; that must count for something right?

To quote the Guild website: “Sabbatical Officers, or Sabbs, lead the Students’ Guild and represent you to the university, the local community, and nationally.” What does that even mean? Of course all the information is there on the Guild website. But honestly, who has the time to go through a website just to find out what the people elected to represent you actually do? True, my ignorance towards them could simply be because this is my first year at university, so the system is completely new to me. Nonetheless, they are supposed to be representing my interests, and as a member of the Students’ Guild I should have some clue as to how they contribute to my experience at Exeter.

This may seem unfair, potentially unreasonable even, but it’s simply the truth. Maybe this is the ultimate mystique of the Sabbs: to be seen but not heard. Perhaps the fact that I don’t know too much about what they do or that its not flaunted around campus is a good thing. Perhaps this means that they’re more able to make the changes the student body asks for without necessarily drawing direct attention; changes probably take place around the uni without us even noticing. Possibly this is the best sign of a healthy working Student’s Guild, seamlessly instigating change without us even realising.

It’s already nearly halfway through term two and I still haven’t the foggiest what Sabbs really are

That’s why I want to be careful here because what the Sabbs do is probably one of the most important yet underappreciated jobs that ultimately impacts thousands of students on a daily basis. And yes they chose to run and are being paid to represent us and have our interests at the forefront of their agendas, but the fact that it’s already nearly halfway through term two and I still haven’t the foggiest what Sabbs really are is only a sign that they’re under-marketed and under-explained. I may be completely wrong here, and fair enough, but I feel that those first years who didn’t have a chance to vote their Sabbs in should at least know what they’re about! Why is it only now that they’re becoming more visible? Is it due to the strikes or just because re-election is fast approaching?

I have to confess, I am rather looking forward to experiencing a flashback to Freshers’ Week and being bombarded by flyers as I trudge my way up Forum Hill, undoubtedly late for a lecture I have no idea what’s going on in. And maybe as I move from being a first year and towards the golden fields of second year and so forth, I’ll come to appreciate the Sabbs more and more. But right now, I’m not so sure.

The Freshers’ Week fixation on drink

Freshers’ Week: one of the most challenging weeks of a young person’s life. It asks you to get drunk and go out with complete strangers whilst simultaneously demanding you make as good a first impression as possible.

Now it may just be me, but this somehow seems counter-intuitive; the drunk version of myself can hardly be said to best represent my character. I am proud to say, however, that I threw myself into Freshers’ as much as possible and although I had the anticipated pang of loneliness and the general feeling of cluelessness, surely everyone else did at one point or another? Freshers’ Week turned out much less daunting than expected and though I wouldn’t go as far as saying it was a success (can Freshers’ Week truly be successful?), I did find solace in the fact that every first year was in exactly the same boat.

“down it fresher!” are probably three of the most ominous words that can be uttered to a fledgling university student

Weirdly, the drinking side of Freshers’ Week was perhaps the least worrying part for me; I’m not some low-key alcoholic binge drinker but I wouldn’t count myself as new to the game. For many though, the level of alcohol consumption is concerning and “down it fresher!” are probably three of the most ominous words that can be uttered to a fledgling university student. I must profess that I was one of the lucky ones and this didn’t happen to me during the week. It does, however, pose an interesting question: is your ability to down a pint as quickly as possible an indicator of ‘fresher success’?

For many It’s the first time they truly experience real freedom

Student life has become synonymous with drinking copious amounts of alcohol and, to some extent, perhaps this is what Freshers’ is about. For many, it’s the first time they’re away from the comfort of their homes and the security of their parents. It’s the first time they truly experience real freedom; no-one is going to tell you you’re drinking too much, or to go to your 9am the next day. Does this freedom therefore perpetuate a culture of university binge drinking? The answer isn’t a simple one but Freshers’ Week would certainly point you in that direction. Ultimately, however, university is about doing what you want to do and yes, there is a social pressure surrounding drinking and a norm that expects all students to partake in it, but the wider point is that you make your experience what you want it to be.

Looking back a week or so later, Freshers’ Week is an isolated, one-off event, never to be experienced again as a first year, so what is there to lose by tackling it head on? Whether Freshers’ Week is the best introduction to university life, I’m not sure. What it does provide, however, is a flavour of what the rest of the year, and potentially your university career, will look like and a chance for every new student to reinvent themselves and be the person that they really want to be.