Monday 30-10-2017 - 12:26

Chris Wavell

Graphic Design graduate

 

When did you get involved in NTSU?

I am in the Army Reserves and actually left university after my first year to do a tour of Afghanistan. I came back after that to re-take my first year and got involved in NTSU as a way to integrate back into student life.

In what capacity were you involved with NTSU?

I originally looked at joining the Snowsports club but was interested in learning how to make and pour cocktails. I saw that we had a Real Ale & Cider Society so thought it would be good to set up a society to create an avenue to experience a different side of drinking culture which I find more interesting. I founded the Cocktail Society after investigating the process of starting a society and creating the committee with a group of friends and was President for the remaining two years of my time at NTU.

What impact has being involved in NTSU had on your time at university?

It certainly made things busier as I had to be committed to make sure the society was active. Being involved in the society helped to keep me engaged with university life. My friends were quite spread out, rather than all being part of the same social circle, so it provided a way for us all to get together. It also gave me something to focus on when I was lacking motivation on my course which helped me to carry on during times when I was having difficulty with my studies.

Do you feel it has helped with your personal development?

Yes, it taught me how to be organised and proactive, as well as know how to relate to people in a professional manner and pitch things to people in a way that has broad appeal.

Do you feel it has helped with your studies?

It did. I created all of the branding for the society, which enabled me to integrate my society activity with my course and gave me an opportunity to think about things I was learning on my course in a different context than just coursework.

Do you think being involved in NTSU is helping you prepare for life after uni?

Running the cocktail society also brought me into contact with lots of businesses around town, which helped me to recognise that my skills were more people focused than design-focused necessarily. This in turn made me think about my career path and how I would prefer to focus on being an Account Manager in the design industry, rather than a graphic designer.

I am currently working at a Japanese restaurant as a bartender and run gin tasting masterclasses, which are skills that I learned entirely through being on the Cocktail Society.