Student Host

As I prepare for my second and final year I assume a new responsibility. All 'returning' students are expected to take some role on, ranging from Archdeacon (that's not a quick promotion, just a fancy name for 'Senior Student') who represents the students interests towards the staff, to Staircase Steward, Chapel Deacon, Audio-Visual Deacon, Books Deacon, and a whole load of other jobs. You might expect me to be doing the Audio-Visual job, but you'd be wrong. Plenty of other people to do that, I wanted to do something different.

So after standing for Archdeacon last term, and not getting elected (I'm over it now) I waited patiently for the successful Archdeacon Dave to create me the post of Gargolyes Maintenance and Operation Deacon. But that call never came. So I decided to go for Student Host instead.

What this means is that I work with my fellow Student Host, Mark, and the admissions office to ensure that future students who are coming for an interview have somebody to meet them and escort them on their interview day. Whilst all students are expected to act as escorts on at least one occasion through the year it's quite a challenge at this time of year to find enough hosts, when students are on exams or short courses, and from time to time Mark and I find ourselves standing in. Which is what I'm doing today.

So, as an escort, my job is to meet the student, and usually their spouse too, and have lunch with them, before delivering them to a series of interviews, and in between interviews showing them around the place and answering their questions. One panel session ('This is Ridley'), one with the Principal, one academic (what course do you want to do) and one pastoral (about personal background and family type stuff) in one afternoon means that they mostly emerge with a semi-glazed look, desparately trying to remember who said what to them, asking all sorts of questions. Sometimes you then need to find somebody who can answer that question - if somebody asks me about secondary schools I'm fine, but if they ask me about advice for budgets for one bedroom flats I'm useless!

Then Common Room Tea is a fine opportunity for all to regain their breath for half an hour, before they join us for College Communion, to get a flavour of Ridley at worship. After that it's time for dinner together, more questions and chat, before finally wrapping up, pointing in the direction of the door and leaving, with Student Host exhausted and interviewee feeling a bit dazed by the intensity of it all!