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Fireworks finale for freshers
A free fireworks display on campus will mark the start of the 2012/13 academic year and the arrival of thousands of new Sussex students.
The event on Friday 21 September is open to all staff and students.
A Students’ Union barbecue outside Falmer Bar from 7pm will be offering the first 1,000 meals at half price (from £2).
The entertainment will continue after the fireworks with a performance on Falmer Bar’s patio by jazz/funk band SPLATCH.
The event comes at the end of a busy week for this year’s 3,000 freshers, who will begin to arrive on campus from Saturday (15 September).
They will spend the week getting to know Sussex and meeting their tutors and course mates, with the University laying on Library tours, and introductions to key services such as IT and Careers and Employability.
Freshers can also enjoy a range of social events organised by the Students’ Union, culminating in the fireworks display (jointly organised with the University’s induction team). The full freshers 2012 programme is on the Students’ Union website and includes:
- Speed Mates (like speed dating but to make friends)
- Sport taster sessions
- Laid Back and Latte (music, hot drinks and cake in Mandela Hall)
- Societies Fair
- Barn Dance
- Pier Party
- and of course the Freshers Ball
A number of the events in the freshers programme are free of charge and each day has at least one family-friendly and one alcohol-free event.
Different to previous years, teaching will begin on Thursday 20 September, during the traditional ‘freshers week’.
The earlier-than-usual start date for classes follows feedback from students who felt that a whole week of social activities was too long before beginning their studies.
It also fits into a new structure for the academic year in 2012/13, which will see teaching split between two 12-week blocks – one in the autumn and one in the spring – and the introduction of a mid-year exam and assessment period.
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