By Clarissa Wemple, Second Year Psychology Undergraduate
We’re back with our second post to introduce you to some more of the welfare team! If you missed part one check it out here.
Ellie Rolfe , Third year, Chemistry
What is one interesting thing about you?
In my first ever rowing race for college, I capsized. Yeah, it didn’t go too well.
What is your role on the welfare team?
I’m on the student support team.
Why did you decide to join Welfare?
Seems like a really good part of college. It’s really important to have a community and a place that you can go to whenever you have troubles in college. And I feel that college has given so much to me I wanted to try to give something back to the students.
What is your favourite part about being in welfare?
The cake! The community and having the chance to help people – it’s really nice. And the room (welfare room) is lovely. Also, the fairy lights are the best bit.
What is your favourite part about being in John’s?
Aside from the potatoes it would have to be… everything about it! Just the fact that it is like a family really. So cheesy but I love it.
What is one piece of advice you’d give to someone you just met?
Just have a cup of tea. If you’re ever stressing have a cup of tea and it will be fine.
When are your welfare shifts and/or how can people find you?
I am a sub-in member of welfare team so whenever someone can’t make their shift I take over but you can find me around college (I work in college quite a lot) and I’m also the livers’ out rep and Charity Officer. You can also find me on Facebook or send me an email.
Esther Barnard, Second year, Mathematics
What is one interesting thing about you?
I lived in France for 5 years when I was younger.
What is your role on the welfare team?
I’m on the Welfare events team.
Why did you decide to join Welfare?
I think welfare in college is a really important thing. It’s really good to support the people living in college and also the people living outside like living out, and I thought it’d be a really nice thing to do to help out in the events because it’s nice to just come into college and chill.
What is your favourite part about being in welfare?
Helping people.
What is your favourite part about being in John’s?
I love how much of a community it is. I feel that everyone knows people throughout the years. For example, at Bailey Ball, everyone seems to know each other and stuff so I love the community aspect of it.
What is one piece of advice you’d give to someone you just met?
Don’t stress. It’s okay. Everything will be okay.
When are your welfare shifts and/or how can people find you?
I will be at most welfare events and I will be in and around college.
Katherine Rance, Second year, Sciences
What is one interesting thing about you?
I’m left-handed although both of my parents are right-handed. I also do rowing.
What is your role on the welfare team?
I’m on the Welfare events team and am the Welfare events coordinator. I work with Marie to design events, do room bookings and discuss how events will be structured. Also, I just basically tell the rest of the team what to do, so I kind of get to boss everyone around!
Why did you decide to join Welfare?
It’s just quite nice to run events where even if one person turns up you know you’ve made their day a bit better. Also its great for me as well, it’s like a form of therapy for me. I just get to come into college and do some baking, come watch a film, go for talks, it’s great! It’s also nice to see people in all different years and also keeps me linked up to college which is quite difficult in second year.
What is your favourite part about being in welfare?
All the cool things you get to run like booking bouncy castles! It’s like being a kid again but at University. It’s also like having a little family that you get to do fun little events with. We always just have a laugh and sit at sofas planning things and drinking tea. It’s all quite relaxed, and quite low key, but it’s really important. I also really like seeing how happy you can make people by doing the smallest things. It’s so cliché but it’s actually such a nice feeling to do just little things for lots of people even if you’re not friends with them.
What is your favourite part about being in John’s?
I know it’s said a lot but aside from the food and free formals (the free formals in second year are amazing!), I think its just the support network. I feel that that’s so important in University when you’ve just moved away and everything is new and different and a bit terrifying. Also because John’s is all one building and it’s all connected, in first year when you all live together, you know you’ve always got someone to go talk to: which is probably another reason why I wanted to do welfare because I know how much I liked the fact that even if I didn’t use welfare, I knew it was there if I ever actually wanted to use it. So, it’s nice to know that I’m contributing to that.
What is one piece of advice you’d give to someone you just met?
Don’t look at the small details, think about the bigger picture. Even if the thing at the moment seems like the biggest, worst thing in the world, it’s just one little piece of the overall picture which is probably going to be fine.
When are your welfare shifts and/or how can people find you?
I am always active on Facebook (People have mentioned this to me and I think it’s a glitch on my phone but it just says I’m permanently online all the time – I promise I do sleep!) so I can always be messaged if you just want to have a chat or have a piece of cake. I’m quite good at buying cake now. It’s basically my job now aside from telling people what to do. You can email me as well.
It’s so cliché but it’s actually such a nice feeling to do just little things for lots of people even if you’re not friends with them.
Jessie Davie, Third year, Anthropology
What is one interesting thing about you?
I have four siblings.
What is your role on the welfare team?
I’m on the student support team.
Why did you decide to join Welfare?
I just think it’s such a lovely part of college. It really sums up what John’s is about, I think. Everybody is friends and it’s just so lovely that there’s a space where people feel there’s always someone to talk to.
What is your favourite part about being in welfare?
Very good biscuits! Also, if nobody comes to welfare, and this sounds really selfish but I think it’s been really good for my own welfare, I go down there for an hour, read my book, leave my phone upstairs, turn the fairy lights on, and have a cup of tea. It’s really nice. It always reminds me that it’s okay to take a bit of time out. Then, if someone else comes in, then we always end up having an interesting conversation and I know that I’ve helped someone out a bit.
What is your favourite part about being in John’s?
It’s like a big family. Very corny but very true.
What is one piece of advice you’d give to someone you just met?
Always smile. It takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile!
When are your welfare shifts and/or how can people find you?
My shift is every Friday from 7-8pm, and you can always find me around in college.
Follow the John’s Welfare team on Facebook and Instagram!
You can also find the welfare drop-in timings here:
John's Chronicle 
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