​So, it came round to that time of the year once again, the fateful day for the prospective students – the Journée de rencontres. “Will I like it? Will I have to speak French? Will there be lunch?” we hear them ask! And we say yes, not too much and (most importantly) yes!
 
Firstly, all of the prospective applicants, now excited at the prospect of a (free) lunch, gathered in the lecture theatre for a talk on finance, administration and accommodation ft. some current students. Useful and informative though it was (and we mean it! Student Services and Tim Gore (CEO) have been doing this whole ULIP thing for a while now so really do know all that you need to) the main point of the day (at least for us students) is to meet the prospective BA1s and for them to meet us. If I’m honest this year seemed to be another success, even the most nervous prospective student found someone to talk to, and it seemed like the informal chats to current students over coffee and OJ went swimmingly.
 
After this was an example lecture, which we can’t say much about, we weren’t allowed in/we didn’t ask to go – we have them every week. But we’re sure that the lecturers filled the young students minds with new and interesting stuff (as always).

​The more student led part of the day was the icebreaker activity where the current students take the prospective students out and about around Paris, show them the sites, tell them some facts…share a drink…and then they all come back and give mini and informal presentations about what went on (just to put some peoples minds at ease, they weren’t any kind of entry test).
 
We were informed of some fun and, indeed, some dubious facts about their adventures, after which we retired to the basement where ULIP had kindly provided ‘Drinks and Nibbles’ to nourish the natterers while everyone shared life stories, anecdotes and the like. It really did seem to go down well – especially given that a few of the prospective BA1s (and in some cases their parents too – who said you were to old to party, right?) joined us out on the town, where we showed them the delights of a Scottish pub abroad, as to be quite honest we’d had all too much culture for one day.

​If anyone has anymore questions, feel free to ask in any way (not carrier pigeon – our pigeon housing has sadly been repurposed) the 2016 Prospective Student Facebook page, the SU website www.ulipsu.eu or via email to students.union@ulip.lon.ac.uk.

On Thursday afternoon a group of BA and MA students walked across the Seine for a guided tour of the UK Ambassador’s Residence on the rue du Faubourg St-Honoré. We learnt a lot about the history of the building, photobombed the time-lapse photography documenting the cleaning of the chandeliers and – perhaps most importantly – had tea and biscuits at the end with ex-ULIP student Alex McKenna. It was a very interesting afternoon and will hopefully encourage more people to apply for jobs in the civil service.
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A big thank you to Politics Society for joint-funding the trip and to the welcoming staff who made our visit so enjoyable!

​Wednesday saw ULIP's annual University Challenge event take place. This year the student team comprised of Eliana Langoo, Tom Ibbotson, Kate Goodbody and Mike Johnson and the staff were Erica Burnham, Dr Keith Reader, Dr Catriona MacLeod and Claire Miller. 

The students won! All proceeds from the event are going to MIND.