Theatre Studies Bucket List
As I’ve come towards the end of my time at Warwick, I’ve been thinking back on all of the things I’ve done over the past three years. My time here has been quite different to anything I had imagined, mostly due to the pandemic, but in general I have really enjoyed being here and studying Theatre at Warwick. Therefore, I decided to write a little bucket list of some of the things I have loved doing as a Theatre student at Warwick that I would recommend other students do as well!
See an Arts Centre show
Having the Warwick Arts Centre right on campus is a really cool thing to have, especially if you study Theatre! As the newly refurbished Arts Centre starts to open again, I would strongly recommend any student to go and see some theatre there. While this is much more convenient if you live on campus, it can also be nice for those living off-campus to stay a bit later after class, grab a meal and go see a show with your friends one evening. The Arts Centre has a good variety of shows, including stand-up and comedy shows alongside theatre, meaning there’s something for everyone – even your non-Theatre friends!
Attend a Theatre department event
The Theatre department in previous years has run several evening events throughout the year, which have always been great fun to attend. For example, at the beginning of my first and second years they hosted an open mic night with pizza and drinks, which was a great way to meet the students in other years and catch up with our friends after the summer. There would also often be a little too much pizza for the amount of students who came, and I distinctly remember getting on the bus back to Leamington in second year clutching two boxes filled with leftover pizza! I have really missed these events this year, and would definitely recommend everyone to go if they restart next year!
Take part in a student play
Getting involved in the drama societies at Warwick has been a significant part of my time here, and I have taken part in shows and socials since my first term of first year. While for some like me the drama societies can become a huge part of the student experience, I would recommend anyone interested in Theatre to get involved in at least one. The large variety of societies and shows means that all interests are catered for, and if you’re not interested in performing then taking production roles like directing, producing, or marketing can be just as rewarding! For suggestions on how to get involved in drama society shows check out my previous post here.
See a film at the Student Cinema
One of my favourite things to do at Warwick was to catch a film at the Student Cinema, a student-run cinema on campus that showed films most nights throughout the term. While I didn’t manage to catch many films this year due to the pandemic, I saw several during my first year especially, and did miss going a lot this year. I enjoyed visiting the Student Cinema because they ran a good variety of films, from fairly new releases to the classics, and seeing a film there was affordable and always enjoyable. If it reopens next year then I would definitely recommend grabbing a schedule each term to see what films you would want to watch.
Go to Edinburgh Fringe
One of my highlights from first year was performing in Edinburgh Fringe over the summer (see my previous post here). Obviously I was incredibly lucky in being able to do this, and going to Fringe can be a very expensive thing to do. However, if you can save up and afford to go then I would definitely recommend going in the coming summers, even if just for a few days. Being in such a theatre-focused space is incredibly exciting, and the range of shows you can see is honestly astounding! There are also generally a lot of free shows for those trying to save money, as well as deals on tickets for some. I definitely hope to visit Edinburgh Fringe again in the future, and hope that I will have the opportunity again soon.
Go to Pop (or another SU event)
While I probably wouldn’t describe Pop as a highlight of my University experience, I definitely think it is something worth attending at least once if you can. Pop is the SU’s weekly club night in the Copper Rooms (or online this year) and is generally quite a fun night, especially if you can grab a bite to eat at the burger van after! If you’re not as much into clubbing, the SU also runs events in the Terrace Bar throughout the term which are definitely worth attending – my favourites were Juicy, a Friday event with more of a dancing vibe, and Glow, a termly LGBTQ+ night. If you can, I would definitely recommend going to a few of these with your friends!
Watch an event on the Big Screen
Every so often, the University plays big televised events on the Big Screen on the Piazza, such as Eurovision or football matches. These big events can be super fun, and are a great way to experience these events in a friendly and lively atmosphere. I really missed not seeing Eurovision with everyone these last two years, and would definitely recommend going to see an event you’re interested in if you can!
As you can see, there are a lot of really fun things to do and get involved with as a Theatre student at Warwick, and as a student here more generally, and my list only scratches the surface of all the amazing things you can take part in! I have really missed a lot of these things this year, and really do hope they begin to return next year for future students to enjoy!
