B:Active – A Day in the Life of a Student Activator

 Hi, I’m Maddy. I am a 4^th year Medical Student here at Bristol and I am also in my 4^th year of working for B:Active as one of the student activators. My role in the department has taken many different forms over the years, especially throughout the pandemic, but now that things are (hopefully!) settling back into normality I thought it was about time to take you through a typical day in my life on the B:Active team. I am currently on placement in Gloucester Royal Hospital so on weekdays I join our admin meetings remotely and keep up with the team that way. On the weekends however, I am always back on Bristol soil and so I thought it would make the most sense to talk you through my typical Saturday, as this is when I truly get my B:Active fix. 

My day kicks off, always, with coffee and marmite crumpets sat on the window ledge of my student house before I hit the university gym for work at Spin & Wiggle class. This is a phenomenal workout that I can only describe as a party on a spin bike! Who wouldn’t want to kick off their weekend with 45 minutes of Soca, Afrobeats, and Reggaeton tracks so good that you don’t even realise you’re exercising? This class is particularly fantastic to activate as it is designed just for those students who are living in university halls, so we get the opportunity facilitate the forming of friendships that will see people through their journeys at Bristol. It’s a gorgeous way to start any day and allows me to pay back something that I really appreciated from the B:Active team from when I was in my own first year here. 

My day does not stop there though. After spinning and wiggling through my morning I head up to Clifton Downs for a spot of coaching (and often playing) medic’s rugby. Our women’s team is still new, and I have absolutely thrived off using the skills I have developed through activating to make the club as welcoming and accessible to people of all abilities as possible. Grassroots sports are an absolute weekend must in my books! 

After rugby I am usually starving so head home for some scran and some (very much necessary) time vegging out on the sofa with my flatmates. Some weekends I might even fit in some coursework here, madness I know. 

Before a Saturday night out somewhere in Bristol (big shout out to King’s Street), I try and get to one of my most favourite B:Active sessions we’ve ever had on the timetable. This time as a participant; the LGBTQ+ swim session over in the SU pool in Clifton. I’ve found, at the grand old age of 23, that swimming is a fantastic way to get in some cardio without putting all my joints in any more jeopardy. And to get to do that in a safe space where I feel comfortable and supported by the B:Active team means I can properly switch off and get the headspace that I so need after a big week.

I hope that this provides a bit of a brief insight into my day as an Activator. If you see any of us around on campus or in the gym, please do come and have a chat. I can promise we’re all very friendly, and we know where to find all the best free activity in Bristol too! 

If you’re interested in the B:Active programme, find out more about how you can book onto our Free sessions taking place all week, every week by visiting our website or book via the UOB Active App.