Name: Tracey Grant

Job Title: Senior Warden

Department: Residential Life Team

Can you tell us a little bit about your role?

I work closely with Accommodation Manager, Matthew Scott, and we 'head-up' the team of volunteers who live in halls to support students. There are 120 volunteers in the Residential Life Team to support the 6,500 students on campus. We are there to signpost, guide and support students with any issues they may be having. By living on campus we are able to help students outside of standard office hours to get the most out of their time at Warwick. We may not always know the answer to all of their questions - but we know someone who can!

And what's your involvement at Arrivals Weekend?

We welcome the students and their families to campus. When they arrive they want to see their campus rooms, unpack and then make friends, meet friends and take a look around. We help to orientate the students and their families in their first few hours on campus. There is lots of team preparation and training involved to ensure that the Residential Life team is ready - not just for the arrivals weekend, but for the year ahead.

What's the best bit about being involved in the weekend?

Meeting people and introducing students to their new flatmates. Past students often tell me that the students they met from halls have remained lifelong friends. We are a small part of creating these lasting links around the world.

Are there any challenges?

There are a lot of pressures on students and their families - a lot of hopes and expectations. We support this key transition. It is a very busy time - but a lot of fun.

Not many people know this about Arrivals Weekend but ...

... we take time when students apply for campus accommodation to read their application forms so that we can build kitchen groups before the students arrive. We look not just at courses but at hobbies and interests too. We try to build the kitchen communities so that students can 'find their feet' early at Warwick. It is really good to put faces to names and hobbies at arrivals weekend!