As the university year begins, making the most of freedom before hectic schedules take over is what makes Freshers Week such a staple amongst the students of Glasgow. With students at the heart of GCFS, it was a chance to combine charity with meeting new people and showcasing the up-and-coming DJs that soundtracked our events.
The GCFS x GEMS [Glasgow Electronic Music Society] welcome party hosted at Bananamoon, kicked off the week with new and returning faces and an abundance of cocktails. I attempted to try all of them on the menu (whilst enlisting the help of others so I would be coherent enough to write this on my notes app), and have compiled what I managed to get through below with a few unsolicited opinions.
‘Get Smashed Up’ - a favourite of the night, and true to form.
Pornstar Martini - always a fun classic to get the drinks flowing.
Berry-Cello Spritz - a Bananamoon exclusive, and in my opinion overtook its more popular sisters.
Spicy Marg - a danger to myself and others (but that's probably just our spice tolerance).
Orchard Spritzer - crisp and refreshing, was a repeat order for myself.
Aperol Spritz - controversially is too bitter for me, and I’m done pretending otherwise.
Banana Mai Tai - delicious, honestly no notes if you like your drinks on the sweet side.
Margarita - copious amounts of salt on the rim. Need I say more?
You should stop by and critique my choices yourself ;)
This event introduced our new membership cards (available to buy through the SRC website) which were snatched up by the gorgeous people seen here:
and include 20% off at Chillies, 10% off at Bananamoon + waived booking deposits for members, and 20% off at Paragon Coffee, which is where we ventured out the next morning for the hangover meal.
As the week progressed, people from all across GCFS spread out to begin flyering and scouting at multiple university campuses. This included a stall at the University of Glasgow & Glasgow School of Art’s freshers fair, where we had the opportunity to meet so many of you lovely people and spread the word about this year's charity, Breast Cancer Now.
It centers around an admirable mission statement; to ensure that by 2050, everyone with breast cancer will live and live well. They are finding new ways to detect and treat breast cancer, whilst also supporting thousands of people across the UK, making sure that thousands of people are able to access the treatment and care that they need. If you’d like to get involved beyond GCFS and our own fundraising efforts, we’d love to hear about any ways you’re supporting the charity. All of the proceeds from GCFS this year will go towards this fantastic and important cause and we welcome anyone from anywhere to show up and make a difference.
Speaking of, our annual sold-out night at The Berkeley Suite with GEMS started off with a lively pre’s at Inn Deep, including free Jubel cans and student DJs on the decks. This set the tone for an energy filled night at Berkeley, with some of Glasgow’s electronic scene favourites taking over the speakers. Lexie May, Patrick McCotter B2B McCarthy, Thomas + James and Orla Halligan delivered a night that’ll go down in the GCFS books. Whilst I don’t recall some of the evening (emphasis on the free Jubels), one of our photographers @indiesleaveforever perfectly captured the essence of the event in this iconic Glasgow venue.
One of the main standouts from the night were the outfits being sported by our attendees, and the impressive amount of vintage and second hand that had made it onto the dance floor. Showing up incredibly stylish and environmentally-conscious is always refreshing and appreciated, and you can check out our TikTok (_gcfs_) to see full outfit details!
With another freshers week over and our fundraising already ramping up, we cannot wait to carry on with our campaign this year and continue to champion Scottish creativity and culture. Keep your eyes peeled as the next month is not one you want to miss.
By Izzy Thomas ,
Press & PR