As part of Welcome Week, Brunel Archives and Special Collections were delighted to welcome new students to our Scrapbooking Workshop, in collaboration with Brunel Arts.
Before the age of smartphones and social media, students would often record their university lives in personalised journals known as commonplace books. Filled with memories, photographs, sketches, ticket stubs, letters, reflections and messages from friends, these books became unique records of student experiences and friendships.
Drawing inspiration from commonplace books dating from the 1890s, our new students began creating their own versions, filling their pages with creative responses to the start of their Brunel journey. Throughout the session, students shared memories from their first days on campus, decorated pages, and collected messages from new friends, creating the start of a personal record that can grow alongside them during their time at university.
We hope these books will continue to evolve over the coming years, capturing the moments, achievements, challenges and friendships that make up the student experience. Just as the commonplace books in our archive provide a fascinating glimpse into student life over a century ago, perhaps these new creations will one day offer future generations an insight into what it was like to be a Brunel student in the 2020s.
Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the event such a success. We look forward to seeing how your Brunel stories unfold.