diff --git a/_collections/_news/2025-06-24-year-in-review-2025.md b/_collections/_news/2025-06-24-year-in-review-2025.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..4697d7f7 --- /dev/null +++ b/_collections/_news/2025-06-24-year-in-review-2025.md @@ -0,0 +1,254 @@ +--- +layout: post +published: true +title: CSS' Best Year - 2025 End of Year Newsletter +thumbnail: /assets/images/2025-end-of-year-newsletter/thumbnail.png +header-image: /assets/images/2025-end-of-year-newsletter/ball-banner.png +--- +Hello, hello, everyone! Congratulations on surviving this year of university. Whether you're a first year who survived +the wrath of DSA or a seasoned student who is preparing to graduate, I hope you've all had the chance to catch a well-deserved +break from exams and studying in general, and have spent plenty of time with your friends and family, wherever in the +country or even wherever in the world you may be now. + +That occasion also marks the time to rewind and reflect on the experiences we've had throughout the entire year - and +this is no different for CSS. [Since I've already refreshed everyone on what we've done during semester 1](2024-12-14-2024-25s-semester-1-overview.md), +let's go through what we've done throughout semester 2. + +## What's been going on + +We held a lot of quirky collaborations with other societies this semester, with societies both well-established and newly +created. For example: our regular SloLAN game night with GDS, UGG, VR and eSports; a very last-minute entry into the EPS +Sports Day with the Eagles, CivSoc, MathSoc and many others; and, our `break;` variation with CheeseSoc. We also settled +the score with Bad Film following the war waged in Semester 1, which we unfortunately lost because they had someone +who played Mario Kart Wii competitively for roughly 10 years, so we were set up from the very beginning! Regardless, +there was more of a focus on the larger events this semester - so we've been a bit quieter other than +for these events. + +We held our biennial trip to The National Museum of Computing, learning about old machinery that may have been used +during World War 2 and the earliest personal computers created. We were able to take on double the number of attendees we +usually take every year, but the event still rapidly sold out. Despite that, we still had a blast +revisiting the past, watching how technology changed through the decades, and even got to see some ambitious innovative technology that wasn't particular popular at the time. + +![The group photo of everyone who came to the TNMoC trip.](/assets/images/2025-end-of-year-newsletter/tnmoc.jpg) + +And of course, who could forget the incredible Ball!? This year, we held our annual Ball at Macdonald Burlington Hotel, +a beautiful venue next to Birmingham New Street. Each attendee was treated to +a 3-course meal before dancing the night away, celebrating everything that was achieved this academic year. It was an +incredibly wonderful night for each and every one of us on committee, and we were incredibly happy to see our planning +efforts pay off. It was difficult to get almost 170 attendees in a single photo, but if you made it on the night, see if +you can find yourself in our massive group photo! + +![The group photo of Ball attendees.](/assets/images/2025-end-of-year-newsletter/ball.jpg) + +If you don't see yourself, don't worry, there are plenty of photos of the magical night at . + +And last but not least, but I also imagine to plenty of people's surprise - we were able to hold an actual BBQ this year! +With support from the Guild, we were able to cook your food, enjoy some cold drinks and celebrate the (near) end of exams +together in the sun. + +![A photo of the BBQ event, with a BBQ in the foreground and a group of people in the background.](/assets/images/2025-end-of-year-newsletter/bbq.jpg) + +There is one more event I've not included here, but that's because it deserves its own section of recognition - and this +goes to none other than the legendary birmingHack. + +## birmingHack 1.0 - An Explosive Debut! + +At our January EGM, we announced a long-awaited hackathon based in UoB called birmingHack, an idea that had been bounced +around since 2023, and I wanted to make a reality this year. We brought the CS community of UoB together on the 22nd and +23rd of March, giving each team a full 24 hours to create something from scratch with the theme "Building Foundations" - +to which those teams most certainly delivered. + +![The birmingHack logo with the date included.](/assets/images/2025-end-of-year-newsletter/birminghack.png) + +There are numerous other challenges available throughout the event, such as extra categories teams could aim for other +than the main theme, such as GDS' "Best UI/User Experience" category, AlgoSoc's "Best AI Hack without using an LLM" (which +produced AI hacks that I was surprised to hear were made within the 24 hours!) and Majestic's "Surprise Me!" category. +However, there were also bonus challenges that were separate to the main hacking - such as AFNOM's CTF, a cup-stacking +challenge and AlgoSoc's hilarious meme competition. To give a break from hacking, we held a lot of smaller break events, +such as a midnight movie event, workshops for Git and the Neuphonic platform (one of our sponsors for the event), and +general food breaks for breakfast, lunch and dinner. + +![A photo of UG04 and attendees working on their projects.](/assets/images/2025-end-of-year-newsletter/birminghack-ug04.jpg) + +There were several memorable projects submitted with different purposes, inspirations and skill levels, that all reflected +the individual teams that pulled everything together. Some teams focused on projects that would help others, others worked +on more lighthearted games that were quirky and fun, and others created some incredibly impressive AI projects, given +only 24 hours was provided to work on each team's project. However, there were two projects that were special in their own +ways, of which were ThatsAwkward and none other than FLOORPLAN. ThatsAwkward was a project entirely built by conversion +students, who learned absolutely *everything* (Git, APIs, Flask, etc.) within the 24 hours, and produced an incredible +project that defied expectations. And of course, there's also FLOORPLAN, which won the inaugural birmingHack and +additionally Majestic's category for the "Surprise Us!" category. They also let us know that they got published in the +[SIGBOVIK proceedings](https://sigbovik.org/2025/proceedings.pdf) for 2025 with FLOORPLAN! + +If you want to see some of the other projects that were submitted, you can see them here: + +![A group photo of attendees at the end of birmingHack.](/assets/images/2025-end-of-year-newsletter/birminghack-group.jpg) + +birmingHack was in incredibly high demand when tickets were released - in the first hour and a half all 100 tickets had sold out, with an additional 150 people on the waiting list. I do +apologise if you were one of those people who were on the waiting list but couldn't go this year - but I hope we'll see +you next year! There was no doubt that we saw the success of birmingHack, and so did the School of CS, who will be +welcoming a second iteration sometime next year. + +In our AGM, we also passed an amendment adding the role of the Hackathons Officer, so if you enjoyed birmingHack and want +to help organise an even better follow-up to the debut event, or you're passionate about hackathons and want to get +yourself involved with birmingHack, this is the perfect role for you! Keep an eye out for the EGM that elects this role +early next year, around the time of October/November. + +Thank you to each and every committee member of CSS who helped make this event possible - and thank you as well to Adam, +an external volunteer from hackSheffield who eagerly volunteered to help ensure the event went smoothly! + +## Outside of Events - Discord and Minecraft + +As we kick off the summer holidays, we've also been working on things for you to do with the rest of the CSS community +if you need time to kill. + +First of all, as it was voted on in our AGM, we've allowed for members to select what colour they come up as on Discord! +Whilst you're able to continue being the old-fashioned green you know and love, you can also select other colours that +you may prefer. + +![A screenshot of the member colour roles, including the original green, quiz victor pink, orange, purple, new green, yellow and red.](/assets/images/2025-end-of-year-newsletter/member-roles.png) + +If you haven't become a member on our Discord server yet, you can use `/makemember` to give yourself the Member role, or +if you even aren't part of the Discord server, you can join our community over at ! + +However, if you have a friend who isn't a member but wants to get involved, then we've still got plenty going on. We've +added two new channels for you to enjoy, the first being the #activities channel, where you can start Discord activities +to play with other server members. We've currently got a Wordle streak of 20 days, but it's not just Wordle being played; +you can do the daily sudoku, build a farm, race each other, fight each other in a suspiciously blocky FPS game, anything +that comes up on Discord! + +![A screenshot of the activities channel, showing how everyone did in Wordle the previous day.](/assets/images/2025-end-of-year-newsletter/activities.png) + +And last but not least for our Discord server, we've added a new opt-in channel, the #petsđŸ¶ channel! If you need a bit +of extra serotonin to get you through the summer, server members have started posting their pets in this channel. You +can access this channel through the #roles channel, clicking on the "Pets" reaction to get the respective role that shows +the channel. + +![A screenshot of a portion of the pets channel, including two puppies, one tortoise, a dog and a cat.](/assets/images/2025-end-of-year-newsletter/pets.png) + +If you're not a big Discord user though, we have something else for you - our newly re-opened Minecraft server, running +the [Craftoria modpack](https://www.curseforge.com/minecraft/modpacks/craftoria)! Craftoria has a bit of everything, +from modern tech mods like Create to magic mods, such as Ars Nouveau, but also decoration/building mods, such as Handcrafted +and MrCrayfish's Furniture Mod. We've also enabled voice chat on the server, so you can talk to other players in real-time. + +As part of preparing the server for release, we decided to recreate the Computer Science building using all the new +blocks Craftoria added, depicting different rooms such as UG04, Sloman Lounge, the ESO and even some of the individual +offices. You can join the server at **mc.cssbham.com** using Craftoria 1.21.3, and grab the Minecraft role on Discord +to access the Minecraft-Discord bridge chat. We look forward to seeing you there! + +![A screenshot of the CS building on the CSS Minecraft server.](/assets/images/2025-end-of-year-newsletter/cs-building-minecraft.png) + +## Memberships + +And of course, last but not least - how did we do for memberships this year? It's been included in previous end of year +newsletters, so you bet I'm including it in this as well. + +We start off with the all-too-familiar graph, which you can see for yourself at : + +![The membership graph for 2024/25 and previous years.](/assets/images/2025-end-of-year-newsletter/members-graph.png) + +For this year of 2024/25, we've hit a total of 513 members - a massive number that obliterates our previous membership +records by over 100! Every time I come back to this number, it terrifies me to think we've got 513 unique students who +are part of CSS, which we can't even fit into a single lecture hall. Compared to other societies as well, we are the 3rd +largest Guild society in the university, just behind the incredible ACS and ISOC. + +It's been an incredible pleasure to represent each and every one of you, and I hope you felt welcome into one of the +largest communities here at UoB. + +On that note as well, if you're a student returning next year, then the Guild is allowing you to renew your membership +early this year! In case you missed it or simply forgot, you can go to and renew your membership +for 2025/26 today. The Guild is additionally running a competition for societies to get the most membership renewals, so +if you want us to use the winning funds to continue putting on big events such as birmingHack, providing members with +discounted entry and supplying you with more free pizza, let your friends know to get their memberships renewed today! + +As a thank you for renewing your membership, we'll also be offering free ducks (whilst stocks last), or a TeX sticker of +your choice in case you missed one this year! Don't worry if you can't collect your duck or sticker until after the +summer; we can hand them out when you return during Freshers' week or Week 1. + +You don't have to just renew your membership just for the sake of a new shirt or discounted events either - but to also +welcome in the next generation of CS students or those interested in the subject, giving them a place to feel home when +they may feel nervous about starting university. The Guild offered me to do an interview on renewing your membership a +while ago, which you can find [here](https://www.instagram.com/p/DKSM6n2ACJy/), where I go into a bit more detail about how renewing a membership may not +just benefit you, but also those around you. + +## Going Forward + +As I finish off this newsletter and thus our reflection of CSS' second semester, I'd like the opportunity to look to the +future of CSS. + +Like plenty of other members who joined university when we started recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, I will be +graduating this year, with my Integrated Master's degree on the 15th of July. However, over the last 4 years of my time +at university, CSS has always been the highlight of it all, providing a space to meet new people, putting on exciting +events that allow us to laugh the night away and forget all the chaos that may be occurring in the ever-changing world. +Even with how prevalent change can be though, especially in a rapidly evolving and growing field like Computer Science, +there is always some comfort to be sought in things that remain consistent - and for me, one of those things has been CSS. + +Although its future is now out of my hands and left to Matty and the rest of the elected 2025/26 committee, I trust that +they will rise to the challenge and continue to provide a community away from home, running a mixture of fun and industrial +events that you are always welcome to no matter the circumstances. With that, I would like to bid the best of luck to +the incoming committee for the next academic year - whether you are a returning face to the committee page or a brand +new one, this is the perfect time to expand your skills and support a society that has helped kick off your time at +university! + +And of course, I can't forget the committee I had the honour of leading throughout 2024/25 - there was a unique spark +that shone in each of you every moment I worked with you. It's an understatement to simply say I am proud of each and +every one of you, to the point where not only do I consider you as colleagues, but as some of the best friends I've ever +met during university, who've stuck by my side through the thick and thin of running the society. I'd like to give a +massive thank you to all of you for everything you've done, and the best of luck wherever you go next - whether you'll +still continue being part of CSS Committee, graduating and starting a new job, or doing something else altogether. I'm +hoping the experiences you've had this year will follow you wherever you go in life, allowing you to re-apply skills +that you've learned and positive memories to recall when you too reflect on what you've done this year. + +I'd like to give one final thank you to everyone for having me as your President of CSS for 2024/25 - it was a journey +I never dreamed of taking when I first started university, but one I thoroughly enjoyed after I made the choice to run +for the role in March 2024. You've all given me the opportunity to push my limits, test my skills in leadership and +organisation, and meet so many people from the many diverse backgrounds of CS that make the field what it is today - +I have no regrets choosing to take this journey. Although I'll no longer be at UoB and working in London, I'll still do +my best to keep in touch through the Discord server or coming to major events, such as the Christmas Meal or the Ball, +since CSS became such a big part of my life and I want to continue watching it grow after my departure. + +Regardless, I have rambled on enough, and after two years of being CSS committee and four years of university, I need a +long rest. If you're graduating on the 15th of July, I hope to see some of you there, otherwise, I'd like to wish all of +you the best of luck with University, your jobs, and your future! + +Best Regards, +Holly Packer +CSS President, on behalf of CSS Committee + +![A photo of the CSS committee at the ball, all pulling funny faces.](/assets/images/2025-end-of-year-newsletter/committee-ball.png) + +--- + +Before we finish off, we also have an industrial opportunity for those graduating between 2026 and 2029 - our friends +at The Trade Desk have organised an Open House event for the summer! + +![The Trade Desk's logo.](/assets/sponsorship/the-trade-desk-new-logo.jpg) + +The Trade Desk is a media buying platform that use complex data algorithms to connect advertisers with their audiences +at an unprecedented scale. + +Picture this... millions of online ad auctions happening every second, and we're right in the midst of it, ensuring that +the right ads reach the right people at the perfect moment. We're talking about a massive volume of data — 120TB of it, +to be exact-generated every single day. That's a trillion queries processed daily. + +Ever wondered what it’s like to work at a world leading programmatic advertising technology company? Now’s your chance +to step inside The Trade Desk and see for yourself! Join them for an exciting Open House event where you’ll meet the +brilliant minds behind their cutting-edge technology and learn what makes them tick. + +- Dive into the world of advertising tech and discover how they’re shaping the future. +- Chat with their employees, learn about their culture, and see why they love what they do. +- Enjoy tasty bites and drinks, soak in the office vibes, and take home an exclusive swag pack! + +This open house event targets students currently pursuing a bachelor's or master's degree, and plan to graduate between +2026 and 2029. + +Event details: + +- Tuesday 15th July 2025 at 5pm - 7pm (London time). +- Held in their office at [One Bartholomew Close, London, EC1A 7BL](https://maps.app.goo.gl/R55KsY4Zrtw3TXeJ9). +- You can sign up here: + +The spaces for this event will be limited, and further details will be sent to shortlisted students via email. + +Thank you once again to The Trade Desk for letting us know about this opportunity, and I hope you have a wonderful rest +of your summer! 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