Everyone’s talking about it. Everyone’s watching it. The Olympic buzz is at fever pitch as the world has its eyes on London. With such a massive scale event, a huge amount of volunteers are needed to help out around the site.
Two students from the University of Lincoln managed to get placements at the Olympics. They spoke to The Linc to tell us what it was like being at the heart of the biggest event London has ever borne witness to.
Sabra Abukalid is a third year Journalism student. She said : “I heard about the opportunity to be a volunteer at the Olympics through the University of Lincoln Students’ Union volunteering base as I’m signed up to that.”
She continued: “It was a pretty long process, to be honest, as the application had so many different sections, but it allowed you to specify exactly what kind of role you were after and, in my case, it was a media-based role which they managed to give me.
“After a long wait of several months, I finally received the offer to be a part of the Press Operations team and I was over the moon .”
Third year, Max Pettifer is also working at the Olympics. He said: “I have to work within the mix zone, escorting athletes and informing journalists what positions the interviews will take place in.
“I also work in the tribunes, making sure all journalists and news organisations are in the correct viewing areas with the correct accreditation to be there.”
He continued: “It has been stressful so far. If I make a mistake, it causes the journalists to make errors also. So there is a lot of pressure for me make the right decisions at the right times within a small space of time.
“But I enjoy it so, to me, it’s not stressful. The pressure makes it worthwhile. I’m never bored or looking for things to do. Being stimulated is important for me, otherwise I tend to lose interest so this job is perfect!”
Max has been working hard, but he’s excited about what is to come at the end: “I’m most looking forward to the Basketball final.
“The rush of escorting athletes and helping journalists interview these enormous men will be intense. I’m not tall, so being side-by-side with these men and beside a team that has just won gold will be surreal.”
While Sabra has really just revelled in being in the throng of it all: “I’m looking forward to just making the most of this experience really. In years to come, when people talk about the London 2012 Olympic Games, I can say I was there right at the centre of it all!
“Being able to walk through the Olympic Park almost every day to get to the media building is just an amazing feeling and I’m very lucky.”
While no students from the University of Lincoln are taking part in the events, there are a few competitors from the city of Lincoln competing, including Lincoln Ladies’ team captain, Casey Stoney.