Student Radio Association

Hi! OK, so I am not one for formalities, I like to keep things casual. So I will start with the basics. Firstly my name is Julie Ann (yes, 2 first names, I try to convince myself that makes me twice as special!) and my surname is Lough (pronounce Lock).. it's a minefield of bad spelling and mispronunciation!.I'm Irish, we like to confuse people, especially the Brits!

I am a final year chemistry PhD student at the University of Warwick and despite the fact I was entering my final year last October, I decided to take on a new challenge in RaW. I never in a million years thought about doing radio, but a few friends of mine suggested I should try being an agony aunt since I am usually the one they go to for advice, now here I am entering an SRA!

My show is called, Late Night Chat with Julie Ann, and was originally on a Sunday night 9pm - 11pm then 10pm to 12am and now on a Friday 11pm - 1am.

The format is generally a late night chat and advice show. A variety of issues are covered ranging from sex and sexuality to finances, cooking ideas, dating, course work and any other issue that faces students. The regular features on the show include a "wind down half hour" where the last thirty minutes of the show is easy listening, to help listeners unwind after the day and head off to bed (I am the last show on). One of the more popular features is a "Get it off your chest hour" which is a once a month general open rant for the listeners to email or phone in with rants.

No issue is a taboo and I try to tackle all problems honestly, sometimes too honestly and with a bit of tough love too! I suppose from some students it is a good way to solving a problem and listeners often contribute with feedback too, which is always interesting. Recently I have found I have listeners outside of university life and I am getting a lot of teenagers from the locality emailing for relationship advice too. Which is pretty remarkable and I am glad I can help out in some way.

The show is definitely challenging one. The calls and emails are all live, they are all looking for advice or feedback and all require honest answers. So presenting involves a lot of thinking on the spot and being honest. Many emails come straight in and I like to read them live in air so that I can give a straight up honest advice, similar to having a conversation with a friend looking for advice.

I try to bring guests onto the show occasionally to help out too. These have includes the president of the LGBTUA+ society and lectures to discuss the difference in teaching styles between school and university.

I really love doing this show, it is a wonderful break from chemistry! It's really touching to know that people enjoy listening and really value what I say and include it as part of their regular routine. From doing this show I have been invited into other parts of the radio. I am a regular voice on jingles. In March Radio Warwick and Warwick TV got together to provide 4 hours of live coverage of the Student union elections and I was asked to front the informal couch sessions for discussions with the candidates, along with the live coverage we also mad a "Mock the Wick" comedy chat show, which I chaired.