Big Name On Campus: Nick Pringle, Gen Sec

Tell us a bit about yourself? I’m the Gen Sec of the students union. This time last year I ran a high profile election campaign which is probably where my BNOC status come s from.

Do you think being Gen Sec makes you a BNOC? I don’t think being Gen Sec makes you a BNOC in itself.

Do you get recognised? I certainly get recognised when I say my name. Recently I went on a tour of the Stopford building where I was taken to a biology class. I went up to this table of students and I was like”oh hi, sorry to bother you”. This girl turned round and went “oh my god, oh my god, oh my god your Nick Pringle, oh my god I voted for you, oh my god my housemate fancies you so much, oh my god” and I was like “well this is a bit weird”.

Is your name useful when getting your name out during elections? I think so. Being able to have a pun associated with my name is really helpful.

Have you ever had any bad nicknames? I’ve had names like ‘cheese and chive’ and’ salt and vinegar’, but at university I’ve used my name to my advantage.

Have you ever been recognised on a night out? I don’t really remember many of my nights out! I know I’ve had people flirt with me on nights out.

Based on being General Secretary? Definitely, I’ve had “ooooohhh Mr Secretary” which is just the opposite of what would ever endear me to somebody.

Has anyone ever bought you a drink because of that? No I don’t think so. But if anyone is reading this and wants to buy me a drink that would be fine! It’s a gin and tonic.

Have you had mixed responses to your lecture shout-out? I quite enjoy giving lecture shout outs, but people do get sick of them.

Any bad moments when giving a lecture shout-out? I did a lecture shout out in my main opponent’s lecture without realising. About 30 seconds in someone started booing and people started chanting his name. I thought “oh my god this is a disaster.”

I’ve been told by many that you’re regarded as the ‘hunky one’ in the exec team. How would you respond to this? People asked during my election campaign if I was the well dressed one. So I guess if you want to remember me as the well dressed one from the election campaign, that’s fine.

Not the hunky one? If I had time to go to the gym…. I’ve never been described as hunky before.

Would you say that anyone was more of a BNOC than you? Probably, I know a lot about SU stuff so I know our women’s officer is quite a BNITSU [Big Name in the Students Union].

Would you say a big name in liberation? Tabz is absolutely a BNIL.

Would you say that Paz from kebab king is more or less of a BNOC than you? I don’t know who Paz from kebab king is, so therefore he’s not a bigger BNOC than me.

Would you say magic bus lady is a BNOC? She’s certainly well known.

Mancunion BNOC rating: 7/10 (Although this was much discussed in The Mancunion office with suggested ratings ranging from 4/10 to 10/10!) Many thanks to Nick Pringle and The Manchester Students’ Union.