Why I'm changing how I use social media

So, in just over a month, I will be leaving for my year in industry as part of my course. I have been lucky enough to find a placement in Vienna, Austria. For the past two years I have been living in York during term time, attending university there, but my home city is Southampton, so generally a long way from all of my uni friends. This summer, it's really hit home how detatched I'm going to be from everyone.
Snapchat stories, Instagram, Facebook albums, they're all great for seeing what people are doing. Not, how they're doing, which to me as a friend matters far more.
I often wonder how friends from school or 6th form are doing, but convince myself it would be weird to message them having not seen them in years. I'm scrapping this idea.
During my year away, I will try to do regular posts of what I've been up to, but I will also be randomly messaging people with something along the lines of....
"Hey! How's life?"
... and by that I mean, tell me how you are and how you have been. It's like the modern equivalent of writing letters to people.
It sounds stupid I know, but as my friend recently said, looking at someone on social media is like "staring through their living room window for five minutes". You're not getting a realistic view, let alone any depth.
So to those of you thinking there's someone you want to message in this way, do it.
If you get a message like this, reply! They care about how you are.
Oh and please, I know the modern age can mean we read into  e v e r y t h i n g  but if you're a guy and the message is from a girl (etc. other combinations available) it doesn't mean they're hitting on you, so don't get weird. People are allowed to be friends and care about how someone is in a totally platonic way, we're not in year 9 (sorry any year 9s reading this).
So there you go, that's how I'm changing how I use social media.
Stay tuned for updates in the next year
All the best,
Bea x

Becoming an ecoqueen

As some of you know, I'm a biology student, and ecology at that, meaning I'm a bit of a eco-queen. Lately I've been trying to make an effort to be kinder to the planet through everyday changes. I don't have the self control with food to go vegitarian, let alone vegan so I try and find other ways I can contribute to making myself more environmentally friendly. Here I'm going to go through my favourite ways that anyone can help may the world a bit more green...

1. Recycling - I know it sounds obvious but it's shocking how many people don't bother, with British households failing to recycle 16 MILLION plastic bottles a day in 2016 with data suggesting this could reach 29 BILLION by the end of 2020¹
2. Receipts - only get one if you need it! Or if you get one without asking, see the previous point! Similarly for junk mail, but be sure to remove celophane first as this is unfortunately not recyclable (cry).
3. Who needs tuppaware? - If you're like me and enjoy a good takeaway curry, you probably end up with lots of tubs, these make great lunch boxes so keep them! And if your takeaway comes in the pie tin style containers, these can be rinsed and recycled!
4. Think seasonal - When you're in the supermarket, think about if your veggies are in season. You may feel super healthy and natural eating your avocado, but if it's been flown in from Chile, Central America of Sub-saharan Africa², that's not all that great for the planet.
5. Razors - So this is one I've come across in the past day or so. They're called safety razors, cost around £25 and last for years. A quick google search will show you people rave about them, as a cheaper and more effective solution to disposable razors which can't be recycled (cry), whilst the blades used in safety razors can be recycled (yay)!
6. Drinking Straws - Everyone has seen the videos of turtles with straws stuck in their noses. Around 8.5 billion straws are thrown away in the UK each year, contributing to over 150 million tonnes of plastic in the seas³. There are even companies developing reusable plastic straws for on the go! Check out https://thelastplasticstraw.org/about-us/last-straw/
7. Water Bottle - linking to the stats in point 1, reusable water bottles could save so much plastic waste! All tap water in the UK is safe to drink⁴ so why pay £3 for some good old H₂O?
8. Power Down - when you leave a room, turn the light off. If your house will be empty for a week or so, turn the wifi off. Boiling pasta, put a lid on it! It will still boil but use half the energy so just turn it down.
9. Let's talk about Tea - now I am a big fan of tea, so found it disappointing to hear that something I'd thought was biodegradable (teabags) contain plastic! Thankfully, Wendy at Moral Fibres has compiled a useful list of which to favour in the war on excess plastic http://moralfibres.co.uk/is-there-plastic-in-your-tea/.
10. Food Waste - this is a massive stress of mine, I HATE food waste. People think I'm crazy when I say I weigh pasta, but for the 10 seconds it takes to weigh it into the pan whilst the kettle the boiling really is nothing. Don't buy more food than you're going to have time to eat, and keep an eye on what you have. Meat is generally safest frozen or cooked right away. Dried carbs (pasta, rice, noodles) will often be fine way past their best before date so use your common sense before binning them. This will all save you money, and reduce the growing issue of food waste.

So there are my current favourites for subtle changes to make yourself greener. I'm hoping to test out the safety razor for myself, and maybe a bamboo toothbrush in my efforts to become more sustainable so will probably do a follow up post in a few months. Some of this may sound a bit mad but even by doing one of these you'll be making a massive difference!!

All the best!
Bea

References (cos I'm in report writing mode and don't want to make unsupported statements)
¹https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/oct/15/british-households-fail-to-recycle-a-staggering-16m-plastic-bottles-a-day
²http://www.freshplaza.com/article/156557/OVERVIEW-GLOBAL-AVOCADO-MARKET
³https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/straws-and-cotton-buds-could-be-banned-under-fresh-government-drive-to-cut-plastic-waste-a3817751.html
⁴https://www.water.org.uk/consumers/water-and-health/faqs

15 Amusing things International Students find odd

So this term, as I've been becoming aware of more and more British things my international friends find weird. Now obviously some of these may be odd things I do, and it's likely more nationalities than I've mentioned think the things are strange, but you get the jist! Obviously plugs, which side of the road we drive on, binge drinking, North/South divide and queueing came up but that's nothing new!

1. Two Tap System (China, Poland, Spain, Cyprus, Italy, Germany)
2. We wait outside the room (at uni), whether it's for labs or a workshop, until the lecturer is there we'll remain outside. It just feels wrong after the years of school where it was a rule (Romania, Scotland)
3. How big the cucumbers are (Iraq, Cyprus).... and the size of the chickens (Poland)
4. This is a satsuma. (Lithuania, Germany, Cyprus)

5. Using multiple words for the same thing in one sentance. I'm very guilty of this in the case of America as my mum if from there. I can easily use USA, US, The States, America, United States all in one train of thought. (Spain/Germany)
(similar...)
6. Number of words we have to mean drunk (Hong Kong)
7. Ignoring each other in the street (Portugal)
8. How many accents we manage to have in such a small area (Spain)
9. Never seem to dress for the right weather (France)
10. The word "acknowledgements" (Lithuania)
11. Saying "maybe" or "We'll see" when we mean "no." (Germany, Hong Kong)
12. Using tea bags, not one of these! (Romania)

13. (my housemate was upset this came up) (Spain, Venezuela)

14. Our cuisine:
          Chips and Gravy (Cyprus)
          Love for Gravy (France)
          Eating eggs without salt (Germany)
and my favourite... "the pride the British have on their cuisine (is) a bit ridiculous considered by that it is not very varied and without any indigenous ingredients" (India)
15. TV is very strange, I can sympathise...

Now what's going to be really interesting, is if everything goes to plan, I'll be an international student next year!! It'll be amusing to be in this situation from the other side! 

Dos and Don'ts: Uni Packing!

It's nearly term time, so I'm back!
Here's a quick list of things I'd say don't bother, and things I would say are (almost) essential!
ps. some stuff may be tailored to York as, ya know, I've only gone there, but I've also asked around among friends

DO
- DOORSTOP: Kitchens get warm (if you're lucky enough to not have a kitchen door alarm), and being able to wedge your door open makes halls feel a little less like a hotel
- DRYING RACK: I can guarantee that you will get sick of paying £2.50+ just to dry/damage your clothes, I got very lucky and had flatmates who were willing to lend me theirs
- POSTER/WALL HANGING: You're going to want to make it your own, posters are the fast way to do this. Many rooms have premade pinboards or poster rails so you won't damage the walls! Whiteboard pens are a good shout for kitchens with whiteboards
- SHOWER BASKET: If you're in a room where the bathroom gets cleaned every few weeks, moving stuff in and out is a hassle, plastic baskets are the super easy answer
- (MINI) SPEAKER/AUX CORD: Pres in the kitchen are far better with music
- PREPARE COSTUMES: Especially with York Freshers week where there are pre-arranged themes, several people said to get these in order, even think forward to halloween as it'll be around before you know it!
- BOOK BAG: Yes it sounds cheesy like we're back at primary school, but a bag you can fit a folder and notepad in for lectures is an essential. Oh and a water bottle, freshers flu is real and coughing through lectures is not cool.
- LAPTOP: Came up several times in peoples answers, by far the easiest way to do your work, far better than a desktop computer as it takes up less space, and can go with you everywhere (I have an ASUS ZenBook and would recommend it if you're looking atm, it's the size of A4 and weighs about 1kg so perfect for rucksacs)
- COUGH MEDICINE: freshers flu is real, please be prepared for the sake of everyone else in your lectures 

DON'T
- PRINTER: Printing in the library costs very little, maybe 4p per page, and if you do certain feedback surveys, you can get free print credit. Connecting your devices to the university printers is usually explained on the IT Services page
- FUSILLI: So it's not something you'd take to uni, but when you do your first shop, don't go mad and buy the mega bag of fusilli, if you've seen Fresh Meat you'll understand (for those of you who haven't: you'll hate it and never finish it)
- EXCESS KITCHEN EQUIPMENT: It's likely you'll only ever use one mug, maybe 2 plates if you can't be bothered with washing up, and definitely no cake slices or place mats. Similarly with irons and toastie makers, it's likely you'll end up with several per flat, many of which will never be used. However, tupperware is v useful
- FANCY CLOTHING: Going out at uni is generally a pretty laid back affair, especially in York, heels are dangerous with cobbles
- BOOKS: Textbooks from 6th form are unlikely to be of any use, and a bit of light reading is something that you generally won't have time for. Unless you're an english student in which case it's not for relaxation. Recipe books as well, google holds all the answers for simple student food.

I hope you're all super excited to start your first term, and that this helps with any objects you're debating about taking.
All the best,
Bea x

Notifications

Bit of a jumble of thoughts today, but here goes...

It's a funny thing this technology age.
Part of me loves it, and part of me hates it. You see, there's something great about being able to go off the grid, but if you dare to do so, even for a few hours these days without telling someone, people seem to assume something is wrong. The stress that appears when a message is only showing as sent and not delivered, where could they be thats not on wifi, is their phone broken, are they okay?
Some people out there will try and convince you that wifi and the radio waves used are bad for your health. Personally, I find this hard to believe, but interpreted another way you could argue that it is. I don't think the waves are the harmful bit, I think it's the dependency. There's such a desire to be liked in society today, not in an emotional way, but in a click of a button way, this is what causes harm to people.
I went for a swim this afternoon, I was in the pool for no more than 45 minutes, 18 notifications waiting for me on my phone once I was back in the changing rooms. What's so beautiful about swimming is there is no wifi, no phone signal, no radios, no music. It's like putting yourself into airplane mode. It's just up and down, counting my strokes and my breathing, trying to line up the breaths with the markers on the pool floor, judging the distance for the turn. I guess it's a state of mindfulness. Focusing on nothing outside of that moment.
Last year when stress was coming from every angle possible, on my half days I'd drive out to the New Forest (Hampshire) and go for a walk. Often not planned but I always managed to find my way back to the car. Funily enough, there's no wifi there, or phone signal for that matter. Sometimes I'd take a camera, it's amazing how you find yourself looking so much more carefully at what's going on around you when you're holding a lens. Thinking critically about will that make a good photo. Not for Instagram, but just would it make a good photo.

A weird thing I've found myself doing since starting Uni is watching trash TV on my laptop everyday, often for several hours. Yesterday, even when I was hanging up my washing. What has this come to, can I not function without some narrative or noise going on at the same time, am I really that dependent on technology? I made a point of not taking headphones to walk to the gym, going to attempt to wean myself a little
I'm pretty sure I've gone about this in the most roundabout way possible but I guess I'm trying to say to take time out from technology. Whether it's setting up quiet hours on your phone (mine is 10pm-8am) so you can properly sleep, or just going to talk to a flat/house mate rather than messaging them (guilty of this). Find a place or activity where it's just you, no external thought or pokes or notifications or buzzes, whilst gadgets are popping up everywhere to do everything for us, it's important to take time off. You are an independent human being who doesn't need noise in your ear every hour of the day.
All the best,
Bea x

10 things every concert band member will know to be true

1.  Bandcest = relationships: Often contrasting sections, a very common one is upper woodwind and lower brass. Expect awkwardness 24/7 as there are always people breaking up and getting together
2. One drink down, and if there’s music there’ll be over-expressive singing and harmonising. God forbid there be a guitar nearby, let alone bongos. Key change? Everyone loses their minds
3. No rehearsal in the history of concert bands has ever started on time. It’s just one of those things that cannot physically happen
4. That one kid who never shuts up and we must all bask in their amazingness
5. The frustration that forms when you see an actor/actress/statue playing your instrument wrong
6.  Band kids freaking love biscuits
7.  It’s not considered even vaguely weird to listen to band pieces in your spare time, sometimes even while on the sesh
8.  Every band will have a different layout and note they tune to, just to screw with you
9.  Doesn’t everyone start Christmas in mid-November? Can’t forget sleigh ride! Let's not even start on busking...
10. Stereotypes and clichés were not created out of thin air 

The Evolution of Popular and Cool

It's been a while I know, but this has been on my mind a lot lately; the difference between being popular and being cool.
Back in primary school, it was so small that they were rolled into one, it depended on whether you wore the right clothes, watched the right TV shows, and played the right sports. Of course having a school uniform took out the clothes factor a lot (as it did at secondary as well) which I am so grateful for (massive believer in school uniforms).
Then you get to secondary school, for me this was going from one class per year, to eleven so quite an increase. With 6 feeder primarys and people coming from elsewhere, the cool/popular groups combined. It was here I started to see the difference between popular and cool. You were able to be widely liked and known without having to be cool. The majority of people knew each other so the cool groups stayed pretty steady from primary to secondary.
6th form. 2000 people per year (no that's not a typo). With so many people coming from around the country and around the world, many of these groups were thrown up in the air. It was too big for there to be a cool group. It was very refreshing. Your "social standing" if you must call it that was determined by which seating area/canteen/cafe you went to at lunch time. There was no uniform but unlike all of the non-school-uniform days in primary and secondary, there was far less competing to wear the right clothes, and dress the right way. In a way, it was a bit like St Trinians with everyone finding a group of people similar to themselves, you had the hippies, goths, varleys, rugby lads, and us average joes.
And then you get to University, for the majority of people, they have come without their friend group from school. Being cool is pretty much irrelevant. It's all about knowing more people, and that comes under popularity. Joining random clubs and societies and putting yourself out there is the only way to do it, dressing in the right clothes and treating people in a way that makes you feel "cool" is going to get you no where. You need connections these days if you ever want to find a job, and Uni is such a great opportunity to do this.
I think in general, it comes down to this; Cool is dressing the right way, acting the right way (often frankly cruel), and keeping to a small group of people. Popular is being widely known, and generally well liked for who you are. I feel like you could write a whole psychology paper on this but I have enough work of my own I should be doing!
Popular or Cool, you decide; I definitely know which one I'm aiming to be
All the best,
Bea x

What I've learnt at Uni so far

Hello again,

Haven't posted in a while but been a little preoccupied with going to Uni. I'm at the University of York and it is fab. Here is my list so far of what I have learnt already...

1. Napping is important.
2. You can go to lectures on no sleep
3. Introduction lectures are boring
4. Go out for the whole of freshers if you can make it
5. Freshers flu is real
6. Food is cheap up North
7. Donner Kebab Pizza
8. Cook 4 persons of food and freeze the rest - home-made ready meals
9. Take water to lectures
10. Don't expect the heating to be consistent between buildings
11. No one gives a s*** if you go to lectures in trackies and a hoodie
12. You will definitely meet someone who is desperately trying to reinvent themselves, but the real them keeps poking through
13. Whatsapp - easiest way to prevent awkwardness in groups where some people aren't on Facebook
14. DON'T SNAPCHAT STORY VIDEOS OF THE CLUB EVERY NIGHT
15. Drinking Game: Jammin by Bob Marley - every time he says Jammin, you drink.
16. Jager Bombs
17. Ask second years where the cheap drinks are
18. Get as much as you can at freshers fair (I got 14 pens, 1 sharpie, a whole bag of various sweets, giant marshmallow, free pizza, 4 key rings, 3 lanyards, 2 rubber men, tissues, wristbands etc.)
19. No one bothers with heels for a night out, cobbles and stilettos just don't mix
20. Make a lot of lists, it's the only way you'll know whats going on

There will be more student friendly recipes coming soon but until then...
All the best,
Bea x

My Top 10 Films you need to see before University

Hi There!

      So over the past week or so I've been putting together a list (in order) of My Top 10 Films I think you need to see before you go off to University. It's kind of a cover all bases, so you've seen the worst that can happen, before you're sat on the curbside of an unfamiliar city. They probably tend towards the more girly end of the spectrum, but that can't be a surprise? After all, I am a girl! Enjoy...

 

1. Pitch Perfect (2012)

• This is probably my all-time favourite film, and although it gives some pretty odd ideas about how uni life is going to be, it teaches a seriously good lesson about putting yourself out there, joining a random new club and meeting new people. Oh, and there are some gorgeous harmonies in the mashups…
2. The Inbetweeners Movie (2011)
• Be prepared for the level of awkwardness of their clubbing experiences – and for everyone to end up doing the dance when they have no idea what else to do. Everyone ends up knowing someone like each of the 4, probably not good to tell someone if they’re a Neil though!
3. Clueless (1995)
• Fun fact about this, it’s the basis for Iggy Azaleas music video for Fancy! Not gonna lie, I don’t miss quite a few of the fashion trends in this, but then again, we’ll probably say the same thing in ten years time. Forever glad my driving test didn’t go the same way hers did. I need a Josh.
4. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
• If you can watch Heath Ledger sing without breaking into a grin, I frankly don’t believe you. Another moral story hidden behind a chick flick, but it’s great fun all the same.
5. Mean Girls (2004)
• Every school has girls like these, or at least that think they are. But you’re done with all that petty politics (at least in theory) so take the time to celebrate the lack of people like this in your life anymore.
6. St Trinians (2007)
• St Trinians is everyone’s dream of what boarding school would be like, but oh wait, we’re going to uni, which is basically boarding school with no rules, alcohol, and more parties!! When the back to school themed club night comes around, you know what’s in store.
7. 21 Jump Street (2012)
• Pretty good way to learn how to party, and it’s not exactly like Channing Tatum or Dave Franco aren’t easy on the eyes. If you enjoy this, Bad Neighbors is a must.
8. The Breakfast Club (1985)
• It’s a classic. Quoted all over, even in Pitch Perfect.
9. Legally Blonde (2001)
• Just because people don’t think your smart enough, doesn’t mean you can’t do it. Elle Woods proves this. Oh and yet another moral story, chasing boys doesn’t mean they’ll like you, sorry, it’s the truth.
10. Accepted (2006)
•  For those of you who were bricking it for results, I’m sure at one point you even considered making a fake acceptance letter so you could just leave and your parents would never know. Well this guy did it, in an amazing way.

       I hope you enjoyed this, let me know if you did and there might be more film/recommendation lists in the future!

All the best,

Bea x

University Bound

So, you’ve got into Uni, now what. Well actually there’s quite a lot you need to sort out, this is my checklist so far:

1.       Check your place is confirmed, your uni should email you with a conformation email which will be followed up by a welcome pack.
2.       Complete Enrolment. For some unis this is done online before you arrive, for mine we even have to upload a photo for our ID cards.
3.       Your Accommodation. If you had a conditional offer (which you have reached so creds to you!) then it is likely that now is the time you will find whether you have got into university owned accommodation if you chose to apply. Check if there is a deposit you need to pay, and keep an eye out for a confirmation/accept button, otherwise you may lose your spot
4.       Log into Gov.UK to double check how much maintenance loan you are entitled to. It is also super important to log into here as this is where you will find how much money is getting put into your bank account and when. This will be mega useful when it comes to paying for accommodation.
5.       Find out how much your accommodation is going to cost, and when you have to make payments. Some unis do it all by direct debit, others can be made over the phone so this is worth checking now, well before the payment will be due.
6.       Start looking on Facebook for flatmate groups. For example, if you know you’re in P block, floor 3, search for a group called Your University P Block 2016-2017.
7.       Check out the score on WiFi. At some places it is free, but others it may cost you so remember to factor that in when thinking where your money is going.
8.       Start to think about what to take with you, some places offer bedding packs which saves the hassle of transporting duvets and pillows in the car so look into that. This is my list of essentials so far:

·        Cooking Kit (Big pan, small frying pan, spatula, colander, spoon, knife, fork, cup, mug, wooden spoon etc.)

·        Toiletries (Shampoo, Conditioner, Shower Gel, Face Wash etc.)

·        First Aid Kit (Plasters, pain killers, cough medicine) – when you’re ill or bleeding, you don’t want to have to catch a bus to go get such things

·        School Clothes – almost every uni will have a back to school themed evening at some point in the first term

·        Comfy Clothes – you are at uni to learn, yes to have fun but no one wants to be sat in a 2-hour lecture feeling super uncomfortable just because they’re wearing something fashionable, that said, onesies might not be a great idea!

·        Mementos – maybe a photo frame or collage, or just a teddy. Everyone ends up missing home after a while and you’re going to want some kind of comfort

I hope this helps a little if you’re feeling a bit lost in it all, and if you didn’t get in this year, it really isn’t the end of the world. I know so many of my parent’s friends with impressive careers with no degrees so don’t ever think it will limit your success.

All the best,

Bea x

Bea is back

I have now returned from the land of revision! I am a human once more!
I hope that everyones exams went as well as they could, and that everyone gets the results they have worked so hard for!
Leaving college feels really weird, it's been a very fast two years but I've some of the best times of my life there, and met some amazing people. Leaving secondary school I felt kind of happy, but leaving college is sad and scary. Sad I won't see everyone, and scary that we're all going to be so far from each other. Oh, and the food is amazing and I will really miss the chicken, bacon and lettuce baguettes.
Waking up this morning and knowing I have no more revision is glorious. My wall has been relieved of formulae, equations and diagrams and looks like a wall again.
Top Tip: Be careful when taking blu-tack off of wall paper. lesson learnt
But now the question is, what do I do?
Getting home yesterday and going for a family hike was perfect and I can strongly recommend it. Even if it's just yourself or a few friends, pick a spot on the map and go explore. Getting away from wifi and the constant fear of what the world is going to do next is very refreshing.
I can't really not mention it, but I am strongly Pro-Europe. That's all I'm saying.
Today is my last big orchestra do, and will again be very emotional. I'm going to buy a notebook to make a written diary of this summer, in theory, I'll be starting uni exactly 3 months today.
That's seriously scary.
Along with documenting my time for these 3 months on here, it will be nice to have a solid copy of my thoughts to look back on. I'm also going to carry on my work on my holiday book, so will do a post with a photo in due course.

All the best for the future, onwards and upwards as they say!

Bea x

The Ultimate Stressbuster

Remember those crazy tunes from the year 6 disco, put them on and have a dance, just dance around the kitchen or your room or wherever. For 15 minutes or so just put the stress of everything else on hold and have a good dance! It's great fun, you'll get into the music so your brain gets a rest, AND it's exercise - literally couldn't be better!

Song Recommendations:
Crazy Frog - Axel F
Boom Boom Pow - Black Eyed Peas
Single Ladies - Beyonce
I Gotta Feeling - Black Eyed Peas
Toxic - Britney Spears
Hot N Cold - Katy Perry
Party In The USA - Miley Cyrus
TiK ToK - Ke$ha
Run The World (Girls) - Beyonce

Here's a bit of inspiration for your crazy dance moves...

All the best,

Bea x

17 Days to go...

As the title suggests, I have 17 days until my first exam, resitting Statistics 1. This post is all about
how I prepare for an exam...

Past Papers: doing whole papers gives you a good representation of your final grade in that paper, by looking up the grade boundaries you can get even more clarification. Also by doing past papers you can learn how the examiner will be reading your work and what points they will be looking for, using this knowledge you can learn how to set out your work in the easiest way for them to see you have done the work for each mark.

Posters: any formulae you need to learn that are struggling with, write the formulae on a piece of paper, clearly and large, and put it in an obvious place in the house, every time you go past, read it and gradually it will sink into your brain.

Flash Cards: Again with tricky formulae, writing them onto flash cards means you can carry them with you to revise on the go, such as the bus to school or college. Key facts or grammar points also fit nicely onto flash cards, try not to make them too full though or it becomes a chore to read them through.

Write it out: This is kinda included in the points above but writing out the key phrases over and over really cements them into your brain. It's just like learning spellings in primary school, the muscle memory in your hand will know what to put as soon as you see that awful question that comes up in every paper.

Eat: Many people forget to eat properly and regularly when they are concentrating on revision. Without proper nutrition, your body is gonna have to work overtime to function. Feed your brain, a great revision snack is a chopped up carrot, or a pot of raisins. Both are full of vitamins to help you power through.

Water: Your brain is 75% water! The average person doing light exercise should be drinking about 2.5L a day. Keeping yourself hydrated makes you feel better and focus better.

But most importantly of all...
Relax: Find your way of unwinding, sudoku, jigsaw, read a book, colouring, working out, minesweeper, or going for a walk. A way away from Wifi is the best, think about why you're really scrolling through Facebook, getting away from notifications is not only good for your eyes from staring at screens but I find it also reduces my stress levels.

Take a deep breath, and smash that exam!

All the best,

Bea x

Choosing a University

There are many factors when it comes down to choosing a university, but here are my top 6 factors to look at for finding the perfect place:

1.       Distance – Does living far away from your family bother you? If you are more of a home bod, draw up a circle on a map to look at universities within that distance. The same method works for if you know that you want to go somewhere further than a certain distance from home, or not within London for example.

2.       Family Ties – Going to university in a city where you have family members can be nice. It means you have someone to reach out to in an emergency but it could also become a tie. Falling into a habit of seeing them a certain time a week with no flexibility, or being called in as baby sitter every week could get tiring. In my opinion, I was biased towards places my family don’t know so well, as to make it my place and my adventure.

3.       The Course Content – this is VITAL! You do not want to get stuck in a course that you find boring, just because you went for a university your friend is going to, or because they have good sports. Yes, university is where you’re likely to meet your lifelong friends, but you also want to learn something – preferably something you like.

4.       Facilities – if your course is very lab based, such as Biochemistry, you don’t want to go to a university where the labs are a long way off campus, or old, small or forlorn. Equally, if you were doing a subject such as English, you don’t want to go somewhere where the poetry section of the library is equal to your bedroom shelf.

5.       Hobbies – do they offer a good Orchestra, Football Team, Harry Potter Society or whatever it is that is your passion. As I said above, uni is a very social place and so you’re going to want the opportunity to meet like-minded people. Don’t choose a uni just because of this, but if it came down to two and one had the opportunity for you to express yourself, it’s a done deal.

6.       Accommodation – Do you want the opportunity to cook for yourself? Carefully look at some universities accommodation, some such as Cambridge do not have places with the facilities for their students to cook. It’s definitely worth looking into if you’re a keen cook like me. 

All the best,

Bea x

(ps. I'm loving the variety of countries I'm getting views from, so amazing to see how the internet reaches people from so far and wide!)

Open Days

Out of the 5 universities I applied to, I only ended up going to a true open day for one. Originally I was planning to apply for both Biology and Natural Sciences at Bath as I was not sure which of the two I wanted to study, both of the courses looked great. Before I actually submitted my UCAS, we did a road trip one weekend, going to the Birmingham Open Day, then onto Bath, and through to Exeter. Birmingham was beautiful, I was truly surprised by how much I enjoyed it! Amazing sports facilities and music society, with friendly people and a lovely campus. They were so coordinated sorting transport and parking for everyone, as well as easy registration and sign in areas to receive all of the relevant information about the day.

We went on to Bath, and although it was a Saturday afternoon, we were still surprised at how quiet it was. It was one of those places for me where you get there and instantly know there’s something you don’t quite like. The people were friendly enough however as a prospective Biology student, I didn’t like how the Biology department was this separate, small group of buildings away from the main centre of the campus. Until I visited, I hadn’t realised how small the university was, probably brilliant for some people, but just not for me. We stayed with a family in the city and went out for dinner in the centre, having visited several times before, it felt very familiar.

The next morning, we drove on to Exeter. Visiting on a Sunday morning, we expected it to have even fewer people around than at Bath, but we found the exact opposite!! People were everywhere, going to their sports activities or even just seeing friends. The sports centre staff were so friendly, letting us look around and see the gym, we went out for a Sunday lunch in the city, it was a much smaller city than I had realised, but charming all the same. After this road trip, I chose to apply for Warwick in my spare option which I had been saving for Bath Biology in case I liked it, however I have never visited the Warwick campus as due to the structure of the course I’ve never had a real enthusiasm to go.

For my final university, York, I was invited up to an Offer Holders day. It took 6 hours of trains and a bus each way but it was really worth it. Their Biology department is like no other, the campus is beautifully structured, and decently close to the main city. They split students from parents, giving a chance to meet people you would be sharing a course with, I in fact met a girl who lives just 10 minutes from me! All of the staff and students were welcoming and helpful, going into one of the colleges (their version of halls of residence) was so useful, meeting the student who lives there and seeing what the facilities are truly like. Walking back through the city (bearing in mind it was mid-December) it was stunning. I’m not going to lie, I fell in love with it, and from that one day, I was made up. That was where I wanted to go.

Going to at least visit the universities (and the cities) is very important, and often eye-opening!

All the best,

Bea x

Cornish Fudge...and Orangutans

Cornwall is well known for it's high quality fudge.

Many take pride in showing how they are home made and home ingredients, however so often when you actually check the ingredients label; Palm Oil.

In Padstow this week I was so pleased to see people making fudge by hand in Roly's using no palm oil, and milk from happy cows. There is no excuse for "Cornish" fudge companies to be using palm oil and yet they do. In fact I received a bag a while ago which claimed to be all organic and locally sourced ingredients, so I emailed asking where their local Palm Oil Plantation is - they weren't very happy.

Palm Oil Plantations are responsible for massive habitat loss as well as loss of species, including the Orangutan, Sumatran Tiger and Rhinoceros, and Asian Elephant. The percentage of palm oil which is "Certified" is increasing, however for these plantations to have been created in the first place was habitat destruction. Palm Oil has crept into so many of our every day products, from Rich Tea biscuits, to lipsticks and soaps. Thankfully companies have been being pushed into listing it in ingredients as Palm Oil rather than the ambiguous Vegetable Oil.

Please check the label next time you buy a product, 10p more is worth it when it comes to species becoming extinct. Buy Roly's Fudge here: https://rolysfudge.co.uk/
Help save the world, one bit at a time :)

All the best,

Bea x

Spring Sprung Sprang

Spring has finally sprung. Finally.
In my head, it's truly spring when it's warm enough to leave the back door open all day.

As a part of biology homework, we were all given a broad bean to grow. There's no point beating about the bush but my first one died, in fact I'm pretty sure it fermented after sprouting as when I finally tipped it out, it smelt sweet.

So as my family are into growing veggies, we have a seed box and so I was determined to get a bean to grow. With a large jam jar filled with slightly damp kitchen roll, I put two varieties of broad bean on opposite sides next to the glass, a pea between them on one side, and a runner bean on the other. Watching them grow and change each day is surprisingly amusing, the pea is the most reactive and now has an extensive root system, stem and leaves and is out the top of the jar. The runner bean seems to have forgotten the laws of plant hormones that say roots grow downwards and instead has grown sideways, in fact now over the broad beans to either side. Last night, it too reached the top of the jar. One broad bean seems dead, the root end is black and yet each day it is definitely longer. the other has managed to lift itself upwards on its root, and seems to be about to join the race to the top of the jar. As peas and runner beans are climbers, I thought of a way to get round the issue of them having nothing to climb. Chop sticks. I have celotaped chop sticks to the rim of the jar next to each of the two climbers. A cocktail stick of guidance needed to be used to encourage the runner to not in fact grow into the celotape but there we go.

Why not grow a bean or a plant, it's quite amusing, and you don't even have to take it for walks!

All the best,

Bea x

Never forget why you're working

Everyone has an ambition, a thing they want to do one day.

Today me and my family went to the zoo, it couldn't have been more of an incentive to put the work in for my exams. The idea that one day I could be working somewhere like that, or abroad fighting for their conservation and survival. So many beautiful animals who are so threatened by the effect of mans' action on the world. Below are a few of my favourite photos from today.

Find your thing, find your inspiration and go for it! Anyone who tries to knock you down simply shrug off - your future is controlled by you, not outside factors or other people. Maybe even listen to a little Fight Song by Rachel Platten, or a bit of Motown? Both just radiate positivity!

All the best,

Bea x

Facebook!

I now have a Facebook page to make it easier for people to keep up with what I'm posting!
Check it out here: https://www.facebook.com/beablogslife/
Thanks!!

All the best,

Bea x

Student Loans - Not so scary after all!

So I just finished applying for my student loan, it’s very early I know, haven’t even accepted offers yet but from the scare stories of people not getting their maintenance money through until mid-October, I was determined to get it done early on.

From how it was presented to us in college, I thought it was going to be far more complicated and scary to do than it actually was. With the option to save and continue, it’s easy to do sections at a time rather than all in one go, and gives you time to think about it. I found the hardest section to answer was who to put as my extra contacts! They've clearly put a lot of thought into how they've set out the website, making it truly accessible for people. Even reading through the terms and conditions (which I actually did for a change) was clear and understandable, not using overly complex language, designed to confuse as is so often the case. Explaining how we repay it and when is reasonable and again, easy to understand.

Overall, I’d give the .gov website a big thumbs up! Maybe I won’t end up broke after all!

All the best,

Bea x