FRESHERS: Routine -Let’s Not Make it So Hard

So whilst I know some people haven’t started or are still in the process of experiencing their freshers week, here’s a post for after all the madness of freshers has died down and the real university begins.

A routine is something so many people wish they could accomplish – one that includes: meals, exercise, work, jobs done and relaxation. But, it’s all so much easier said than done! I’m one of those where it works perfectly for a couple of days and I feel like Superwoman then something throws me off and I just can’t get back into it! I’ve started to learn what works best for me and I think that’s such an important aspect of getting into a routine. You can’t just look at someone’s life and think I’m going to give that a go. You may copy their routine but it might just not work out the way you want it to!

I understand now what times are best to do certain things and which work for me. So this is roughly how I go about trying to be in routine (this is a general routine and more applicable to me being on my university break):

• I try and get up early (but it doesn’t always happen) and when I mean early, I mean 7.30/8am not ridiculous times like 5.30/6am. That just does not work for me because I’m really not a morning person, but I never feel like I’m missing out as I still have plenty of time to get what I want done, if I prioritize the important stuff for that day! And I take my time to enjoy my breakfast in the morning and check emails because I feel more ready for the day when my morning’s aren’t rushed!

• In relation to university work, especially during busy periods I’ve come to learn I’m more productive before 12pm and after 4pm. I have no idea why! I get tired very easily and in these 4 hours I tend to lose my energy and can never sit down and get stuff done efficiently! I usually take a nap or just take some time to myself and just listen to music. Obviously,being at home I have more spare time but, even with lectures and seminars my body still works in the same way so I just fit my work in around my lazy hours! and that’s going to be different for everybody so find your least productive times and work with them not against them!

• I CANNOT exercise in the morning, my body just does not function! I’ve already mentioned I’m really not a morning person and I think people feel exercise has to be done first thing! Most studies show people actually feel more active between 4pm and 7pm and that’s around the time I try to do some exercise myself. I try and do it about 6pm or 7pm at the latest so that I’m not eating too late! Otherwise, after a shower and eating it’s time to go to bed before I know it.

• Evenings are normally spent with my friends and family or whatever if I manage to get my work done earlier in the day. But if I workout earlier I tend to do a little extra university work in the spare time I have before I sit down to relax. I get into bed about 10.30pm so that I can read for at least an hour to wind down. And I set my alarm to wake up 8 hours from the time I close my eyes. (I’m a bit of a fan of the whole sleep cycle thing)

• Another really important aspect of creating a routine in my opinion is making sure I try and eat my meals at the same time each day, and not just when I can be bothered. Having certain times for my meals means I’ll always eat properly and wont get distracted by other things, which can lead to me snacking too much or eating too little in a day!

So that’s more or less how I go about my daily routine and I understand busy schedules can make it harder! As I’ve mentioned over and over this is what suits me and you just have to find times of the day that are most productive for you and base your own routine around that aspect! If you can get your work done way better at night time then make sure during the day you take the time to relax and do the things you want like see friends.You won’t feel as guilty then when you have to say no to those pre-drinks so that you can do your work!

FRESHERS: From The Eyes of a Graduate

Where to start with freshers week? With all the emotions that you feel it’s safe to say it’s unlike any other week you’ve probably experienced or will ever experience!

Having experienced freshers week from different perspectives this article will give you a brief low down on what to expect when you first head off to uni…So shortly after results day you’ll become exposed to a whole realm of different people trying to interest you in events. From your soon to be student union to private event companies and clubs you’ll be invited to a lot! Be it themed club nights, bar crawls, picnics or beach trips with academic societies you’ll be spoilt for choice!

It’s important to mention here that although a big drinking culture has and still is associated with freshers week not everyone drinks, and not all that do have drunk before coming to uni! Coming from a small village in Cornwall and only recently turning 18 before starting at university meant that the first few days of freshers week was a massive eye opener for me, as it will be for many freshers this year!

From working for both the university and the students union at Exeter during freshers week as part of The Welcome Team, in both my second and third year, I can guarantee that the situation new students find themselves in are not unique and the staff have probably dealt with similar situation loads of times before!

It’s important to remember that The Welcome Team are there to help you, they’re part of a volunteering project to help you get settled into your new home both day and night. The Welcome Team help make it easier for a lot of clubs to take care of drunk people, but as a fresher it can be a tiny bit under appreciated. We don’t get paid and we give up our own freshers to ensure that everybody is safe and taken care of, but it’s was such a fantastic project to be involved in and very much worth the long hours! Each Welcome Team member will have their own individual experiences of freshers and will know exactly what you’re going through so don’t be afraid to approach them and ask for help!

To help you settle in over the first few days here are some tips:

• Wedge your door open for the first few days to get to meet as many of your corridor/flat as possible!
• Don’t shy away from just knocking on people’s doors and introducing yourself!
• Think about how you’re going to get home from nights out before you go out! The city will probably be completely new to you so make sure you’ve got a taxi number saved or at least know how to walk back to your halls of residence!
• It may be worth saving your universities security team or campus patrol in your phone so if you’re completely lost or have any issues they can be soon on hand to help out! Many universities increased their response staff during the first two weeks of term to ensure that student safety is maintained so don’t be afraid to give them a call!
• TRY NEW THINGS! So many societies put on taster sessions to try and get you to join up! Over he years I’ve done everything from climbing to kayaking and shooting! This will also let you get to know some of the committee for these clubs and societies and properly get to know how social their club is.

 

By Jack Caulfield

FRESHERS: What Happens When You Think You’re Too Old for University?

Freshers. One of the most exciting words to enter the mind of a wide eyed teenager working towards the end of their college education. The culmination of two years of work in college is to scrape the grades needed to get into their subject of choice at their chosen university. Once they’ve achieved the bare minimum required to get in, the real excitement starts. Forget budget planning and getting essential items, the conversation turns to the clubs they’ve scouted in their area that offer the most exciting entertainment in the first two weeks of university life.

New groups of people forced together through sharing a grotty student flat congregate in their temporarily clean kitchens to sink pre-drinks to get over their inhibitions before hitting the dance floor. The loud music and bright lights of the city dazzle for the opening two weeks before becoming an expensive oasis in the desert, but for those two weeks the freshers are untouchable kings of the city.

For the reasons stated above I am absolutely dreading the prospect of freshers this month. I’m 24 years old. As much as people have repeated the cliché to me over the last few months that “you’re never too old for university”, frankly, I probably am. Those that know me know that I have a mental age of around 56. This is not ideal when you’re preparing to embark on a university course with the doe eyed teenagers that look forward to freshers week, six years after I last attended college.

First and foremost, I’m not a big fan of clubs in general. I don’t like the fact I have to pay to get in and to hang up my coat. I don’t like the music that gets played at conventional clubs and I don’t like the volume at which it is played. I don’t like the fact I have to pay in excess of £4 for a bottle of Budweiser or Carlsberg because I don’t want to spend the night drinking shots of tequila or vodka and lemonade just because they’re on special offer for students. I don’t like shouting the same anecdote in someone’s ear four times because they can’t hear me. I don’t like the humourless baboons that are hired as bouncers and I don’t like dancing. Give me a good traditional pub any day.

Second, I’m not the best person at meeting new people. This is something I have improved over the last few years but I’m still undeniably awkward at meeting people for the first time. It’s not some sort of underlying trust issue I have, but I like to figure people out before I put my chips on the table. Once you get to know me I like to think I’m pretty good company, but for the first few meetings don’t be surprised if I seem a little wary or reserved. It will pass.

Thirdly, mental age aside, I’m going to freshers as a mature student that will be six or seven years older than a lot of the people around me. You have to take things like this into account when you’re planning various aspects of living in student accommodation. I knew that when I was choosing my room, it would have to have an en suite bathroom. Partly this was for my own sake so I didn’t have to go to the toilet in the middle of the night and tiptoe around a pile of vomit and passed out teenagers to have a quick piss. But perhaps more so I was selflessly aware that the teenagers I could potentially be sharing with might walk into the shared bathroom one morning and stare in disgust at the old man that lives with them trying in vain to shave his back while they’re trying to spray their hair or whatever young people do these days.

Finally, and probably most importantly for someone brought up in the north of England, the simple cost of freshers is enough to make me sweat. I’ve spent the last six years working full time for a betting firm. I’ve been an assistant manager in the branch for the last five years. Over that time period I reckon I’ve earned around £80,000. Of that sum I have saved precisely £775 to take to university. It’s not something that I’m particularly proud of, but I’ve had a hell of a time and some great memories over the last six years.

That being said, I’m now going to be living on the breadline for the next three years. My maintenance loan will just about cover the rent. Student Finance Wales have kindly given me a grant of £79 that I don’t have to pay back. I am grateful for it but I don’t really understand why they’re paying it to me in three instalments. On top of that I’m going to have to work a part time job to be able to eat and live. I really, really cannot afford to spend the first two weeks of my university life partying away what little money I actually have,

Through the clouds of negativity, I have conjured up that there is a big shiny light beaming through that is university life itself. Once freshers is over, everyone will be too poor to go clubbing during the rest of the year so I’ll be able to quietly segue into finding a decent local pub that I can go to with like minded new friends that I will make. Despite my social inhibitions, I know I’m going to make new friends in university. It’s almost impossible not to in such an environment. The fact I’m going at 24 is probably not as big a deal to other people as I presume it is. A lot of my best friends are younger than me so I guess I’ll be well prepared for spending time with that demographic both in my accommodation and on my course.

So I guess if you’re reading this my advice for freshers starting this month, just get through the first two weeks. If you enjoy it, great! Have an absolute blast, it’s what those two weeks are there for. If you don’t enjoy it, it doesn’t matter; chances are the next three years of your life are going to be the best experience of your life so far. Soak it all up, make new friends and do your best to make something of your life.

And the money? I figure it’ll work itself out somehow. If not, I’ll have to sell my body parts on the black market to survive. Doubt my liver will be worth much by October though.

By Harry Freebe

FRESHERS: How to be TeeTotal at University & Enjoy It!

Boozing it up seems like the rite of passage for many becoming a university student. For some they come into university as a seasoned drinker, for others university will be the first time they drink anything more than a glass of wine with Sunday dinner. However, there is often a forgotten minority who don’t drink at all at university. This was a group I was firmly part of for the first two years of my university life. In a place where drinking is so prevalent it can be hard to be the one not drinking. When I came to university I was surrounded by people who were very understanding which helped me a lot. While there there were some nights that I really did struggle, the majority of my time at university the lack of alcohol hasn’t been a problem. Here I will share my experiences and tips for a teetotal university experience.

• Embrace University Life

University life has the potential to be whatever you want it to be, but the most important thing is to embrace university in however you choose. This is general advice to anyone, but especially non-drinkers. If you want to have nights in with friends, do that. If you want to go and live it up in your local club, do that. Drinking doesn’t define the activities in which you’re allowed to participate. Do what makes you happy and comfortable.

• Find Alcohol Free Events

University societies are usually required to have at least one non-drinking freshers event. These are great events to meet people in a relaxed social setting. These could be sports taster sessions, or meet and greets in a cafe. Make the most of these to meet people,  in turn it’ll make drinking socials easier as you’ll be around familiar faces. If on alcohol based socials just do what you are comfortable with. If in doubt look for the sober committee member (societies are usually required to have one), they will more than likely be happy to chat and help.

• Don’t Be Shy

Alcohol is seen by many as a way to top up their confidence. If you aren’t drinking, certain social situations may not flow as easily as they seem to for other people. Just be yourself and enjoy everything you do. Don’t hold back from introducing yourself to people, don’t shy away from a particular social, go and throw the craziest shapes in that club.

• Don’t Let it Define You

You’ll inevitably get questions about why you don’t drink. People can generate a lot of preconceptions about what someone who doesn’t drink may act or be like. From experience there are a wide reasons why people choose not to drink. More people don’t drink than you think, and the variety of personalities is huge. Be yourself and don’t conform to any preconceptions. If people don’t react well to someone not drinking, they aren’t worth being friends with anyway. But don’t try and hide it, honesty will always be easier.

• Embrace the Benefits

There are very obvious benefits to not drinking at university , so try and focus on them rather than any issues you may have. Firstly nights out will be extremely cheap compared to your drinking counter parts. If you’re a good saver this will benefit you greatly, however if you’re like me this extra money will just be spent on coffee. Secondly you’ll avoid the dreadful hangovers. You can proudly turn up to a morning lecture while your peers struggle with last night’s headache.

FRESHERS: Dealing with Anxiety During Fresher’s Week

It’s incredibly hard for me to sit here and break down all the advice I want to give for dealing with anxiety (or any mental health issue); every individual has a complex reaction to anxiety triggering situations. It’s so difficult to pin point exact ways that you can deal with your personal anxiety as it varies for every individual.

So, instead this post offers a few immediate actions that you can take that will work to calm and comfort you in the short term. Although, never be afraid to seek professional medical, you’d be surprised how many people suffer during fresher’s week and beyond, visiting a counsellor or seeing the doctor is not uncommon.

Tip 1: Breath.

Breathing exercises can be incredibly useful. Deep breathing can be a powerful tool in calming any symptoms of panic and you can do this subtly in any given situation. Just put your hand on your stomach, exhale, pause, inhale so you can feel your stomach inflate, pause, exhale and repeat. For more information on this (and a demonstrative video) visit anxietycoach.com. (http://www.anxietycoach.com/breathingexercise.html).

Tip 2: Write things down.

You could keep a journal or list things it doesn’t matter, but there are benefits to writing down how you’re feeling. Your thoughts will feel more structured once you’ve noted them down, they may seem clearer or they may seem more manageable when you see them in physical words on a page.

I recommend writing a list of positive things that have happened during the stressful period of freshers or writing down all the reasons you originally came to University. The act of writing solidifies these positive thoughts, makes them definite and also becomes something you can refer back to when needed.

Tip 3: Create a safe place.

My safe place throughout the whole of first year was the bathroom. There’s just something about a small space that I’m familiar with that makes me feel safe, like I couldn’t be accessed by anyone outside that room. I would go in there to calm down and take a few minutes every now and then.

I’m not saying you should shut your self away constantly. I’m just saying it can be a good idea to have somewhere to escape to, somewhere that’s private and is always available.

Tip 4: Recreate your happiest moments.

This tip requires some reflection and thinking, but it can help you beyond freshers week to maintain a happy lifestyle. After your first few days try to pinpoint the situations, the moments that have made you feel the most relaxed and happy. Who was there? Where were you? What were you doing?

Its likely that revisiting the elements of this happy moment will once again make you feel happy! However, its all about trial and error in finding the things that help you. For example, during first year, I felt happy watching ‘American Horror Story’ with my flatmates. Although, when I tried to watch it on my own, I found I wasn’t really enjoying it. What I liked in the first situation was everyone being together and making jokes about the show.

Tip 5: Push yourself in small doses.

In CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) they teach you about something called ‘exposure therapy’. Sounds daunting, but it can be very effective if you keep working at it. The basic idea is that you expose yourself to the things that make you anxious so that you can better deal with them. The more you do the thing that makes you anxious without any distractions, the more you’ll adjust and the stronger you’ll become.

This concept can be terrifying despite its beneficial effects. I recommend not trying to do too much at once, just push yourself in small doses. Take small steps forward instead of expecting yourself to instantly stop being anxious.

I hope these tips are reassuring and helpful to you, whether you’re anxious in anticipation for your fresher’s week or struggling with anxiety in general. Remember, no matter how effective any of these tips are they are no replacement for professional help. Don’t be afraid to speak out, you are not alone and you don’t have to put up with the way you feel.

By Emma Tanser

 

*Emma has a brilliant blog that covers all sorts from style diaries to advice, all from her personal view as “An Anxious Twenty-Something” so make sure to take a look for some more great posts!* 

FRESHERS: 10 Things to Remember During Freshers Week

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when you’re experiencing your first Freshers!

1. It’s ok to call home – Freshers can be very over whelming, for everyone, even if you’re a party animal it can take its toll on you. There’s cooking for yourself, meeting new people and doing your own laundry (sorry, not trying to scare you)….but just remember it’s ok to call home. Everybody gets a little home sick, and it takes some time to get used to being away. So if the people who can help you get through are the ones back at home, then do it.

2. Just be YOURSELF – It can be nervous meeting new people especially the people you’re going to be living with, but university is the best time to come into your own: whether that be what fashion interests you have, your music tastes or even what you enjoy to eat! There’s thousands of people in university so you’re bound to find people who have the same interests and like the same things, so don’t stress about it! The more you’re yourself the easier it’s going to be to make proper friends.

3. You don’t have to go to EVERYTHING – You may have bought that “Freshers ball” pre to coming to uni or maybe all your flat mates have the ticket, but it doesn’t mean you have to go. There’s seven days so don’t just follow the crowd, choose what you really want to do and don’t feel pressured (realistically seven days straight is expensive and exhausting).

4. Make the most of Taster Sessions – One they’re so much fun, two they’re totally free. Uni’s have so many societies, some are your usual sports try outs then you have other stuff like the Harry Potter and GOT societies which put on some really really cool things. Freshers week is your chance to experience things that you don’t normally go for, who knows who you could meet and what you could end up being good at!

5. You will need some alone time – From a personal point of view, I’m a very outgoing person but I also like to take some time to myself, especially during hectic times. It’s ok to just sit and chill in your room and its also nice to explore and find that coffee shop on your own. If you take a few hours out a day to have time to yourself it doesn’t mean you’re missing out, we can all get serious FOMO, but learning to be ok on your own for a bit doesn’t mean your antisocial.

6. Be cautious of what you’re drinking – This may sound obvious and I’m pretty sure your parents have told you a thousand times, to most people freshers week revolves around drinking and it’s just a reminder to be cautious and take a step back and remember your limits. Drinking is fun (do I love a good drink and party) but it’s also easy to get sucked in to thinking you can play all these drinking games and be completely fine and that you’re completely invincible. Just drink how much you feel comfortable with.

7. It might not be what you expect it to be….or it could be! – We’ve all seen the movies…mostly American ones and we all want our freshers to be like that seen on the screen, yet it doesn’t always turn out that way. But that’s fine, as long as you had a great time it doesn’t matter, we queued up for a club on the first night of freshers then decided we’d all rather just go back and chill. No body knows what to expect, just go with the flow and don’t try to force it, otherwise you’ll end up ruining it for yourself trying to make it something its not.

8. It’s the best time to test our your social skills – If you’re a bit of an introvert freshers week is the best time to brush up on your confidence skills and get talking! Don’t be shy, just be yourself and approach people. In the end most people you speak to in Freshers you won’t ever end up speaking to again, so just get out there and make some chit-chat!

9. Watch out for yourself – At the end of the day you’re in a new place with new people. You don’t know if they’re gonna walk you home or look after you when you’re drunk. So just make sure you know where you’re going and that you’re not putting yourself in danger. Different uni’s have different campus services so just make sure you’re familiar with contacts, and also the Welcome Team’s will be there to help you along!

10. Enjoy it! – Obviously the most important! There’s never going to be another time in your life where you can act more stupid or be as free as you can in freshers week! Have fun and embrace the beginning of University life, remembering to create a week that tailors to you!

 

FRESHERS: Easy to Follow, Easy to Make Recipes

Speaking from experience, we all know freshers week is more about the going out than staying at home and cooking BUT we have some great recipes that are fun to make and don’t take too long, all made from your average weekly shopping list!

We’ve calculated just how much it would cost for this weekly shop, baring in mind that many of these will last for more than just week and some will even last for months afterwards (depending on how regular you cook with them).

Your Weekly Ingredients:                                 Ingredients to Stock in Your Cupboard:

Chicken Breast 300g                                               Rice

Milk                                                                               Yeast

Bacon                                                                            Penne Pasta

Bread                                                                             Spaghetti Pasta

Mini Wraps                                                                  Strong White Flour

Passata                                                                          Dried Parsley

3 pack of Garlic                                                           Dried Basil

Mini Chorizo Snack Packet                                     Paprika

Salami                                                                           Chilli Powder

Pre- Grated Mozzarella Cheese

Parmesan

Single Cream

Sundried Tomatos in a Jar

Chick Peas

Kidney Beans

Spinach

4 pack of Avocado

3 pack of Onions

3 pack of Peppers

Closed Cup Mushrooms

Tomato and Chilli Sauce

Total Calculation (from Tesco Stores): £34.40

Minus the products that will do more than one serving: – £8.83

Your Weekly Shop: = £25.57

 

Breakfast:

American Style pancakes (Serves about 6 pancakes)

140grams of Flour, 100ml of Milk, 1tbsp Baking Powder, 1tsp Salt, 2 Eggs

–

Sieve the Flour, Baking Powder & Salt together into a big mixing bowl.

Simply beat the eggs in a jug, then add the milk to the egg mixture.

Add the jug to the mixing bowl and whisk away.

Pre-heat a pan with olive oil on a medium heat.

For each pancake spoon out 3 tbsp’s of mixture onto the pan.

Add Syrup, Honey, Fruits or Yogurt to make for the perfect morning breakfast (or brunch)

 

French Toast (Serves 4)

4 Slices of Bread, 1 Egg, 1/4 Cup of Milk (Vanilla & Cinnamon are Optional)

–

Just beat the egg in a shallow dish, add in the milk and mix together.

Dip the bread in, making sure to cover each side evenly.

Cook the bread in a lightly greased non-stick pan on a medium heat until both sides are browned.

 

Avocado & Poached egg on Toast (Serves 1)

1 Slice of Bread, 1/2 of Avocado, 1 Egg

–

Boil a small pan of water.

Once the pan starts to bubble, crack the egg into the middle of the water.

The egg shouldn’t take too long to poach about 30 seconds- 1 minute.

Whilst the water is on boil, toast the bread and mash the avocado so it’s easy to spread.

Spread the Avocado, add on the egg and there you go!

 

Main Dishes:

Fajitas (Serves 1)

1 Chicken Breast, Paprika, 1 Chopped Pepper, 1/2 Onion, Chilli Powder, 2 Mini Wraps & Sour Cream

–

Dice the onions and chop the pepper into thin strips.

Dice the chicken into small pieces and put in a mixing bowl, add equal amounts of paprika and chilli powder until the chicken is sufficiently covered, along with a little bit of oil.

Heat a non-stick pan and put on a bit of olive oil before putting the onions in to brown.

Once the onion’s start to look cooked throw in the spicy covered chicken.

As the chicken starts to cook add in the strips of pepper (if it looks dry just top up with a bit of water).

Serve up in a wrap and a side of sour cream.

 

HomeMade Pizza(Serves 2)

300g Strong  White Flour, 1 tsp of Instant Yeast, 1 tsp Salt, 1 tbsp of Olive Oil, Passata, Basil, 1 Garlic Clove, (Spinach, Grated Mozzarella & Salami: All optional)

–

For the base: Put the flour into a large bowl, then stir in the yeast and salt.

Make a hole in the middle of the mixture and pour in 200ml warm water and the olive oil.

Bring it together with a wooden spoon until you have a soft, fairly wet dough.

Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 mins until smooth. (It’s up to you if you’d like to leave the dough to rise but for a thin crust you don’t have to).

For the sauce: Mix the passata, basil and crushed garlic together.

On a floured surface, roll out the dough into the desired shapes using a rolling pin.

Don’t make it too thick because it will rise in the oven (our baking trays weren’t big enough so we always did 4 decent sized pizzas instead of 2).

Put onto a foiled sheet, to go in the oven otherwise it’ll stick to the tray.

Heat up the oven  220C/Gas Mark 8, smooth the sauce over the bases and top with whatever you’d like!

Cook until crisp, usually takes about 10 minutes.

Have fun with this one, I spent a whole week having pizza with different topics!

 

Bean & Chorizo Chilli( Serves 2)

100g Chorizo, 400g of Kidney Beans, 400g of Chickpeas both rinsed and drained, Tomato & Chilli Sauce,  Rice, Sour Cream.

–

Slice up the chorizo and then dry-fry for a few mins in a non-stick frying pan until crisp.

Pour out any fat from the pan, then tip in the sauce (if the sauce isn’t hot enough you can always add in a bit of chilli powder) and beans with 100ml water.

Bring to a simmer, cover, then lower the heat and bubble for 10 mins.

Serve with rice and a side of sour cream.

 

Here are the links to three other deliciously simple recipes created by other talented bloggers: All the ingredients are on the top of this page so just follow the instructions and bon appetite!

Mushroom Risotto                     Spaghetti  Carbonara                  Chicken Mozzarella Pasta

Get the Recipe                              Get the Recipe                                 Get the Recipe

 

 

FRESHERS: Your Ultimate Packing Playlist!

We’ve got a two hour playlist chosen for you by those at The Young Collective. It’s a diverse mix of killer tunes: all to keep you motivated through that important day of packing in preparation for university! There’s some golden oldies, some classics and some to just get you up and dancing! So enjoy! It’s the first step in your new university life & we wish you all the luck!  

1. Pack up -Eliza Doolittle
2. All Star – Smash Mouth
3. I Love College – Asher Roth
4. It’s My Life – Bon Jovi
5. New Shoes – Paolo Nutini
6. Walking On Sunshine – Katrine & The Waves
7. We Are Young – Fun
8. All Night Long – Lionel Richie
9. Send My Love ( To Your New Lover) – Adele
10. 9 To 5 – Dolly Parton
11. Together In Electric Dreams – The Human League
12. Good Life – Kanye West
13. Feeling Good – Michael Buble
14. Dancing Queen – ABBA
15. Rhythm is a Dancer – Snap!
16. Just Dance – Lady Gaga
17. King – Years & Years
18. Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey
19. Go Your Own Way – Fleetwood Mac
20. Show Me Love – Robin S.
21. 1 Thing – Amerie
22. Feel Good Inc – Gorillaz
23. Like a Boss – Lonely Island
24. Midnight City – M83
25. On Top of the World – Imagine Dragons
26. Girls Just Want to Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper
27. Should I Stay or Should I Go – The Clash
28. What’s My Age Again? – Blink- 182
29. Irreplaceable – Beyonce
30. Wetsuit – The Vaccines
31. Happy – Pharrell WIlliams
32. House Party – Sam Hunt

Apple Music Link: TYC – PACKING

Keep an eye out the next two weeks for many more Fresher than fresh tips and advice!

TYC LOVE!

 

Freshers is finally here!

**We’re going to be doing a TWO WEEK FRESHER SPECIAL from Wednesday 7th!! So if you’re a newbie or a returner we have all the tips and stories to guide you through your freshers week!!!! There’s load to come on recipes, drinks, packing playlists and alternatives to a night out! So check it out, it’s going to be an exciting two weeks!!**

 

TYC LOVE

x

Beauty Boxes for the Skint Student

Right now we’re in peak summer season. Which means for most of us money money money (and also no social life).When you were young summer meant freedom, man how things have changed, now it’s long work days, almost everyday. But look on the bright side YOU HAVE MONEY! Well that is until you go to that festival, a friend has a birthday or you go back to uni… then you’re begging for your loan to come in! So in appreciation for all the students who like to keep up with the latest beauty but can’t afford to break the bank here’s a magical box of beauty you’ll be swapping that beer money for!

If you’re up for trying branded products (both men and women) but can’t really afford to waste your money on a £30 product to then realize it doesn’t work for you. (I mean we’re students!) The perfect website is definitely http://www.latestinbeauty.com/ , from here you can get sample size products and sometimes full sized (they tell you which on the description) to test out by either building your own box or choosing one of their collections! At the moment they have a perfect little deal if you just want to test drive what they offer and see how it works. They have two perfect for summer: The Summer edit and A Weekend Away Beauty Box both at £20 each.

Last Summer’s GLAMOUR edit box

I’ve ordered four of their boxes over the last year, 3 being collections and 1 I put together as a Gift for a friend. The most I have spent on a box is £25 plus P&P but it really is worth it and they let you know how much it would cost you to buy them separately, so you can see how much you’re saving! Pretty much all the beauty products I’ve received have been beneficial because they’ve worked for me and I keep whatever bottles run out so I know for future reference that they’re worth paying for!

I love this site because they always have a collection that suits me as they have at least 4 different ones you can choose from at a time. Plus, they release a collection with products so perfect for that particular upcoming season! The Summer edit I bought last year was an absolute treat – it had fake tan, suncream, lipbalm, a tanning glove and loads more! It was created by GLAMOUR magazine who collaborate with them each season. So if you’re a fan of the magazine like I am it’s well worth the look. They also have a gift section so you pick the personality of the person you’re buying for and they suggest the best box!

The best thing about this wonderful website for me though is the fact you just make an account and you don’t have to subscribe to anything unlike other websites where you pay monthly. You can just pick and choose when and what you want to buy!

http://www.latestinbeauty.com/collections/ here’s a link to the collections so you can take a look yourself!

Right now they’re also doing a free mini box if you spend over £25! Go to http://www.latestinbeauty.com/blog/ and find the checkout code for the one you’d like to choose!

Being a student doesn’t mean you have to miss out on all the gorgeous beauty products up for grabs!