Saying goodbye is always hard. It isn't my forte and yet in the past few weeks, I have found myself saying more goodbyes than I've been able to keep up with. Whether it be to those people I became friends with through Halle or the family I have always been so lucky to have, with each day and each goodbye comes a little bit more heart break. It's one of the only things I dislike about new opportunities and the need to move on because it means letting go of all the good things which have already been.
Today was my last day in England for another 4 months and I'm not quite sure how I feel about that yet. Leaving home, whilst not the most ceremonious of things now that I have done it a few times, makes me miss my childhood and the times when home was just one place that stood stock still. I miss when time ran into time which ran into time, and I was able to chase years whilst staying in the...
Summer has flown by and the revision period is almost upon us again! Getting ahead on work during your weeks off will hopefully have prepared you for that next challenge which lies ahead. But no matter how well we prepare, it can always be good to look back to someone who has been there.
So, as that person, here are my top 5 tips when it comes to revising:
My revision wall
1. Schedule
Make sure that you start as early on as you possible can. You might think that...
Starting university can be a wonderful and exciting experience, but it can also bring its own unique challenges. It's natural to feel nervous or overwhelmed during the first few weeks at university, and it can be a while before you feel like you’ve found your feet. Student Minds works to transform the state of student mental health so that all in higher education can thrive, including you!
Student Minds is the UK’s student mental health charity. We empower students and members of the university community to develop the knowledge...
Not everyone is born confident. Moving away from home is a part of life that most people will encounter. Some university students may find the move an exciting and fresh start, whereasothers may see the experience as a terrifying proposition. If you find yourself in the latter camp, I'm here to tell you that this overwhelming feeling is perfectly normal.
It's difficult moving to a new environment, with new faces and a new daily routine, especially if you’re the only one out of your friends attending the university. I'm currently in this situation, and it does not help knowing I will have to adjust myself to whatever situation I will find myself in when I move to Lincoln.
Living with social anxiety can exacerbate the nerves already surrounding starting uni. In my case, I find it difficult being left in a shopping aisle alone when my mother ‘ditches’ me to get some veg from an aisle on the other side of the store. Other days, I find it difficult to make phone calls to...
Viewing, packing, moving in, and decorating sounds like the most exhilarating thing, right? You're either prepared to start a new chapter of your life, or all hyped up for your second or third freshers, and hanging out with your mates all over again. It's such an exciting time of the year, but it's worth taking a minute to consider how you're going to manage your independence over the next year.
Those bills don't solve themselves
Unfortunate but true – the money involved in the rent isn't the only money you'll need to fork out. By keeping track of what you each owe per week or per month, it'll be so much easier when it comes to paying your letting agents. Keep emergency numbers, previous payments, and any necessary details together, somewhere all housemates can access. If someone has to file through every bit of discarded paper on top of the fridge to find out who to contact, or can't find necessary numbers because they're locked in Jonny's room, it can be a...
There are some things you obviously need to take to uni – like clothes, shoes, and bedding – but here are ten things that might not seem so important, but, from experience, are essential.
Posters, pictures, and wall hangings
It might not seem like much of an 'essential', but trust me, it is. When you move into your room and look at the stacks of boxes and blank white walls, it's easy to get homesick. You don't want to feel like you're living in a hotel room for a year. Take posters and things to put on your walls. It's also a very good idea to take pictures of you with your friends and family, as most halls will have a corkboard where you can pin them up.
Wok
Take a good wok with you. This is a durable piece of kit that's great for a multitude of one-pot meals, perfect for cooking for one person, batch cooking, and all those endless stir fry meals you'll be making.
Dressing gown
The humble dressing gown. Hidden in its soft,...
I have now been back at home for a whole month! I can't believe how time has flown since January when I was unbelievably worried/excited to be going abroad for a semester. Since I have been home I've been working two jobs, one as a cleaner and one as a waitress...so overall not quite as glamorous (or exciting) as living in Spain with my friends and going to the pool every day.
Since I've been back at home people have asked me a lot of questions about going abroad and whether they should do it themselves...and it made me think about all the reasons I wanted to study abroad in the first place, all the doubts I had along the way, the stress, but also the fact that this experience has opened my eyes to how amazing it can be to experience another country....So here goes, my big list of reasons why you should study abroad.
While students across the country are nervously waiting their A Level results this Thursday (Aug 15) or GCSEs (Aug 22), a thought should be spared also for their equally anxious parents.
To help everyone going through the stresses and strains that inevitably come with this time of year, the Department for Education’s Exam Results Helpline opens at 07:30 on A Levels Day and will continue to be a lifeline of support and guidance until the end of the month.
Although students make the bulk of the calls, a quarter are from parents phoning to find out how best to help their youngsters take the next steps.
Here, Exam Results Helpline careers advisor Iwan Williams has outlined the ‘Ultimate Checklist’ for parents to ensure they can help their teenagers make the right decisions when the time comes.
So, what do parents really need to know?
1) The options: Having a solid understanding of the...
by Ellen Ramsay, BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy, Teesside University
University has been the best three years of my life so far but, at first, it didn’t feel like that way.
I was really excited about my new adventure – I was moving 200 miles north to begin my university course in occupational therapy. But the homesickness set in during Freshers’ Week. I found my new life very difficult – I had arrived with freshers’ flu (yes, it does exist!) and I cried all the time. I can remember saying to my family that, if I...
My PGCE has been a tough but exciting year. It’s affirmed and re-affirmed my faith in the profession and my career path, it’s taught me to be patient and made me see that I can learn so much from others, but most importantly, it’s taught me that every single teacher is different.
Embarking on your journey from trainee to NQT is difficult, it’s a tough year that no one can really prepare you for. However, here are six tips that should help you along the way:
1. Ask for help
The most important piece of advice I can give is to ask for help. Seriously, I know it seems simple, but it’s hard to do. Whether it’s asking for resources, asking for advice on lesson plans, or just needing someone to rant to, you must ask for help. No one is expecting you to be perfect, so use the people around you!